For Immediate Release

CONTACT
Kristi Necochea,
Ph. 951-837-8989
Kristi@FFGdolls.com

The Friends Forever Girls® introduces new line of dolls and books. New ways to teach young girls life lessons about friendships

October 2007 - TEMECULA, Cal. - When Kristi Necochea couldn't find dolls that seemed like good role models for her daughter, she took a bold step: she started her own company, Inspire U. Fourteen months later, Necochea stood in the factory and watched as the first three Friends Forever Girls™ were assembled. Necochea will begin distributing the dolls in October 2007, along with a book, The First Day of Forever, that introduce the doll's characters to girls ages 5-10.

Three more dolls and further books are planned for Spring 2008. The ethnically diverse characters represented by the six dolls are contemporary, relatable, and colorfully outfitted—and Necochea is convinced they'll have wide appeal for girls looking for fun and parents looking for age appropriate toys.

"As the mother of a young girl myself, I was really disappointed with the dolls out there," says Necochea. "It seemed like most either sexualized young girls, or contributed to stereotypes. I wanted something genuinely entertaining for kids that would also serve as a tool I could use to build self respect and foster responsibility in my daughter."

That emphasis on values is a core element of Necochea's product line. The books introduce readers to the "Butterfly Promises," a friendship pact the Friends Forever Girls® (or FFGs) use to navigate "the challenging adventures of growing up girl. The stories celebrate girls as individuals without losing site of the fact that we all have responsibilities to each other as part of a bigger world," says Necochea. Kindness, respect, fairness, and truth-telling are all emphasized in the Butterfly Promises, although Necochea was careful not to make her characters too perfect or her stories too moralistic.

"We encourage girls to set the bar high, but the characters in the stories all make mistakes. And most importantly, they have fun together, share adventures together, and depend on each other. The FFGs model positive peer pressure."

Necochea knew nothing about creating dolls or books when she started Inspire U, but as the mother of three she understood the challenges of parenting and the value of good friends. "Friends have kept me going through all this, and friends are also going to be the beginning of my distribution efforts," says Necochea, whose long-term plans include friendship-building initiatives such as Mother-Daughter Parties and Book Groups. In the meantime, Necochea will distribute her product line through her web site, FriendsForeverGirls.com and Bears, Buddies and Toys Children's Boutique!