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Coke's Polar Bears Going BTSrt Hall, a supplier of school, home and office supplies, has signed a licensing agreement to market a back-to-school line featuring Coca-Cola's Polar Bears and Polar Bear Cubs.This will be the company's flagship license for next year. The line will include more than 40 cover designs on portfolios, binders, notebooks, pocket memos, assignment books, diaries and planners.In

Coke's Polar Bears Going BTS

rt Hall, a supplier of school, home and office supplies, has signed a licensing agreement to market a back-to-school line featuring Coca-Cola's Polar Bears and Polar Bear Cubs.

This will be the company's flagship license for next year. The line will include more than 40 cover designs on portfolios, binders, notebooks, pocket memos, assignment books, diaries and planners.

In addition to Coca-Cola, Stuart Hall also has signed 1996 school product licenses with several other companies, including McDonald's, Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes, Hallmark/Shoebox and NASCAR racing teams.

Multiple Displays Jump Batteries

BETHEL, Conn. -- Duracell Research here has released statistics showing that merchandising batteries in secondary locations expanded sales nearly 5% in the food channel from 1993 to 1994.

The company's research indicates that consumers expect to find batteries in multiple locations throughout a food store. Almost 30% expect to find batteries in secondary displays and an additional 22% of consumers expect batteries to be located at the checkout.

According to Duracell, the food class represents 21% of overall battery sales, which grew to $3.4 billion in 1994.

Marvel Characters Join Party

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Party Express, the decorated paper partyware brand of Hallmark Cards here, has entered into an agreement to license the use of Marvel Comics characters on its partyware. The licensed Marvel pattern -- Marvel Universe -- features such characters as Spider-Man, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk and Captain America. It will be available in February 1996.

Products include invitations, napkins, plates, clubs and stockers. Additional licensed accessories and decorations include balloons, streamers, flag banners and Happy Birthday banners. Party Express also will feature Peanuts characters Snoopy and Woodstock in a wide variety of partyware formats, including dinner and dessert plates, cups, beverage and dinner napkins, invitations, table covers and hats. The partyware will be available for shipment beginning Jan. 1, 1996.

Systemax Offers Party Magic Kits

RACINE, Wis. -- Systemax Network here is offering Party Magic, a themed birthday party kit that provides games, menus and decorating ideas. The kits come in 10 different themes: Pocahontas, Lion King, Cinderella, Sports Mania, Ballerina Slippers, Boys Toys, 101 Dalmations, Make-up Magic, Power Rangers and Happy Birthday. They also include invitations, a paper tablecloth, napkins, plates, cups, forks and spoons, candles, a large mylar balloon, a dozen latex balloons, treat bags with tissue, ribbon and confetti. Each kit sells at a suggested retail of $29.99.

Value-Added BTS Items Featured

BELLWOOD, Ill. -- Several of Sanford Corp.'s 1996 back-to-school products will feature value-added incentives, including permanent markers, highlighters and pencils.

Sharpie four-pack blister cards will include a free Power Mark marker, a 98-cent value; Uni-Ball Deluxe and Vision one-packs and Uni-Ball two-packs will include a free Pocket Accent Highlighter, a 90-cent value; four-pack Major Accent and Pocket Accent Highlighters, a free Clickster mechanical pencil, a 79-cent value, and a 50-cent-off coupon for future Clickster four- or six-packs.