$OWOO's Joanne Melton, CEO of Tonner-One World Holdings commented in today's SeekingAlpha.com artticle:
"We are seeing a sea change in the way designers make dolls that is reality-based with the function of providing a positive impact on the girls - and boys - that represent the future of our world," commented Melton in a phone conversation. "There is a clear focus on individuality, diversity and empowerment to let children know that they can identify with and be whoever they want to be. The vast majority of people don't look like Barbie; kids want dolls that are culturally correct and look like them, their family and their friends. The market lacks this type of dolls, which we think match the way consumers think today and represent a significant market opportunity for us and others in our space."
The company, which recently changed its name based upon a planned merger with the NY doll enterprise Tonner Doll Company, currently sells three lines of dolls across retail Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) locations and online at the company's website, Walmart.com, and at Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) and DOLLGENIE.COM, to name a few. Melton said that to date, the company has sold more than 100,000 dolls. She added that expectations are for that number to increase greatly in the near term, thanks to a licensing deal with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to create a line of dolls based on the critically acclaimed television show "Empire." A top-rated show across all the major networks, the April 20 episode drew nearly 10 million viewers, according to Deadline.com.
"I don't know of another company our size that has struck a licensing deal with a hit series," Melton commented. "It's a game changer for us that speaks to the quality of our dolls, and we see it as a huge industry step forward for a media giant to look to a small company for their needs."
http://seekingalpha.com/article/3975896-reali...ttel-adapt
"We are seeing a sea change in the way designers make dolls that is reality-based with the function of providing a positive impact on the girls - and boys - that represent the future of our world," commented Melton in a phone conversation. "There is a clear focus on individuality, diversity and empowerment to let children know that they can identify with and be whoever they want to be. The vast majority of people don't look like Barbie; kids want dolls that are culturally correct and look like them, their family and their friends. The market lacks this type of dolls, which we think match the way consumers think today and represent a significant market opportunity for us and others in our space."
The company, which recently changed its name based upon a planned merger with the NY doll enterprise Tonner Doll Company, currently sells three lines of dolls across retail Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) locations and online at the company's website, Walmart.com, and at Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) and DOLLGENIE.COM, to name a few. Melton said that to date, the company has sold more than 100,000 dolls. She added that expectations are for that number to increase greatly in the near term, thanks to a licensing deal with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to create a line of dolls based on the critically acclaimed television show "Empire." A top-rated show across all the major networks, the April 20 episode drew nearly 10 million viewers, according to Deadline.com.
"I don't know of another company our size that has struck a licensing deal with a hit series," Melton commented. "It's a game changer for us that speaks to the quality of our dolls, and we see it as a huge industry step forward for a media giant to look to a small company for their needs."
http://seekingalpha.com/article/3975896-reali...ttel-adapt
