Houston Business Journal
From the October 22, 2004 print edition
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2004/10/25/tidbits1.html

Local marketing firm has kids lining up for Christmas

Waiting in line to see Santa Claus will be a little more fun this Christmas, thanks to Houston-based Dillard Local Branding.

In an effort to take the sting out of standing in long Santa lines, the marketing company has created North Pole Network Television.

The network replicates traditional cable channels by offering original programming parodies and promotions geared to families. North Pole Network has the potential to reach an audience of more than 1 million families stuck in long Santa lines.

The programs, created by Dillard client World Wide Photography of Toledo, Ohio, are scheduled to roll out this Christmas in 75 malls across the country, with more than 350 malls already committed for the 2005 Christmas season.

Houston-area shopping centers that have already signed on are Memorial City Mall, Almeda Mall, Northwest Mall and West Oaks Mall.

"We came up with a way for our client to benefit their audience and created a unique way for malls to reach potential customers while they are still shopping in the mall, says Tim Dillard, principal of Dillard Local Branding. "Everybody is looking for a captive audience, and now we can deliver a new synergistic way to reach them."

Programs include SNN -- the Santa News Network, with 11-year-old host Wolf Blitzen and his field reporter, Skip Sleighme. Other channels include the Present Channel; the Cooking Channel featuring chef Scotty Campbell; Toons for Tots; and Thumb Puppet Theater.

Dillard Local Branding has plans to follow up this effort with character merchandising, point-of-purchase collateral materials and an interactive Web site where kids can download music and games and e-mail Santa their wish lists. - Christine Hall