Kringle [Con't]:
[...] In fact, bad kids usually expect more. We have run regression models and found that bad kids in higher income families expect the most of any demographic. This was a disappointment. If I could cut out toys to bad kids, my costs would go down 25-percent. I'm talking to Google about a data-sharing program that would help me cut out the bad kids.the lbt:
How are things at home with Mrs. Kringle? She seems to stay out of the public eye. How is she?Kringle:
I like to keep her privacy. She made a decision a long time ago not to make public appearances, and I think the media should respect that.the lbt:
Understood. Let’s move on then. Do you think there is a place for Santa in our modern age? Will Jeff Bezos ever replace Santa Claus?Kringle:
I don’t think so, with all due respect... [inaudible] Amazon will never have my branding power. Santa Claus was around long before Amazon, and he will outlast it. I don’t need to leave the North Pole so long as all those Christmas specials keep running and my lawyers get people to start paying their royalty checks.the lbt:
Has any of the freeloading by the media and retailers made you bitter at all?Kringle:
[Sighs.] My attorneys tell me that Santa Claus is at risk of being in the public domain. I guess I waited too long, or something. This means that I would lose all rights to the Santa Claus name and image. So, yes, I am very disappointed in the American justice system but we'll see how it plays out.the lbt:
Do you have any words of holiday cheer that you can share with our readers?Kringle:
Oh, great. Put me on the spot after getting me in a rotten mood. Here is what I have to share: technology is making the toy business more cost-effective, more efficient and more capable of reaching children all over the world. And it’s happening at breakneck speed.the lbt:
No one can complain about that.Kringle:
It sounds great but then I start thinking about all the new Christians in China. It's a big job any way you cut it.END
