Warner Bros. Consumer Products has announced that it will showcase a robust Looney Tunes licensing program for retailers and licensees from around the world at Licensing Show 2012 next week in Las Vegas. The Looney Tunes are everywhere right now: animation theatrical shorts online video games home video and of course merchandise. All of this activity and success is driving our opportunities to develop a refreshed and ever-expanding product line for fans of all ages said Brad Globe president of Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The Looney Tunes characters returned to their roots in the past two years with the release of a number of all-new animated 3D theatrical cartoon shorts. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures in conjunction with family-friendly feature films the shorts were created using state-of-the-art CG animation and rendered in stereoscopic 3D. The two most recent films – I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat and Daffy's Rhapsody – featured the voice of the legendary Mel Blanc via original songs he recorded in character in the late 1940s and '50s. Both I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat and 2010's Road Runner and Coyote short Coyote Falls made the Academy Award shortlist for Best Short Film (Animated) and were nominated for an Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject. The Looney Tunes resurgence began with the launch of The Looney Tunes Show on Cartoon Network last year. According to Nielsen Galaxy Explorer the show produced by Warner Bros. Animation immediately took off in the ratings delivering a 5.2 rating with Boys 6-11 and eventually hitting a season high 6.6 rating with the same Boys segment in conjunction with a nationwide retail promotion orchestrated by WBCP. At the same time The Looney Tunes Show is now being watched in the UK France Germany Italy Spain Poland Romania Turkey Australia New Zealand Argentina Colombia and Mexico. We hold the Looney Tunes characters in the highest regard and being able to help revitalize this franchise is an amazing opportunity and a privilege said Sam Register executive vice president creative affairs Warner Bros. Animation. I am very pleased to see that our efforts have been received so well not only by the audience but also by the licensing community. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment recently announced Cartoon Universe a free-to-play online world that will provide a safe social environment for young kids to go on adventures solve puzzles and play games with their favorite Looney Tunes characters among others. Launching in North America in fall 2012 and international markets in 2013 Cartoon Universe will introduce a whole new generation to the animated antics of the Looney Tunes. The Looney Tunes characters have been enjoyed by generations and we are bringing them to life in a new way with Cartoon Universe an online game filled with safe social worlds designed just for kids said Martin Tremblay president Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. We are very pleased with the incredible cross-company content support for the Looney Tunes. It's really unprecedented and it has allowed us to re-establish our licensing and merchandising program while re-engaging with fans from around the world added Globe.
