LYONS STICKING WITH BARNEY STRATEGY

RICHARDSON, Texas - Lyons Group is marching to the beat of a different dinosaur.

the children's video crowd, this company has achieved extraordinary success for its products, and for the retailers who sell them.

"We feel that as long as we remain true to our consumer, they will want the product because of what it delivers," said Debbie Ries, director of sales.

Lyons Group's marketing strategies differ markedly from other successful video programming suppliers. For example:

The purple dinosaur debuted on video and then moved to television - most children's products start on TV or in theatrical distribution. This year the company will release more direct-to-video titles, said Ries.

While Barney licensing is widespread, it is very selective.

There are no cross-promotional deals with packaged goods companies, and the company does not plan to make any, said Ries.

The company has no other programming besides Barney, and does not plan to create any, she said.

It will not sell to deep-discount classes of trade such as warehouse clubs.

"We are looking for long-term partners and appropriate merchandising. We are trying not to have Barney in avenues of distribution that are not appropriate for a long-term classical character," said Ries.

Lyons does see supermarkets as an appropriate and long-term partner, she noted.

"We have been very successful in supermarkets. Their customer is our customer. The moms with those little kids are our customers," she said.

Tie-in deals and new characters outside of the Barney program do not interest Lyons Group. "We've stayed true to our mission. That's why we are successful. We are adding programming, characters and situations." said Ries.

That is one of the reasons the company won't get involved with cross-promotional partners, or value-added items on-pack. "We put a lot into our product and are production-driven. The value is there for the parents because the children love it," she said.

With Barney, retailers don't need extraordinary merchandising or promotional efforts. "Just keep the product in stock and put it in an area where people can see it," she said.

While there are many Barney licenses on the market, Lyons Group has chosen them carefully. "We've had the opportunity to license a lot more products than we have. We try to remember that our customers are young children, so we wanted appropriate licensed goods," she said.

"We are true to our audience," said Ries. "We don't put anything in for the parents. There's no double meanings, no adult jokes. We don't expect parents to sit and watch Barney."