BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Basic Fun!, the
Florida-based toy and novelties
company, today announced it has entered into an agreement with
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) on behalf of Shaquille O'Neal for the superstar to be the
spokesperson for the all-new Tonka line. The iconic toy truck
brand, licensed by global play and entertainment company Hasbro,
Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), has a seventy-year legacy of durable,
high-quality products that encourage kids to use their imaginations
and ignite new adventures through creative, energetic play. As the
official spokesperson for Tonka, Shaquille will be the voice and
face of the marketing campaign across TV commercials, Digital
Marketing and Social Media, among other activations.
"Shaquille is a larger than life pop culture personality, and
kids of all ages adore him – when he says, 'get outside and play,'
they listen," said Jay Foreman, CEO
of Basic Fun! "For generations, Tonka trucks have been the
benchmark of durable and rugged toys that let imaginations run
wild. We are bringing together these two legendary icons with the
common goal of getting kids off their screens and outside or on the
floor to enjoy some fun, creative and active play."
"I'm so excited to partner with Basic Fun! on the new Tonka
line," said Shaquille O'Neal. "I'm
on a mission alongside Tonka and Basic Fun! to motivate kids to
'Get Out and Play!'"
Shaquille and Basic Fun! will unveil the new Tonka products to
the global toy industry and media on opening day of the
117th Annual Toy Fair New York, taking place from
February 22-25. Launching at retail
this spring with additional products rolling out later in the year,
the new Tonka toy line features rough and tough toy vehicles of all
sizes, with exciting themes and 'mix & mash' play patterns that
appeal to today's kids while staying true to the Tonka brand legacy
for lifelong fans.
Top items for spring include the Tonka Metal Movers, a
two-pack of collectible diecast vehicles packed with a no-mess sand
compound that mimics real construction dirt, and the iconic
Tonka Mighty Dump, a sturdy steel construction vehicle built
for hauling large loads.
ABOUT TONKA
Tonka was created in 1946 by a gardening
supply company in Mound, Minnesota
called Mound Metalcraft, which later become Tonka Toys
Incorporated. The steel toy trucks became an iconic rite of passage
gift for boys. At one time, Tonka was the world's largest manufacturer of trucks! Over
the years, the company was purchased by Hasbro and the company,
along with its licensees, have manufactured the product line since
1991.
ABOUT BASIC FUN, INC.
Basic Fun! is a dynamic global
marketer of classic and innovative children's entertainment
products for today's kids. The company plays in many core toy
categories including classic heritage toys, novelty collectibles,
building toys, youth electronics, plush, vehicles, dolls and
activity/discovery. Basic Fun!'s key brands include: Tonka,
K'NEX, Lite-Brite, Fisher Price Classics, Care Bears,
Mash'ems, Cutetitos, Playhut, Ant Farm, Arcade Classics and many
more! For more information, please visit www.BasicFun.com.
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @BasicFunToys, #BasicFunToys
ABOUT SHAQUILLE O'NEAL
Shaquille O'Neal is one of the world's most
successful athletes-turned-businessmen, whose accomplishments both
on and off the court have translated into a highly sought-after
consumer brand. As an entrepreneur, sports analyst, DJ, restauranteur, and brand ambassador,
Shaquille O'Neal's unique "Business
of Fun" mantra resonates throughout each of his countless
endeavors.
The 15-time NBA All-Star's unprecedented athletic career spanned
nearly two decades and earned him countless awards and honors,
including NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA Rookie of the Year, four
NBA Championships and a First Ballot NBA Hall of Famer.
Currently, O'Neal is an analyst on TNT's Emmy Award-winning "Inside
the NBA," and will be premiering his life chronicling reality
series, Shaq Life, in
2020.
O'Neal, who has a PhD in Leadership and Education, gives back
through a number of annual philanthropic programs including Shaq to
School, Shaqsgiving, and Shaq a Claus.
The debut of his Los Angeles
restaurant Shaquille's along with his Las
Vegas eatery Big Chicken has further elevated Shaquille's
status as he has positioned himself as a successful restaurateur. A
second Big Chicken location is open in Glendale, CA and additional locations will
debut at sea on Carnival Cruise Lines Radiance and Mardi Gras.
Follow Shaquille O'Neal
on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT AUTHENTIC BRANDS GROUP
Authentic Brands Group
(ABG) is a brand development, marketing and entertainment company,
which owns a portfolio of global media, entertainment and lifestyle
brands. Headquartered in New York
City, ABG elevates and builds the long-term value of more
than 50 consumer brands and properties by partnering with
best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Its brands
have a global retail footprint in more than 100,000 points of sale
across the luxury, specialty, department store, mid-tier, mass and
e-commerce channels and more than 5,000 freestanding stores and
shop-in-shops around the world.
ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling
product, content, business and immersive experiences. It creates
and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of
its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging
media. ABG's portfolio of iconic and world-renowned brands
generates more than $10 billion in
annual retail sales and includes Marilyn Monroe®, Mini Marilyn®,
Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O'Neal®, Sports
Illustrated®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Nautica®,
Aéropostale®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Herve Leger®, Judith
Leiber®, Barneys New York®, Frederick's of Hollywood®, Nine West®,
Frye®, Jones New York®, Louise et Cie®, Sole Society®, Enzo
Angiolini®, CC Corso Como®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx®,
Adrienne Vittadini®, Taryn Rose®, Bandolino®, Misook®, 1.STATE®,
CeCe®, Chaus®, Spyder®, Tretorn®, Tapout®, Prince®, Volcom®,
Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®, Above The Rim®, Hind®, Thomasville®,
Drexel® and Henredon®.
For more information, visit
authenticbrandsgroup.com. Follow ABG on Twitter,
LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Hasbro
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company
committed to Creating the World's Best Play and Entertainment
Experiences. From toys, games and consumer products to
television, movies, digital gaming, live action, music, and virtual
reality experiences, Hasbro connects to global audiences by
bringing to life great innovations, stories and brands across
established and inventive platforms. Hasbro's iconic brands
include NERF, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS,
PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, POWER RANGERS, PEPPA PIG and PJ MASKS as well as premier
partner brands. Through its global entertainment studio eOne,
Hasbro is building its brands globally through great storytelling
and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world
a better place for children and their families through corporate
social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 13 on the
2019 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine and has been
named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere
Institute for the past eight years. Learn more at www.hasbro.com,
and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).
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SOURCE Basic Fun!