Feb 7, 2012

Ripple Junction to Debut ‘Ohiya’ Brand of Pop Culture Character Merchandise at Hastings Stores Nationwide

Ripple Junction (www.ripplejunction.com), a Top 100 global apparel licensee and pop culture product powerhouse, today announced that it has partnered with Hastings, a leading multimedia entertainment retailer, to launch its highly anticipated new “Ohiya” line of character-driven merchandise to include t-shirts, toys, plushies, purses and keychains. Hastings will initially debut the line in February 2012 in 54 of its retail locations throughout the United States and also in its highly trafficked online storefront www.GoHastings.com. Additional retailers of the line to be announced thereafter.

Poised to take the young adult and junior apparel – and pop culture scene at large – by storm, the Ohiya cast of imaginative characters (www.ohiyafriends.com) is the brainchild of Columbus, Ohio-based illustrator Jason Tharp. A self-proclaimed “obsessive dreamer,” Tharp’s mission for Ohiya is to encourage us to go beyond our personal boundaries and to simply say, “Hi” to one another. “A chance encounter can suddenly turn into something meaningful, all with the help of this simple two letter word,” Tharp proclaims. “This brand is all about the art of making friends.” And so the “o-HI-ya” identity was born.

“We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with Ripple Junction to officially launch Ohiya merchandise into the marketplace and into the national consciousness at large,” said Rebecca Webb, Director of Trends for Hastings. “The whimsical imagery, social vision and quality of this brand fits perfectly with our entertainment and pop culture oriented offerings and will greatly appeal to our customer base.”

Ohiya merchandise will feature a variety of characters grouped under different sub-brands that reflect their differing characteristics and personalities, including “Zombuddiez”, “Smooch”, “Zoomipop”, “Mythtaken”, and “Katinja”. All of the characters are unique and have their own back story, yet they’re tied together through similar, relatable qualities.

Ohiya will also be on display at Magic February 13-15 in Las Vegas. Artist Jason Tharp and the cast of ‘Ohiya’ characters will be in booth 72107 at WWDMagic in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

View the Ohiya line of products as follows:

Tees:
http://store.ohiyafriends.com/category_s/33.htm

Plushie:
http://store.ohiyafriends.com/category_s/51.htm

Canvas Prints:
http://store.ohiyafriends.com/category_s/35.htm

Posters:
http://store.ohiyafriends.com/category_s/24.htm

About Ripple Junction
Ripple Junction is a leading manufacturer of licensed pop-culture merchandise, known for combining great art with a quirky sense of humor applied to current and retro properties. Among other licenses, Ripple Junction produces apparel for Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who, Workaholics, The Big Lebowski, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Seinfeld, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Grateful Dead, and many others. The company works regularly with entertainment’s heavy hitters such as Warner Bros., Fox, Universal Studios, Paramount, Proctor & Gamble, HBO, ABC, MTV, VIZ Media and Cartoon Network, and has been named to License Magazine’s Top 100 Global Licensees list six years running. Learn more about Ripple Junction online at www.ripplejunction.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ripplejunction and via Twitter athttp://twitter.com/ripplejunction.

Note to Editors: Ohiya hi/lo-res artwork, artist/manufacturer interviews, and press samples available by request (while supply lasts). Contact Marsha Zorn or Merilee Kern, 858-577-0206, Marsha@kerncommunications.com.