Arthur has one, as do Maisy and Franklin. And now Kipper, too, has his own dressing room at a TV studio. Since February, Kipper has been the star of the animated Nick Jr. cable show bearing his name. Prior to his TV debut, Mick Inkpen's perky, British-born puppy made his inaugural U.S. appearance in 1992 in Kipper, a Little, Brown picture book. Harcourt Inc., which soon 
thereafter became the publisher of several books featuring this canine, has big plans to celebrate Kipper's new identity as a small-screen celebrity.
Harcourt's Red Wagon Books imprint will issue a grand total of 10 Kipper titles in July, including paperback reprints of two hardcover picture books (Kipper and Kipper's Snowy Day), four paperback Little Kippers storybooks that tie into the TV show, and four concept books, previously issued in paperback and now available in board-book format. All these books have recently been released in the U.K. by Hodder, Kipper's originating publisher, as well as in more than a dozen European countries.
Louise Pelan, v-p and publisher of Harcourt's children's book division, noted that up until this year, the Kipper franchise had been "a little sleepy for us. The character just hadn't caught on in the U.S. the way that it had elsewhere, where recognition of Kipper is more widespread. I'm sure that his popularity in those countries is what led to the interest on the part of HIT Entertainment to produce the animated series, which began airing last year in Britain. HIT sold the rights to Nickelodeon, and that's when we began to get excited that the TV show would bring a whole new scope of exposure to Kipper."
Though there has been what Pelan described as "a bit of a bump" in sales of existing Kipper titles since the puppy's television debut, the publisher expects the numbers to rise significantly when the new crop of books ships in July. "We have had an enthusiastic response from independent booksellers as well as chains, and we keep increasing the first printings for the new books, which are now approaching 100,000 copies each," she said. Also likely to boost sales figures is Harcourt's strategy to keep the price points of the forthcoming books at $4.95 or $5.95, in hopes of increasing Kipper's presence in the mass market.
Not all Kipper titles are priced in this range, however. The company's current bestselling title in the line, Where, Oh Where, Is Kipper's Bear?, supported by a plush Kipper holding his teddy, is a pop-up, light-up book that retails at $15.95; there will be additional new Kipper hardcovers in the future.
Entering the Video Market
Another positive omen for Kipper's rising star is the fact that Harcourt's publication of its new Kipper line will coincide with Hallmark Home Entertainment's July release of a home video collection of four of the Nick Jr. episodes. Kira Glass, director of marketing for Harcourt's children's book
 |
| HARCOURT'S $150,000 marketing campaign includes a 50-copy floor display. |
division, explained that the company has cross-marketing plans in place with Hallmark: the Little Kipper paperbacks carry an ad for the video in their inside back covers and the video's box includes a tag line promoting the books. Hallmark reportedly expects to ship some three million videos as individual units and in conjunction with two floor displays.
Glass described Harcourt's $150,000 marketing campaign for the new Kipper titles as "an unusual, probably unprecedented undertaking for us. We will be supporting these books through consumer print advertising and cooperative advertising with retailers and wholesalers. We have also created some point-of-purchase displays, including a 50-copy floor display that we hope will encourage retailers to create a `Kipper Corner.' "
Kipper's new role has also opened doors in the licensing arena. At Copyrights America, which until recently acted as Kipper's licensing agent (HIT Entertainment has recently taken over this function), Shari Meltzer cited a long list of items on which Kipper's image will soon appear. Already on store shelves is Prestige Toy Corp.'s line of Kipper plush toys, which will c xist in the market with Harcourt's own plush puppy. Cadaco introduced its Kipper puzzle games at this year's Toy Fair. Among the products due in the fall or soon thereafter are Mylar balloons from CTI Industries, bags and totes from Jaclyn, bath and beach towels from Jay Franco, infant and toddler sleepwear from Kids Duds, Halloween costumes from Ruby's Costume Company and a 2001 wall calendar from At a Glance. In Meltzer's words, "The recognition and prestige of being associated with Nick Jr. has clearly made a tremendous difference in the Kipper license."
According to Pelan, Kipper is "quintessentially childlike. He exists in a world entirely devoid of adult influences and pressures. He is kind, wise and quietly funny, and he resonates with children. They realize he is on their wavelength."
And children are obviously tuning in to Kipper's show, which appears on Nick Jr. in two separate time slots, three days a week: Harcourt reported that the ratings of the show to date are exceeding expectations. The numbers may well swell in the heat of early summer, when youngsters purchasing Kid Packs at Subway sandwich shops will receive a collectible miniature Kipper with their meal. Subway and Nick Jr. are planning to back this promotion (which also includes giveaways of miniatures based on Maisy, Franklin and Blue from Blue's Clues) with a $1.5 million advertising campaign.
Not surprisingly, Harcourt is assuming that Kipper's popularity will continue to rise, spurring even more interest in Inkpen's books. Due out in spring 2000 are eight additional titles, and among the following fall's offerings is another hardcover picture book, Kipper's Christmas Eve. If this amiable pup makes as successful a transition from page to screen as have Arthur and Maisy, this will be one present children will be tickled to discover under the tree.
