Arrangement Offers Creative Collaboration on Design and Certain Blue's
Clues Styles Available Only at Payless
TOPEKA, Kan. and NEW YORK, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Payless
ShoeSource, the leading specialty family footwear retailer in the United
States, and Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids, today
announced that they have signed a multi-year licensing agreement enabling a
more direct creative collaboration between Payless and Nickelodeon and
resulting in a new line of Blues Clues footwear with certain styles
featuring the Blue's Clues characters offered only at Payless.
The new Blue's Clues line, including styles for both boys and girls,
will be available at Payless stores this November -- just in time for the
holiday '08 season. Blue's Clues airs regularly on Nickelodeon and has
continually been rated in the top five preschool shows since it first
debuted in 1996.
"Payless is on a mission to democratize fashion and design in footwear
and that means delivering shoe lines featuring the characters kids love
such as Blue's Clues," said Matt Rubel, chief executive officer and
president of Payless ShoeSource. "Blue's Clues has enjoyed significant
longevity -- its content and interactivity have captured audiences again
and again and the show is a huge favorite among moms. This agreement allows
us to work directly with the talented and innovative team at Nickelodeon,
enabling us to together bring the fun of Blue's Clues and friends to
shoppers with fresh styling, high-quality and always at a great price."
The Payless children's footwear design team based in New York will
design the select styles. Payless will source, market and sell the styles
through Payless' more than 4,500 store chain and on payless.com. Three to
five styles are expected in Payless stores at the time of the November
launch with regular seasonal refreshes also expected.
"We are thrilled to partner with Payless to offer this brand-new line
of Blue's Clues footwear," said Leigh Anne Brodsky, president, Nickelodeon
and Viacom Consumer Products. "Moms and kids love Blue's Clues and this new
working relationship is very important to our goal of delivering innovative
styles and great prices."
Blue's Clues is a think-along, play-along half-hour animated series
starring live-action host Joe and an energetic bright blue girl puppy named
Blue. In each episode, Joe invites viewers to help him and Blue solve the
day's puzzle. Blue's Clues launched in September 1996 to critical praise
from teachers, parents and young viewers. Blue's Clues continues to draw
acclaim for its unique interactivity that has changed the way kids watch
television and has remained one of the most watched preschool shows on U.S.
television. Now in its 12th year, the series continues to raise the bar in
preschool television by exploring advanced subject matter such as sign
language, geography, physics, emotions and anatomy.
About Payless
Payless ShoeSource, Inc., a unit of Collective Brands, Inc., is the
largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere and is
dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories
and inspiring fun, fashion possibilities for the family at a great value.
As of the end of fiscal year 2007, the company operated more than 4,500
stores. In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet through
Payless.com(R) at http://www.payless.com.
Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling
lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related
accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic
units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points
and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing.
Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on
democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its
more than 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands American Eagle(TM),
Airwalk(R), Dexter(R), Champion(R) and designer collections Abaete for
Payless, Lela Rose for Payless and alice + olivia for Payless, among
others; Stride Rite, focused on lifestyle and athletic branded footwear and
high-quality children's footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with
its brands including Stride Rite(R), Keds(R), Sperry Top-Sider(R),
Robeez(R), and Saucony(R), among others; and Collective Licensing
International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit,
with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk(R), Vision Street Wear(R),
Lamar(R), Sims(R), LTD(R), genetic(R), Dukes(TM), Rage(R), Ultra-Wheels(R),
and Skate Attack(R). Information about, and links for shopping on, each of
the Collective Brand's units can be found at
http://www.collectivebrands.com.
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, in its 28th 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 almost 96 million
households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 13
consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos
are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).
SOURCE Payless ShoeSource
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Related links:
http://www.payless.com
CONTACT:
Media, Mardi Larson, +1-612-928-0202, or
Financial, James Grant, +1-785-559-5321, both of Payless
ShoeSource; or Media, Nakiah Cherry Chinchilla of Nickelodeon,
+1-212-846-6492
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