ZIGGY COMES TO DVD Full Marketing Program Escorts Classic Character’s Video Debut

New York, NY – (May 31, 2005) – THE ANIMATED EVERYMAN! ZIGGY is coming soon on DVD and Home Video. Ziggy and Friends, Inc., together with Universal Press Syndicate and licensing agent, Moxie & Co., have signed an exclusive deal with BFS Entertainment & Multimedia Limited that will bring ZIGGY to DVD this Fall.

Ziggy’s Gift, the first animated special starring the world’s ultimate optimist, will be backed by a full marketing and licensing campaign. Moxie & Co. has signed new licensees in apparel and gift categories, as well as initiating current licensees to correspond merchandise launches with the movie release.

“We’re very excited to be working with BFS. The company is an ideal partner to bring Ziggy into the digital age,” Tom Wilson, Ziggy artist and president of Ziggy and Friends, explained. “I can’t think of a better way to have Ziggy entertain families at home than through a holiday special like Ziggy’s Gift. The joy and spirit of the holiday season corresponds perfectly with Ziggy’s personality. The DVD, like Ziggy, is a timeless, classic.”

In the new DVD, Ziggy makes his acting debut to rave reviews. Ziggy’s Gift is directed by Richard Williams and produced by Lena Tabori, Richard Williams, and Wilson. The master animation team of Richard Williams (Roger Rabbit, Pink Panther), Eric Goldberg (Pocahontas, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast), and Tom Sito (The Lion King, Pocahontas, Shrek) earned the Emmy Award for Animation in its one and only TV broadcast. Now, in the deal with BFS, Ziggy’s Gift will be available for everyone to own. BFS will distribute Ziggy to the Home Video marketplace throughout the U.S. and Canada. It will be available in major retail channels including mass-market, entertainment, electronics, toys and other specialty, mail order, catalog, and Internet.

Denis Donnelly, CEO of BFS, said, “Ziggy, over the last 35 years, has become one of those coveted characters that achieved American icon status. We could not be more excited about having the opportunity to release this Emmy award-winning title for the upcoming holiday season and being able to have the next generation of Ziggy fans experience his lovable giving nature on DVD."

The launch of Ziggy’s Gift is part of the well-balanced marketing effort from Moxie that focuses on reaching Ziggy’s core fan and juniors through key categories. In addition to home entertainment, the new Ziggy apparel, gift, and publishing merchandise from handpicked partners will all possess extreme high quality, creative design, and strong distribution.

Arlene Scanlan, president of Moxie, said, “The Ziggy licensing program is the personification of the Ziggy character in merchandise for both the youth and adult demographics. We’re extremely pleased to have top companies like Russ Berrie, Sara Max, and Top Heavy Clothing, among others to bring items that portray the universal appeal and affable charm of Ziggy“

Coinciding with the release of Ziggy’s Gift, Russ Berrie will have holiday season Ziggy plush, dolls and figurines; Andrews McMeel Publishing will release a Ziggy comic panel collection in a book of the same title, Ziggy’s Gift: A Holiday Collection, and Sara Max has holiday-theme Ziggy pajamas and boxers for men and women.


ZIGGY’S GIFT
Ziggy’s Gift is 24.5 minutes of over 139,000 frames, 30,000 hand-painted cels, and 180 background cels. The feature is created and written by Tom Wilson, directed by Richard Williams, and produced by Lena Tabori, Richard Williams, and Wilson. The Executive Producer is Lena Tabori. Master Animators are Richard Williams, Eric Goldberg, and Tom Sito. Original music is by Grammy winners Harry Nilsson (lyrics and music) and Perry Botkin (scored and conducted).

ZIGGY LICENSING
The list of Ziggy licensees includes Russ Berrie for plush, dolls, and figurines; Sara Max Apparel Group for Ziggy men’s and women's sleepwear, loungewear, and underwear; Planet Sox for Ziggy socks, slippers, bandanas, and pillows; Mighty Fine for girl’s and women’s t-shirts; Top Heavy Clothing, Co. for tanks and t-shirts; Andrews McMeel Publishing for calendars and books; Sharler Cards for medical reminder cards and notes; and Casa d'Oro for Ziggy bracelets and charms; among others.

ABOUT BFS ENTERTAINMENT & MULTIMEDIA LIMITED:
Based in Toronto, Canada, BFS Entertainment & Multimedia Limited is a recognized independent manufacturer and distributor of home videos throughout North America. The company sells its products through various channels, including retailers, distributors, mail order houses, and the Internet. BFS titles can be classified into several categories including, classic dramas, mysteries, comedy, sports, and factual programs. Titles are sold under the BFS Video and American Home Treasures labels. Programs are licensed from independent production companies including the BBC, Granada, Channel 4, Discovery Channel, Minotaur, and CBC.

ABOUT ZIGGY
Ziggy was created by Tom Wilson in 1971. Wilson created Ziggy & Friends, Inc. as the company that provides the artistic and creative force behind his kind and charismatic comic character creation. For the past 17 years, Tom Wilson II has been drawing the daily Ziggy comic panel, the Sunday Ziggy comic strip, and authoring the collection of Ziggy books, in conjunction with his father's creative influence in the company. Though retired from the day-to-day operation of drawing Ziggy & Friends, the senior Wilson's creative influence, humor and wisdom is ongoing and very apparent in Ziggy comics.

The Ziggy comic panel, syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, appears weekday and Sundays in more than 600 newspapers nationwide. Ziggy is the official SpokesCharacter for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society helping to raise awareness and funds for research and care. Ziggy also supports the end to World Hunger with special edition comic panels and use of his image on awareness posters for the Annual World Food Day (this year, October 16, 2005).

This Fall, Andrews McMeel Universal Publishing will introduce the latest Ziggy book, Ziggy’s Gift: A Holiday Collection. It will be the newest in the line of Ziggy books and collectible literature, including last year’s best-seller, Character Matters, and his other books, Ziggy Goes Hollywood, The Zen of Ziggy, Ziggy's Friends for Life, a 30th Anniversary Tribute to Zig from All of His Friends, The Ziggy Treasury Collection (1977), and the four-part series of collectible mini books: Ziggy’s Little Book of Friendship, Ziggy’s Little Book of Heart Thoughts to Cheer You, Ziggy’s Little Wish Book for Someone Special, and Ziggy’s Little Wish Book for Your Birthday.
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For Ziggy’s Gift Sales Info, Contact:
Ari Kopmar, VP Sales & Marketing, BFS Entertainment & Multimedia Limited
T: 905.884.2323 ext 452, E-Mail: akopmar@bfsent.com

For Licensing Information, Contact:
Sarah DeCoursey, Universal Press Syndicate
T: 816-932-6733; E-Mail: sdecoursey@amuniversal.com