Ex-DIC Chief Sets Up New Venture

LOS ANGELES: A Squared Entertainment, the new kids’ media company co-founded by former DIC Entertainment chief Andy Heyward, has clinched a deal with AOL for several web series, including one in which an animated Warren Buffett teaches young people about finance.

The new brands from A Squared Entertainment, led by Heyward and Amy Moynihan as co-presidents, aim to entertain and teach kids about finance, the environment, creativity and science. Working in collaboration with AOL, A Squared will produce series of 3-5 minute webisodes involving each celebrity. Each brand will be accompanied by games, activities and other online content, developed by MGX Lab.

Launching this fall is Secret Millionaire’s Club, featuring Buffett, and GiGi & the Green Team, with an animated Gisele Bündchen as a supermodel by day, superhero protector of the environment by night. Spring 2010 will see the rollout of Little Martha, in which a 10-year old animated Martha Stewart operates an event planning company from her treehouse; and Kosmos, inspired by Carl Sagan and created by Cosmos co-author Ann Druyan that combines real science with action-adventure in space.

“A Squared was created to introduce great entertainment for kids that also serves to teach them about the world around them in fun ways,” said Heyward. “We are privileged to have some of the premier icons of our time to inspire modern content for children. Each an expert in their respective fields, these celebrities have committed to bringing content with a purpose to kids. Together with AOL, we are reinventing the way multimedia brands are launched to connect with kids throughout their multitasking daily lives.” 

AOL’s chairman and CEO, Tim Armstrong, added: “These experiences provide fun content that serves a purpose, and we’re bringing our expertise in creating and distributing digital content to this effort to help deliver this unique content to AOL users and across the web.”