J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter: Toys or Books?    

          With the rising popularity of the Harry Potter books, there is an increase in production of Harry Potter merchandise that both Hasbro and Mattel are taking full advantage of. 

          Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products has announced that Hasbro has received the license to create Harry Potter games that involves the first two books in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  Some of the Hasbro divisions including, Wizards of the Coast, Tiger Electronics and OddzOn, are also going to create some Harry Potter products.  These companies are worldwide leaders in the products that they make, some of the products that they are known for are, the Pokemon Trading Card Game and Magic: The Gathering.  There are trading cards, candy, youth electronic video games, and role playing games.   Cap Candy will have interactive candy including the magical Bertie Bott‘s Every Flavor Bean and Tiger Electronics will introduce handheld electronic games, personal radios and recorders, diaries, kids messaging systems and voice changing devices.   “The millions of Harry Potter fans around the world are going to love seeing literary references to things like cards and candy come alive through our exiting range of offerings,” said Alan G. Hassenfeld, Hasbro’s chairman and CEO (About).

          Mattel, however, has the rights to Harry Potter toys. They have produced action figure trivia games, and collectible figures.  Some of the collectible figures will only be offered in specialty stores.  Most of these toys became available during the first part of the 2001 (Find Articles).  There have already been over five hundred toys and gimmicks in stores, including dolls, puzzles, castles, broomsticks, and do-it-yourself magic.  With the holiday season coming up, the Harry Potter products will be selling out fast. Mattel expects certain items to be sold out by Thanksgiving. Storeowners are happy to see the rise in sales with the merchandise and have had a hard time keeping products in the stores (CNN.com).

          The popularity of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has helped Hasbro’s and Mattel’s sales go up.  People, young and old, are buying up all of the Harry Potter merchandise and spending an enormous amount of money on the products.  Along with the merchandise being sold in stores there is also a movie, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” that came out November 16, 2001.  It is one of the most eagerly awaited films ever to hit the big screen. There are at least three sequels planned and a total of seven possible for the Harry Potter movies.  It is the most important franchise for Warner Bros. (Newsweek).  Hopefully, with all of the products out in the stores children that have not read the Harry Potter books will want to read them and it will help get children reading again.

-Quinci Shaver

                                                Works Cited

Anderson, Becky.  “Harry Potter Casts Marketing Spell.”  CNN.com.  2001.  
          <www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/11/02/potter.marketing/index.html.>

“Boy wizards and Butt-Ugly Martians.”  Findarticles.com.  July 2000. 
          <www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m3196/7_98/65019673/print.jhtml.>

“Harry Potter Games Licensed.”  About.  12 February 2000. 
            <www.boardgames.about.com/library/news/b1000212b.htm.>

Horn, John and Malcolm Jones.  “Heeeeeeeere’s Harry.”  Newsweek.com.  2001.  
          <www.msnbc.com/news/648695.asp#TOP.>

“Potter film working magic for retailers.”  CNN.com.  2000. 
          <www.cnn.entertainment.printthis.clickability.com>

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