Vivid Imaginations plans Care Bears UK relaunch

Vivid Imaginations is relaunching Care Bears, the popular Eighties toy, on the UK market in January next year, backed by a &£1.25m advertising spend.

The toy manufacturer, which holds the licence for brands such as Spider-Man, Sindy and Thunderbirds in the UK, claims that the launch will represent its top girls’ toy next year and is projecting sales of &£8m for the product line in its first year.

The toy range was first launched in the UK in 1984 by Kenner, now part of Hasbro. At its height of popularity, the brand was valued at about &£30m. The rights to Care Bears are owned by American Greetings Company, which agreed to license the UK rights to the toy to Vivid earlier this year.

The range will be aimed at two separate demographic groups: Classic Care Bears will target teenagers, students and young mums who remember them from the Eighties, while a new range, with a more modern style and stronger colour palate, will be for girls aged between two and eight years.

A TV campaign targeting the younger age group is to be created by Focus on Kids, a specialist toy marketing agency. A print campaign will be handled by Norton Communications. MediaVest Manchester will handle media buying.

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