The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 17

Monday, November 18, 1985 Akron Beacon Journal B9 1 Tokyo securities firm happy wi r-vi th Moodies New logo was born in Kent turing the Moodies appeared in many Japanese newspapers. Daiwa has given customers Moodie coffee mugs and other promotional gifts and a Moodie flag flies outside each of the firm's 100 offices throughout ml ty A Japan. The theme of the campaign featuring the Moodies is "save and invest money and you'll be happy," said Sisson, conceding that the meaning may be obscured in the translation. Petry said that for Moodies to get a large nationwide recognition in the United States, they need exposure on national television or to be affiliated with a major toy company. However, he said one of the reasons Moodies are not yet a household word in this country is because he is taking precautions so that they don't die of overexposure.

Sisson says the popularity of "the Smurfs built very fast, skyrocketed and then died out." "We haven't taken every opportunity (to expose Moodies) that we should have or could have. We're marketing the characters for longevity," Petry said. Petry is coy about how much -Kent Toys has profited from Moodies. But he does reveal that revenues from the Moodies licensing business has at least tripled within the last year. As in other licensing ventures, the company's profits, or royalties, represent between 5 and 8 percent of retail sales of Moodie items.

By Katie Byard Beacon Journal bu unu wrtttr To a large Japanese securities firm, the cartoon characters created by two Kent residents have become what the bull is to Merrill Lynch: a corporate logo that is more or less synonomous with the company's name. The Tokyo-based firm is Dai-wa Shoken, and the unsophisticated, pudgy characters that have accompanied some $7 million to $8 million worth of advertising since June are called Moodies. Moodies are the creation of artist Judy Woudenberg and entrepreneur Bob Petry, both of Kent. About two years ago, Petry's Kent Toys Inc. took Moodies out of Petry's basement operation and brought them to the national market at a toy trade fair.

Since mid-1983, Moodies have been placed on everything from calculators to Thorn McAn shoes to Wendy's Kid's Meal packages. Moodies represent various emotions and conditions (such as happiness and sexiness). Kent Toys' previous creations including a hard beach ball did not meet with commercial success. Daiwa discovered Moodies Moodies appear in Japanese newspaper and TV ads Developing company pride Daiwa's advertising agency Dentsu a large worldwide operation based in Tokyo, stumbled upon Moodies while visiting Sisson's Japanese office, Kuzui- 1 of time to a certain issue and protect that time to do that thing alone. Practice listening without interruptions and don't even allow your own thoughts to interrupt.

If you find your mind drifting, ask questions to yourself to keep interested in what the person is saying. Build in a sense of reward by determining how you will benefit from listening or the consequences if you don't. When you need to concentrate, try closing the door, taking the phone off the hook and removing distracting materials from your desk. Set aside a block of quiet time each day. Ask your colleagues to help you reserve this time.

Fred Pryor is founder of Fred Pryor Seminars headquartered in Kansas City. Readers mth management concerns may send questions to the Workiine, Box 1022, Ciemson, S.C. 29631. ferlin Moodies are a premium Sisson International. It was not Moodies, but the possibility of using images from the highly successful movie Ghostbusters in client advertising, that actually lured Dentsu officials.

A Ghostbusters-Dentsu contract was a bust. But while at the licensing agent's headquarters, Dentsu officials spotted the Moodies and "got very excited," said Michael Sisson, president of Sisson Associates. When the advertising agency presented client Daiwa with the Hera is a list of articles of incorporations filed recently by area businesses with the Ohio Secretary of State. Included are the name of the business, listed incorporators and the community Belden Bayhouse Inc. Timothy Swal-len.

Canton. A.F.M. Cleaning Painting Co. Inc. Karl A.

Hermann Jr. and Charles R. Myers, Waynesburg. Hill Associates Inc. Bene J.

Hill, Canton. Certified Title Agency Inc. Statutory Service Canton. Professional Management Personnel Inc. Randolph L.

Snow, Canton. Cutter Exploration (1985) Inc. Michael J. Cutter, Canal Fulton. SPS Software Services Inc.

Thomas P. McCue and Richard J. Nicola, North Canton. Quality Fireworks Inc. Thomas A.

Novelh, Massillon. Stark Imports Inc. John Variola. Jackson Township. Liberty Contractors Inc.

John Ober-hohzer, Medina. Topa Electric Inc. Michael E. Ciccolini, Wadsworth. Giverny Leasing Co.

Inc. Parvi H. Tripp, Medina. Jack H. Cofall Industrial Sales Inc.

Grand Am SE Coupe r- Try challenge, new settings Q. The people in our company don't seem to care. Everybody does Just enough to get by, yet I know we have great potential. What can I do? A. It's easy for even the best of companies to become lackluster and lose effectiveness.

One way to motivate people is to look at where the company is today compared with five years ago. Seeing where you've been and then deciding where you want to go provides a challenge. Another way is to say, "Let's see if during the next six months we could. Or even better, encourage management to ask employees what type of challenge they would like to set. You-may consider bringing in employees from other companies who have some of the spark your Tomajeber Inc.

Elie Jaber, Akron. Reba Enterprises Inc. Elie Jeber. Akron. Colonial Enterprises Inc.

ACFB Munroe Falls. Modern Labor Dynamics Inc. Anthony Lecian Jr. and Mark B. Schott, Clinton.

JB Tallmadge Inc. John N. Moore, Tallmadge. Vacations for Kidz Inc. John D.

Dotin and Marleni Dotin. Akron. Weldorf Associates Inc. Evelyn L. Ruth, Akron.

General Plattex Inc. William J. Serfert and Robert D. Hershberger, Barberton. Kellimar Resources Inc.

Ronald M. Martin, Copley. Banter and Associates Inc. Neale G. Bartter, Wooster.

W.H. Perfect Construction Inc. W.H. Perfect, Kent. David Sladek Inc.

Leonard F. Carr, Dorothy Colosi and Dianne Tirabassi, Medina. Madrilejos. Luna Associates M.D.'s Inc. Tomas A.

Madrilejos, Medina. Heating Air Conditioning Inc. Patricia J. Hruby, Brunswick. GTO Transmissions Inc.

Thomas J. Filous, Brunswick. 6000STE through Petry's licensing agent, Sisson Associates of New York, which sells the rights to place Moodies on products and advertising. organization lacks. That's like the farmer who showed an ostrich egg to his hens and said, "I just wanted you to know what others are doing." Or you can give employees experience in other environments, such as training seminars or visits to other companies to broaden their perspective and help them gain new insights.

Q. I have a hard time concentrating and thinking things through. What can I do to better focus my attention? A. Try to think of just one thing at a time instead of dividing your thoughts among a dozen pressing items. Allocate a specific amount The Right Choice Is Easy-Once You Compare The Facts I I 111111 JJsyl Tit (NSIO -1inrJi I for Kellogg's in U.S.

idea of using Moodies in advertising, "the executives at Daiwa got just as excited about Moodies as Dentsu did," Sisson said. Since June, Moodies have received the amount of exposure in Japan that Petry undoubtedly would like to see them obtain in the United States. Moodies appear in a Japanese television commercial for Daiwa that were shown before baseball games last summer and can be seen during soap operas and the evening news. Full-page newspaper ads fea Jack H. Cofall, Medina.

Millie O's Inc. Jerome Suae. Akron. The Video Lott Inc. Dawn M.

Lott and Richard C. Bennett, Akron. RAO Medical Devices Inc. Robert D. Pischer, Eileen E.

Pallotta and David J. Mines-ky, Hudson. Comtrends Inc. Donald G. McCarthy, Vickie R.

Thompson and Sue Kaiser, Hudson. Flasher Sand and Gravel Inc. Dallas G. Flesher, Barberton. Packaging Corp.

Raymond V. Harko, Sagamore Hills. Jamesons Pub mc. James J. Kotaska, Richfield Village.

Drba Inc. Jerome G. Reidy. Stow. Group Ideate Inc.

Michael Cohill, Connie M. Smith and John R. Miller, Akron. Keith Goodwin Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Inc. Keith Akron.

WLK Inc. William L. Koptis, Econorental Inc. Donald E. George.

Akron. Hydratecs Injection Equipment Inc. Carl A. Chnfoto Barberton. Bruce Blackie Associates Inc.

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