Chris R
09-26-2004, 08:41 AM
Canada's Walter, the Farting Dog, blasts onto world market
New Brunswick's Walter, the Farting Dog, has quickly become an international marketing phenomenon.
FREDERICTON (CP) - Walter, the Farting Dog, has become a worldwide corporate pet.
The cuddly, chronically gassy creation of Fredericton writer Glenn Murray and his American colleague Bill Kotzwinkle is fast becoming a huge, international marketing phenomenon - and there's no end in sight.
"I'm thinking, 'Worldwide Walter Enterprises,' " says a gleeful Murray as he stands in front of a Fredericton bookstore displaying the Walter books, including a Latin version called Walter Canis Inflatus.
"It doesn't even feel like we own Walter anymore. He's the peoples' farting dog. It's like everyone was waiting for this."
Murray and Kotzwinkle recently signed a major deal with New Line Cinema, the film company whose productions include the Lord of the Rings trilogy, for movie and Broadway rights.
Murray, a Fredericton writer and educator, is now dreaming of rubbing shoulders with big Hollywood stars on opening nights in Los Angeles and New York.
The movie, he says, will be live action, not animated.
"The first two books are still in the Top 10 of the New York Times' bestseller list," Murray says. "The only other person who has ever done that is Madonna. Any day now the first book will reach the million-copies-sold mark."
Murray has just returned to Fredericton from his latest tour promoting the first Walter book and its sequel, Trouble at the Yard Sale.
More books are planned and a toy dog to accompany the books will hit the market by mid- October.
Murray proudly shows off the new toy Walter, small enough to be easily handled by a child. Squeezing the belly produces two loud and distinct fart sounds.
He said it was a challenge to get just the right effect.
"This is about the fourth draft of the dog," he says. "The Chinese manufacturers had trouble getting the right sound. They ended up e-mailing us five farts and we had to pick out the two we liked best."
Murray admits that never, even in his wildest dreams, did he think he would achieve fame and fortune as an aficionado of intestinal noises.
"As long as people can take it, we'll keep dishing it out," he says, adding that one of the future Walter books will be set on a cruise ship.
Murray has been impressed by the fact the books appeal to more than children.
Actor Jack Nicholson recently read the first book, Walter, the Farting Dog, at a fundraising benefit in Los Angeles and was struck by the age of the audience.
"Rather an older audience for this book," Nicholson observed, noting the many adults in the crowd.
Murray says the books appeal to four distinct groups of adults: pull-my-finger dads, dog owners, people called Walter, and friends of people called Walter.
Wherever he goes, Murray says dog lovers regale him with tales of their malodorous pets.
Walter is based on a real-life pooch who lived in Fredericton years ago and was renowned throughout the New Brunswick capital for his room-clearing abilities.
Murray says the Walter books should be sold in pet stores as well as in book and toy stores.
"I had no idea this was such a problem," he says of excessively flatulent hounds. "It's very common apparently."
The deal with New Line Cinema includes a marketing package that will dwarf the Walter promotions currently underway.
As well, he says one California company is toying with the idea of a scratch-and-sniff line of Walter books, complete with a built-in sound chip.
Looking at a bookstore display of the Walter books, Murray notes a red Press Here button that produces a wonderfully rude noise.
"I want one on my tombstone," he says with a smile.
© The Canadian Press, 2004
_________________________
Don't have any children, so I'm not up on the latest reading material for kids. Anyone's kids reading this. Anyone reading this to their young ones who cannot read yet...Steve? Scratch and sniff books. :eek: Canada's animation creations include Winnie The Pooh (my hometown Winnipeg) and now Walter The Farting Dog. :laugh:
Walter, you need a good bowl of Iams dry. :)
New Brunswick's Walter, the Farting Dog, has quickly become an international marketing phenomenon.
FREDERICTON (CP) - Walter, the Farting Dog, has become a worldwide corporate pet.
The cuddly, chronically gassy creation of Fredericton writer Glenn Murray and his American colleague Bill Kotzwinkle is fast becoming a huge, international marketing phenomenon - and there's no end in sight.
"I'm thinking, 'Worldwide Walter Enterprises,' " says a gleeful Murray as he stands in front of a Fredericton bookstore displaying the Walter books, including a Latin version called Walter Canis Inflatus.
"It doesn't even feel like we own Walter anymore. He's the peoples' farting dog. It's like everyone was waiting for this."
Murray and Kotzwinkle recently signed a major deal with New Line Cinema, the film company whose productions include the Lord of the Rings trilogy, for movie and Broadway rights.
Murray, a Fredericton writer and educator, is now dreaming of rubbing shoulders with big Hollywood stars on opening nights in Los Angeles and New York.
The movie, he says, will be live action, not animated.
"The first two books are still in the Top 10 of the New York Times' bestseller list," Murray says. "The only other person who has ever done that is Madonna. Any day now the first book will reach the million-copies-sold mark."
Murray has just returned to Fredericton from his latest tour promoting the first Walter book and its sequel, Trouble at the Yard Sale.
More books are planned and a toy dog to accompany the books will hit the market by mid- October.
Murray proudly shows off the new toy Walter, small enough to be easily handled by a child. Squeezing the belly produces two loud and distinct fart sounds.
He said it was a challenge to get just the right effect.
"This is about the fourth draft of the dog," he says. "The Chinese manufacturers had trouble getting the right sound. They ended up e-mailing us five farts and we had to pick out the two we liked best."
Murray admits that never, even in his wildest dreams, did he think he would achieve fame and fortune as an aficionado of intestinal noises.
"As long as people can take it, we'll keep dishing it out," he says, adding that one of the future Walter books will be set on a cruise ship.
Murray has been impressed by the fact the books appeal to more than children.
Actor Jack Nicholson recently read the first book, Walter, the Farting Dog, at a fundraising benefit in Los Angeles and was struck by the age of the audience.
"Rather an older audience for this book," Nicholson observed, noting the many adults in the crowd.
Murray says the books appeal to four distinct groups of adults: pull-my-finger dads, dog owners, people called Walter, and friends of people called Walter.
Wherever he goes, Murray says dog lovers regale him with tales of their malodorous pets.
Walter is based on a real-life pooch who lived in Fredericton years ago and was renowned throughout the New Brunswick capital for his room-clearing abilities.
Murray says the Walter books should be sold in pet stores as well as in book and toy stores.
"I had no idea this was such a problem," he says of excessively flatulent hounds. "It's very common apparently."
The deal with New Line Cinema includes a marketing package that will dwarf the Walter promotions currently underway.
As well, he says one California company is toying with the idea of a scratch-and-sniff line of Walter books, complete with a built-in sound chip.
Looking at a bookstore display of the Walter books, Murray notes a red Press Here button that produces a wonderfully rude noise.
"I want one on my tombstone," he says with a smile.
© The Canadian Press, 2004
_________________________
Don't have any children, so I'm not up on the latest reading material for kids. Anyone's kids reading this. Anyone reading this to their young ones who cannot read yet...Steve? Scratch and sniff books. :eek: Canada's animation creations include Winnie The Pooh (my hometown Winnipeg) and now Walter The Farting Dog. :laugh:
Walter, you need a good bowl of Iams dry. :)