http://www.wildplanet.com News from Wild Planet Entertainment, Inc. en-us Copyright ©1994-2007 Wild PlanetEntertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.wildplanet.com http://www.wildplanet.com/images/shared/wp_logo.gif http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=96 (SAN FRANCISCO, January 29, 2007) – Wild Planet celebrates 2007 with seven new Spy Gear introductions and several additional feet of shelf space at mass retail stores. The company’s successful fourth quarter in 2006 was lead by the Spy Video Car, which has been nominated for two 2007 T.O.T.Y. (Toy Of The Year) Awards – Most Innovative Toy of the Year and Boy Toy of the Year. Wild Planet experienced total sell-through on the Spy Video Car during the fourth quarter of 2006. The car was the first item in the manufacturer’s 13-year history to retail for more than $100. “Despite our aggressive stance on production quantities, the Spy Video Car was completely sold out by mid-December,” says Drew Stevenson, senior vice president of worldwide sales for Wild Planet. “The sales of the Spy Video Car far exceeded retailer expectations and the overwhelming demand for the item resulted in securing full distribution among mass retailers for 2007.” The demand for the product increased throughout Q4, beginning in Technorati Profile October when FamilyFun Magazine announced on Live! With Regis and Kelly that the Spy Video Car was one of the “Top 10 Toys of the Year” and the Grand Prize Winner of the RC Toys category for ages 10-12. In late October, Redbook Magazine featured the Spy Video Car in its “Hot 20 Toys” article and Parenting Magazine declared the Spy Video Car a “Mom-Tested Toy of the Year.” In November, the first-ever Spy Gear room built by the cast and crew of Extreme Makeover Home Edition was revealed nationally on ABC TV, and the Spy Video Car was featured in a segment with the show’s host, Ty Pennington. The following day, Time Magazine’s shopping guide spotlighted the Spy Video Car in its “Cool Gifts for Kids” spread. Expert and kid toy testers for Child Magazine included the Spy Video Car in their “Best Toy Awards”, while December issues of Nick Jr. Family Magazine and Disney Adventures Magazine put the Spy Video Car in their “Holiday Wish Lists.” The Spy Video Car continued its run in major media outlets through December, appearing in editorial gift guides in numerous daily newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post and New York Post. The entire Spy Gear brand experienced significant growth in 2006 and achieved expanded distribution for 2007. New products slated for fall 2007 mass distribution include the Intruder Trap System (a series of alarms linked via radio frequency) and the Agent Action Briefcase (a collection of spy tools in a multi-functional case). Both of these items will debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York, held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, February 11-14. About Spy Video Car: Released in fall 2006, the Spy Video Car is an RC car that transmits live video to a headset monitor. The car features infrared night vision and is designed for kids ages 8 and up. About Wild Planet Entertainment, Inc. Founded in 1993 in San Francisco, Wild Planet creates kid-cool products that garner parent approval. Wild Planet playthings focus on fun and imagination and are available worldwide. For more information on Wild Planet, please visit www.wildplanet.com. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=95 (SAN FRANCISCO, November 7, 2006) – Kyle Thibodeau, age 7, is the lucky recipient of the first-ever Spy Gear Room built by the cast and crew of ABC TV’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Kyle’s room was revealed on the November 5 episode of EMHE and includes what the show’s celebrity designer Tanya McQueen refers to as "the latest and greatest that every up and coming spy could possibly wish for." Of the forty-plus Spy Gear products that fill Kyle’s secret room, McQueen’s favorite high-tech toy is the Spy Video Car. This award-winning remote control car features a video camera with infrared night vision and a private headset monitor. McQueen used the Spy Video Car to sneak a peek into EMHE host Ty Pennington’s highly guarded secret project. In addition to the Spy Video Car, McQueen and fellow celebrity cast member Michael Moloney relied on other top-rated Spy Gear equipment to help them with various assignments throughout the week. Eye-Link Communicators, Spy Vision Goggles and Spy Light Hand proved extremely useful in the darkness of the designers' round-the-clock shifts. The Digital Spy Camera and Alarm Kit were used to protect storage bins in the yard until the house reached move-in condition. By day seven, when the interior was complete and ready to be furnished, those who had contributed to the worthwhile cause of building a new home for a family-in-need were reluctant to give up their Spy Gear. It was determined that, though the recipient of the Spy Gear room was only 7, Spy Gear gadgets appeal to and entertain people of all ages – carpenters and designers in their thirties and forties not withstanding. EMHE earned the 2005 and 2006 Emmy Award for "Outstanding Reality Program," as well as the 2005 and 2006 People's Choice Award for "Favorite Reality Show." The highly acclaimed series, now in its fourth season, chose Spy Gear, the number one brand of spy toys, for its first spy-themed room. The Spy Video Car received the 2006 "Toy of the Year Award" from FamilyFun Magazine, the "Mom-Tested Toys of the Year Award" from Parenting Magazine, the "Best Toy Awards" from Child Magazine and was named in the "Hot 20 Toys" by Redbook Magazine, "50 Best Toys" by Nick Jr. Family Magazine and "Top Picks for the Kids" by Time Magazine. Spy Gear's award-winning products, together with the dedication and talent of the EMHE cast and crew, gave a young boy the room of his dreams. "Kyle went nuts in his spy room," confirmed Pennington. "He has every (piece of) Spy Gear known to man." The boy smiled and replied "I love my room." About Spy Gear Spy Gear is the top-selling brand of spy-themed technology and role-play products from Wild Planet. Founded in 1993 in San Francisco, Wild Planet creates kid-cool products that garner parent approval. Wild Planet playthings focus on fun and imagination and are available worldwide. For more information on Wild Planet and its Spy Gear brand, please visit www.wildplanet.com and www.spygear.net. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=93 (SAN FRANCISCO, October 9, 2006) – Wild Planet announces the hiring of Drew Stevenson as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales. In this role, Stevenson will manage the Wild Planet sales team, set the strategic direction and establish goals for company sales. Stevenson will work closely with the marketing and product development departments and will report directly to Daniel Grossman, CEO. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University with a B.S. in Marketing, Stevenson served in several managerial roles in the toy industry during the past 17 years. Previous positions include National Accounts Manager for Lego and Fisher-Price. Most recently Stevenson served as Vice President of North American Sales for Mega Bloks. Stevenson’s extensive experience in the toy industry makes him a great fit for the Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales position. Stevenson joins Wild Planet in October and will assume his new role prior to the American International Fall Toy Show in New York. Reporting directly to Stevenson is Kristie Raycroft in her new position as National Sales Manager. Raycroft joined Wild Planet in 2003 as Sales Coordinator and advanced to Specialty Accounts Manager in 2005. Raycroft has been influential in growing the company’s business in new channels and increasing its exposure in specialty markets. Raycroft’s recent promotion to National Sales Manager puts her in charge of handling the company’s outside sales force, creating sales programs and overseeing the company’s participation in major industry events, including the annual American International Toy Fair. About Wild Planet Founded in 1993 in San Francisco, Wild Planet creates kid-cool products that garner parent approval. Wild Planet playthings focus on fun and imagination and are available worldwide. For more information on Wild Planet, please visit www.wildplanet.com. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=92 (SAN FRANCISCO, Holiday 2006) – Ahoy Matey! The search for treasure is on, so get equipped with the fortune-finding Pirate’s Life gear from Wild Planet and set out to collect your trove. Use the new electronic treasure tracker, metal-detecting hook, or glowing magnification scope to locate hidden valuables. The Treasure Hunter, Hook Fortune Finder and Pirate Light Scope are real-working role-play toys designed to enhance the proven, popular and timeless Pirate play pattern. Each item will be available beginning this fall for the 2006 holiday season. Treasure Hunter™: high-tech hide-and-seek game with electronic tracking tool and treasure chest Recommended age: 4+ / Suggested retail price: $19.99 - $24.99 / Available: Holiday 2006 at Kohl’s, www.shopwildplanet.com and other online and specialty retailers Little notes and puzzling riddles no longer pave the path to your reward; the old-fashioned treasure hunt game has gone high-tech. Now you can use an electronic tracking tool with navigational lights and sounds to locate your riches. Treasure Hunter is a game of hide-and-seek that follows the basic hot-and-cold premise. Shaped like a pirate’s treasure chest, the toy opens and becomes two separate pieces. The detachable top houses a hand-held tracking tool; the bottom conceals a compartment in which treasures can be hidden. Have a fellow-pirate (or parent) place a prize in the chest and bury it. Then turn on your tracker and start your search. X marks the spot. There is a large X on the tracker that glows as you approach your treasure. The X alternates between blue (cold, indicating you are far from your target), orange (warm, getting closer) and red (hot, you’re practically touching it). The closer you get to finding your fortune, the faster the tracker beeps. Sounds are slow and steady when you’re at a distance, but increase to a racing pulse as you narrow the space between you and your reward. The excitement heightens as your red-glowing, fast-beeping tracker points you to your prize. The hunt is now as much fun as the find. Hook Fortune Finder™: metal-detecting hand-concealing hook plus coins Recommended age: 4+ / Suggested retail price: $14.99 - $19.99 / Available: Holiday 2006 at Kohl’s, www.shopwildplanet.com and other online and specialty retailers Transform into the world’s most recognizable pirate with the Hook Fortune Finder. The electronic metal detector is shaped like the Captain’s infamous hook and conceals your hand as you search for precious metals. The decorative detector features a gold-colored cuff embossed with an image of a pirate’s skull. The teeth of the skull serve as the sensitivity adjuster for the detector, which recognizes all metals, including the three silver-colored coins that come with the hook. A continuous beep announces when treasure is near. Trips to the beach and park will now be an adventure of pirate proportions! Pirate Light Scope™: hand-held telescope with removable flashlight Recommended age: 4+ / Suggested retail price: $9.99 - $14.99 / Available: Holiday 2006 at Kohl’s, www.shopwildplanet.com and other online and specialty retailers Whether you’re shipwrecked at sea or lost on land, you’ll need the Pirate Light Scope to see what lies ahead. The compact telescoping tool extends 11 inches to provide eight times the magnification power of the naked eye. Be the first to spot a distant treasure or warn your crew of approaching danger. For adventures that take place after dusk, use the candle-like glow of the removable red-tinted flashlight perched atop the scope to light your journey. About Wild Planet Founded in 1993 in San Francisco, Wild Planet creates kid-cool products that garner parent approval. Wild Planet playthings focus on fun and imagination and are available worldwide. Through Toy Opinion Panels and Kid Inventor Challenge contests, Wild Planet encourages children to invent and turns their ideas into real toys. For more information on Wild Planet, please visit www.wildplanet.com. http://www.wildplanet.com/jetstreamers Wild Planet issued a voluntary recall of Jet Streamers as a safety precaution. If you have purchased a Jet Streamer toy that has a straight handle, please discard it immediately. We will mail you a new version of the toy that has an angled handle. For more information regarding Jet Streamers replacements, please call: 800-247-6570 x188, or email: help@wildplanet.com. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=89 On Friday, March 17, McDonald's will begin selling the first-ever Spy Gear Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals. One of eight exclusive Spy Gear gadgets will be given to guests who purchase a Happy Meal or Mighty Kids Meal at participating McDonald’s restaurants during the four-week promotion. Kids can embark on imaginative spy missions using the following new Spy Gear toys offered at McDonald's: Agent Specs, Spy Defender, Spy I.D., Spy Motion Sensor, Spy Multi-View, Spy Wire, Spy Wrist Viewer and Global Spy Positioner. Agent Specs: stylish sunglasses that feature a yellow scope and red light for spotting distant clues in the dark Spy Defender: door trap that protects spy headquarters by launching discs to ward off intruders Spy I.D.: retractable identification badge with decoder window that reveals a secret spy tongue twister Spy Motion Sensor: alarm unit with pulsing red light beam that triggers a warning sound when movement is detected Spy Multi-View: surveillance device that lets kids view suspects through red, green, or kaleidoscope vision Spy Wire: wrist cuff connected to a red finger-light that allows young agents to communicate by flashing secret codes Spy Wrist Viewer: worn like a watch, it conceals a spring-loaded lid with magnifying lens and confidential 3-D cards Global Spy Positioner: GPS-themed tool used to track private paths on a hand-held screen (comes with multiple maps depicting the fictional city featured in the Spy Gear Adventures book series recently launched by Simon &Schuster) For more than 25 years, McDonald’s has featured toys from the best-known brands as valued prizes in its popular Happy Meal. McDonald’s guests have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of food choices with their Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals, including Apple Dippers (fresh, peeled apple slices) served with low-fat caramel dipping sauce, and beverage choices including 100% pure Minute Maid apple juice and low-fat white and chocolate Milk Jugs, served in easy to handle containers. For more information on the Spy Gear brand, please visit www.spygear.net For more information on the Spy Gear Happy Meal promotion, please visit http://happymeal.com/trollz-spygear/ http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=88 (SAN FRANCISCO, Toy Fair 2006) – Make James Bond jealous with the newest Spy Gear from Wild Planet. Drive the remote-controlled Spy Video Car into top-secret territory without being detected. See in the dark as infrared light illuminates real-time video transmitted to the eyepiece of your headset. spy video car from wild planet For missions where remote surveillance won’t suffice, capture confidential information with the compact Digital Spy Camera secured to your sunglasses. Be sure to set the time-stamping Alarm Kit to protect your possessions while you’re out gathering evidence. Used alone or together, the Spy Video Car, Digital Spy Camera and Alarm Kit will transform ordinary spies into espionage experts. All three items will be available beginning this fall for the 2006 holiday season. Spy Video Car: RC car with video camera, infrared night vision, headset screen and hand-held controls Recommended Age: 8+ / Suggested Retail Price: $99 – $159 / Available: fall 2006 Because plain-sight video monitors are not acceptable in the spy world, you’ll need the one-of-a-kind private screen of the Spy Video Car to keep your secrets safe from enemy eyes. Wear the lightweight frames with the single LCD lens to ensure you’re the only one who views the video transmitted through your RC vehicle. Adjust the camera angle on the wireless spy car and send it on secret missions using the hand-held remote control. Observe the journey and the destination through the small screen attached to your headset. Darkness poses no obstacle for the Spy Video Car as its infrared night-vision system lets you see clearly in the dark without emitting any visible traces of light. From the safety of your spy headquarters, watch what’s going on wherever your video vehicle travels, indoors and out, up to 75 feet away. Digital Spy Camera: sunglasses with built-in digital camera, pocket remote, and USB cable Recommended Age: 8+ / Suggested Retail Price: $29.99 – $34.99/ Available: fall 2006 The Digital Spy Camera puts agents on assignment in the guise of ordinary civilians. No one will suspect you’re a spy as you stroll nonchalantly into secret places or glimpse in the direction of confidential documents, looking unconcerned with all that surrounds you. Sunglasses on, hand in pocket, seemingly casual – you don’t garner a second glance. No one is looking at you. It’s the perfect time to press the cylindrical remote in your pocket and capture images on the small digital camera attached to your stylish shades. The tinted, impact-resistant sunglasses house a retractable digital camera that stores 20 color photos. Transfer the images onto your computer using the USB cable and decide if you will expose the evidence or keep it in your back pocket for future bargaining. The pictures have 640 x 480 pixel resolution. The Digital Spy Camera blends spy role-play with reality. Alarm Kit: repositionable alarm system that records times of intrusion, comes w/ 2 all-access card-keys and Velcro Recommended Age: 6+ / Suggested Retail Price: $12.99 – $16.99 / Available: fall 2006 Secure headquarters are essential to every spy operation. Decide what’s deserving of extra protection and reposition your Alarm Kit accordingly. If small items and documents need safekeeping, activate the alarm to guard your desk and the siren will scare off any snoopers who disturb the drawer. Affix the alarm to doorways, windows, or any area that you don’t want invaded. If an unauthorized person enters, the alarm will sound and the time at which the intrusion was attempted will be recorded on the alarm’s screen. Simply Velcro the alarm to the different places you desire to protect. The digital screen is adjustable so it can be read from any angle and used on any door – regardless of the direction it opens. The Alarm Kit comes with two card-keys, giving special access to privileged spies (or their parents). Just swipe the card-key for easy entry without sounding the alarm. The Alarm Kit features a parent-approved speedy shut-off button that puts a quick stop to the siren. About Wild Planet Toys Founded in 1993 in San Francisco, Wild Planet creates kid-cool products that garner parent approval. Wild Planet playthings focus on fun and imagination and are available worldwide. Through Toy Opinion Panels and Kid Inventor Challenge contests, Wild Planet encourages children to invent and turns their ideas into real toys. For more information on Wild Planet, please visit www.wildplanet.com. ### http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=87 (SAN FRANCISCO, January 24, 2006) – Wild Planet Toys announces the hiring of Louis Rhuda as Director of National Accounts. In this role Rhuda will set the strategic direction and manage sales for several of Wild Planet’s U.S. mass retail accounts. Rhuda previously held positions at Sportcraft, LTD., managing the Bentonville, Arkansas office and overseeing all business details with the company’s major customers. A graduate of Southern Illinois University with a B.S. in Industrial Technology, Rhuda has also worked for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. as a liaison between the merchandising department and the Retail Link development team. Rhuda’s professional history makes him a great fit for the Director of National Accounts position. He officially joins Wild Planet in January and reports directly to Dave Scanlin, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=86 (SAN FRANCISCO, Holiday 2005)This holiday America’s favorite interactive pets, the Aquapets, make their debut in a fuzzier form as Plush Aquapets. Four characters from the first two waves of original Aquapets are reincarnated into furry companions just in time for stocking stuffers, school gift exchanges and holiday travel. Puku, Kadet, Bebe and Tabi are retired characters in their regular form and will embellish any Aquapet collection in their plush form. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=85 (SAN FRANCISCO, May 3, 2005) Wild Planet announced today that it signed a six-book deal to develop its Spy Gear brand beyond toys and into content. Aladdin Paperbacks, the imprint of Simon &Schuster Children’s Publishing responsible for the successful Nancy Drew® and The Hardy Boys® series, is set to release the first two Spy Gear books in March 2006. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=84 (SAN FRANCISCO, April 29) -- From Lick-N-Learn chewable baby books to Pedal-A-Tune musical bike pedals, nearly 4,000 ideas for new playthings flooded the San Francisco headquarters of Wild Planet Toys as the company's annual Kid Inventor Challenge(TM) contest reached its final round of judging. A record-breaking number of young inventors were selected as winners and will now serve on the toy maker's Kid Inventor Team for one year. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=83 (SAN FRANCISCO, Toy Fair 2005)Wild Planet, creators of the successful Spy Gear brand of high-tech toys, enters a new category this spring with the introduction of Tek Tag, the company’s premiere product in Electronic Active Games. This technology-enhanced game encourages today’s computer-minded kids to engage in active physical play. By integrating electronic components into a classic concept, Tek Tag entices even the most media-dependant children to expend energy outdoors. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=82 (SAN FRANCISCO, Toy Fair 2005)This fall secret agents will embark on more advanced missions than ever before with the aid of the newest Spy Gear equipment. By adding an invisible laser-like security system, silent communication tool and other espionage accessories to its best-selling brand, Wild Planet continues to provide kids with the ability to incorporate real-world working technology into their imaginative spy role-play scenarios. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=81 (SAN FRANCISCO, Toy Fair 2005)This Memorial Day weekend the must-see movie for kids and adults alike is Madagascar, the newest computer animated comedy from DreamWorks Animation (creators of blockbuster hits Shrek and Chicken Run). In the weeks preceding its release, the film’s main characters will make their national debut on toy store shelves in the form of Aquapets. The Madagascar animals are the first licensed characters to appear as Aquapets in the U.S. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=80 (SAN FRANCISCO, Toy Fair 2005)LiquiFreaks are a funny and funky new brand of interactive pets set for release in early 2005. A spin-off of Wild Planet’s award-winning Aquapets, these encapsulated three-dimensional collectable creatures make silly noises and gross sounds in response to various actions from their owners. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=79 Wild Planet was founded in 1993 with a mission to create quality products that spark the imagination and provide positive play experiences for children. More than a decade after its inception the company continues to produce award-winning products that inspire kids and garner parent approval. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=78 (SAN FRANCISCO, Toy Fair 2005) — Battle Crawlers are hybrid bugs, half insect and half machine. Geared for high torque and power, these collectable dueling creations compose one of Japan’s most successful battle systems. Wild Planet introduces the customizable clashing crawlers to the U.S. this fall in the form of six individual build-your-own bugs and a reconfigurable battle arena. http://www.wildplanet.com/press/wp_release_single.php?prid=77 SAN FRANCISCO, February 14, 2005)Wild Planet announces the hiring of Jeff Cleary as Senior Vice President of Marketing. Cleary will lead the company’s strategic marketing endeavors and oversee its research, public relations, brand management and business development teams.