Hoops&Yoyo

Hoops & Yoyo (officially styled as hoops&yoyo) are a pair of animated characters featured on Hallmark Cards. The website features E-cards, animated episodes, an "Ask hoops&yoyo" section, desktop and phone wallpapers, audio snippets, IM icons, fan photos, interactive monthly calendars, blog, podcast, games, and merchandise available for purchase. The storylines center around two main characters: Hoops, a pink cat, and Yoyo, a green rabbit, and also feature a few other humorous characters joining them. Hoops and Yoyo tend to get overexcited and commonly start yelling or talking really fast. They both love coffee, cookies, and any treat. They like to do anything that's fun. They're always happy, and always try to have fun no matter what happens.^[1]

Characters

Hoops

Hoops is a pink cat who is often rather hyperactive. His relationship to Yoyo is in some ways like a friend and in others like a big brother. For example, he sometimes hides chocolates from Yoyo and says "tigers" stole them.

Yoyo

Yoyo is a green rabbit. He is excitable and prone to mistakes. Sometimes he has a big role in the card where he only talks, but sometimes he just talks after Hoops.

Piddles

Piddles, a small blue mouse, is Hoops and Yoyo's best friend.

Chili Bear

Chili Bear is Hoops and Yoyo's boss at work.

Marshy

Marshy is a marshmallow monster that antagonizes Hoops and Yoyo. Marshy also appears in Hoops and Yoyo's nightmares.

Puck

Puck is a purple mouse that sometimes appears on the Hoops and Yoyo website's homepages.

Bluebird

Bluebird is a bluebird that appears on the Hoops and Yoyo website.

Television

The characters were used on the Hallmark Channel in November and December 2009 and 2010 as part of a special movie night. This is the first time that Hallmark Cards and Hallmark Channel have collaborated.^[2]And on Friday, November 25, 2011 at 8pm (ET), CBS will premiere the first ever Hoops&Yoyo television special, Hoops&Yoyo Ruin Christmas.^[3]

Albums

In December 2005, Hallmark released a Hoops&Yoyo holiday CD entitled Jingle Jingle Wiggle. It features both vocal and instrumental music. All of the music is played by Yoyo. The CD also features the animated short "A Bongo Christmas." They have also released a CD entitled One Donut a Day! on July 1, 2007. It includes 19 short songs.

Controversy

In 2010, Hallmark pulled an astronomy-themed Hoops&Yoyo "talking" graduation card off shelves after members of the Los Angeles, California chapter of the NAACP claimed that it contained a racist message. The greeting card contained the words: "And you black holes -- you're so ominous! And you planets? Watch your back!" However, the Los Angeles NAACP members felt that the card was offensive because "black holes" sounded like "black whores" in the recording. Hallmark denied that the card was in any way racist, but pulled it from its stores nonetheless.^[4]

References

1. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (2009-07-24). "Hallmark’s Furry Flash Friends". Animation Magazine. http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/10348. Retrieved 2009-10-28. 
2. ^ Eggerton, John (2009-10-19). "Hallmark Channel, Greeting Cards Get Together on Screen Animated greeting card characters to host channel's "Countdown to Christmas"". Broadcasting & Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/365500-Hallmark_Channel_Greeting_Cards_Get_Together_on_Screen.php. Retrieved 2009-10-28. 
3. ^ Stone, Matthew (2011-11-07). "Hoops & Yoyo Ruin Christmas". Hallmark Cards, Inc.. http://www.hallmark.com/online/hoopsandyoyo/ruin-christmas. Retrieved 2011-11-07. 
4. ^ "Is this Hallmark graduation card racist?". http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/card-251715-graduation-hallmark.html. 

External links

• Hoops&Yoyo home page
• Hoops&Yoyo UK home page