Johnson Publishing Co. inks licensing deal for Ebony Home products line

(June 15, 2006) Johnson Publishing Company, the world’s largest Black-owned publishing company and home of EBONY magazine, has forged an alliance with Dan River, Inc., to create luxury bed and bath products for the newly developed Ebony Home brand. The deal was brokered by licensing agency, TurnerPatterson. The alliance with Dan River, Inc, is the Johnson Publishing Company’s first foray into the licensing arena.

Dan River, a leading manufacturer and marketer of textile products for the home fashions market, will work closely with Johnson Publishing and TurnerPatterson to design a line of stylish, quality bedding and bath products, targeted to the sophisticated consumer. Ebony Home will feature two tiers of collections; EBONY Classics for mid-tier and upscale stores and Ebony@Home, a line for mass retailers. The products are scheduled for a Spring 2007 launch.

“We are pleased to partner with Dan River to launch the first EBONY Home licensing product line,” said Linda Johnson Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson Publishing. “As a quality brand, our goal is to develop alliances with leading companies to bring high-quality merchandise to the marketplace. For luxury bed and bath items for the Ebony Home line, Dan River is the ideal partner.”

While Ebony Home, will build on the company’s long history and expertise in marketing to various demographics of the African American market, the licensing division plans to develop products that appeal to a broader cross section of Americans.

“We’re interested in developing quality, contemporary luxury goods,” stated Debra Turner, CEO TurnerPatterson. “While we plan to incorporate aspects of our reader’s culture in developing the Ebony Home brand, we also seek to broaden the definition of African American tastes. Our plan is to design products that appeal to a wide range of consumers.”

For Dan River, Ebony’s recognizable brand and strong heritage lends itself to product expansion and is perfect for the development of a timeless luxury bedding and bath line.

“The Ebony brand is the essence of heritage, quality and style,” said Susan Meek, Vice President of Licensing and Marketing, Dan River, Inc. “Heritage and tradition are important to our consumers, and there is a vital need for a line that incorporates multi- cultural tastes and general market appeal. Our partnership with the Johnson Publishing Company and Ebony Home will help forge the path to address the needs of that growing market.”


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Latest 'Buying Power' report shows black consumers spending more on home life

As the American economy continues to move sluggishly, African-American households are curtailing their spending in many categories, including food, clothing and basic household items, while investing more in home repair, home entertainment and consumer electronics. Although they are trimming back, black consumers are still spending more than their white counterparts on most of these products.
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