Entertainment Tie-ins / Licensing

Where Walmart goes consumer packaged goods companies follow, as is evident by the growing number of companies signing on or deepening their relationship with the FLW Outdoors fishing tournament sponsored by Walmart.

Pasadena, Calif. -- Disney Store will open more than 25 new and remodeled locations around the globe in 2011. The stores will feature the company’s updated store design, which features an array of interactive and immersive experiences. The company ultimately plans to transform all its 350+ locations to the new concept.

“Guests told us that we brought the magic back to Disney Store with the launch of our new design, and they responded by staying in the stores longer and purchasing more,” said Jim Fielding, president, Disney Stores Worldwide.

ENFIELD, Conn. — Lego is bringing a new kind of ninja to game enthusiasts.

Ninjago, the newest Lego family member, combines the best of Lego construction play, action-based competitive play and virtual gaming. Ninjago tells the story of four young ninjas who train under the watchful eye of Sensei Wu to master an ancient martial art — Spinjitzu — the art of spinning into a human tornado, to save the world from the evil Lord Garmadon and his skeleton army.

LAS VEGAS — Polaroid and its creative director, pop sensation Lady Gaga, unveiled a new line that is truly expressive of Lady Gaga's artistic vision.

The Polaroid Grey Label initially will feature a trio of products that include:

•The GL10 instant mobile printer, available in May at a retail price of $149.99, gives users the instant printing experience with Polaroid's Zink Zero Ink technology, making photo printing mess-free. Polaroid also will roll out Zink photo paper for the printer as well;

The fourth installment of family movie night, a collaboration between Walmart and Procter & Gamble, is set to air Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. EST on Fox. The movie is called Change of Plans, and the plot line revolves around how lives can be turned upside down with a phone call. Also of interest is an upcoming CNBC special on Target, but more on that later.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid on Tuesday announced its partnership with BL Body, a collection of shape wear exclusively available in Rite Aid stores, on a sweepstakes with a first prize trip for two to the location of the reality program “The Biggest Loser.”

Rite Aid is taking sweepstake entries through Jan. 22 for the $4,000-grand prize. Second prize is a year's membership for two to the Biggest Loser Club online weight loss program, a $479 value.

This should be interesting. “Target: Inside the Bullseye” is scheduled to air on CNBC Thursday, Jan. 13 at 9 p.m. EST. The documentary will repeat that evening at 10 p.m., 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. and will also re-air again on Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Not sure why parents of a newborn would want to share images of their child with throngs of people gathered in Times Square or motorists in Los Angeles, but in these celebrity-obsessed and digitally-enabled times a lot of behaviors defy logic.

Be that as it may, Target devised a novel brand-building campaign that allowed parent to essentially share images of their baby with a universe of complete strangers as opposed to the more discrete tradition of limiting viewings to family and a close knit group of friends.