CHESHIRE character gift and gadget expert Wesco has been awarded the merchandising rights for products generated by the new Wallace & Gromit movie.
The company, formed in 1987, has struck a deal with Aardman Animations to market some of the most popular as well as some of the most innovative licensed products in the world.
The as yet untitled Wallace & Gromit film, out in October, 2005, will spawn dozens of licensed products featuring two of the country's favourite animated characters. If previous Aardman releases are anything to go by, Wesco will be merchandising two of the high street's biggest money-makers for retailers nationwide.
Wesco will be launching a range of clocks, watches, radios and money banks - firmly established as favourites with children of all ages, as well as talking bathroom scales, talking room guards and talking garden figurines.
The aim is to capitalise on the enormous hype likely to surround the film which has a budget in excess of $80m.
The deal continues the previous successful relationship enjoyed by the two parties - a relationship which saw Wesco sell in excess of 750,000 Wallace & Gromit branded products in the late 90s.
Rob Hughes, managing director of Wesco, says: "We are very excited about this deal. Previous movie releases have caused unrivalled consumer demand for all sorts of Wallace & Gromit products and it's fair to say that much of our early success was down to this British duo capturing the public's imagination."