San Francisco-based Sony Signatures, in a partnership with
Sony Creative Products in Japan, has been selected as the
exclusive worldwide licensing and merchandising company for World
Cup 1998. The agreement was signed with JSL Marketing AG of
Switzerland. Dell Furano, President & CEO of Sony Signatures, a
unit of Sony Software Corp., said their World Cup merchandising
will go well beyond traditional apparel, souvenirs and on-site
merchandising. Furano said they are seeking other partners for
innovative product lines and marketing programs, such as
electronic publishing products, printed products, music and all
categories of games, toys and apparel. Marketing efforts will
include electronic retailing, cross-licensing, and World Cup
merchandise information and services available on-line and on the
Internet. Sony Signatures' European effort will be conducted out
of offices in London and Paris, U.S. efforts will be directed by
Signatures' Licensing Division on the Sony lot in L.A., and Asian
efforts will be headquarted in Sony Creative Products' Tokyo
offices (Sony).
