Rocket Licensing to Manage Kiri and Lou Consumer Products

Rocket Licensing has inked a deal with Stretchy to manage the consumer-products program for its stop-motion animation series Kiri and Lou.

Per the agreement, Rocket will manage the licensing rights in the U.K. and Ireland for the series. The company will represent the brand across a wide range of categories, including toys and games, stationery, publishing, homewares, apparel, accessories, food and drink, educational tools, partyware and digital. Rocket also sees potential in exploring options for sustainable and environmentally conscious product and partnerships for Kiri and Lou.

Written and directed by New Zealand writer, actor, musician and director Harry Sinclair, the series follows Kiri, a feisty little dinosaur, and her best friend Lou, a gentle creature with a long and remarkably sensitive trunk. Aimed at children aged 2 to 5, and created using clay creatures, Kiri and Lou is set in a forest formed from cut-out paper. The show centers on music, the environment, nature, feelings and friendship and features original songs. A Kiri and Lou album will be released later this month.

Kiri and Lou first launched in New Zealand, Canada and Australia and now airs weekdays on CBeebies in the U.K. CAKE handles all international television distribution.

Charlie Donaldson, joint managing director at Rocket Licensing, said: “Kiri and Lou brings something completely fresh to the preschool sector. The animation employs a traditional stop motion animation technique, which brings not only a different look, but a different pace to the screen and enables fully developed characters, environment and stories. The brand is the perfect mixture of a calm and gentle approach to exploring personal and social education for young children, with fun, laughter and adventure. The rich design and writing offer a huge scope for licensed products.”

Fiona Copland, CEO and producer at Stretchy, added: “We are delighted to partner with Rocket Licensing for the U.K. and Eire. They share the values of this brand and bring a wealth of experience working with high-quality IP that is beloved across the U.K.”