Gullane buys Guinness World Records for $65m

In an attempt to target the older children's market, Gullane Entertainment has today signed a deal to acquire Guinness World Records for $65m

Launched in the mid-50s, the Guinness World Records international brand extends from the best-selling world record book to TV shows to live-events. The books alone over reach 70m consumers annually in 82 countries and 24 languages.

The related TV show is shown around the globe, reaching 23.3m prime-time viewers in Japan, a major television market for the brand.

Based in London with an office in New York, GWR employs 50 people. In the year ending June 300, 2000, the company made total sales of $33m and had net assets of $5m.

Gullane's president Charles Falzon said: {The acquisition of GWR provides Gullane with access to a brand that is associated with superlative information and entertainment. GWR’s existing TV programmes, merchandise, live events and website are all in-line with our own strategy for worldwide brand development across all media platforms.{

The deal {enables Gullane to move into a new, older children’s market of 8-13 year olds and brings Gullane a more balanced portfolio of assets appealing to children of all ages,{ added a Gullane spokesman.