The Goodie Bag Makeover: Pump It Up Cuts the Calories and Stress from Party Favors

Tempe, AZ - A few weeks ago, most kids didn't know what a roto launcher was. Now, it's one of the hottest gadgets found exclusively in the new Goodie Bags from Pump It Up, the nation's largest franchise of indoor inflatable playgrounds committed to helping families across the country stay active and safe.

The spiraled plastic wand that shoots circular discs is just one of a variety of interactive goodie bag items that promote physical activity, in stark contrast to the candy and chotchkies that kids bring home from most other birthday parties.

The new Goodie Bag was developed after Pump It Up commissioned brand marketing firm C|3 (Creative Consumer Concepts) to determine what moms and kids are really looking for in their goodie bags. As a result of extensive research, they found that while 90 percent of moms view the goodie bag as a necessary element of a birthday party, it is also the most stressful part of throwing the celebration.

"Each year, more than six million children visit our stores for the ultimate party experience, and the goodie bag is just the icing on the cake of a fun-filled day of bouncing, jumping, and sliding on our giant, colorful inflatables," said Lee Knowlton, CEO and President of Pump It Up. "But we've learned that moms are frustrated with the amount of candy and useless items kids bring home from birthday parties. Our new Goodie Bags not only promote physical activity among children, but they also eliminate the stress moms face when trying to find cool, non-candy party favors to include in their child's celebration."

In addition to the roto launcher, the new Goodie Bags at Pump It Up include sidewalk chalk and thunder sticks, and either a disc launcher or inflatable ball, depending on the franchise location. Moms are welcome to add other items of their choice. The launch of the health-conscious bags coincides with Pump It Up's membership in the Coalition for Healthy Kids, a national campaign addressing childhood obesity in America. The campaign is spearheaded by the Advertising Council, a non-profit organization that develops public service campaigns to address critical social issues.

"We appreciate Pump It Up's involvement in our Coalition for Healthy Children and we are excited about the opportunity to get the Coalition's healthy lifestyle messages in front of their customers," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of The Advertising Council, Inc. "These goodie bags are a great and creative way to encourage kids to get an hour of physical activity every day and helps support our goal of addressing childhood obesity."

About Pump It Up
A clear leader in the active children's party industry, Pump It Up is the nation's largest franchise of indoor inflatable playgrounds specializing in private parties for birthdays, and other programs like corporate events, school outings, field trips and other events. Trained staff provides guests with supervision, food and beverage set-up, and clean-up services. Pump It Up is headquartered in Tempe, AZ with more than 160 locations across the country.