Press Release
Toys”R”Us®, The World’s Greatest Toy Store™, in partnership with Pretty Ugly™, LLC (“PUL”), the manufacturer and distributor of the iconic Uglydoll® brand of plush characters, today announced that they will leverage the strength of their respective brands to introduce Uglydoll products in Toys”R”Us U.S. stores nationwide, as well as an Uglydoll shopping environment online at Toysrus.com. Just in time for the holiday season, customers will find a wide range of Uglydoll merchandise at Toys”R”Us, from well-known classic plush characters such as Ox™ and Ice-Bat™ to the new Citizens of the Uglyverse™ collection.
“Over the past 10 years, Uglydolls have continuously gained consumer awareness and wide popularity,” said Drew Matilsky, Managing Director of PUL. “The brand has enjoyed broad appeal to consumers irrespective of their age or gender, and we are extremely excited that this new alliance with Toys”R”Us will introduce our lovable characters and the Uglydoll lifestyle brand to an even broader cross-section of consumers.”
“We are thrilled to bring a broad assortment of Uglydoll products to Toys”R”Us stores, making this specialty brand even more accessible for Uglydoll fans and collectors,” said Neil Friedman, President, Toys”R”Us, U.S. “Offering distinctive merchandise, like Uglydolls, serves to further showcase Toys”R”Us as a specialty retailer of toys for every occasion.”
The full Uglydoll assortment available in Toys”R”Us stores and online at Toysrus.com includes Uglydoll keychains; Little Uglys; Citizens of the Uglyverse, which are a brand-new offering for 2011; and traditional 12- to 14-inch Uglydoll plush in classic and new styles, including characters such as Ugly Charlie™, Groody™ and a Toys”R”Us- exclusive Winter Edition Uglydog™. Within the in-store displays, customers will also find Uglydoll-branded books, figurines, pillows, hats, keepsake boxes, clocks, banks and tin toys.
Additionally, Toys”R”Us plans to support this product launch by showcasing Uglydoll merchandise in print circulars throughout the holiday season.
About Toys”R”Us, Inc.
Toys”R”Us, Inc. is the world’s leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 873 Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, and in more than 600 international stores and over 140 licensed stores in 35 countries and jurisdictions. In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz brand and sells extraordinary toys in the
brand’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com and FAO.com, it provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys”R”Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 associates annually worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need.
About UGLYDOLL® & Pretty Ugly, LLC
David Horvath & Sun-Min Kim created the first Uglydolls as hand-sewn plush toys in 2001. Since the inception of the first Uglydoll character, Wage, who David drew on a love letter to Sun-Min, Uglydoll has grown into an entire universe of characters, stories, and products for all ages. The Uglydoll brand was launched in 2002 by Pretty Ugly, LLC with offices in Los Angeles and Edison, NJ. The brand is distinguished by David & Sun-Min’s unique aesthetic and voice defining ‘ugly’ as distinctive, different, and good. The award-winning Uglydoll characters appear in a variety of toys, books, apparel, and other licensed products that are available in thousands of stores, worldwide. In its first ten years, Pretty Ugly has produced and sold millions of Uglydoll items. For more information, visit www.uglydolls.com.
