Warner Bros. Consumer Products is bringing its Looney Tunes characters to life under a new partnership with Taubman Centers, Inc. to launch Looney Tunes-themed children’s play areas in Taubman-branded shopping centers nationwide.
The 2,000-square-foot indoor playscape will debut at Northlake Mall in Charlotte, NC on Sept. 15, the grand opening of the shopping mall. Taubman developed and manages the property. The interactive play area will feature three-dimensional Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Tasmanian Devil, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian, Pepe Le Pew and Pussyfoot.
Within the playscape, the 4-foot-tall Taz character squirts paint through the area hitting Daffy Duck, who sits in a puddle of paint he overturned. A 16-foot Pepe Le Pew sketches Penelope, while his upright tail acts as a slide and crawl-through. Children who walk over pressure-activated sound chips will hear the sounds of dripping paint, a squeaky eraser and paint squirts.
“These days, going to the mall is no longer just about shopping,” said Jordan Sollitto, executive VP-Worldwide Marketing and International Licensing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products in a statement. “It has become a way for parents to spend quality time with their children outside of the house. With this new entertainment concept, we are broadening the mall experience even further by bringing some of the world’s most beloved characters to families in a fun, interactive and engaging way.”
As part of the arrangement, Taubman Centers and Warner Bros. Consumer Products are offering play-area sponsorships.
“The partnership allows sponsors to be aligned with two highly respected organizations in an innovative environment and showcase their products to millions of targeted shoppers,” Taubman spokesperson Karen Mac Donald said.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products executives are working to secure traditional and nontraditional sponsors that speak directly to mothers and children under five, said Dave Hedrick, senior VP-worldwide promotional marketing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
Sponsorship could include coupon and sampling opportunities or product integration with the play areas “if it’s the right fit,” Hedrick said.
“The intention is to have multiple partners throughout,” he added.
For Taubman Centers, the partnership gives the company a chance to distinguish itself from competitors by offering the Looney Tunes-themed play area, Mac Donald said.
Taubman Centers are still negotiating plans to roll out the play area within the company’s other shopping centers, Mac Donald said. Taubman operates 22 shopping centers in 10 states.
Financial details of the multi-year partnership were not disclosed. Internet materials and in-mall signage support.
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