From: shawn@panix.com (Shawn Herzinger)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
Subject: Itchy & Scratchy Licensing
Summary: I&S Product explosion
Keywords: Itchy, Scratchy, Licensing
Date: 9 Nov 92 17:59:12 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC


SCRATCHING THE NEWEST LICENSING ITCH: THE "ITCHY & SCRATCHY" SHOW 
FROM 20TH CENTURY FOX  By Danny Biederman, The Licensing Book 
10/92


Get ready, world.  That international licensing goldmine known as 
The Simpsons has just given birth to a brand-new merchandising 
phenomenon that's sure to blow your head  -er, I mean, socks- 
off. Yes, it's Itchy & Scratchy, that violence-prone cat-and-
mouse duo that headlines Bart Simpson's favorite TV cartoon show.

A sort of "Tom & Jerry" gone ballistic, Itchy & Scratchy are 
taking the licensing world by storm...not to mention by 
decapitation, poisoning, shooting, knifing, and dynamiting.  
Blessed with the sort of personalities that help put co-
dependency self-help books at the top of the best seller lists, 
Itchy & Scratchy are forever at each other's throats, and it's 
usually Scratchy's throat that is certain to be slit.

The Itchy & Scratchy campaign is well under way, and in a very 
big way.  Manufacturers of apparel, computer games, bath and 
kitchen goods, toys, and gifts have already come onboard, with 
additional licensees and promotional partners expected to follow.

Almost any teen will tell you.  The Itchy & Scratchy Show is the 
series-within-a-series cartoon show that the Simpsons kids glue 
themselves to in many a Simpsons episode.  The Simpsons has 
established itself as a sort of cultural icon of the 90's.  It 
turns up in presidential campaign speeches, and is the series to 
"guest voice" by anybody who's anybody.  (Guest vocals to date 
have included Ringo Starr, Danny De Vito, Sting, Michael Jackson, 
Larry King, Magic Johnson, and -this season- Johnny Carson.)  The 
show airs in more than 60 countries around the world and boasts 
more than 800 international licensees and numerous promotional 
partners. To date, over a billion-and-a-quarter dollars in 
licensed Simpsons merchandise has sold in the United States 
alone.

"I don't think there's anyone in America that doesn't own a 
Simpsons real or counterfeit shirt," says Al Ovadia, president of 
Fox Licensing and Merchandising.

With the series now in its third season, the merchandising of 
spin-off characters who are even weirder than Bart is clearly a 
natural and clever way to build on the Simpsons success.

"Itchy & Scratchy are fresh," Ovadia points out.  "If a retailer 
buys eight new designs, and six of them are "Itchy & Scratchy" 
and two of them are Bart, there is a very limited risk."  With 
Itchy & Scratchy promotions, sweepstakes, and in-store character 
"appearances" in the wings, Ovadia anticipates a 50 percent 
increase in over-all Simpsons domestic sales.  This estimate is 
right on the money, if what licensees are saying is any 
indication.

"It's phenomenal! We're eating it up!" beams Bob Andreoli, 
president of Creative Images. Headquartered in Maspeth, NY, 
Andreali's firm specializes in the production of licensed t-
shirts, sweat shirts, and tank tops.  He signed up for Itchy & 
Scratchy because he sees it as the 90's version of his own 
childhood heroes, "Tom & Jerry."  "Only this is a lot funnier," 
he points out.  "I had seen what 'Ren & Stimpy' were doing, and 
knew that this would be much bigger.  There is no comparison."

Andreoli notes that orders began coming in after his customers 
saw faxed artwork.  "The response is tremendous," he says.  "One 
customer did a test order of 25 dozen, and within one week came 
back with 700 dozen orders.  We think it's going to be the 
biggest license of '93."

Jim George, president of the Auburn Hills, MI-based Trevco, a 
licensed apparel manufacturer, thrilled  his customers when he 
told them he'd be manufacturing Itchy & Scratchy tees, sweats, 
and tanks.  "One buyer said, 'My God-We've been looking all over 
for this!'" George recalls.  "He's been talking to all his 
vendors trying to figure out who had it."

George was initially repelled by the characters when he was 
introduced to them in a video at this year's Licensing Show.  He 
remembers that he innocently strolled over to the Twentieth 
Century Fox booth, "looked up at the monitor and saw these guys 
decapitating each other, and sticking each other in blenders. It 
was the most repulsive thing I'd ever seen.  Then I walked away, 
returned later, looked at the tube again and said, 'Wait a 
minute...This is what they want!' I called my top sales reps and 
key accounts, and everyone said it was going to be a 'hot' 
property."

Heading home on the plane, a ten year-old girl who befriended 
George engaged him in a "What's The Coolest?" quiz, testing one's 
knowledge of the coolest shoes, movie stars, etc.  When it came 
to "the coolest cartoon" the young traveler provided a 
wholehearted endorsement of George's latest discovery.  "Yes-
Itchy & Scratchy!" she shouted.  George recalls: "My mind was 
made up."

Although Itchy & Scratchy's antics are clearly a parody of the 
violence found in Saturday morning cartoons, the visuals are 
outrageous enough that Fox has little doubt about the parameters 
of its target audience.  "This is a very strong property for the 
teen market," confirms Nancy Overfield-Delmar, vice-president, 
marketing, for Fox Licensing.  "Although it will naturally spill 
over into other areas, teens are the core consumers here. A 
property with this kind of an edge makes that market very 
accessible."

Overfield-Delmar reports great success at retail.  "Reorders are 
pouring in at the specialty level, and product is now being 
shipped in both mass market and department store areas, where 
great crossover appeal exists."

Fox is also beginning to license another Simpsons spin-off Krusty 
the Clown.  A "Krusty For President" shirt logo ("Of all the 
clowns running, he's the best") is finding a lot of takers this 
election year.  And looking ahead, Fox has merchandising plans 
for Marge Simpsons sisters, Apu the convenience store clerk, and 
Homer's boss, Mr. Burns.

"This is a natural phase of The Simpsons," explains Overfield-
Delmar.  "The weekly exposure these characters get is enormous, 
so the licensing value is there, as well as exciting 
opportunities for the right promotional partner."

Just wait til Bart gets his hand on one of those Itchy & Scratchy 
t-shirts.  The kids at school will drool, Dude!   END

Text of trade ad:  "Sales a little flat...?  Maybe it's time to 
roll out a new line with t.v.'s outrageous cat and mouse duo -
ITCHY & SCRATCHY from the hit t.v. show THE SIMPSONS."  Picture 
shows Itchy running over Scratchy with a steam roller.
-- 
Shawn M. Herzinger
shawn@panix.com