Thursday, May 22, 2008

PEZ, PEZ Pins, PEZ Convention- updates

Hi Everyone,
I have a few things to update you on. The new issue of PEZ Collectors News is at the printer and is due to be sent shortly. For those that don’t know, PCN is a 36 page publication which is published 6 times per year. We are the longest running and largest newsletter for PEZheads. We are starting our 14th year! With all of the increases between postage and printing costs we are only $21 per year for the US and Canada. If you would like to subscribe you can send pay pal to sub@pezcollectorsnews.com or send a check/money order to: PCN PO Box 14956, Surfside Beach SC 29587

PEZ PINZ
The web site www.PezPinz.com has been updated with our new pins (Circus and PEZ n Pets designs) and some really cool looking new jewelry items. The new PEZ Sticker Remake pin sets are almost sold out. We only have 3 sets left. They are listed on the web site but I’m sure they wont last long.
For the real die hard pin collectors the COLOR VARIATION pins have been listed on eBay. Pin number 9 of 15 Raven Sticker Remake and Cat Sticker Remake color variations have been listed. You can find them by searching for eBay item numbers 200226040875 and 200226040477

PEZ Conventions
The date has been set for the 11th Annual Northeast PEZ Collectors Gathering. April 2, 3 and 4th 2009 and we will be at the same hotel as last time-the Hilton Stamford. Details will be posted to the web site shortly.
The PEZ in the Sun (Myrtle Beach, SC) convention web site has been updated with the new group event information (Legends in Concert) and also links to all of the local places of interest. If you like theme parks, the Hard Rock Them Park is going to open next month. It is the first rock n roll theme park. Don’t forget about the new event which will take place at the convention, the PEZ Car Drag Races and the PEZ Car-Car Show.

PEZ Videos
You have to check out the footage that Collectors Quest took at the 9th Annual Northeast PEZ Collectors Gathering. Its up on their web site and you can check it out here:
http://www.collectorsquest.com/videos/playlist/8.html
Every year, I take pictures at the convention. This year, we were too busy but a couple collectors came through with pictures for us, thank you guys… Ok, its easier to just go to www.Got-Pez.com you follow the links there to all of our pages. For those that want to go directly to pages, Pictures and video from the Northeast PEZ Con (and other conventions) have been posted to www.pezrocks.com . Pictures and video from the PEZ Car show have been posted to www.PezRacing.com .
A couple people have asked for an online PEZ dispenser checklist. It seems there isn’t one. So, I posted the checklist from the last issue of PEZ Collectors News to www.PezCandyDispenser.org for everyone to use. I know, a couple weeks too late for the NE PEZ Con, but better late than never.

Wendy The Snapple Lady
Wendy said to say Thank you to everyone that wrote Snapple. After we all wrote to Snapple, a Newsday (a NY paper) carried her story and the story was also mentioned on www.PezezHilton.com . There is a group on Facebook and even a blog about Wendy now! Time will tell what happens. Its really nice what everyone did. Thank you.

Thanks,
Happy PEZZING, Richie

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Wendy the Snapple Lady gets Canned!

Hi Everyone,
Most PEZ collectors know that Wendy the Snapple Lady is a PEZ collector. Recently she was fired from Snapple. (see story below) I don’t know about you, but when I think of Snapple I think of Wendy. She is the face of Snapple products. As PEZheads, lets see if we can make a difference. All I am asking you for is a minute of your time. Please go to the Snapple web site (here is a quick link)http://www.econsumeraffairs.com/am_bev/contactus.htm?F1=snapple&F2=Snapple_Tea_Blendfill out the form and ask Snapple to bring Wendy back.Thank you….Here is the story from the “We love Wendy” group on Facebook.On March 5, 2008, Wendy "The Snapple Lady" Kaufman was invited to lunch by a VP of marketing for Cadbury Schweppes, the most recent owner of Snapple. He not only told her to pick the restaurant, but he also informed her that it'd be a fun and casual lunch. Unfortunately for Wendy, however, the meal would prove to be anything but. Just after she ordered, Wendy was told that her existing contract with Snapple had been terminated. They did give her another one at the meal, but it was a case of corporate posturing: they only wanted Wendy to sign it so she'd be tied up both personally and professionally for the rest of her life, for zero dollars. Obviously, this was an offer that she had to refuse. It was horrible, like getting served divorce papers after 18 years of marriage. No consideration of Wendy's history with the brand, no notice for Wendy and her family's sake, no severance package, no thanks for her years of loyalty to the brand or for loyal fans of the brand, no announcement to the public for her to say goodbye officially - nothing at all. Wendy was devastated. It wasn't so much that she was fired, but the meanspirited way in which she was discarded that stung so much. Feeling completely depressed, and having had no contact whatsoever with Snapple, Wendy had no idea how to handle the situation at hand. What was she supposed to say to all of the fans who approached her every day and said things like, "Hey, it's The Snapple Lady!" Last week, Fox News contacted Wendy to ask for a comment about Cadbury Schweppes' decision to make Dr. Pepper Snapple a publically traded company. You can imagine how shocked they were when the always bubbly and gregarious Wendy had no comment on the matter. But they were even more shocked when she told them why. That day, producers invited Wendy to appear on air to announce her firing from Snapple. Viewers were outraged and Fox's Neil Cavuto was so upset that he discussed it further on the following night's program. Would Snapple have experienced so much success without Wendy's presence? Probably not. But perhaps more importantly, will Snapple continue to experience success without its much-loved spokesperson? Not if legions of Wendy's fans have anything to do with it. Whether executives at Cadbury Schweppes like it or not, Wendy will always be The Snapple Lady