OLD BAY’s unique blend of 18 herbs and spices has been satisfying the taste buds of seafood aficionados for over 70 years. With its roots in Baltimore, OLD BAY is the number one seafood seasoning in the U.S., selling over 55 million ounces a year across the country.

“From the beginning, OLD BAY has been linked to the region’s iconic seafood dish – the crab cake. Our secret recipe was just the right flavor to make them irresistible,” said Ben Flood, Brand Manager, OLD BAY. “So naturally, we are excited that OLD BAY’s legendary Chesapeake flavor will soon be featured in frozen crab cakes across supermarkets nationwide.”

Capitalizing on the growth of the frozen seafood category as well as consumer demand for trusted and sophisticated flavor profiles, the OLD BAY crab cakes will be offered in a variety of sizes and available in stores this fall.

“As retailers continue to dedicate more shelf space to this growing category, OLD BAY, the ultimate seafood companion, is the perfect brand to offer consumers innovative, restaurant-quality frozen seafood,” said Kevin Pearce, Managing Director, Crab Source. “Creative and passionate cooks will now be able to enjoy the OLD BAY experience in a new way.”

This partnership was brought together by Beanstalk, OLD BAY’s licensing agency of record, to help fill the void for delicious, flavorful at-home meal options. This partnership represents OLD BAY’s continued efforts toward extending the deep and loyal relationship OLD BAY has with its devoted fan base.

About OLD BAY

For more than 70 years, this distinctive blend of 18 herbs and spices has been a time-honored taste. Just as the recipe hasn’t changed, neither has the iconic yellow and blue can. Once only enjoyed by a lucky few along the Chesapeake Bay, OLD BAY® Seasoning has gained fans all across the country. Best known as THE seasoning for shrimp, salmon, crab and other seafood dishes, these days, OLD BAY is used to flavor hamburgers, chicken, pizza, pasta, vegetable dishes and more. OLD BAY Seasoning is also available with 30% less sodium and has been the inspiration for 14 additional offerings. For information, recipes and the OLD BAY online store, visit www.oldbay.com and www.facebook.com/oldbay.

OLD BAY is one of McCormick & Company’s (NYSE: MKC) portfolio brands. As the leading global supplier of innovative flavor solutions, McCormick has built a portfolio of leading flavor brands that enhance people’s enjoyment of food all around the world. Every day, no matter where or what you eat, you can enjoy food flavored by McCormick.  McCormick brings passion to flavor.™

About Crab Source, LLC

Crab Source, LLC., founded in 2001, is a leading privately held company in the United States manufacturing value-added crabmeat based products and seafood for top Seafood Manufacturers, Retail, Club and Foodservice Accounts. Leveraging its many culinary talents and resources, Crab Source offers restaurant quality, handmade crab cakes and an assortment of commodity and value-added products such as shrimp, fish, oysters, scallops and surimi. Crab Source’s research & development chefs continue to pioneer new techniques, focusing on quality while enhancing flavor using only the best available ingredients.  Crab Source maintains global sourcing and processing relationships.  For more information, please visit www.crabsource.com.

The wildly popular series of mobile applications have become a pop culture phenomenon. Merchantwise will be rolling out a licensing program across multiple categories for Talking Friends, its series of mobile applications, and its cast of characters, including Talking Tom Cat, Talking Ben the Dog and Talking Gina the Giraffe, among others. Moose Toys will be launching plush into Australian retail this June. Merchantwise plans to roll out the initial consumer products program for Christmas 2012.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Merchantwise to continue the global expansion of Talking Friends,” said Michael Stone, CEO of Beanstalk. “The brand is phenomenally popular around the world and we are confident that Merchantwise’s licensing expertise in Australia and New Zealand will help us to further build this entertainment franchise.”

The Talking Friends franchise has become a sensation with the media and millions of fans of all ages the world over. Each of the Talking Friends apps features a unique, heart-warming, and fully animated 3D character that comes to life when poked, tickled, and played with on mobile touch-screen devices for the iOS and Android platforms. The interactive character repeats everything a user says, and the apps allows fans to create customised videos of their interactions with the Talking Friends and share them via Facebook, YouTube, MMS or email. Over 600,000 videos are spread virally every month.

Like Talking Friends’ cast of digital characters, the licensed products will engage users differently depending on the user’s age, and provide the same unique connections and game experiences that have made the application so popular. The licensing program will have a two-pronged focus with consumer products designed for the user demographics — children ages 4-8 and tweens, teens and adults.

“We are excited to partner with Beanstalk to bring the digital experience of Talking Friends into the physical world,” said Alex Ishchenko, Director of Merchantwise. “We are looking forward to bringing consumers in Australia and New Zealand innovative products that allow them to experience their favorite characters in new ways.”

Talking Friends was created by global mobile entertainment leader Outfit7 Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Out Fit 7 Ltd., and has bounded over the 330 million download mark globally, with over 90 million active users monthly and is expected to achieve over 600 million downloads by the end of 2012.  .The brand continues to dominate the download rankings and in Australia, over nine million apps have been downloaded to date, with an additional one million downloads expected by the end of February 2012. Also, 89% of those who downloaded a Talking Friends app in Australia would recommend it to a friend.

About Outfit7:

With over 330 million downloads and 90 million active monthly users since its first app launch in July 2010, Outfit7 is one of the world’s fastest growing mobile entertainment networks. Its Talking Friends collection has become an entertainment phenomenon with the characters featured on ABC’s Modern Family as well as NBC’s Today Show. There are twelve apps in the Talking Friends collection including Talking Tom Cat, Talking Ben and Talking Gina the Giraffe.  Each of the Talking Friends apps features a unique and fully animated 3D character that comes to life when poked, tickled, and played with on mobile touch-screen devices for the iOS and Android platforms. The interactive characters repeat everything a user says and customized videos of interactions with the characters can be shared via Facebook, YouTube or email. Outfit7 is headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus with subsidiaries in Palo Alto, California and Ljubljana, Slovenia.

About Merchantwise:

Merchantwise is a leading brand agency providing brand licensing, management, insights and creative marketing services. We pride ourselves on combining insight-driven strategy with creative solutions to cut through the noise and deliver tangible brand value for our clients. For over 10 years, Merchantwise has supported many of the world’s best loved brands across a diversity of sectors including adult and children’s entertainment, sports and leisure, retail and consumer products, government, business and community services.

About Beanstalk:

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with corporate brands, celebrities, entertainment properties, and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also offers a breadth of additional licensing services including direct-to-retail program management, license acquisition for manufacturers and TransAct™ licensing program administration. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC).

About Diversified Agency Services/Omnicom Group

Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc., manages Omnicom’s holdings in a variety of specialty marketing and communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving domestic and global clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries. Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE-OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

NEW YORK, January 31, 2012 – Beanstalk, the world’s leading brand licensing agency and consultancy, today announced the appointment of Nell Roney as Senior Vice President, Brand Acquisitions.  In her new position, Roney will be responsible for leveraging her industry experience and extensive network of relationships to partner best-in-class manufacturers and retailers with the most sought after brands.  Roney will report directly to Allison Ames, President, North America, Beanstalk.

Beanstalk Brand Acquisitions was created to assist consumer product manufacturers as well as retailers in identifying and licensing strategic properties for competitive advantage.  Roney will leverage over 25 years of experience in brand licensing, brand management and marketing across a broad range of product categories to accelerate agency growth in 2012 and beyond.

“Our Brand Acquisitions service continues to be a significant growth area for Beanstalk and represents one of the many ways that our knowledge of brands, trends, consumer attitudes and licensing can benefit our clients,” said Allison Ames. “Nell’s extensive and compelling experience as a licensee, licensor, and agent will provide the direction necessary to continue our growth in this discipline.”

A leader in brand licensing, Roney has managed programs across many licensing segments including corporate and trademark licensing, entertainment and character properties, sports and art properties, and promotions. On the agency front, she has been instrumental in developing and managing licensing programs for a host of key clients in the consumer packaged goods industry across categories including household products, consumer electronics, health and beauty, and automotive, among others. Prior to that, Roney managed licensing initiatives, as a licensee, for a number of prestigious companies in food and beverage, home textiles, and housewares industries.

“As brand licensing has earned its seat at the marketing table, companies continue to seek valuable partnerships with well-known brands in order to effectively reach new consumers and differentiate themselves from their competitors,” said Roney. “Beanstalk Brand Acquisitions is uniquely qualified to assist clients in succeeding in today’s challenging retail market by providing access to best-in-class licensors from around the world.  I am excited about leading this strategic business for the company and look forward to creating long-term, valuable partnerships for our clients.”

Beanstalk Brand Acquisitions provides clients with an in-depth, strategic analysis of relevant licensing opportunities consistent with their goals and objectives.  Over the years, Beanstalk has engaged in brand license acquisitions for companies across industries including fashion, optical, jewelry, home textiles and consumer electronics.  Most notable successes include the pairing of Combine International, a leading manufacturer and supplier of fine jewelry, with wedding, lifestyle and entertainment authority David Tutera, to create a collection of engagement rings and wedding bands; partnering Vision-Ease, manufacturer of optical lenses, with popular consumer sun care brand, Coppertone, to create a line of UV protective eyewear; and securing recognizable children’s literary character Little Bear on behalf of Orajel, to create a line of toddler-friendly toothpastes.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with blue-chip brands and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also offers a breadth of additional licensing services including direct-to-retail program management, license acquisition for manufacturers, celebrity/expert talent management, and TransAct™ customized legal and financial services. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.

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“We are delighted to have secured several significant partnerships in the consumer electronics space on behalf of our clients,” said Michael Stone, CEO of Beanstalk. “Personal electronics are such an integral part of our everyday lives and these innovative products address the unique needs of consumers in this ever-evolving marketplace.”

Below is a round-up of the buzz generated from Beanstalk clients.

AT&T

AT&T has partnered with Concept 101, an innovative personal, portable and home electronics and accessories company to launch AT&T branded consumer electronics and accessories in the North American market. The initial product line, officially available at retail in 2012, debuted and showcased at CES to great fanfare.  AT&T has leveraged Concept 101’s cutting edge design and manufacturing capabilities to launch a line of docking stations, headphones and accessories for Bluetooth devices and tablets to be distributed everywhere better consumer electronics are sold.

Energizer

Energizer, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of primary batteries, battery-powered devices and flashlights, announced a strategic license agreement with Bower Inc., a leading manufacturer of photographic accessories with over 60 years of experience in the camera accessory arena. The new Energizer-branded accessories, launched at CES,  features a full line of products including high quality digital camera batteries, camera battery chargers, DSLR flashes, DSLR battery grips, memory card readers, LED lights, DSLR remotes, flash accessories, and travel plug adapters.

Premier Accessory Group, a leading provider of communication-related equipment and accessories, also showcased its expansive line of Energizer cell phone and computer accessory products.

Travelocity

Travelocity, one of the largest travel companies in the world, has joined forces with MIZCO International (www.mizco.com), the industry-leading multi-brand manufacturer and marketer of high-performance mobile technology accessories. The companies announced the introduction of a breakthrough in-store merchandising program for its 2012 line of Travelocity® portable power solutions including a 3-in-1 charger, AC|DC converter, USB travel and car chargers, stereo hands-free headset, three-port travel outlet and a travel tech case, among others. Available for immediate delivery, the new 17 SKU “Power To Go” line launched with a high impact, four-color shipper/display, designed to start selling as soon as it is taken out of the box.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. Headquartered in New York, and with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world, Beanstalk develops programs for both international and local brands, celebrities, and entertainment properties.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.

NEW YORK, January 17, 2012 – Beanstalk, a leading global brand licensing agency and consultancy, today announced the appointment of Allison Ames as President, North America. In her new role, Ames will oversee Beanstalk’s operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and South America. She will continue to report directly to Michael Stone, CEO. Effective immediately, Ames will assume full responsibility for all clients operating in the North American region, while also driving the development and execution of the agency’s strategic growth initiatives. As President, Ames will expand on her previous role as Senior Vice President, Brand Management by advancing the interests of Beanstalk’s client partners through innovation, driving profitability and identifying opportunities to create new revenue sources. Allison will continue to have oversight over Beanstalk’s Brand Management and Business Development and Marketing departments.

Since joining Beanstalk in 1995, Ames has led general licensing initiatives for diverse brands such as HGTV, Stanley Black & Decker, Purina, Airheads and U.S. Army, among others.  She also led and was an integral part of the strategic development and management of worldwide retail exclusive programs for Mary-Kate and Ashley and Danskin Now.

“Allison has played a critical role in leading Beanstalk to a strong leadership position in the brand licensing industry,” said Michael Stone. “Her promotion reflects the outstanding service she has provided to clients, retailers and licensees in addition to the significant contributions she has made to developing our talent and to the agency. We are excited to see her grow professionally and anticipate   great achievements from Allison in her new role.”

Ames holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business & Marketing from George Washington University and an M.B.A. in International Business from Hofstra University.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with blue-chip brands and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also offers a breadth of additional licensing services including direct-to-retail program management, license acquisition for manufacturers, celebrity/expert talent management, and TransAct™ customized legal and financial services. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.

London, January 10, 2012 – Celebrated British fashion designer, Matthew Williamson, today announced that he has appointed Beanstalk, one of the world’s leading brand licensing agencies, to help develop his brand’s international licensing programme. Beanstalk will be working with Matthew Williamson to secure best-in-class licensing partners across a range of luxury lifestyle categories including fragrance, eyewear, footwear, luggage, homewares and childrenswear internationally.

Ciarán Coyle, Beanstalk’s Managing Director, International said, “We are honoured to be working with Matthew Williamson, one of Britain’s most influential fashion designers. His eponymous fashion collection, built on his distinctive vision of colour, print and embellishment, is universally admired in international fashion circles.  Since his debut at London Fashion Week in 1997, Matthew has consistently demonstrated his ability to create desirable, inspirational fashion and stylish women the world over aspire to his brand’s feminine, free-spirited image and his laid-back approach to glamour.  We are proud to have been assigned to help him extend his reach into new areas and to bring his unique vision to life through new licensed collaborations.”

The partnership between Matthew Williamson and Beanstalk represents an important step in continuing the expansion of his brand worldwide.

Joseph Velosa, Chief Executive Officer of Matthew Williamson, comments: “The partnership with Beanstalk cements our ambition to diversify the brand’s offer in new creative lifestyle areas globally. Matthew’s signature handwriting and uniquely identifiable sense of colour and pattern is perfectly suited to application across a diverse range of accessories, homewares and childrenswear. Beanstalk has a successful history of fashion licensing and its renowned team of specialists has strong connections with best-in-class partners globally. They will be working closely with the Matthew Williamson team to bring to market new product ranges that complement the core fashion collection and that take the brand into new channels of distribution internationally.”

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with blue-chip brands and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also offers a breadth of additional licensing services including direct-to-retail programme management, license acquisition for manufacturers, celebrity/expert talent management, and TransAct™ customised legal and financial services.

The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world.

For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com.

Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.

About Matthew Williamson

Matthew Williamson, a British fashion and lifestyle company, was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in London. The company has three freestanding stores in London, New York and Dubai and wholesales to over 170 prestigious stockists globally. The company produces four womenswear collections annually and shows during London fashion week. The company has also collaborated with several international corporations such as H&M, Macy’s and Coca- Cola on co-branded limited edition products as well as having a longstanding partnership with Debenhams as part of their ‘Designers at Debenhams’ portfolio. Matthew has won several industry awards including a British fashion award, Elle designer of the year award and the Moet & Chandon creator award. His clothes are regularly worn on the red carpet and his shows are frequently attended by celebrities such as Sienna Miller, Alexa Chung and Poppy Delevigne. A self-titled book was published in 2010 by Rizzoli with a précis contribution by Anna Wintour and was written by Colin McDowell.

HONG KONG CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE, BOOTH 3G-C21, 9 – 11 January 2012 — Beanstalk, a leading brand licensing agency and consultancy, today spoke of another strong year for the agency in Asia and how the region has further cemented its importance for the licensing industry as a whole.

“The Asian office has contributed significantly to the success of Beanstalk’s overall global business in 2011,” said Ciarán Coyle, Managing Director, International, for Beanstalk. “Asia is a hugely important market both from a manufacturing and consumer point of view. The speed with which partners here can develop and deliver product has had a great impact on our ability to service our global digital and fashion clients this past year. We have successfully secured major licensing partners from the region to service both the local market as well as key international markets, and as a result, we are responding to consumer demand and delivering product to market faster than ever before.”

“Digital properties are certainly driving business for Beanstalk in the entertainment sector and we signed ten key licensee partnerships in 2011 for our newly acquired client Talking Friends, four of which were major agreements developed by our Hong Kong office. In addition, demand for product from our celebrity and fashion client roster remains high here.  We are in negotiations for a number of opportunities for British fashion brands, Aquascutum and Jaeger, and in 2012, Paris Hilton’s eyewear line will launch exclusively for the Asian market.” said Coyle.

“We are anticipating high demand for our digital entertainment, celebrity and fashion clients at the Hong Kong International Licensing Show,” Coyle concluded. “We are confident that Beanstalk and its clients will continue to experience significant growth in 2012, which will further cement Beanstalk as the agency of choice in Asia for world-class brands.”

Ciaran Coyle will be speaking at the Asian Licensing Conference on 10^th January at 16:30 on the subject of “Branding of Characters and Fashion – Opportunities for Lifestyle Products.”

BRAND UPDATES

Paris Hilton

Beanstalk has announced an agreement for its client, global style leader and fashion icon Paris Hilton, with OEM & Design Company, the leading Asian eyewear manufacturer, to develop an exclusive line of optical frames, sunglasses and coloured contact lenses for the Asian market.

The range will be launched by Paris herself at the Shanghai Optical Fair in February 2012, and will be sold in department stores and specialty jewelry stores across the region, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Australasia.

Talking Friends

In July 2011 Beanstalk was appointed the exclusive, global licensing agency for Talking Friends, the digital app sensation which counts Talking Tom Cat amongst its cast of characters with 300 million downloads worldwide and counting.

Beanstalk is working to expand the Talking Friends franchise internationally and has announced agreements for the brand with Letao for footwear across Asia, Fine Makers Limited to produce giftware for the U.K. market, Smith & Brooks to develop apparel for the U.K., and a pan-European agreement with Belltex for bedding and home décor product.

MovieStarPlanet

Beanstalk announced new digital entertainment client MovieStarPlanet at the Brand Licensing Europe trade show in October 2011, where it received an exceptional response. One of the fastest growing social platforms in the world, MovieStarPlanet allows tweens to interact with their peers in a safe and creative environment, with over 20 million profiles created to date.

Since its launch in Denmark in 2009, MovieStarPlanet has undergone rapid expansion, with exceptional levels of market penetration across Europe, including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland, Germany, France, Norway, The Netherlands and Finland. In August 2011, MovieStarPlanet launched in the U.S. and significantly beat forecasts in terms of site visits and user profile creation in its first month.

The property plans to extend to additional territories and anticipates 80 million users by the end of 2012, having experienced a ten-fold growth rate in 2011 alone.

Stanley Black & Decker

With over 50 licensees worldwide, the Stanley Black & Decker licensing programme has become the most comprehensive, seamless and successful licensing programme in the hardware industry today.

A wide range of new licensees were appointed in 2011, including Rhino Professional for Stanley Industrial Wipes & Hand Gels, Work-in-Progress Ltd for Stanley Safety Footwear across the U.K. and Ireland, Smoby Toys for Black & Decker Role Play Toys across EMEA, and Louisville Ladders for ladders across the Stanley, Black & Decker and DeWalt brands..

An additional number of new licenses are currently under negotiation, and with the continuing strength of the brands at retail, 2012 is forecast to be another strong year for the Stanley Black & Decker licensing programme.

Jaeger

British fashion and lifestyle brand Jaeger joined Beanstalk’s portfolio in May 2011. Beanstalk’s specialists are working closely with the Jaeger team to develop a strategic licensing programme which complements and drives the growth and success of the brand in the U.K. and internationally, across categories including fragrance, sunglasses, footwear, childrenswear and homewares.

Beanstalk is currently prospecting for a best-in-class licensee to partner with Jaeger to manufacture and distribute core apparel in Asia.

Aquascutum

Beanstalk has recently extended its remit as licensing agency for the Aquascutum brand to include Asia, in an agreement brokered with Aquascutum Asia trademark-owner YGM. Beanstalk has been working with iconic luxury British heritage brand, Aquascutum, since May 2011 to help develop the brand’s international licensing programme through securing best-in-class licensing partners across a range of luxury lifestyle categories including fragrance, eyewear, watches, luggage and childrenswear.

Beanstalk announced its first agreement for Aquascutum in October 2011, partnering with the leading Italian umbrella manufacturer Aqueodesign to develop an exclusive line of umbrellas under the Aquascutum trademark for launch in Europe, North America and the Middle East in March 2012.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with blue-chip brands and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also offers a breadth of additional licensing services including direct-to-retail program management, license acquisition for manufacturers, celebrity/expert talent management, and TransAct™ customized legal and financial services. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.

NEW YORK, JANUARY 5, 2012 – Beanstalk, a leading global brand licensing agency and consultancy today announced that its client, AT&T, has partnered with Concept 101 to launch AT&T branded consumer electronics and accessories in the North American market. The initial product line will debut at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) and will be available at retail in 2012. AT&T will leverage Concept 101’s cutting edge design and manufacturing capabilities to launch a line of innovative AT&T branded electronics, including docking stations, headphones and accessories for Bluetooth devices and tablets.

“Personal electronic devices are shaping consumers, in both professional and personal settings. As a result, it is increasingly important that products which display intelligent design, reliability and connectivity within respective networks resonate well with consumers,” said Ken Duncan, Executive Director, AT&T Brand Licensing. “Our relationship with Concept 101 is a testament to our desire to add layers of convenience in the work place and at home.”

Composed of industry veterans with 30 years of experience in consumer electronics, Concept 101’s team is widely recognized for its forward thinking and commitment to develop and manufacture high quality products. Concept 101’s leading edge products will be distributed everywhere better consumer electronics are sold.

“We are extremely excited to be working closely with AT&T to bring innovative and exciting new products to consumers,” said Ken Cayre, President of Concept 101. “We believe that our dedicated and passionate team, together with the power and reach of the AT&T brand, will be a winning combination in the marketplace.”

“Mobile communications is a space that is constantly evolving, and while new devices and technology platforms have emerged, AT&T has remained ahead of the curve, bringing new, advanced technology to market,” said Michael Stone, CEO of Beanstalk. “Extending into new product categories will complement AT&T’s already proven line of products, reinforcing it as a leading telecommunications brand, domestically and internationally.”

To learn more about AT&T electronics visit Concept 101 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012, Central Hall C206.

About Concept 101
Concept 101 is an innovative consumer electronics company with the objective of introducing cutting edge technologies in market across a range of personal, portable and home electronics and accessories. Steered by a leadership of committed industry veterans the company is manufacturing and marketing under the powerful AT&T brand.

About Beanstalk
Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. Headquartered in New York, and with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world, Beanstalk develops programs for both international and local brands, celebrities, and entertainment properties. For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.

AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other AT&T related marks shown herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies and are used herein by permission. This press release is not issued by AT&T, AT&T and its affiliates assume no responsibility for the preparation, content or use of this announcement.

The Feeling is Mutual

Looking ahead to 2012, retailers will continue to value celebrity appeal and trip over themselves to snare the next celebrity as a means to drive consumer traffic. But with so many A, B, C and even D-list personalities flocking to the potentially high rewards of a licensed product line, getting past the velvet rope and gaining entry into an oversaturated market has become increasingly difficult. That being said, if executed intelligently, a celebrity-branded line provides stars with additional revenue sources and added touch points to maintain relevance and authenticity among consumers. These celebrities are looking not only for another paycheck but also another way to extend their fame (e.g., Madonna’s just-announced lifestyle line, Truth or Dare at Macy’s) and further build their personal “brand.”

But just how many celebrities can honestly say they have reached the highly sought-after “brand” status? The answer: very few. The fact is only a small number of celebrities are able to successfully manage the transformation from star to established brand. Paul Newman, Martha Stewart, Jaclyn Smith and Jay-Z are all enjoying their hard-earned brand badges. While some consumers buy a celebrity product line because they aspire to emulate a particular celebrity, others make their buying decisions based on trust and the quality and design of the product. Consumers who buy Jaclyn Smith apparel at Kmart do not aspire to be more like Jaclyn Smith as much as they value the design, quality and price of the goods. But those who buy Jennifer Lopez apparel at Kohl’s aspire to be more like People’s Most Beautiful Woman of 2011.

Plenty of Fish in the Sea

With a finite amount of shelf space and increasing desire by celebrities to extend their names, the celebrity licensing industry is ripe for innovative expansion to new retail channels. While celebrity product lines have graduated from Kmart and Kohl’s to Nordstrom and Barney’s,they have yet to stake their claim for shelf space at non-traditional retail outlets. Just how many morecelebrity lines it will take to reach that tipping point is anybody’s guess.

 I suspect that 2011’s oversaturation of celebrity product lines at department stores and mass retailers will encourage, and even compel, celebrities to venture into new retail frontiers. In fact, the trend may already be underway, as we have seen with Salma Hayek’s skincare and beauty line exclusively at CVS launched last August and Project Runway’s Christian Siriano’s footwear line at the discount shoe retailer Payless. Consumers and retailers who have displayed a strong affection for celebrity lines should expect to see more familiar faces (and some not so familiar) in unexpected places such as the aisles of their favorite grocery stores, family discount and value outlets, specialty stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, direct responsetelevision networks such as QVC and HSN (perhaps someone will supplant Snooki on HSN), and, of course, online retailers. I guess the real billion-dollar question is: Who will be Amazon’s first celebrity retail exclusive?

 As channels for distribution expand out of necessity, the elements of success will remain the same. A celebrity with passion for product and a strong, relevant connection between his or her name and the product category, regardless of the retail channel, will have a higher probability of success. With retailers continuing to hold the cards in 2012, the emphasis on innovation and quality, regardless of the category, will not only dictate sales but separate true celebrity brands from those that are merely a several year (at most) flash in the pan.

This article is by Michael Stone, CEO of Beanstalk featured on Forbes.com’s CMO Network

NEW YORK, December 13, 2011 – Outfit7 Inc., a subsidiary of Out Fit 7 Ltd and the global mobile entertainment leader behind the blockbuster Talking Friends collection of apps, today announced with Beanstalk, a leading global brand licensing agency and consultancy, ten key licensing partnerships for the Talking Friends characters, which include Talking Tom Cat, Talking Ben the Dog and Talking Gina the Giraffe. The global licensing program will enable the popular animated characters to expand across multiple product categories including apparel and accessories, footwear, sleepwear, home décor, collectibles and plush toys. Additional products will debut in 2012, including back-to-school, social expression, and gift and novelty products.

“Talking Tom and the entire Talking Friends cast of characters’ transcendence beyond app stores to brick-and-mortar retailers is a testament to the Talking Friends brand’s rapidly expanding global fan base and the deep emotional connections with consumers that have been established,” said Paul Baldwin, CMO of Outfit7 Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Out Fit 7 Ltd. “We are creating not only a global mainstream brand but a global entertainment network. This is the first leap of many for the Talking Friends brand outside the app space.”

The new product line, which will first be available beginning December 13^th, through a newly launched e-commerce site, www.talkingfriends.com, will leverage best-in-class licensees assembled by Outfit7. In Spring 2012, the extended line will debut at mass, online and specialty retailers, and will be sold worldwide across North America, Europe and Asia. Featured partners and products secured by Beanstalk include:

Worldwide

• Dragon-I: Animated plush toys that allow consumers to record a sound, which can be played back at different speeds and/or pitches
• Sound N Light: Interactive plush toys with motion and sound technology
• Zagwear: Management of the characters’ e-commerce presence

North America

• C-Life: Apparel
• Berkshire Fashions: Cold weather accessories
• JAT Creative: Gift and novelty items

Europe

• Belltex: Bedding and home décor
• Fine Makers: Plush toys, gifts, novelty items and collectibles for the U.K.
• Smith & Brooks: Children’s apparel and sleepwear for the U.K.

Asia

• Letao: Footwear in China

“We’ve been overwhelmed with interest from potential licensees and retailers this year, all of whom want to partner with Talking Tom Cat, Talking Ben the Dog and their friends,” said Michael Stone, CEO of Beanstalk. “Global expansion of consumer products such as this is evidence that there is an insatiable appetite for more interaction with these characters. Fans should be excited knowing creative, smart and fun products are on the horizon.”

With over 250 million downloads worldwide, the Talking Friends franchise, has become a sensation with millions of fans of all ages around the world. Each unique, heartwarming and fully animated 3D character comes to life when poked, tickled and played with on mobile touch-screen devices for the iOS and Android platforms. The interactive characters repeat everything a user says, and the apps allow fans to create customized videos of their interactions with the Talking Friends. Outfit7 averages over 20 million downloads per month, with more than 500,000 videos being uploaded monthly to YouTube, Facebook and sent via email and MMS.

In addition, Android asked Outfit 7 to participate in celebrating the 10 billionth app download in Android Market by making both Talking Tom Cat 2 and Talking Ben the Dog available to users for only $0.10 for a day. The promotion ends on December 15, 2011.

When asked for a comment regarding his new global licensing program, Talking Tom Cat giggled, purred and replied, “Next stop, Hollywood!”

About Outfit7

With over 70 million monthly active users since its first app launch in July 2010, Outfit7 is one of the world’s fastest growing mobile entertainment networks. Its Talking Friends collection has become an entertainment phenomenon with the characters featured on ABC’s Modern Family as well as NBC’s Today Show. There are eleven characters in the Talking Friends collection including Talking Tom Cat, Talking Ben and Talking Gina the Giraffe.  Each of the Talking Friends apps features a unique and fully animated 3D character that comes to life when poked, tickled, and played with on mobile touch-screen devices for the iOS and Android platforms. The interactive characters repeat everything a user says and customized videos of interactions with the characters can be shared via Facebook, YouTube or email. Outfit7 is headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus with subsidiaries in Palo Alto, California and Ljubljana, Slovenia.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with blue-chip brands and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also offers a breadth of additional licensing services including direct-to-retail program management, license acquisition for manufacturers, celebrity/expert talent management, and TransAct™ customized legal and financial services. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.