Zhu Zhu Pets Marketing Guru Natalie Hornsby to Keynote Engage!(R) February 16-17, 2010; Learn How This Hot New Toy Went From Obscurity to Phenomenon in Six Months

NEW YORK, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Engage Digital Media announced today that Natalie Hornsby, VP of Marketing at Cepia LLC, the company that makes the hit Zhu Zhu Pets toy, will deliver a keynote address at the Engage!® Conference and Expo. Engage!, the definitive technology event for youth entertainment professionals, takes place February 16-17, 2010 in New York City at the Javits Center alongside American International Toy Fair (February 14-17, 2010). Engage! provides companies the critical information they need to engage and monetize kids, youth and parents online.

Natalie has been the driving force behind the marketing and branding of Zhu Zhu Pets, a brand that went from obscurity to phenomenon in only six months. The brand was the "must have" toy of the critical 2009 holiday shopping season. Many stores could not keep the highly sought after toy in stock and when they did have them on hand they limited the amount that consumers could purchase.

While Natalie led the campaign to market the toy by using traditional methods, she also utilized more contemporary methods, like zeroing in on the "mommy-bloggers" online to promote the brand. Already Zhu Zhu Pets has it's own iPhone app and a deal is in place to bring the brand the Nintendo DS. Natalie will enlighten the Engage! audience on her strategy in bringing this brand to market and what's next.

"As one of the most creative minds in the industry, Natalie's experience is setting the stage for the next generation of toy development and marketing," said Christopher Sherman, Founder and CEO of Engage Digital Media. "We are extremely proud to have Natalie join us and share her experience and insight at this year's Engage! Conference."

About the Engage! Conference and Expo

Engage! www.EngageExpo.com provides unparalleled exposure to best practices, current trends, and effective strategies behind engaging kids and youth online. The program includes 100 engaging speakers delivering 32 intense sessions. Engage covers the information needed to connect with and generate revenue from youth and parents online and on mobile devices. Coverage includes social games, virtual goods, virtual worlds, branded apps and online-offline toys.

SOURCE Engage Digital Media