mouth: public relations 915 broadway ++ suite 1009 ++ new york, new york 10010 ++ 212-260-7576 www.MouthPublicRelations.com September 2013 Dear Editor/Producer, The Long-Awaited Sequel to The Elf on the Shelf® Sensation, The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition, Launches This Season Publisher Donating $1 from Every Birthday Book Sale to charity: water—an International Non-Profit Organization That Provides Clean Water to Communities in Under-Developed Countries This season, the creators of the bestselling holiday tradition, The Elf on the Shelf®, will release the first sequel to the original title since the launch of the brand in 2005. In this highly anticipated release, Santa grants special permission to the scout elves to visit their families to celebrate children’s birthdays. He also allows the elves to introduce a timeless North Pole birthday tradition to the festivities—a tradition celebrated by North Pole elves for thousands of years. The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition, by Carol V. Aebersold and Chanda A. Bell with illustrations by Coë Steinwart hits the streets on October 22, 2013 (Creatively Classic Activities and Books/CCA and B; ISBN 9780-9843651-9-7; $19.95). “Our consumer research confirmed what we already knew,” says Christa Pitts, co-CEO of CCA and B. “After Christmas, a child’s birthday is the #1 most requested time for an elf to visit. We’re so happy that Santa agreed to let us share this special tradition with the families who have embraced The Elf on the Shelf.” With this next chapter in the brand, The Elf on the Shelf® stretches outside of the holiday season for the first time, giving children one more day on the calendar to enjoy a visit from their elves. Included in The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition is a special Claus Couture Collection® birthday outfit for the elf to wear to the celebration. Also included is special stationery for families to invite their elves to the party. Written in the same signature rhyming style as the original title, the book also features whimsical watercolor illustrations by Coë Steinwart. This year, $1 from every copy sold of The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition will be donated to the non-profit organization charity: water. “Clean water is fundamental to family wellness,” says Pitts, “and women and children bear the greatest cost of this global crisis. We’re proud to be able to be part of this powerful initiative.” For more information, please visit: www.charitywater.org. Sincerely, The Mouth Team Justin Loeber Patrick Paris President Account Director 212-260-7576 Media@MouthPublicRelations.com Hugh McIntyre Assoc. AE Cassie Berwick Account Coordinator MEDIA TOUR and BOOK SIGNING DATES** For The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition Tuesday – Sunday, October 22 – 27th: New York City, New Jersey & Connecticut Monday – Wednesday, October 28-30th: Boston, MA Friday – Sunday, November 1-3rd: Philadelphia, PA and South Jersey Monday – Wednesday, November 4-6th: Atlanta, GA (Authors’ hometown) Thursday, November 7th: Toronto, ON, (Canada) Sunday – Tuesday, November 10-12th: New Orleans, LA Wednesday – Thursday, November 13th-14th: Mobile, AL Thursday – Saturday, November 14th-16th: Vancouver, BC, (Canada) Friday – Sunday, November 15-17th: Houston, TX Monday – Wednesday, November 18-20th: Cleveland, OH Monday – Wednesday, November 25-27th: New York City (National and Local Media tied into the Macy’s TG Day Parade) Saturday – Monday, November 30-December 2nd: Los Angeles, CA Tuesday – Thursday, December 3-5th: San Francisco, CA Friday – Saturday, December 6-7th: Minneapolis, MN Sunday – Tuesday, December 8-10th: Chicago, IL **Please note some events will include the appearance of a Birthday Tradition mascot. Dates, Times and event locations are subject to change without prior notice. For further information, please contact: Mouth Public Relations at 212-260-7576 or Media@MouthPublicRelations.com. mouth: public relations 915 broadway ++ suite 1009 ++ new york, new york 10010 ++ 212-260-7576 www.MouthPublicRelations.com Tip Sheet for The Elf on the Shelf® ® • Creatively Classic Activities and Books, the company behind the original The Elf on the Shelf , started with a single product being sold from the trunk of a car. Today, the company’s products are sold in over 15,000 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, and they have more than two dozen licenses with retail chains such as Pottery Barn Kids, Target, and Barnes & Noble; • CCA and B has sold more than 6 million copies of the original Elf on the Shelf since its launch in 2005, with footprints in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The company has now expanded into other ® products such as the Claus Couture Collection (chef apron set, collectible skirts, sports jersey), plush toys, DVD/Blu-Ray, figurines, activity and coloring books, and more; • Kids can visit www.ElfontheShelf.com to register their elf adoption, write to Santa Claus, register for a special birthday message from Santa, and play fun games in the virtual North Pole; • The company was first established in 2005 by three women: Mom (Carol Aebersold) and adult twin daughters (Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts). Carol and Chanda were former school teachers, and Christa was a former host on QVC; • The Elf on the Shelf remains a simple tradition with one simple goal: to create family moments that bring children and the adults who love them together, during the holiday and all year round; • CCA and B has flourished and now has a staff of over 50 and is headquartered in the Atlanta metro area; • The Elf on the Shelf : A Birthday Tradition is the first sequel to be published since the multi-million selling The ® Elf on the Shelf : A Christmas Tradition; • In 2011, Carol, Chanda and Christa co-created and executive-produced a critically-acclaimed animated feature, rd “An Elf's Story™," which will air this December on CBS-TV for the 3 year in a row; • Last year, CCA and B debuted their balloon in The 86 Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade , where it was the first self-published character to be immortalized in a balloon since Peter Rabbit, and the largest elf character in Macy’s 86-year history—appearing again in 2013; and • This year, Carol and Chanda, accompanied by the Elf on the Shelf Birthday mascot (in selected markets), embark on a 15-city national media tour with readings and events in cities including NYC, Boston, Los Angeles, and Houston over a two-month span, starting October 22. ® ® ® th ® ® For further information or to interview Carol and Chanda, please contact Justin Loeber and staff at Mouth Public Relations: 212-260-7576 or Media@MouthPublicRelations.com. mouth : public relations 915 broadway ++ suite 1009 ++ new york, new york 10010 ++ 212-260-7576 www.MouthPublicRelations.com Meet the Creators of The Elf on the Shelf ® Christa Pitts, Co-CEO, CCA and B, LLC Christa Pitts is the business mind in the family owned and operated company that created The Elf on the Shelf®. Before joining forces with her sister and mother, Pitts spent five years as one of the most beloved hosts on QVC, where her warmth and upbeat personality made her a household name. In 2005, Pitts launched Creatively Classic Activities and Books (CCA and B, LLC®) with her twin sister, Chanda Bell, and mother, Carol Aebersold. Pitts joined as Co-CEO to focus on building partnerships, licensing, and strategic vision. In addition, she took on the worlds of marketing, sales, IP development and protection, and legal affairs. To date, The Elf on the Shelf® has sold over 6 million copies in North America. Pitts was instrumental in developing Big Canoe Entertainment, the production team that created the 2011 animated special, “An Elf’s Story™.” As one of the executive producers, she helped bring the Christmas special to fruition, and engineered the launch and distribution strategy that turned The Elf on the Shelf® into an animated holiday classic. Pitts was featured in Georgia Trend magazine’s “40 under 40” list. She was named the Georgia Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Association (an honor she shares with her mom and sister.) Pitts helped CCA and B find its place on Inc.’s 500/5,000 list and was named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 2010. Chanda Bell, Co-CEO, CCA and B, LLC, and Co-Author, The Elf on the Shelf® Chanda Bell is one of the true visionaries behind the beloved holiday brand, The Elf on the Shelf®. A former reading and English teacher, Bell is the co-author (with her mom, Carol) of The Elf on the Shelf®: A Christmas Tradition and the new sequel, The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition. At CCA and B, the company Bell co-founded with her twin sister, Christa Pitts, and her mom, Bell leads the creative side of the business, cultivating a careful focus on products and traditions that create meaningful family moments. In 2011, The Elf on the Shelf® came to life as an animated special. “An Elf’s Story™” debuted and aired twice on CBS, boasting a combined viewing audience of almost 10 million people. Bell co-founded Big Canoe Entertainment—the production company that produced the special—and served as Executive Producer on the project. She co-wrote the script and penned the lyrics to one of the musical numbers. Bell was named the Georgia Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Administration (an honor she shares with her mom and sister). She and her sister were also named as finalists for the 2010 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2011 Bell was awarded the University of West Georgia’s spotlight award and in 2012 she received the Young Alumnus of the Year award from Reinhardt University. Under the guidance of Bell and her sister, CCA and B was recognized in 2010, 2011, and 2012 as one of Inc. magazine’s 500 fastest growing companies. Carol Aebersold, Co-Author, The Elf on the Shelf® Carol Aebersold is the co-author of The Elf on the Shelf®: A Christmas Tradition and the sequel, launching this season: The Elf on the Shelf®: A Birthday Tradition. She is also the mother of Christa Pitts and Chanda Bell, the twin CEOs of CCA and B (Creatively Classic Activities and Books), the publishing company Aebersold founded with her daughters. To many children (and many of her employees), Aebersold is nothing less than a direct line to Santa—and that is especially clear during the holiday season, when she travels for as much as 8 weeks to do as many as 100 events in support of The Elf on the Shelf®. Aebersold taught music for the majority of her adult life, and that experience stood her in good stead in her role as an executive producer of “An Elf’s Story™” in 2011. Aebersold co-wrote the special’s original songs, “Each and Every Christmas,” as well as “Extravaganzalorious.” This year, Aebersold will travel again across the U.S., bringing the tradition of The Elf on the Shelf® to children and their families, and doing media interviews and book signings in support of the brand. About charity: water charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries. It uses 100% of public donations to directly fund sustainable water solutions in areas of greatest need. Right now, 800 million people on the planet don’t have access to clean and safe drinking water. That’s one in nine of us. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses. The Jerry Can To us, it says “gasoline,” but for 800 million people on the planet, it represents water. It weighs 40 pounds when full, and people all over the world walk up to three hours each day carrying it. The water they bring home to their families often makes them sick. Women and children usually bear the responsibilities of water collection, which prevents the kids from getting an education and women from earning a much needed extra income. charity: water incorporates this symbol into its logo as a reminder of the hardships faced by nearly one billion people on our planet who don’t have clean water.