• Los Angeles Times, Thursday, May 6, 2010 10:16 AM

Haim Saban, the guy who made "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" a brand name a generation ago, is launching a company that will spend $500 million in capital to acquire entertainment and consumer entities, Joe Flint reports. Elie Dekel, most recently head of licensing and merchandising for 20th Century Fox, will be president of Saban Brands.

"As media and consumer options become increasingly fragmented and proliferated, our underlying thesis is that properties that resonate with consumers today will only become more meaningful over time," says Saban.

The company is exploring pre-existing media brands that could be exploited in retail and media. It may also get into the celebrity business similar to the way CKX manages the branding of soccer star David Beckham and his wife, Victoria. Food is a third possibility. "Food has become a very hot category in media," Dekel says, noting the proliferation of shows about it on cable television.

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