Landro’s Pulltab Productions enjoys Zhu Zhu success

Jim Landro, a director, writer and producer working through his company, Pulltab Productions, has shot more than 30 spots for Cepia LLC in Clayton. The ads for Zhu Zhu Pets, Glo-e and other toys air on kid-centric networks Nickelodeon, ABC Family, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. Watch the commercials here.

The popularity of Cepia’s robotic hamsters, which are projected to hit $70 million in sales this year, has in turn raised the profile of Landro as the man behind the commercials. Executives at a large Los Angeles toy company caught one of the ads and contacted Landro about future work.

“I’m attached to the toy at the top of the heap. Let’s hope that 2010 portends bigger things to come,” said Landro, who brings in $60,000 to $80,000 a year in revenue. “I’m not getting rich but I’m making a living through harvesting my creative impulses and playing with toys.”

He previously worked as creative producer for Cepia founder Russ Hornsby at Hornsby’s old St. Louis toy company, Trendmasters. It was there that Landro honed his skills working on ads for Pokemon, Godzilla, Voltron and the Powerpuff Girls. Trendmasters was sold to Malibu, Calif.-based JAKKS Pacific Inc. for about $25 million in 2002.

Hornsby then founded Cepia and hired a California company to shoot a commercial but wasn’t happy with the end result. So he called Landro.

“Russell has an outstanding imagination and a real passion for toys,” Landro said.

Hornsby credits Landro’s “creative insight” and commercial direction as a big part of the massive success of Zhu Zhu Pets.

Landro has shot new commercials showcasing Cepia’s expanded line of Zhu Zhu characters set to launch this spring.

As a boutique agency for Cepia, Landro said he gets to work on commercials for both girls’ and boys’ toys, a rarity in kids’ advertising where producers typically focus on one segment.

Pulltab uses another St. Louis company, Jupiter Studios, a recording studio led by Jim Callahan, for the commercials’ music and sound production. “Everybody probably thinks all this is coming from L.A.,” said Landro, a St. Louis native who earned his degree in film and video production from Webster University.

“But it’s all happening right here in St. Louis.”

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