New promotional and licensing agreements secured for award-winning property

Leading family entertainment producer and merchandising company Chorion has signed a raft of new and promotional deals and partners for award-winning property The World of Eric Carle in the US, UK, Germany, Australia, Asia Pacific and Japan, highlighting the global classic appeal of the brand. New US publishing partners will introduce an assortment of products in 2011. Random House Children’s Books will launch a range of coloring and activity books to include Deluxe Paint Box and Doodle coloring and activity in the Fall, with further introductions in 2012. While Publications International will launch scrapbooks this Spring, with a line of soundbooks to follow in the Fall. In addition, Night and Day Studios will launch “My Very First App” in late September for iPhone, iPad and iTouch, which will draw from the popular Eric Carle My Very First Book series. The first in a range of game applications, “My Very First App”, priced at $.99 will include Colors, with add-on games like Sounds and Shapes for an additional $.99 each. In the UK, The World of Eric Carle babywear featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar continues to expand with George@Asda successfully launching apparel in July. Licensee Brecrest won the Licensing Award for Best Children’s Apparel for its range of The Very Hungry Caterpillar babywear for Sainsbury’s at the 2010 London Licensing Awards.

Chorion has signed new deals for The World of Eric Carle in Germany with Joy Toy, as distributor of award-winning Kids Preferred toys, launching The Very Hungry Caterpillar soft toys to the market for the first time from Fall 2010. Also in Germany, Heye, the leading calendar company in German-speaking countries (will launch at retail in 2010 with) has signed for calendars, date books, monthly planners and family planners.

In Australia, Target has launched The World of Eric Carle infant toys with the introduction of infant apparel in Spring 2011. This follows the debut of Junior fashion t-shirts at Jay Jay’s in August capitalizing on the nostalgia of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Chorion is also further expanding the beloved brand in Europe with the appointment of Marathon Media in France and the Copyright Promotions Licensing Group in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg as representatives for The World of Eric Carle.

The World of Eric Carle continues to be a huge success in Asia. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the #1 overseas picture book in the Japanese market and The World of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been nominated for the Character License of the Year 2010 award at the Creative Market Tokyo Conference to be held in October. Building on this success, Chorion has appointed Infiniss as the new agent for The World of Eric Carle in Korea.

Steve Cipolla, EVP of Global Licensing and Sales at Chorion says: “The World of Eric Carle is an evergreen property which continues to appeal to children and adults of all ages around the world. We are excited to be partnering with these leading merchandising companies to bring contemporary products to the market.”

The World of Eric Carle™ is a design-driven licensing and merchandising program based on the beloved picture books by Eric Carle, best known for the children’s classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar. A prolific author and artist, Eric Carle has written and illustrated more than seventy books which have sold over 103 million copies worldwide. Like his books, The World of Eric Carle™ brand draws upon Eric Carle’s lessons in creativity, discovery, play and development. Licensing and merchandising programs are ongoing in the US, UK, Germany, Australia and Japan. Plans for 2011 include expanding into France and Korea.

For more information about Eric Carle visit www.Eric-Carle.com. Chorion, a global family entertainment and merchandising company, represents The World of Eric Carle™ for licensing worldwide.