PRIMEDIA Expands Licensing in Toy Vehicle Business

PRIMEDIA Expands Licensing in Toy Vehicle Business

    Business Editors

    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2005--PRIMEDIA Inc. (NYSE: PRM):

--	Funrise, Best Pals, Planet Toys and Scientific Toys join PRIMEDIA's Impressive Roster of Vehicle Licensees
--	Lowrider Adds Radio-Controlled Vehicles to Toy Program -

    PRIMEDIA Enterprises, the licensing merchandising division of PRIMEDIA Inc. (NYSE: PRM), today announced Best Pals, Funrise, Planet Toys, and Scientific Toys have joined the company's prestigious list of licensees to further expand its top magazine brands in the toy vehicle market. This is the latest in a series of successful brand extensions that transition enthusiast titles such as Import Tuner and Truckin' into product lines that carry significant clout in a broader marketplace. PRIMEDIA Enterprises' existing toy licensees include Mattel, RC2, Action Performance, Revell-Monogram, and RadioShack.
    "We are continually looking for innovative partners to build on the success of our existing toy vehicle business," said Jacqueline Blum, president of PRIMEDIA Enterprises. "All four of these licensees have great reputations in the retail community, and stood out as companies best able to promote a lifestyle around some of our more prestigious brands."
    The Lowrider brand enters into the juvenile toy category with Funrise, one of the leading toy vehicle companies in the industry. Funrise will develop a line of plastic light & sound freewheeling, "pull-and-go", and motorized vehicles. Their Lowrider line will consist of multiple SKUs of traditional lowriding vehicles. Each SKU will have stylized pin striping as well as wheels and rims popular in the Lowrider market. Funrise will also develop a line of vehicles for the popular Cartoons brand, which will feature the exaggerated American muscle cars depicted in the popular comic magazine.
    Best Pals recently introduced a new product to the marketplace called "Swap-Outs", a line of customizable vehicles for the Lowrider, Truckin' and Import Tuner brands. These "Swap-Out" vehicles are 1:64th scale cars and trucks that can be transformed into a customized ride with add-on accessories such as wheels, limousine middles, and hot hydraulic systems all included with the vehicle. The customization is achieved by "swapping-out" the mid-section of the car and snapping-in new parts to create a whole new vehicle. The pieces are interchangeable and can be used with other cars in the line.
    Under the Truckin' brand, Planet Toys will be developing a line of radio-controlled vehicles in multiple scales. In addition to the core radio-control line, Planet Toys will also create branded pullback vehicles, friction vehicles and wooden toys. These Truckin' toys will be available at mass, mid-tier and specialty toy retailers later this year.
    Adding some throttle to the tuner market, Scientific Toys will introduce a new line of Import Tuner-branded radio-controlled cars. These new vehicles will reflect the hottest trends in body kits, wheels and accessories being used among international performance enthusiasts.
    Together, these new brand extensions in the fast-growing toy vehicle sector move PRIMEDIA's branded merchandise programs into key retail locations nationwide.

    About PRIMEDIA Enterprises

    PRIMEDIA Enterprises is the worldwide brand licensing division for PRIMEDIA's 250 publications, having established brand extension programs for titles such as Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Lowrider, Super Street, Import Tuner, In-Fisherman, and Creating Keepsakes. PRIMEDIA Enterprises extends the company's brands into consumer product categories such as apparel, accessories, toys, interactive games, automotive accessories and equipment, books, and calendars, as well as service licensing and promotions. Internationally, PRIMEDIA's content and brands are licensed in more than a dozen countries around the world.

--30--MEM/ny*

CONTACT: Media: Amanda Cheslock, 212-446-1884 acheslock@sloanepr.com

KEYWORD: NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ADVERTISING/MARKETING PUBLISHING RETAIL PRODUCT SOURCE: PRIMEDIA Inc.

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