Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products Launches Full Line of Neopets Products Tying Directly Back to Web Community of Fans

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products Launches Full Line of Neopets Products Tying Directly Back to Web Community of Fans

Neopets Products Feature Virtual Prize Codes Connecting to the Web Experience, New Plush, Trading Cards, Vinyl Figures, Playsets, Books, Stationary, Video Games and More to Be Unveiled at Licensing Show 2008

NEW YORK, June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP), the world's leading television-based licensing organization, announced today that a new line of products based on Neopets(R), the most engaging youth-focused virtual world, will debut at Licensing 2008 International, just in time for full distribution in fall 2008. The announcement follows the incredible success of the Neopets plush, which was introduced at retail in February. The new product line -- including new plush, trading cards, vinyl figures, playsets, books, stationary, apparel and video games -- will launch this fall at mass retailers nationwide including Target, Wal-Mart, Toys "R" Us, Claire's and Kmart. Each product will incorporate the '360' product-to-web experience as it ties into the already rich web community by offering unique codes that will drive consumers back to Neopets (http://www.neopets.com/) to redeem virtual tokens or hundreds of collectible virtual items for players' Neopets.

"Since their retail debut this year, the Neopets products have performed extremely well," said Leigh Anne Brodsky, President, NVCP. "We're bringing the successful digital-first world of Neopets to the real world with an amazing range of collectible products. We've worked hard with Jakks to deliver a line of toys that appeals to both the original fan base of this brand and to the 'newbies' as well."

The new line of products will focus on the extensive variety of Neopets species and characters featured throughout the world of Neopia(R). The strategy for many of the new products will include offering both limited and retired editions, which make them both collectible and coveted.

Later this summer, Neopets products will roll out internationally with launches in Australia and New Zealand, Holland, Brazil, and Canada. Plush, vinyl figures and playsets will launch in all territories, trading cards will be introduced in Holland and Canada, and video games will hit shelves in Brazil, Holland, Australia and New Zealand.

   Additional new product lines will include:    - Neopets Puzzle Adventure (working title) from Capcom(R) Entertainment --     a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive     entertainment for game consoles, PCs, and handheld devices, has teamed     up with Neopets on a new game for the popular Wii(TM), Nintendo DS(TM)     and PC platforms that will take puzzle solving skills to new levels with     a unique Neopets twist. Neopets Puzzle Adventure will be the first     multi-platform puzzle adventure game based on the popular virtual     community giving players the ability to earn virtual prizes, experience     150 different quests and choose from 12 customizable Neopian characters.     As a bonus to Neopets fans, players will be able to earn codes     throughout the game that will unlock exclusive items in the Neopets     virtual world.   - Neopets toys, activities and stationery from Jakks Pacific -- top     producer of children's toys -- will unveil all-new Neopets plush,     figures and other merchandise for fans.   - Neopets books from Harper-Collins -- renowned book publisher -- will     launch five titles including puzzle and activity books starring favorite     Neopian characters.   - Neopets trading cards from Enterplay -- new trading cards offer fun and     engaging activity for kids encouraging learning skills and social     interaction.   - Neopets apparel from Mamiye Brothers -- top designer of children's,     tween and teen apparel -- introduces clothing line featuring the     internet's first virtual pets community.    

All the Neopets plush products will converge and tie into a new multiplayer gaming and collecting experience, called "Neopets Key Quest." The product packaging contains codes that allow kids to unlock virtual game pieces representing both plush and trading card characters as part of their Neopets Key Quest play experience. Kids can collect and show-off their Key Quest virtual game pieces in the Key Quest Collectors' Case on http://www.neopets.com/keyquest .

NVCP will seek other interested partners at this year's Licensing Show to extend the property into additional merchandising categories including apparel.

About Neopets

With more than 44 million global memberships, 200 games, an active virtual economy based on Neopoints, daily and weekly creativity contests, Neovision video player, discussion boards, quests and thousands of virtual items to collect, Neopets offers its audience an almost endless array of engaging activities. Neopets is a global community and is available in 11 languages.

About Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products manages the world's third largest licensing business, representing leading properties such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, and managing merchandising for Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTVN International, and Spike TV.

Nickelodeon, now in its 29th 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 more than 96 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than 13 years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B)

   Contact:   Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products   Licensing Show booth #1117 and 1317 / Javits Center.  

Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326, or David Bittler,
+1-212-846-5263, both of Nickelodeon

Web site: http://www.nick.com/
http://www.neopets.com/
http://www.neopets.com/keyquest

---

Profile: International Entertainment