SEATTLE (November 27, 2007) — Bella Sara™, the collectable, horse-themed trading cards and online world for girls, has entered into an agreement with Tween Brands, Inc, a leading specialty retailer for tween girls. The arrangement includes in-store sales and sampling of select Bella Sara products in hundreds of Limited Too and Justice stores across the country, as well as promotional support in both brands’ “catazines” (catalogs within a magazine format). Under the terms of the deal, Bella Sara holiday tins, plush toys, card packs and an exclusive Bella Sara card will be available starting in mid-November.

“We are honored to have the retail sales and tween marketing machine behind Tween Brands in Bella Sara’s corner,” stated Peter D. Adkison, CEO of Hidden City Games, the company behind Bella Sara. Adkison is also the entrepreneur who previously launched the Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon trading cards phenomena in North America. “It is particularly gratifying to us that Limited Too and Justice stores, both trendsetting retail destinations, want to reach young girls with Bella Sara’s positive messages,” continued Adkison, noting that Bella Sara trading cards have been recognized by parenting authorities for their ability to help children acknowledge and express their feelings.

Over 30 million Bella Sara cards have been sold worldwide, attracting more than 1 million registered users from 240 countries to www.bellasara.com. 

The arrangement will introduce Bella Sara cards to Tween Brands’ customers in three ways:

First, Bella Sara will be promoted in Limited Too and Justice stores’ November catazines. These will be mailed to 6.3 million girls and will be available on each brand’s website. Second, half a million Bella Sara trading cards featuring the horse Dreamer, previously unavailable in the United States, will be handed out exclusively to customers in Limited Too and Justice stores starting in late-November and continuing while supplies last. The Dreamer card was initially released only in Scandinavia and features new artwork for its U.S. debut. Third, a selection of the latest Bella Sara merchandise will be available for purchase in Limited Too and Justice stores.

“Limited Too and Justice are the places to find the hottest merchandise for tween girls, especially during the holidays,” stated Scott M. Bracale, president of Tween Brands’ Marketing Agency. “Now that we have Bella Sara, parents can give their special tween a unique, fun and interactive collectable.”

Developed by Danish social worker Gitte Odder Brændgaard, each Bella Sara trading card features a fairytale-like illustration of a horse along with a positive message such as “Beauty comes from within” or “Be the hero in your own story.” These messages stimulate pro-social dialogue both among girls, and between girls and their parents and educators. Each card comes with a code that unlocks a virtual version of that horse at www.bellasara.com, a family-friendly Web site with horse jumping and riding games, puzzles, coloring books, interactive stories and more.

Since its nationwide debut earlier this year, Bella Sara has received the “Seal of Approval” from the National Parenting Center, the “Seal of Excellence” from Creative Child magazine, the “2007 Excellent Product” and “2007 Outstanding Product” designations from iParenting Media and the “Best Products — Spring 2007” award from Dr. Toy.

Look for these four Bella Sara products in Limited Too and Justice stores starting this holiday season:

Bella Sara Ancient Lights — This 7-card pack from the latest Bella Sara series is based on Greek and Roman mythology. Each card has an object or horse that can be activated online. $2.99 MSRP

Bella Sara Plush Gift Box — Each gift box comes with one of four Bella Sara 6-inch plush toys (Bella, Jewel, Fiona or Nike), along with an exclusive certificate for activating that horse online. Also included is an Ancient Lights card pack with seven cards, each of which has its own online activation code. $12.99 MSRP

Bella Sara Collector Tin —This embossed tin, featuring Bella herself, contains five card packs and can be used for storing cards or knick-knacks. The card packs include one from the very rare Bella Sara First Edition, which was available only in limited markets prior to the national launch; two from Bella Sara Second Series; one from Bella Sara Northern Lights, featuring horses influenced by Celtic and Norse mythology; and one pack from the most recent release, Bella Sara Ancient Lights, with horses inspired by Greek and Roman legends. Also included in every tin is one extra-rare “shiny” Zephyros card. $9.99 MSRP

Ancient Lights Value Box — Each value box includes four card packs (28 cards total) from the brand-new Bella Sara Ancient Lights series based on Greek and Roman mythology, along with access to two online horses — Butterfly and Rainbow — previously available only in Scandinavia, plus one extra-rare “shiny” Zephyros card. $9.99 MSRP

About Tween Brands
Tween Brands (NYSE:TWB) is a leading specialty retailer for tween (ages 7 to 14) girls. At Limited Too, the company sells sportswear, related accessories and lifestyle items for active, fashion-aware tween girls. Limited Too currently operates 588 stores throughout the United States and has a select number of international franchised stores. Limited Too publishes a catazine coinciding with key tween shopping times throughout the year and conducts e-commerce on its Web site, www.limitedtoo.com.

Justice is the company's newer specialty retail concept for tween girls, offering moderately-priced sportswear, accessories and lifestyle items in predominantly off-the-mall store sites. Justice also publishes a catazine for its tween customers and currently operates 247 stores across the United States, the locations of which can be found on their Web site, www.justicejustforgirls.com.

About Hidden City Games, Inc.
Hidden City Games, Inc., a venture-backed game publisher headquartered in Seattle, develops and markets tabletop and online games to interactively engage players and collectors of all ages. The company is best known as the exclusive licensor of Bella Sara, the inspirational, horse-themed trading cards and magical online world launched nationwide in the United States in March 2007. Bella Sara, the most successful trading card product ever developed for girls, links to a safe, fun-filled virtual world for kids at www.bellasara.com. Founder and CEO Peter D. Adkison formerly founded Wizards of the Coast, Inc., which created the world’s first trading card game, Magic: The Gathering, and introduced the Pokémon trading card phenomenon to North America.

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Artwork available at http://pressroom.bellasara.com/pr/bellasara/photo.aspx

Media Contact:
Jonathan Zaleski
Schwartzman & Associates, Inc.
(310) 446-8310
jzaleski@schwartzmanpr.com

 


© 2007 Hidden City Games, Inc. BELLA SARA is a trademark of conceptcard and used by Hidden City Games under license. HIDDEN CITY GAMES is a trademark of Hidden City Games, Inc., in the U.S.A. and elsewhere. www.hiddencitygames.com