Paul Kurnit, Founder and President

Paul Kurnit plays a key strategic role for clients who are seeking dramatic new initiatives for their businesses. He is a pioneer in youth marketing, entertainment and trends and is an active speaker, consultant and industry spokesman. KidShop is led by Paul's expertise as general contractor in a virtual marketing and communications company that taps a number of partners for customized youth projects. These players include experts in marketing, creative, design, packaging, graphics, media, internet, promotions, public relations and integrated solutions.

Youth Advertising and Marketing

Paul has been an active player in the kids industry for over 25 years. His youth marketing and advertising milestones include groundbreaking work at Benton and Bowles and Ogilvy and Mather for Kraft Post Cereals (Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, Sugar Crisp, Honeycomb and Alpha-Bits), the first ever youth advertising for Procter and Gamble for Crest Toothpaste and business transforming work as President of Griffin Bacal for Hasbro in helping to make it the largest toy company in the world. Paul was a key player in the huge successes of GI Joe, Transformers and My Little Pony, the three brands that enabled Hasbro to acquire Milton Bradley and Playskool. The continuing strength of Paul's efforts on Hasbro International helped enable the acquisitions of Kenner, Parker and Tonka. Along the way, Paul worked on every toy category in the business: Boys and girls toys, board games, preschool, activities, books, plush and interactive games. He has worked on virtually every major toy title in the toys and games business.

Programming and Production

As Executive Vice President at Sunbow Productions, Paul was involved with the production, marketing and sales of over 900 half hours of original animation for such properties as The Tick and The Mask for Fox and CBS, three after school specials for ABC and CBS and numerous properties including GI Joe, Transformers, My Little Pony, Mr. Potato Head, Jem, Glo-worm, Conan the Barbarian and other properties for syndication and worldwide distribution.

Youth Market Consulting

Paul has managed and consulted on businesses in every youth consumer and service business category. He founded a number of proprietary business units designed to address a diverse range of youth marketing opportunities. Included among them are LiveWire: Today's Families Online®, Kid Think Inc.™, Licensing Works!™ and Trend Walk™. His youth and family consulting includes work for Disney, Bayer, The Gap, General Mills, Hasbro, Lipton, McDonald's, Nickelodeon, Pepsi, Polaroid, Scholastic, Sony, Universal Studios and other blue chip companies. Paul is a frequent speaker and writer for television, radio and print media (e.g. NBC, CNN, Fox, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Barrons, American Demographics, Ad Age, AdWeek, BrandWeek).

Board, Advisory and Academic Initiatives

Paul is on the board of directors of The Advertising Council and its Creative Review Committee (CRC), The Advertising Educational Foundation (AEF) and advisory boards for the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Better Business Bureau, the Entertainment Software Ratings Bureau (ESRB), PRIVO for kids privacy protection online, The Kid Power Xchange, the International Journal of Marketing to Children and Mommy and Me Enterprises. He teaches advertising and trends at Pace University.