Disney is trying to distance itself from the bad publicity associated with the ill effects of McDonald's food by recently deciding not to renew its 10-year global promotional contract with the fast food vendor. The current contract expires at the end of this year.

A. Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products stated that Disney is "trying to develop "better for you" (food) ranges for kids".

The company has started licensing fresh fruit in European supermarkets in an attempt to jump on the healthy eating bandwagon for children. The branding involves putting collectible stickers on the skin of fruit which can then be transferred into a sticker book.

As you may have read in our own Newsletter last month, Hasbro had announced in April that they were going to develop a line of dolls modeled after a new music group, the Pussycat Dolls.

This was seen as an attempt by Hasbro to compete with the Bratz fashion dolls from MGA Entertainment. Well, it turns out that Hasbro has shelved their plans.

Dads and Daughters, an advocacy group, immediately mounted a letter-writing campaign which led the company to drop its Pussycat Dolls line plans. Hasbro stated in late May that the music group's "creative direction and images are focused on a much older target" and that the toy line was "innappropriate for Hasbro".

With Lucasfilms’s $3 billion in merchandise sales worldwide last year, all based on Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the world’s toy sellers are hoping that this summer’s blockbuster films will have at least the same power to move their merchandise this year.

Last year, it was all about Star Wars, this summer there are three movies – Cars, Superman and Pirates of the Caribbean. Three should be better than one.

For Cars, which hit theaters on June 9th, Disney signed 350 suppliers to produce products for the two to six year-old age group. Products include bedding, children’s clothing and of course, toys including a $34.99 Fast Talkin’ McQueen vehicle that does 15 tricks. For the Pirates film, opening in July, Disney is targeting six to nine year-olds with toys that encourage children to act out the drama in the movie. There are mill wheel sets with collapsing ladders and pistol and belt sets with blast sound effects. Disney is also reaching out to older consumers with apparel and accessories based on the skull theme.

The merchandising for Superman, which opens on June 30th, aims to attract both children and adults. Toys and apparel that targets children aged between five and eleven years old as well as adults and teens with clothing like $85 rhinestone-encrusted tank tops and $300 cashmere sweaters with the “S” logo.

Merchandisers are already looking beyond the summer and plan to refresh offerings tied to the DVD releases of these movies during the holiday season.

BlueRibbon Toys will definitely include some of these toys in our shipments in time for your holiday sales.

That’s all for this issue.

Our Newsletter will not be published in July or August. Therefore, we will take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Fourth of July and a prosperous, enjoyable and safe summer. Our Newsletter will return to you with its September issue.

We will of course, be here to serve your toy needs throughout the summer.

Please send your comments and suggestions for our Newsletter to admin@blueribbontoys.com.