Genius Brands Inks New Content & Licensing Deals

Genius Brands International has unveiled a slew of business updates, including content sales and licensing deals for Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama.

“Recently, we have made tremendous strides in our growth and those developments are just a part of the Genius Brands’ story,” said Andy Heyward, Genius Brands’ chairman and CEO. “During this time our Kartoon Channel! team has been working on the iOS app, which will debut before month-end, and securing new content. Our global consumer products sales team and our international distribution sales team have been busy negotiating and closing deals.”

Heyward added: “We’re sharing the announcement of distribution deals stretching across four different continents, and consumer products licensing deals with products ranging from branded face masks to bicycles. These new agreements give us an even stronger platform to deliver long-term value at Genius Brands. We are working diligently to build a value machine in children’s entertainment—gathering the best talents in the industry and striving to provide top-quality content. This is the best way to deliver long-term shareholder return.”

The new broadcast and platform content deals include Rainbow Rangers, which currently airs in the U.S. on Nick Jr., has sold to Australia’s Nine Network (seasons one and two), New Zealand’s TVNZ (season one), MENA’s Discovery Kids (seasons one and two), Israel’s NOGA (seasons one and two), TV2 in Hungary (season one), Poland’s Mini Mini (seasons one and two), Portugal’s Canal Panda (seasons one and two), Pikaboo in the Balkans (seasons one and two) and Pan-regional partner Nickelodeon Latin American and NOGGIN (season two). Shanghai Senyu has also licensed the rights for Mainland China for season two of Rainbow Rangers, with an investment commitment. (Shanghai Senyu currently represents season one of the series and manages the development of the consumer products program for the brand across the region.)

New deals for Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, have been signed with TVP in Poland, KAN in Israel, and Croatia’s HRT.

In the consumer products’ marketplace, the Rainbow Rangers’ toy line from Mattel is set to launch at Walmart in August. Genius Brands, which is developing its international retail program, has appointed two new licensing agents to manage Rainbow Rangers in key territories, including Tycoon (Mexico) and ETS Licensing (Italy). In addition to Mattel, current manufacturing partners producing product for mass retail and online for Rainbow Rangers include Distribution Solutions (DVDs), Bentex (apparel), MacMillan Publishing (books), Dynacraft (bicycles – a completely sold-out first run with more arriving this fall), Centric Brands (sleepwear), Handcraft (underwear) and Disguise (costumes and accessories).

For the Llama Llama brand, Genius Brands has partnered with MaskClub.com on a new initiative to feature Llama Llama-branded cloth face masks. Genius Brands will be donating a percentage of the proceeds to the Save the Children organization, and for every mask purchased, MaskClub is donating a medical-grade mask to First Responders Children’s Foundation for distribution to paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, firefighters and medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients.

Additional partners appointed to create Llama Llama branded products include Kids Preferred (plush), Bendon Publishing (activity books), NCircle Entertainment (DVDs), Scholastic (game and activity books available exclusively at Scholastic Book Fairs), PhatMojo (toys), Cuddle Barn (holiday plush), Core Home (range of hydration and feeding products), Everyday Kids, (children’s bedding and home décor), SPIRIT! (book with plush set), Decopac (bake design and decorating kits), Prime Party (party goods), Creative Converting (party accessories), Halloween.com/Fun.com (Halloween costumes) and Kurt Adler (holiday ornaments). In the international marketplace, Genius Brands has appointed Centa IP as licensing agent to drive the Llama Llama business across Pac-Asia.

As for Kartoon Channel! Update, an iOS COPPA compliant app for the platform is slated to be available by the end of July. Additional content will also be announced in the coming weeks.