SANTORO (POLE)-VAULT INTO U.S. MARKET

Santoro announce the appointment of Vault Branding Group to exclusively represent their complete portfolio of brands in the U.S.

Vault Branding Group (VBG), based in Beverley Hills, Los Angeles, California, is a licensing management agency founded and headed by Bruce Giuliano and Amrita Sen, two familiar and highly regarded professionals within the world of U.S. licensing.  VBG will specialise in managing the strategic growth and development of Santoro's properties through licensing, marketing and retail alliances in the U.S. 

Bruce Giuliano is best known for his work in building Sanrio's Hello Kitty  into the powerhouse brand it has become in the American markets.  Bruce says: 'Santoro has always been significant from the standpoint of cultural relevance and from a retail and commercial perspective. Now is our opportunity to tell this story to the U.S. Market.  We believe Santoro's properties represent a unique opportunity to bring their characters to life through consumer products. We believe they will find their way into various aspects of the U.S. market including animation, TV, the internet, and other entertainment channels.'

Amrita Sen has worked in the licensing, sponsorships and endorsements arena, related primarily to the entertainment industry for 6 years. Prior to co-founding VBG, Amrita managed the Vault Agency, which worked with prominent artists and celebrities. 'Clearly from our conversations with various retailers and licensees, the U.S. Market has been highly anticipating the launch of the Santoro properties. Most people in the trade recognise the historical significance of Santoro and their brands. Our job will be to add a new dimension to the existing portfolio of products through new licensing relationships and interesting marketing partnerships,' says Amrita.

Meera Santoro, Co-founder, Head of Licensing and Creative at Santoro believes that after a long search for the ideal U.S. representation, they have now found the perfect alliance with VBG. 'Bruce has been a Santoro fan for years and has long recognised the considerable potential for Santoro in the U.S . We have a really exciting programme planned which is already underway.'

Santoro enjoys continued success and critical acclaim for bringing unique properties to the European, Asian, and Latin American markets with retail sales already in excess of US$950million.