Sollitto Broadening Warner Stores

The classic Looney Tunes characters and the massive amounts of merchandise they have spawned have been the bread and butter for the Warner Bros. Studio Stores since they opened eight years ago. And while Bugs, Daffy and Taz will continue to hold court there, the specialty retailer plans to broaden its selection, pulling in more product from across TimeWarner divisions.

"We want the stores to be a fix for any Warner Bros. jones a consumer may have," said Jordan Sollitto, whose recent promotion to senior vp of promotions and Studio Stores marketing puts him at the forefront of the stores' product expansion. In the coming months, executives will decide how much and what kind of movies, music and other merchandise will be stocked. Sister company Cartoon Network could get a boosted presence, as could the WB Network's teen-targeted shows Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Dawson's Creek and Felicity.

Sollitto, who has been at the Burbank, Calif., studio for six years, also takes on marketing duties for the 146-store chain, in addition to his current role as tie-in broker for the studio's various properties. He also continues to oversee licensing for branded food products. Taking the stores under his wing means that, for the first time, they will be included in national cross-promotions with consumer goods partners.

"We'll be plugging them in as an equity," Sollitto said, "and through them, we can provide partners with a point of contact with consumers that logs countless impressions in a really cool environment." The stores can serve as entry points, for example, for consumer sweepstakes linked to Warner Bros. properties.

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