SAN ANTONIO — Beauty, style, fashion and a sense of possibility. Barbie truly is more than a doll for millions of big and little girls around the world.

With ease, she has slipped into the roles of athlete, rock star, dentist, doctor, astronaut, teacher, firefighter, paleontologist – even presidential candidate – showing generations of girls around the world that they can do anything they can dream of. Few toys have inspired the love and loyalty of fans like the character first introduced as a teenage fashion doll by Mattel in 1959. Decades of new styles, new friends, new adventures, even an amicable split with long-time boyfriend Ken earlier this year, haven’t dampened enthusiasm for arguably the most popular doll in the world.

Now, the pop icon is taking on a new role as the star of a new check series offered by Clarke American, Inc., a leading provider of checks and check-related products, Internet and contact center services, and direct response marketing solutions for the financial services industry. Five full-color check scenes feature Barbie’s elegant sense of fashion as she poses in stylish formal and daywear. Checks may be purchased separately or in a ValuePack® that includes a tan leather cover and white labels.

“Barbie is a modern classic that women of all ages can appreciate,” observes Linda Roothame, Clarke American senior product marketing manager. “She is as fresh and exciting today as she was 45 years ago when she first appeared on store shelves. Many of us have wonderful childhood memories of Barbie, and that alone makes these checks a welcome addition to our check books. But millions of us have continued to love Barbie as we became adults, and now she is one of the most popular characters and collectibles in our culture. Barbie fans of any age will be proud to show off their love of her style and beauty with these new checks.”

The new Clarke American products are available at participating branches, and can also be ordered through a number of financial institution Internet and phone channels beginning October 17th.

The new products feature familiar characters or motifs from the past, providing a sense of nostalgia that check writers are seeking. “These characters are exceptionally popular in our culture right now. We’re calling them ‘A Blast from the Past.’ Adult check writers grew up with these characters and appreciate what they represent; they remind us all of good times.”

DC Super Heroes™ feature five check designs with the powerful and colorful cartoon images and associated logos of crime fighters Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the Flash.
The Flintstones check designs capture five colorful scenes from the cartoon series that chronicled the slapstick humor of pre-historic characters Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Bam-Bam, Pebbles and even Dino, the dinosaur.
The Jetsons designs pay tribute to the popular television series with five colorful scenes featuring the cartoon Space Age family: George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, Astro and Rosey, the Robot.
Hello Kitty® designs feature five pastel check scenes with the whimsical kitten that has been popular in literature and on merchandise since she first appeared in 1974. Checks, return address labels and a matching leather cover are available.
Blue Jean TeddyTM designs feature five scenes with the winsome Blue Jean Teddy, his little sister Blossom Bear, and their friends from the fictional country town of Bramblewood, originally made popular through infant bedding.
Bessie Pease® designs capture the innocence of children in five color illustrations by early 20th-century illustrator Bessie Pease Gutmann. The check scenes offer soft floral background in soothing pastels and adorable images of toddlers and infants.
A denim fabric checkbook cover and camouflage fabric checkbook cover offer new options for fashion-conscious check writers who prefer fabric over leather for their checkbooks.

“We have something for everyone,” says Roothame. “Whatever your best memory is, we can offer you your own ‘blast from the past.’” Contact your financial institution for more details.

Clarke American provides checks and check-related products, Internet and contact center services, and direct response marketing solutions for the financial services industry. Each year, the company produces more than 10 billion personal and business checks in a variety of formats for more than 4,000 banks, credit unions and other financial institutions nationwide. The company has more than 3,200 associates and a national network of electronically linked production facilities and customer service centers
located throughout the United States.

Clarke American is a recipient of the 2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in the manufacturing category, awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and is the recipient of the 2001 Texas Award for Performance Excellence given by the Quality Texas Foundation. For more information about Clarke American, visit www.clarkeamerican.com.

For information about this press release contact
Mike Hannan
(210) 697-1299
Cary Corbin
(830) 609-1932