WSA strikes deal with Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.’ classic Looney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester, Tweety and Tazmanian Devil will make their way to the screens of mobile phones in the Philippines through a deal that Warner Bros. New Media and Warner Bros. Consumer Products have entered into with Wireless Services Asia (WSA).

The partnership is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

The Looney Tunes mobile entertainment package, introduced in the Philippines via the Globe network, enables subscribers to access icons and picture messages featuring well-loved characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck through the Globe website at www.globeinteractive.com.ph.

WSA is also developing a number of SMS-based adventure games and a Trivia Challenge that covers the Looney Tunes universe. The "Looney Tunes Virtual Friend," a spin-off of WSA’s "International Friend," is also being developed to add an interactive feature to the service.

Rainer Leinonen, chief operating officer of WSA, said, "The mobile packages will prove to be very versatile because the Looney Tunes character line spans almost three generations. The universal appeal and strength of the Looney Tunes characters as a brand have been proven time and time again."

The Philippines has some of the heaviest SMS-based traffic in the world and the mobile value-added services market is quickly expanding.

Subsequently, the Looney Tunes mobile entertainment package will be released in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products (WBCP) is one of the leading and most diversified licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

Warner Bros. New Media oversees the migration and convergence of traditional media with new media, and is the driving force behind Warner Bros.’ activities in the entire new media space, including the Internet, interactive television and wireless.

The strategic focus is on creating content especially designed for new media, optimizing the use of Warner Bros.’ brands and talent, and serving as the access point for new business opportunities and distribution platforms.

Wireless Services Asia, established in 1999, is considered a pioneer in the development of mobile value-added services in the Philippines.

The company has a wide roster of partners that include Globe Telecom, Telia, Touch Mobile, the World Wildlife Fund and the Smiley Licensing Corp. Ltd.

It has satellite offices in Singapore and Finland and a client portfolio covering local and international corporations.