Below is a Fisher-Price, Inc. press release via
Business Wire:
Nastia Liukin Helps Fisher-Price Introduce New, Interactive Fantastic Gymnastics Dora Doll to Adventure-Seeking Dora Fans
Five-Time Olympic Medal Gymnast and Role Model Hits Gymnastics Mat with Dora and Friends
PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just in time for the excitement in London this summer, five-time Olympic medalist and role model, Nastia Liukin, is teaming up with Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT), to help introduce the new, interactive Fantastic Gymnastics Dora doll to adventure-seeking children everywhere. The popular gymnast was right at home where she trains at the World Olympics Gymnastics Academy in Plano, Texas as she hit the mats to support young gymnasts through routines inspired by Fantastic Gymnastics Dora. As girls tumbled alongside Dora, Liukin reminded them that one small somersault could lead somewhere big!“Fantastic Gymnastics Dora from Fisher-Price captures the adventurous spirit of Dora and is sure to motivate active children with her moves and words of encouragement.”
“I’ve always been a true believer in setting goals and dreaming big,” said Liukin. “Building self-confidence at an early age is so important and a doll like Fantastic Gymnastics Dora is designed to inspire kids and show them that there are endless possibilities to what they can achieve – I love that!”
Fantastic Gymnastics Dora, based off of the Nickelodeon show Dora the Explorer™, performs two gymnastics routines, features seven unique moves – including splits, handstands and back-bends – and enhances imaginative role-play for kids ages three and older. Children can coach their friend Dora through her practice and performance routines and learn the value of teamwork by cheering her on.
Fantastic Gymnastics Dora also features more than 40 phrases in English and Spanish and a special song celebrating teamwork.
This August, consumers can download the free, Fantastic Gymnastics Dora augmented reality app on retail shelves to watch Fantastic Gymnastics Dora come to life. They can also download the free app directly from the App Store.
As with all Fisher-Price products, Fantastic Gymnastics Dora was developed through the brand’s Joy of Learning lens to ensure skill-building benefits for children, while keeping play fun and interactive.
“Fantastic Gymnastics Dora features multiple ways of play to encourage children’s imagination and creativity skills, as well as self-expression and confidence,” said Susie Lecker, Senior Vice President of Fisher-Price Friends. “Nastia is the perfect partner to help launch Fantastic Gymnastics Dora because she strives to reach her full-potential each day and is a true champion. She continues to be a wonderful role model for young girls everywhere, just like Dora!”
“We know that young girls will be following gymnastics closely this summer, sparking excitement; who better to share that adventure with them, than Dora?” said Manuel Torres, Senior Vice President, Global Toys, Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “Fantastic Gymnastics Dora from Fisher-Price captures the adventurous spirit of Dora and is sure to motivate active children with her moves and words of encouragement.”
Fantastic Gymnastics Dora will be available for $49.99 in August at retailers nationwide including Toys ‘R’ Us, Target, Walmart and Kmart, as well as on FisherPrice.com. Visit www.FisherPrice.com for additional information.
About Fisher-Price:
Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT) located in East Aurora, N.Y., is the leading brand of infant and preschool toys in the world. The company's legacy of high quality toys has enhanced early childhood development for more than 81 years. Some of the Company’s best-known “classic” brands include Little People®, Power Wheels®, View-Master® and Imaginext®. Fisher-Price is also a leading developer of baby gear products (infant swings, bouncers, high chairs), as well as a wide array of character-based toys inspired by high quality children’s programming such as Dora the Explorer™, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Thomas & Friends®. The Company’s website, www.fisher-price.com, as well as its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/fisherprice provide valuable information and resources to parents and grandparents around the world.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).
App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
This press release has an accompanying Smart Marketing Page providing further details about the organization, products and services introduced above. You can access the Smart Marketing Page via the following link:
https://smp.newshq.businesswire.com/pages/nastia-liukin-helps-fisher-price-introduce-new-interactive-fantastic-gymnastics-dora-doll-adve
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50350352&lang=en
Contacts
Fisher-Price, Inc.
Juliette Reashor, 716-687-3354
Juliette.reashor@mattel.com
or
Weber Shandwick
Stephanie Brodsky, 212.445.8221
sbrodsky@webershandwick.com.
Also, from
Kidscreen:
Olympian teams up with Fisher-Price and Dora
In conjunction with the summer Olympics in London, five-time US Olympic gymnastics medalist Nastia Liukin has partnered with Fisher-Price to help launch a new interactive Fantastic Gymnastics Dora doll.
The doll, based on Nickelodeon’s hit Dora the Explorer property, can perform two gymnastics routines featuring seven unique moves, speak more than 40 phrases in English and Spanish and sing a song about teamwork.
Fantastic Gymnastics Dora will be available in August at US retail locations including Toys ‘R’ Us, Target, Walmart, Kmart, and on FisherPrice.com.
In addition, a Fantastic Gymnastics Dora free augmented reality app will also be available in August at the App Store.
Tags: Dora the Explorer, Fantastic Gymnastics Dora, Fisher-Price, Nastia Liukin
Also, from
Brand Channel - always branding. always on.:
London 2012 Watch: Dora the Gymnast Gets Girls in the Games
That's Team USA gymnast (and five-time Olympic medalist) Nastia Liukin, above, doing the splits with the special London 2012 Summer Olympics edition Dora the Explorer doll. Mattel's Fisher-Price will sell the interactive Fantastic Gymnastics Dora doll starting in August for $50. What makes the latest doll from the Nickelodeon hit series interactive? Consumers can download the free, Fantastic Gymnastics Dora augmented reality app on retail shelves or download from Apple's App Store.
Also, from the
Saudi Gazette:
Tech is child's play
Technology doesn’t intimidate children. The smallest tot will reach out for a ringing smartphone. For children, expensive iPads are fascinating entertainment windows. So it’s only natural that toy companies will look for ways to merge age-appropriate technologies and traditional play patterns.
Timed with the Olympics in London this summer, Fisher-Price, Inc., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. has introduced the interactive Fantastic Gymnastics Dora doll. The doll leverages the popularity of the Nickelodeon show, “Dora the Explorer.” She performs two gymnastics routines, has seven unique moves – including splits, handstands and back-bends – and enhances imaginative role-play for kids ages three and older.
Children can coach their friend Dora through her practice and performance routines and learn the value of teamwork by cheering her on. Fantastic Gymnastics Dora also features more than 40 phrases in English and Spanish and a special song celebrating teamwork. Play with the doll is enhanced by the addition of the Fantastic Gymnastics Dora Augmented Reality app from the App Store, which brings Dora to “life.”
Recently Mattel also introduced, “Apptivity,” which allows children to safely play with a physical toy on the screen of an iPad. The game series was launched with Hot Wheels Apptivity, which lets kids take a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels car and race through three exciting game modes. Next came the Laugh & Learn Apptivity Monkey. This is a plush stuffed monkey. When toddlers squeeze the monkey’s hands and feet they interact with the app, which has been downloaded to an iPhone or iPod touch device. The most recent Apptivity toy is the Apptivity Batman game. Just lunch the app on the iPad and place the base of the Apptivity Batman figure on the iPad screen. Special contact points on the bottom of each base allow the app to identify the toy figurine and then the player battles the criminals in familiar Gotham City locations.
When kids get together for some face-to-face interaction, from the first moment technology can be a part of the interaction. Rubber wristbands are popular with children as a means of self-expression. Now, Hallmark has created Text Bands which are interactive wristbands. Text Bands starter kits feature a purple or charcoal-colored Text Band, complete with a texting module and style band. Kid enter up to a 10-characters message into the screen. When they see a friend wearing a Text Band, they connect by bumping fists or shaking hands. The bands light up, and the message transfers from band to band. A bad-word filter built into the Text Band helps ensure kids send positive messages. Text Bands hold up to 24 messages at a time – the newest messages push out the oldest – giving kids the perfect excuse to connect with their friends again and again. The wireless technology in the bands works from about 12-inches distance so actual contact between the bands isn’t required. They retail for $15 each with optional style bands priced at an additional $5. Once school starts it’s certain that teachers will be horrified if Text Bands catch on. With cell phones banned in many schools, Text Bands will be a new way to share “secret” messages, such as the answer to the fourth question on a math exam.
The last toy to mention today, which has gone high tech in a big way, is the storybook. Parents are getting over their fear of giving an expensive digital device to a small child. Research from the UK’s literary advocate, The Reading Agency, found that 48 percent of parents of primary school-aged children believe electronic devices encourage children to read more. With that in mind, over 40 percent of those parents surveyed have made available a digital device that allows their children to read eBooks. Children who have access to digital storybooks may have a much richer personal library. That’s because eBooks are economical. Bowker Market Research found that the average children’s eBook is $5.65 cheaper than the average hardcover and $3.72 less than the average paperback. Entertaining, educational and economical — eBooks are wonderful tech playthings!
Also, from
Toy News:
Olympic star promotes Dora doll in gyms
Russia's Nastia Liukin teaches kids routines inspired by Fisher-Price's Fantastic Gymnastics Dora.
Five-time Olympic medallist Nastia Liukin has teamed up with Mattel’s Fisher-Price brand to help get children active.
The Russian athlete headed to the World Olympics Gymnastics Academy in Texas to run young gymnasts through routines inspired by the Fantastic Gymnastics Dora doll.
The toy is based on the Nickelodeon show Dora the Explorer. It can perform two gymnastics routines, has seven unique moves including handstands and the splits, and it has 40 phrases in English and Spanish.
Children can coach Dora by cheering her on and can download an augmented reality app on retail shelves to watch the doll come to life. The product is priced $49.99 in the US and arrives in August.
“I've always been a true believer in setting goals and dreaming big,” said Liukin. “Building self-confidence at an early age is so important and a doll like Fantastic Gymnastics Dora is designed to inspire kids and show them that there are endless possibilities to what they can achieve – I love that.”
Susie Lecker, senior VP of Fisher-Price Friends, added: “Fantastic Gymnastics Dora features multiple ways of play to encourage children's imagination and creativity skills, as well as self-expression and confidence.
"Nastia is the perfect partner to help launch Fantastic Gymnastics Dora because she strives to reach her full potential each day and is a true champion. She continues to be a wonderful role model for young girls everywhere, just like Dora.”
