Bruce Lee Brand Expands

From Business Wire:

Bruce Lee Enterprises Announces Website Launch and Major Expansion of Brand

Projects Include Film, Television and Licensing

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee and CEO of Bruce Lee Enterprises and LeeWay Media is announcing a major expansion of the Bruce Lee brand. Her organization has launched a flagship website, BruceLee.com, and is actively engaged in an ambitious program of licensing name and likeness rights and creating original film and television productions. Upon reacquiring her family’s merchandising rights from Universal Studios, Shannon has opened an in-house licensing division, Bruce Lee Enterprises (BLE), and LeeWay Media Group, a production company dedicated to the perpetuation of the Lee legacy through new media works.

“BruceLee.com will be the beacon of all things Bruce Lee on the Internet,” said Shannon Lee. “The site will include everything from facts about Bruce Lee to digital content to merchandise. I’ll also be writing a blog. My father’s fans have been asking for a place to find information and communicate with each other. This site will be a meeting place for our community.”

LeeWay Media Group, the television and film production company, is actively coordinating a slate of film and television productions. Projects in development include a Chinese language biopic directed by noted Hong Kong director Andrew Lau, an animation project with Waddell Media and Ireland-based Flickerpix, a CG action film, and a Broadway musical from veterans David Henry Hwang (M Butterfly), Stuart Oken (Lion King), Director Bartlett Sher (South Pacific), and David Yazbek (The Full Monty).

Recently completed projects include a 50-part television biography of Bruce Lee that aired in China on CCTV and How Bruce Lee Changed the World, which aired on the History Channel.

Bruce Lee Enterprises (BLE), the licensing company, has been focused on a slate of merchandising and advertising deals that include Pepsi Cola, Nokia, Lucky Brand Jeans and Charter Communications. “The ethos of Bruce Lee - action, power, grace and style - provides a broad base appeal that we are just beginning to realize,” says Alex Stephens, VP of Licensing at BLE. “Bruce smashed racial, gender and generational barriers during his lifetime and our partners understand that his image enables them to market products to a broad and attractive demographic.”

BLE also announced that Greenlight, a media licensing, talent and rights representation consultancy has been selected to represent the rights of Bruce Lee for advertising and endorsements world-wide.

BLE has declared an aggressive program to protect the integrity of the Bruce Lee brand in the United States and internationally. Kris Storti, COO and General Counsel, will coordinate this program. Says Storti, “We are re-doubling our efforts around the world. We are absolutely committed to a vigorous protection of the Bruce Lee brand and our intellectual property, and plan to pursue legal action whenever necessary. This, unfortunately, includes the recently announced biopic by JA Media and Robert Lee.”

The Bruce Lee Foundation, (bruceleefoundation.org) a non-profit organization, will be holding a convention at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles, November 13-15 which is open to the public. Linda Lee Cadwell, Foundation Chairperson and wife of the late Lee says, “We continue to be moved by the outpouring of affection and respect for Bruce around the world.” The Foundation provides scholarships and educational programs, as well as a long term goal of creating the Bruce Lee Action Museum.

“Our goal is simple,” says Shannon. “It is to continue to inspire people through my father’s legacy. There is a lot of value in continuing to put that energy out into the consciousness.”