A roach named Squiggz and his young-at-heart grandparents will make their bid to win the hearts of young children this month when Wacky World Studios presents “The Roach Approach, Don’t Miss the Boat!” direct-to-video computer animated movie, which releases on November 16.
“The Roach Approach, Don’t Miss The Boat!” is an original new series featuring the sometimes wacky adventures of Squiggz and his hilarious six-legged roach family, bringing to life the important values of love, faith, hope and respect as they journey through timeless stories of the Bible. In “Don’t Miss the Boat,” after Squiggz gets teased for saying a prayer before his lunch, Grandpa Lou and Nana share a lesson about having faith in God in the middle of life’s storms. The adventure begins as an approaching hurricane threatens and Grandpa Lou shares the Bible story of Noah’s Ark from a bug’s point of view, a man who was made fun of for listening to God and building an ark in the dessert.
“Kids love creepy, crawling creatures, so when I decided to make movies for them, I wanted to create characters they’d get excited about. With Squiggz, I think we’ve created a roach that even parents will love,” said Bruce Barry, founder of Wacky World Studios and creator of The Roach Approach. “What’s most important to me is that Squiggz helps to reach kids with the life-affirming messages of the Gospel in a new and cool way.”
The 50+ minute DVD release has special bonus materials including a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of Wacky World Studios, music videos and concept art from the movie. Also available is a full music CD, entitled Songs from The Roach Approach, Don’t Miss The Boat!” featuring Michael McDonald, Kirk Whalum, Natalie Grant and Gabriel Patillo, which will release simultaneously. As will three additional Wacky World Studio products: “Noah’s Journey of Faith CD Read Along & Storybook,” “Noah’s Journey of Faith DVD Storytime & More” and “The Biblical Quizzical Game” interactive Bible trivia game.
One of the secrets behind Wacky World Studios’ kid-centered approach is found in the heartwarming story of its dynamic creator Bruce Barry. After working on such projects as The Rain Forest Cafes and the ET ride at Universal Studios, Barry was enlisted by the First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas to build an animated environment for the church’s children’s program. Building children’s scenes from Bible stories that he was discovering for the very first time not only led to Barry becoming a Christian in 1999, it also inspired his desire to expand his business to include faith-based products for children, starting with The Roach Approach.
“His unique creativity would allow him to be making movies with the best of the best in Hollywood, but instead, Bruce chose to bring his delightful grown-up kid perspective to the creation of The Roach Approach. His profound sense of wonder and gratitude for the life-affirming message of the Gospel emanates his approach to making children’s products and his amazing team of 3-D animators, craftsmen, sculptors, painters and artists have helped him create a new brand that has a unique opportunity to impact the kid’s market in a huge way,” said Glenn Wagner, marketing consultant for Wacky World Studios.
Wacky World and its Christian and general market retail distribution partner EMI CMG Distribution have engaged a year-long marketing and sales efforts to launch the new products. One of the keystones of the marketing effort has been an intense grassroots emphasis on churches to build pre-release awareness and excitement where Wacky World expects to find an enthusiastic audience for The Roach Approach. This innovative approach to marketing a new children’s brand has included nearly 20 preview events at mega-churches across the country this past summer where more than 40,000 children and their parents met Squiggz for the first time. Additionally, Barry has made significant appearances at pastors’ conferences and other important church visits to personally announce The Roach Approach.
For retail, EMI CMG Distribution has created colorful and engaging merchandising tools to attract prime store positioning during the busy and important holiday shopping season. A deluxe end-cap kit features a bigger than life-sized 3-D Squiggz cut-out atop a product display. Other tools included as POP include shelf talkers, flats, stickers and posters.
Other marketing plans include consumer advertising with parents and Christian lifestyle media and websites, web banner advertising and local and national publicity.
The release of multiple Roach Approach ancillary products is part of an overall plan to build The Roach Approach brand and to make Squiggz the central character for the brand. In addition to the EMI CMG distributed music and video products, there is a bright and colorful Squiggz plush toy, distributed through Dicksons Gifts, with a multi- book publishing deal in the final stages of agreement. Shasta Shortz, a new line of smaller-sized soda designed specifically for children, is a sponsor of The Roach Approach.
“We see The Roach Approach as a unique new brand for kids. Retailers are begging for a new children’s hit that can have the impact of a VeggieTales. We believe The Roach Approach has the opportunity to be that new hit children’s brand,” said Wagner.
“The Roach Approach, Don’t Miss The Boat!” DVD and VHS will both retail for $14.99. Here are additional details of The Roach Approach audio and video products to be released by EMI CMG Distribution on November 16:
Songs from The Roach Approach is a special CD collection of songs featured in the new video “Don’t Miss The Boat.” From the hip-hop opening theme song, “Don’t Squish That Roach,” to the inspiring pop/rock ballad, “There Is A Rainbow,” both children and parents will enjoy listening together. Songs from The Roach Approach features musical guests Michael McDonald, Kirk Whalum, Natalie Grant and Tommy Sims and will retail for $14.98 for the CD and $11.98 for the cassette.
Noah’s Journey of Faith CD Read Along & Storybook contains a CD along with a colorful 16 page mini-book of the true Bible story of Noah’s Ark featuring the artwork murals from Wacky World Studios. The product is designed to enhance language skills and is retail priced at $8.99.
Noah’s Journey of Faith DVD Storytime & More is a storybook on DVD. The video Bible story of Noah’s Ark is told with bright colorful pictures featuring word-for-word narration and sound effects with a choice of two languages: English or Spanish. The DVD also includes two language skill games and behind the scenes video of Wacky World Studios. It retails at $11.99.
Biblical Quizzical Game contains a 300-question interactive Bible trivia game for all ages and skill levels. Additional bonus features, includes a “2 by 2” interactive concentration game, a “Noah’s Art” interactive color painting and print game. Available in PC and MAC formats it is priced very competitively at $9.99.
Production has already begun on the second movie in The Roach Approach video series, to be called “The Mane Event.” That movie will feature the voices of TobyMac, Nicole C. Mullen, and Tommy Sims. For more information about The Roach Approach, visit www.wackyworld.tv.
