Holly Hobbie to the rescue Beloved 1960s icon's back on ... everything
By Connie Mabin
The Associated Press
Yes, there is a real Holly Hobbie. The illustrator is shown in her
Massachusetts home with some of the characters she's created over
the years.
The Associated Press/Nathan Martin
Zoom
CLEVELAND - Living life as the real Holly Hobbie
has been quite interesting for the Massachusetts artist who designed the
character decades ago.
Almost 40 years ago, the stay-at-home mother sent her
sketches to American Greetings Corp. as a way to earn extra money.
With $1 billion in sales, Holly Hobbie is a household
name, associated with the patch dress-wearing, rosy-cheeked girl with a
floppy blue bonnet who in the 1960s and '70s adorned everything from
greetings to wall paper.
"With the name that I have, I can't go anywhere," Hobbie
said from her home in Conway, Mass. "It's been fun, and it's been a pain
in the neck, too."
The burden of being Holly Hobbie is about to get bigger.
Last week, Cleveland-based American Greetings - which purchased the
former Amberley Village-based Gibson greeting card company in 2000 -
officially brought its first licensed character out of retirement,
hoping to tap into the "retro is in" trend among young customers and
augment slumping card sales.
"For us, Holly Hobbie is actually the crown jewel of the
property," said Laura Musarra, licensing brand manager for American
Greetings.
Last year, American Greetings reintroduced Care Bears
and Strawberry Shortcake, which had been retired in the '80s, in classic
and updated versions that featured modern clothes and new theme music.
The company has sold more than 195 licenses for items ranging from
pajamas and shoes to snacks. Since 2002, the brands have brought in
almost $2 billion in worldwide sales for American Greetings, Musarra
said.
The company has higher hopes for Holly Hobbie, a fixture
from 1967 to 1977.
Holly Hobbie will look pretty much the same, but for
new, contemporary colors and patterns. Nickelodeon will help American
Greetings promote the character and there is a Web site in the works
that will have electronic cards, downloads and interactive activities.
"The timing is absolutely perfect for this stuff," said
Robert Thomson, a professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse
University.
"Nostalgia has become one of the biggest markets out
there," Thomson said. "It's very kind of punk to walk around as a
17-year-old wearing a Holly Hobbie T-shirt, at the same time a
3-year-old is wearing Winnie the Pooh."
Karen Burgoon, 34, of Oak Grove, Ky., has been a Holly
Hobbie fan ever since her mother dressed her up as the character when
she was 2 years old. Her home is filled with collectables and she runs a
Holly Hobbie Web site. Burgoon said she's thrilled about Holly's
comeback.
American Greetings needs a good performance from the
character.
Earlier this month, the company reported fourth quarter
profits dropped 56 percent because of slow sales and a plant closing. It
also said earnings for the current quarter and full fiscal year would be
below Wall Street's expectations.
As for the real Holly Hobbie, she's given her blessing
to the re-release but no longer sketches the character she said is
beloved because it just makes people smile.
Holly Hobbie Set for EMEA Launch
LONDON, June 22:
Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products is reviving American Greetings’
classic 1970s property Holly Hobbie, with rollout in Europe, the Middle
East and Africa set to take place following the launch in the U.S. this
spring.
“Holly Hobbie
became a household name by appealing to three generations of women during
the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s,” said Jean-Philippe Randisi, the VP and managing
director of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products EMEA. “With the growing
appetite for positive and inspirational products, and the natural
milestone of the upcoming 40th anniversary in 2007, there is no better
time to revitalize this classic brand with existing fans and with a view
to introducing Holly Hobbie to a whole new generation.”
The EMEA launch is
expected to begin in the spring or summer of next year, with a focus on
the original Holly Hobbie. Products to be developed will include baby
bedding, nursery goods, plush toys, baby feeding ware, giftware and
organic foods, plus collectibles, social stationery, kitchen textiles,
housewares, ceramics, albums and photo frames.
The second phase
of the licensing program in 2007-8 will see the introduction of Holly
Hobbie & Friends, a contemporary evolution of Classic Holly Hobbie geared
to today's young girls, aged 4 to 8. The program will commence with four
direct to video releases, with further licensing categories likely to
include toys, apparel, accessories, stationery, home textiles, publishing,
toiletries, video, clocks and food.
April 14, 2005
Holly Hobbie is a Media “Star”
Since the Consumer
Public Relations Department announced the re-launch of American Greetings’
classic Holly Hobbie character yesterday, the charming girl in her trademark
blue bonnet has received some impressive media coverage.
An article about Holly
Hobbie’s return and a photo of “Blue Girl” ran on the front page of today’s
Plain Dealer.
National coverage
achieved to date includes:
Associated Press
– The AP
story was picked up by multiple media sources nationwide. It features an
interview with the “real” Holly Hobbie, the artist who originally created
her, who now lives in an 18th century farmhouse in Massachusetts.
Wall Street
Journal – A
Wall Street Journal broadcast report about Holly Hobbie’s return is running
on multiple Clear Channel Communications radio stations.
Internet – Coverage about
Holly Hobbie is featured on the following national Web sites: USA Today,
CNN, Bloomberg, Yahoo!, Excite.
Additional coverage
of Holly Hobbie is anticipated over the next several days.
Posted on Wed, Apr. 13, 2005
Card maker hopes turning back clock will help future profits
CONNIE MABIN Associated Press
CLEVELAND
- Living life as the real Holly Hobbie has been quite
interesting for the Massachusetts artist who designed the character
decades ago.
Almost 40 years ago, she was an anonymous stay-at-home mother who
sent her sketches to American Greetings Corp. as a way to earn extra
money while her husband went to graduate school.
A generation and $1 billion in sales later, Holly Hobbie is a
household name, associated with the patch dress-wearing, rosy-cheeked
girl with a floppy blue bonnet who in the 1960s and '70s adorned
everything from greetings to wall paper.
"With the name that I have, I can't go anywhere," Hobbie said with a
chuckle Wednesday from her home in Conway, Mass. "It's been fun, and
it's been a pain in the neck, too. People look at me and say, 'You've
got to be kidding?'"
The burden of being Holly Hobbie is about to get bigger.
This week, Ohio-based American Greetings is officially bringing its
first licensed character out of retirement, hoping to tap into the
"retro is in" trend among young customers and augment slumping card
sales.
"For us, Holly Hobbie is actually the crown jewel of the property,"
said Laura Musarra, licensing brand manager for American Greetings, the
nation's No. 2 seller of cards.
Last year, American Greetings reintroduced Care Bears and Strawberry
Shortcake, which had been retired in the '80s, in classic and updated
versions that featured modern clothes and new theme music. The company
has sold more than 195 licensees for items ranging from pajamas and
shoes to snacks. Since 2002, the brands have brought in almost $2
billion in worldwide sales for American Greetings, Musarra said.
The company best known for its greeting cards has higher hopes for
Holly Hobbie, a fixture from 1967 to 1977.
Expectations are high because Holly appeals to more than children,
allowing her likeness to appear on more products, Musarra said.
Technology such as the Internet and cable television also are part of
the new Holly Hobbie plan.
Holly Hobbie will look pretty much the same, but for new,
contemporary colors and patterns. Nickelodeon will help American
Greetings promote the character and there is a Web site in the works
that will have electronic cards, downloads and interactive activities.
"The timing is absolutely perfect for this stuff," said Robert
Thomson, a professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse
University. He said Holly Hobbie may be a tougher sale because it was
made to look old when it was originally released.
Parents and grandparents who remember the characters want to share
"all these warm and fuzzy Strawberry Shortcake memories," and popular
fashion has made vintage trendy, he said.
"Nostalgia has become one of the biggest markets out there," Thomson
said. "It's very kind of punk to walk around as a 17-year-old wearing a
Holly Hobbie T-shirt, at the same time a 3-year-old is wearing Winnie
the Pooh. It's great because you can move product off the shelf to all
kinds of different people."
Karen Burgoon, 34, of Oak Grove, Ky., has been a Holly Hobbie fan
ever since her mother dressed her up as the character when she was 2
years old. Her home is filled with collectables and she runs a Holly
Hobbie Web site.
Burgoon said she's thrilled about Holly's comeback.
"She's sweet and innocent and there just is a kindness about her.
There's a friendship," Burgoon said.
American Greetings needs a good performance from the character.
Earlier this month, the company reported fourth quarter profits
dropped 56 percent because of slow sales and a plant closing. It also
said earnings for the current quarter and full fiscal year would be
below Wall Street's expectations. Chief executive Zev Weiss told The
Associated Press in an interview earlier this year that the sale of
low-priced cards were holding profits down even as the nostalgic
characters sold well.
Traditional greeting cards make up about 56 percent of American
Greetings' $2 billion in annual sales, a percentage that has remained
fairly consistent this decade.
As for the real Holly Hobbie, she's given her blessing to the
re-release but no longer sketches the character she said is beloved
because it just makes people smile.
"What I did back then was literally homemade. It was spontaneous. It
was the genuine thing. It was inspired by the life around it, and that's
not how corporations launch characters today," she said. "If it has
appeal today, I'm hoping that it's for the same reasons."
Holly Hobbie Is Back -- American Greetings Re-launches
Classic '70s Character Thursday April 14, 5:20 am ET
CLEVELAND, April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Holly Hobbie, the charming
girl in the oversized, blue chintz bonnet, was a household name to
millions of women around the world for three generations. The iconic
character, who personifies childhood innocence, debuted in 1967 on a line
of American Greetings cards, and was one of the first licensed characters
in history to break a billion dollars in retail sales. Now, she is staging
a comeback with the help of American Greetings and Nickelodeon & Viacom
Consumer Products.
The re-launched Classic Holly Hobbie will feature contemporary color
palettes and patterns combined with some of the character's signature
verses on a wide variety of licensed products, including greeting cards,
collectible gifts, bedding, kitchen domestics, wall coverings, nursery
products and more. Nickelodeon, which handles the licensing for SpongeBob
SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, will partner with American Greetings
and its subsidiary, Those Characters From Cleveland, to reintroduce the
popular character to those who fondly remember her from the '60s and '70s,
as well as to a whole new generation of fans.
According to Michael Brown, vice president of Licensing for American
Greetings, today's renewed focus on home and family, combined with a
longing for simplicity, honesty and core values, makes the timing ideal
for bringing Holly Hobbie back. "Consumer research shows strong
recognition of the character as well as a great deal of interest in buying
new products featuring her likeness," he said.
"We expect Holly's reintroduction to be as successful as those of our
other comeback characters," he added. American Greetings' Care Bears and
Strawberry Shortcake have had astounding re-launches of their own in
recent years with combined international retail sales topping almost $2
billion since 2002.
This time around, the nostalgic character is being reintroduced with
the help of a high tech touch. Her official Web site,
www.HollyHobbie.com , connects
consumers with other fans, informs them of the newest Holly Hobbie
products and promotions, and provides ideas for crafts and projects.
The full rollout of classic Holly Hobbie products is scheduled
throughout summer and fall this year. Currently, a new gift and home decor
line is being offered exclusively at American Greetings and Carlton Cards
stores across the U.S. and Canada, and online at
www.CarltonCards.com , just in
time for Mother's Day. The collection includes greeting cards, six
hand-painted figurines, a miniature porcelain tea set for one, a ceramic
frame and vase, accent pillows and nested heart-shaped boxes.
In spring 2006, American Greetings and Nickelodeon will unveil Holly
Hobbie & Friends, a contemporary evolution of Classic Holly Hobbie geared
to today's young girls, aged 4 to 8. Maureen Taxter, senior vice
president, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, said the timing could
not be better for bringing Holly Hobbie back.
"We're proud to be working with American Greetings to not only
reintroduce her to those she grew up with, but to attract a whole new
generation of fans," she added.
About American Greetings
American Greetings Corporation (NYSE:
AM -
News) is one of the
world's largest creators, manufacturers and distributors of social
expression products. Along with greeting cards, its product lines include
gift wrap, party goods, candles, stationery, calendars, educational
products, ornaments and electronic greetings. American Greetings is also
the creator and owner of many celebrated character properties, including
Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, American
Greetings generates annual net sales of approximately $2 billion. For more
information on the Corporation, visit
http://corporate.americangreetings.com/.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, which is in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment
brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids
first in everything it does. The company includes television programming
and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer
products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films.
Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in 88 million households and
has been the number- one-rated basic cable network for more than nine
consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and
logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
Source: American Greetings
In calico, gingham and bonnet, Holly Hobbie is coming back
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Janet H. Cho
Plain Dealer Reporter
Karen Burgoon won first place in a Holly Hobbie look-alike contest at
age 2 and has been devoted to everything Holly ever since.
The Oak Grove, Ky., homemaker runs what she calls the world's largest
Holly Hobbie Web site at www.hollyhobbie.150m.com and estimates she owns
5,000 collectibles of the winsome little girl in the big blue bonnet.
Thanks to fans like her, Holly Hobbie's back.
American Greetings Corp. in Brooklyn, along with Nickelodeon and Viacom
Consumer Products, is re-releasing Holly in a line of licensed memorabilia
that ranges from ceramic figurines to picture frames just in time for
Mother's Day.
Next year, Holly Hobbie will adorn toys, pillows and pajamas for girls
4 to 8.
"I'm going to get everything," Burgoon said breathlessly.
While its greeting card sales have flat tened, American Greetings
expects Holly nostalgia to surpass de mand for its other characters.
Care Bears, reintroduced in 2002, have generated more than $1.2 billion
in world wide merchandising.
Strawberry Shortcake, re launched in 2003, is just shy of $1 billion in
sales.
"Holly Hobbie is considered American Greetings' crown jewel in terms of
licensed property," said Brand Manager Laura Musarra.
Holly debuted in 1967 and soon broke $1 billion in retail sales. "She
sold over 500 million greeting cards in 10 years, which is phenomenal."
Burgoon says the new Holly will be the star of the Holly Hobbie
Convention in Co lumbus, in October. "You wouldn't believe how many
e-mails I get from Norway, Australia and Japan."
Holly Hobbie is Back -- American Greetings Re-launches Classic ‘70s
Character
CLEVELAND, OHIO
(April 14, 2005) -- Holly Hobbie, the charming girl in the oversized, blue
chintz bonnet, was a household name to millions of women around the world
for three generations. The iconic character, who personifies childhood
innocence, debuted in 1967 on a line of American Greetings cards, and was
one of the first licensed characters in history to break a billion dollars
in retail sales. Now, she is staging a comeback with the help of American
Greetings and Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products.
The re-launched Classic
Holly Hobbie will feature contemporary color palettes and patterns combined
with some of the character’s signature verses on a wide variety of licensed
products, including greeting cards, collectible gifts, bedding, kitchen
domestics, wall coverings, nursery products and more. Nickelodeon, which handles the
licensing for SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, will partner with
American Greetings and its subsidiary, Those Characters From Cleveland, to
reintroduce the popular character to those who fondly remember her from the
‘60s and ‘70s, as well as to a whole new generation of fans.
According to Michael Brown, vice president of Licensing for American
Greetings, today’s renewed
focus on home and family, combined with a longing for simplicity, honesty
and core values, makes the timing ideal for bringing Holly Hobbie back.
“Consumer research shows strong recognition of the character as well as a
great deal of interest in buying new products featuring her likeness,” he
said.
“We expect
Holly’s reintroduction to be as successful as those of our other comeback
characters,” he added. American Greetings’ Care Bears and Strawberry
Shortcake have had astounding re-launches of their own in recent years with
combined international retail sales topping almost $2 billion since 2002.
This time
around, the nostalgic character is being reintroduced with the help of a
high tech touch. Her official Web site, www.HollyHobbie.com, connects consumers
with other fans, informs them of the newest Holly Hobbie
products and promotions, and provides ideas for crafts and projects.
The full
rollout of classic Holly Hobbie products is scheduled throughout summer and
fall this year. Currently, a new gift and home décor line is being offered
exclusively at American Greetings and Carlton Cards stores across the U.S.
and Canada, and online at
www.CarltonCards.com, just in time for Mother’s Day.
The collection includes greeting cards, six hand-painted figurines, a
miniature porcelain tea set for one, a ceramic frame and vase, accent
pillows and nested heart-shaped boxes.
In spring 2006,
American Greetings and Nickelodeon will unveil Holly Hobbie & Friends, a
contemporary evolution of Classic Holly Hobbie geared to today’s young
girls, aged 4 to 8. Maureen Taxter, senior vice president, Nickelodeon &
Viacom Consumer Products, said the timing could not be better for bringing
Holly Hobbie back.
“We’re proud
to be working with American Greetings to not only reintroduce her to those
she grew up with, but to attract a whole new generation of fans,” she added.
Holly Hobbie...! She's
back!!!
Recently in May 2004, I received an
email from American Greetings Corp in Cleveland Ohio. After seeing my
web site, they asked if I would like to come to Ohio with some of my
precious Holly Hobbie collectibles and do a film for them. They said
they were reintroducing Holly Hobbie back into the market, and all I could
think was 'its about time'. Giggling...
I was beyond excited and drove from
the South of Kentucky to the North of Ohio. It was a lovely 10 hour
drive. When I arrived there, the film crew was still setting up
cameras and equipment. Breakfast was laid out, and everyone was abuzz.
Thus started an all day Holly Hobbie adventure with American Greetings.
The day started early in the
morning and didn't end till the early evening hours. What a wonderful
day... All I could think about was Holly Hobbie. I was eager to
share some of my collectibles! I brought a couple dolls, record
player, figurine from my dear friend Alana, my blue girl china my parents
bought me as a little girl in 1973, a blue girl jewelry box, lunchbox, and
more. I tried to bring a variety of things to share.
I felt like queen for a day.
It was so nice. They asked hundreds of Holly Hobbie questions, and I
was happy to talk Holly Hobbie. I don't think they could keep me
quiet. Needless to say I had a very fun day with the wonderful people
of American Greetings. Below is a picture from the day I spent with
American Greetings.
Back row: Linda (she works for AGC and graciously
loaned her house for the filming), May (Ohio Holly Hobbie collector), Cheryl
(Missouri Holly Hobbie collector), and David (the person who contacted me
from AGC). Front row: Karen (me), Donna (Maryland Holly Hobbie collector who
owns the Holly Hobbie Gazette newsletter), and Laura (AGC Art Director).
Holly Hobbie is coming back...!
See some of the items that are on the market now, and soon
there will be hundreds more to post!!!!
The Welcome Back
Flyer
to be
handing out in Carlton/American Greeting Stores...
Nickelodeon
to offer Holly Hobbie license July 06, 2004
NEW YORK –
Nickelodeon Consumer Products will handle the licensing of Holly Hobbie, an
American Greetings creation from the 1970s and ’80s.
“We approached Nickelodeon Consumer Products to handle licensing for Holly
Hobbie based on its incredible track record of success with its own
properties,” said Michael Brown, vice president of licensing for American
Greetings. “Nickelodeon runs one of the most successful licensing
departments in the business, and we wanted to tap into that expertise.”
The partnership, announced last month, was received well at the New York
Licensing Show in June, said Maureen Taxter, senior vice president of
business development for Nickelodeon Consumer Products.
“We received a phenomenal response from major retailers and manufacturers,”
said Taxter. “We’re excited from a business perspective because so many
people have an emotional connection to the brand. It reminds them of a
special time in their childhood.”
The new line will be released in a two-tiered strategy. Starting in 2005 the
Classic Holly Hobbie will be re-launched with giftables, collectibles,
infant, bedding, apparel, home accessories and original artwork. The line
will feature new color palettes and materials to align with today’s market.
No deals have been signed yet, but it was just opened for pitches at the
Licensing Show.
Under development now is Holly Hobbie & Friends, targeted towards girls 3-7.
It is scheduled to be released in 2006.
There will be the first original DVD feature Holly Hobbie as well as a doll
line, toy program and apparel.
“Holly Hobbie & Friends will bring her to life and provide a fun friend and
role model for young girls,” said Taxter. “It is innovative and relevant to
today’s girls.”
Press release:
American Greetings Signs Nickelodeon Consumer Products to
Handle Holly Hobbie Licensing Relaunch
Tuesday June 8, 10:30 am ET
NEW YORK, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- American Greetings has
signed powerhouse Nickelodeon Consumer Products to handle
the licensing of the '70s and '80's icon Holly Hobbie. This
American Classic and much-loved persona generated over $1
billion in retail sales and became a household name when first
introduced a generation ago. Still incredibly popular with fans
and collectors, Holly Hobbie is being reintroduced at a time
when nostalgic properties are among the hottest today.
ADVERTISEMENT
The partnership was announced today by Michael W. Brown,
vice president, Licensing, American Greetings, and Maureen
Taxter, senior vice president, Nickelodeon Consumer Products,
the licensing and merchandising division of Nickelodeon
Enterprises that also handles licensing for sister networks Spike
TV and Comedy Central. American Greetings, a leader in the
social expressions category, enjoys a longstanding relationship
with Nickelodeon as a master licensee in the social expressions
category. Together they will develop the brand and launch a
consumer products business that will include home video, toys,
apparel and more.
"American Greetings is delighted to announce the reintroduction
of a major classic brand with the magnitude of Holly Hobbie,"
Brown said. "We approached Nickelodeon Consumer Products
to handle licensing for Holly Hobbie based on its incredible track
record of success with its own properties. Nickelodeon runs one
of the most successful licensing departments in the business,
and we wanted to tap into that expertise," he said.
"Holly Hobbie is an iconic character that to this day enjoys an
avid fan base," Taxter said. "We're honored to be representing
this signature American Greetings property and are excited to
reconnect the brand with its adult fans and introduce Holly to a
whole new generation of young girls," she said.
Nickelodeon Consumer Products, which earned $3 billion in
retail sales in 2003 from its TV-based properties like
SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer will bring Holly
Hobbie to the Licensing Show, June 8-10 at the Jacob K. Javits
Center in New York City. Classic Holly Hobbie will be
re-launched in 2005. In 2006, the new Holly Hobbie & Friends
will be unveiled with a contemporary fresh style.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, which is celebrating its landmark 25th anniversary
this year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has
built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything
it does. The company includes television programming and
production in the United States and around the world, plus
consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and
feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in 88
million households and has been the number-one-rated basic
cable network for more than eight consecutive years.
Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are
trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
About American Greetings
American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM - News) is one of
the world's largest creators, manufacturers and distributors of
social expression products. Along with greeting cards, its
product lines include gift wrap, party goods, reading glasses,
candles, stationery, calendars, educational products, ornaments
and electronic greetings. American Greetings is also the creator
and owner of many celebrated character properties, including
Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears. Located in Cleveland,
Ohio, American Greetings generates annual net sales of
approximately $2 billion. For more information on the
Corporation, visit
http://corporate.americangreetings.com/.
Card maker hopes turning back clock will help future profits
© 2010 Those Characters From
Cleveland, Inc.