Macmillan Children’s Books swoops in to acquire publishing for Odo

Macmillan Children’s Books has acquired the publishing rights for Odo. The warm-hearted and funny animated series about a little owl and his forest friends was commissioned by Milkshake (Channel 5) in the UK, who premiered the series in August last year, and KiKA in Germany. The series has also been sold in to more than 150 other territories across the world including  HBOMax in the USA, Canal+ in France, ABC in Australia, SVT in Sweden and NRK in Norway and RTE in Ireland.

The series is a co-production between BAFTA winning Belfast-based Sixteen South and Polish animation studio Letko.

This latest acquisition is a key new property for Macmillan Children’s Books, strengthening its list of preschool licensed brands. It follows a deal with Lego for preschool novelty publishing, which launched in August 2021.

Nicole Pearson, Publishing Director, Brands & Media, Macmillan Children’s Books, bought world rights in all languages for six books, with an option to acquire further formats and titles, from Vicky Miller, Licensing Director at Bulldog Licensing. The first tranche of picture books will launch in the UK in March 2023.

Nicole Pearson says: “We are delighted to be working with Bulldog and Sixteen South on the delightful Odo – we were captivated by the beauty of the animation, how comedic and warm the stories are and, above all, by Odo’s strong central message of self belief and respect for others. With such an impressive array of international broadcast partners already on board, we believe Odo has real global potential and look forward to seeing this little owl spread its wings far beyond its forest home.”

“Finding the right publisher for Odo was incredibly important for us – a partner who recognised and shared the important values and ethos of the show, and with whom we could build a long-term partnership,” says Bulldog’s Vicky Miller. “We are delighted to be partnering with Macmillan Children’s Books as our global master publisher. The team at Macmillan Children’s Books impressed with their plans, creative ideas and passion for Odo. I can’t wait to see our first titles hit shelves next year.”

Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, MD, Macmillan Children’s Books, adds: “We continue to invest in key licensed properties where we know that MCB can bring something unique and exciting to a brand, and publishing innovative and exciting formats that will engage children and families. This is exactly one of these properties and we are very pleased to be working in partnership with Sixteen South Studios on developing Odo’s world through our preschool publishing.”

Sixteen South’s preschool series Odo prepares to take flight in the US and Latin America

Bulldog signs new licensees for Care Bears

Bulldog Licensing has added two new licensees to the consumer products programme for much-loved heritage property Care Bears, providing new categories for the brand’s many fans across the globe.

Character World is bringing its fashion-forward style on board to offer a range of bedding and soft furnishings for fans, allowing them to recreate their very own Care-a-Lot clouds in their bedrooms.

Meanwhile, Eat Glitter and Shine has partnered with the property to design a collection of homewares featuring the globally recognised bears. The range of FDA-approved kids’ and baby dinnerware will include melamine dishes, bowls, plates, and cups. The products will be dishwasher safe, and will bring the likes of Cheer Bear, Bedtime Bear, and Love-a-Lot Bear to mealtimes.

First created in 1982, Care Bears is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The Care Bears have grown through various looks and styles, but the rainbow colours, main characters, and unique belly badges, along with the core messages of kindness and caring, remain the same.

Care Bears is loved by all generations, from children who watch the Care Bears: Unlock the Magic animated television series, to their parents and grandparents, who are able to relive the magic from their childhoods, and everyone in between.

Sophie Yates, Licensing Executive, Bulldog Licensing, says: “For a property to still be partnering with new licensees for fresh, modern collections in its 40th year is incredible. Care Bears continues to spread relatable and important messages of kindness, care and love, and as such, has a place in the hearts of so many. We are careful to select best-in-class licensees to really portray the core of the Care Bears, and we are certain that Character World and Eat Glitter and Shine will be fantastic new partners for Care Bears as it celebrates its milestone anniversary.”

Roubina Tchoboian, VP of International Licensing, Cloudco Entertainment, adds: “Our 40th anniversary year continues to offer Care Bears’ fans new, fun, and exciting collaborations with like-minded partners that share our core values. We look forward to seeing how our global audience will react to the Eat Glitter and Shine collections.”

LICENSING EXPO: Q&A with Rob Corney, Group Managing Director, Bulldog Licensing

Bulldog Licensing is readying for its second face-to-face trade show since restrictions were lifted, with an appearance at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas later this month. Licensing Biz asked Group Managing Director Rob Corney to talk us through some of the key brands that Bulldog will be showcasing, including Care Bears, as it celebrates a big milestone anniversary; the much-loved heritage brand, Sesame Street; the ever-popular Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir; sell-out Christmas sensation Magic Mixies, and new preschool animation Odo, among others.

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How has the last year been for Bulldog? Have you expanded the team at all?

The last year has been a good one for Bulldog. After the chaos of the pandemic, we were delighted to move back into our London Bridge offices; whilst we’re all set up to be able to function fully with the team all working from home, you can’t beat the efficiencies of being office-based to fully plan the roll-out of licensing programmes. Unless the team are able to be hands-on with the product and able to benefit from the cross-pollination of ideas, inefficiencies creep in and, whilst I think we’ve coped admirably throughout the lockdowns, it’s a much healthier environment to separate home from work and be able to function as a full unit once again.

What would you say is Bulldog’s USP/the main reason for its success? You’ve secured some pretty huge brands – how have you achieved that, and where do you see yourself positioned in the global market?

When Bulldog first launched in 2007, we were the first agency to take what we call a ‘retail first approach’ to licensing – starting with the retail proposition and working back from there. To this day, we remain unparalleled in our relationships with retail and this is key to our successes, but overriding this principle is the determination to always act with integrity. We enter every discussion believing it can be a win-win outcome and work hard to ensure that is the case. We don’t see the signing of a contract as the end game – it’s the point at which the hard work begins in order to ensure the signatories enjoy real success and rewards from it. Our partners recognise that we don’t frame an unachievable narrative around our brands and that honesty means that stakeholders throughout the value chain recognise us as a safe pair of hands for building world-beating brands.

Briefly, what can visitors to your stand at Licensing Expo expect to see/discover/hear about? 

We’ve seen strong growth across a number of properties in our portfolio over the last year, and Vegas provides the perfect platform to update our partners on plans for continued growth, as well as to continue to expand the opportunities for our more nascent brands.

Why do you think lies behind the evergreen (and cross-generational) appeal of Care Bears?

Care Bears has seen staggering growth over the last two years and that is set to continue over the next two. The brand has timeless appeal, bringing back fond memories for older fans; exuding strong fashion credentials thanks to our high profile collaborations with labels including Dolls Kill and Skinny Dip for young adults; delivering cuteness in abundance for today’s kids; and having the perfect brand values for newborns in our baby collections. The world needs a little more caring right now and Care Bears is the perfect solution for all ages.

What excites you about Magic Mixies? Can you tell us about any partners in the pipeline for the brand? 

Magic Mixies is one of the most exciting properties we’ve ever launched. Sales of the hero toy line through last Christmas were phenomenal and the surge has continued throughout this year, making it one of the hottest new brands on the market. Having launched the licensing programme at BLE last year, we’ve had a huge reaction from licensees and retail and are about to start announcing the first tranche of partners. This is set to be a big hit over the next few years.

Can you tell us a bit more about Odo? Do you think this property is going to take flight in a big way?

Odo is stunning and drives one of the most important messages there is in the preschool market. We’ve long been fans of the work of animation studio  Sixteen South and are delighted to be working with them on this beautiful show. With some of the world’s leading broadcasters on board, from Milkshake! in the UK to ABC in Australia and Kika in Germany, we have the platform to deliver a huge audience for a show whose primary driver is to encourage self-efficacy in preschool kids. With rates of anxiety and depression within the age group soaring, Odo is not only a vital piece of work to help in this area, but a hugely entertaining comedic journey with an incredibly compelling cast of colourful characters. With master toy and master publishing now in place, we have a lot of conversations underway across key categories in all major territories and Odo looks set to become one of the key preschool properties everywhere.

What do you think is the secret of Miraculous’s success? Are there any new/unexplored spaces, licensing-wise, that the property could expand into?

Miraculous is simply a beautiful show with an incredible storyline. The media pipeline is incredible, with huge amounts of content across linear, digital and on-demand channels, and the brand carries a huge fanbase. In the UK, we’re seeing astonishing sales growth on the toy (it was one of only two doll brands to show growth over the last 12 months) and this is translating into increased opportunities across the already-strong sales of softlines and accessories. Miraculous has always had great presence in fashion and we’re now looking to expand further across stationery, gifting and ancillary toy channels.

Do you think the proliferation of platforms on which kids consume content makes it harder, or easier, for new IPs to ‘break through’?

The fragmentation of content delivery mechanisms has created a hugely increased challenge for brand building. It has simultaneously made it easier for content to be delivered, but more challenging to build a loyal audience. In many ways the growth in dominance of remakes across action and super-hero franchises was a symptom of this fragmentation – it was a safer option to expand an existing universe into new media, shored up by traditional channels, than it was to create entirely new content which may or may not achieve penetration into a crowded market.

However, the world is changing as we’ve seen in the industry’s reduced reliance on some of the hackneyed ‘fan favourites’ over the last few years. New content creators approach the market with an holistic approach, well aware that delivering linear programming is not enough to build a content universe – the industry has adapted and great new creative is securing its place in the top echelons of the product sales charts at the expense of the traditional mega-brands which dominated for so long.

The increase in channels is both a threat and an opportunity, but where it was traditionally an opportunity for the big content owners, squeezing out the smaller guys through their spending power, it has now become a threat to the traditional big players as they struggle to adapt and develop new content where more nimble creatives are more capable of developing relevant brands, ready to disseminate across multiple streams and with a marketplace very receptive to their wares.

What are biggest opportunities in the licensing space right now? And conversely, what are the greatest challenges?

As nations around the world struggle with the post-Covid cost of living crisis, two of the strongest trends to emerge are brands which are driven by values which suit the current mood and those brands which are driven by a pricing architecture sympathetic to the squeeze on the pockets of consumers.

Brands like Sesame Street, which brings an abundance of both classic love for adults and relevance to the preschool consumer of today will benefit from a desire for the home comforts of the familiar whilst brands like Magic Mixies, which has a price point to suit all pockets across its core offering, will build strong opportunities thanks to its newness and excitement.

In 2008, after the financial crash, we saw retailers jumping on what they considered to be the ‘safe’ brands of the day before realising that they’d all jumped on the same brands, leaving their only refuge on price. As the challenges grow in today’s market, there is a more savvy reaction with buyers looking to innovate to drive sales. As the media market has adapted away from the traditional big players, so too must the consumer market change, supporting innovation and fresh ideas, in order to thrive in the current world.

Bulldog Licensing will be at Licensing Expo, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, from 24-26 May 2022. 

LICENSING EXPO: Bulldog Licensing to showcase a stellar mix of brands, from Magic Mixies to Care Bears

Bulldog Licensing is readying for its second face-to-face trade show since restrictions were lifted, with an appearance at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas later this month.

The licensing agency will have a range of brands on board its stand, including Care Bears, as it celebrates a big milestone anniversary; the much-loved heritage brand, Sesame Street; the ever-popular Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir; sell-out Christmas sensation Magic Mixies; and new preschool animation Odo, among others.

The loveable, huggable Care Bears from the whimsical land of Care-a-Lot are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. First introduced in 1982 through a line of greeting cards, the Care Bears have amassed fans of all ages over the decades, and are now featured everywhere from consumer products and plush toys to animated television shows and feature films. Bulldog’s recent deals for the iconic bears include luxury knitwear label, Chinti & Parker, with a range of adult cashmere jumpers, hoodies, sweatpants and T shirts; Character World for a collection of children’s bedding and soft furnishings; and Eat Glitter and Shine for a homeware line based on the globally recognised faces of Tenderheart Bear, Wish Bear and Love-a-Lot Bear.

Heritage brands continue their reign during uncertain times and Sesame Street remains as popular as ever over 50 years since its initial launch. Another property which spans generations in its reach and popularity, Sesame Street still airs daily on leading commercial preschool broadcaster, Tiny Pop, and Bulldog has curated a number of best-in-class deals for the brand, providing a diverse and wide-reaching range of consumer products.

A more recent addition to Bulldog’s carefully selected portfolio of brands is warm-hearted and comic animated series Odo, a co-production between BAFTA winning Belfast-based Sixteen South and Polish animation studio Letko. Odo is a little owl with big ideas; the series launched on Milkshake! in the UK, Cartoonito on HBOmax in the US, ABC Australia, MiniMini in Poland RTÉ in Ireland and, TVO and Knowledge Network in Canada in 2021 with a series of 52 x 7-minute episodes, aiming to teach young children self-efficacy and to believe in themselves. The series has been sold to over 150 territories and was created to help combat the worrying rise in anxiety and depression rates in children. Each episode sees Odo positively tackle challenges with the help of his friends.

Bulldog’s first licensee for the property is master toy partner Wow! Stuff. The deal will see Wow! Stuff create a comprehensive line of Odo toys including plush, dolls, figures and accessories, role-play toys, vehicles, play sets, track sets, construction toys and bath toys. Bulldog has also signed Macmillan Children’s books as Odo’s global publisher.

ZAG’s Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, everyone’s favourite superhero story, first aired in 2016 in the UK on the Disney Channel and quickly became the top-rated show for the channel. Ladybug and Cat Noir then joined the POP line-up where the show airs daily in prime-time and ranks amongst the top 3 series for Kids 4-15 (Sep 21-Feb 22). On-demand viewers can find Miraculous on Netflix, Disney Plus, and Google Play. The series has been sold to over 120 countries worldwide with season 5 currently in production for a fall 2022 launch, and the US$100 million animated feature will also premiere later this year. Recently, the brand hit over one billion dollars in retail sales with over 250 million products sold around the globe, while on social media, Miraculous has racked up 30 billion views on YouTube alone.

Recent additions to Bulldog’s consumer products line-up include Kennedy Publishing for a standalone magazine, and Zak, which will offer a dining collection including tabletop and dinnerware, drinkware and breakfast sets. The ZAG Lab and Playmates toy line is enjoying massive success at retail with the UK being one of the top 3 markets worldwide, and is a Top 10 Brand in the Fashion Doll category according to NPD data.

Sell-out Christmas toy sensation Magic Mixies, from Moose Toys, is one of the latest additions to the Bulldog family. The innovative magic cauldron caught the attention of the nation at the end of 2021 and was included on Christmas lists from retailers, the Toy Retailers Association, and children alike up and down the UK.

Magic Mixies sales rocketed the brand to become the highest grossing SKU in Moose Toys’ history with stock selling through as soon as it hit shelves. The interactive showstopper then went on to be crowned the Creative Toy of the Year at the 2022 Toy of the Year Awards. Bulldog is now in discussion with a range of leading licensees to partner with the brand for a range of consumer products.

Rob Corney, Managing Director, Bulldog Licensing, says: “The Bulldog team is so excited to be back in Las Vegas for Licensing Expo. Our return to the trade show arena after restrictions were lifted was at BLE and we had a great show seeing customers face-to-face again, so we can’t wait to do it again later this month. The Bulldog roster is the strongest it has ever been at the moment and we’re excited to share all of our news and brand updates with existing and new customers at the show.”

Bulldog Licensing will be at stand B129 at Licensing Expo, Mandalay Bay Convention Centre, Las Vegas, from 24–26 May, 2022.

Bulldog signs new duo for Care Bears

The licensing programme for much-loved brand Care Bears, managed by Bulldog Licensing in the UK, continues to welcome new partners for exclusive collaborations and limited-edition partnerships.

The most recent of these is with fashion-forward brand Daisy Street, which is working with Care Bears to create a unique apparel collection consisting of 15 garments including daywear, nightwear, footwear, and accessories, with the RRP ranging from £10 to £60.

The designs will feature the colourful, instantly recognisable Care Bears and magical scenes from Care-a-Lot across a wide range of apparel for adults and children.

Also new to the Care Bears line-up is gift supplier Fizz Creations, who will be developing a wide range of gifting products inspired by characters such as Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear and Share Bear, in their magical world. Fizz Creations is a specialist in licensed gift ranges, with a wide range of top brands already in its offering.

As the Care Bears brand celebrates its 40th year, the property continues to captivate fans of all ages with its Care Bears: Unlock the Magic animated television series, a firm favourite on Pop and Tiny Pop. Meanwhile the original series of 45 episodes of Care Bears: Unlock the Music can now be enjoyed on the official Care Bears YouTube channel, which has amassed an incredible 142 million views.

Sophie Yates, Licensing Executive at Bulldog, says: “I truly believe Care Bears will be around forever. The content resonates as much with young children today as it did when it launched in the 1980s, and new fans join daily. Collaborations and partnerships such as those with Daisy Street and Fizz Creations help to keep the brand relevant and on-trend for consumers of all ages, and make the property accessible to all.”

Blu Goblin to launch replica Bullseye trophy in support of the Stroke Association

The next drop from Blu Goblin will be a limited-edition replica of the Bronze Bully Trophy from popular TV game show Bullseye. The launch is to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the show and to support the Stroke Association.

Bullseye fans, darts enthusiasts and trophy collectors from around the world can order their limited-edition replica Bronze Bully from later this month at www.blugoblin.com. Crafted from polystone resin and painted, each replica comes with an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity, and is delivered in a bespoke presentation box.

A Louis Kennedy innovation, Blu Goblin creates limited-edition, exclusively licensed collectible models, replicas, figures and art, from nostalgia to modern day, across the worlds of entertainment, sport and gaming. Proceeds from every single transaction raise money for good causes.

In the early days of developing Blu Goblin, Louis Kennedy approached Bulldog Licensing to discuss opportunities from the portfolio of brands it represents, including Bullseye.

Vicky Miller, Licensing Director at Bulldog Licensing, says: “We loved the Blu Goblin model as soon as we saw it. Creating high-quality, limited-edition products for fans and supporting incredibly important causes at the same time is a winning combination. We are thrilled to be working with the team to launch this very special Bronze Bully, a super, smashing, great way for fans to celebrate 40 years of their favourite gameshow!”

A key feature of the partnership is to raise funds and awareness for the Stroke Association, a charity working across the UK to support people to rebuild their lives after stroke. For each Bronze Bully sold, Blu Goblin will donate 10% of the sales to the Stroke Association.

Saul Heselden, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the Stroke Association, says: “Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK and it changes lives in an instant. Our much-needed specialist support, research and campaigning are only possible with the generosity of our supporters.

“We’re thrilled that Bulldog Licensing and the Blu Goblin team have worked together to support the Stroke Association through the sale of limited-edition replicas of Bronze Bully. The funds raised will go a long way in supporting our work to rebuild even more lives after stroke.”

Tracey Richardson, Licensing and Partnerships Director at Louis Kennedy, adds: “I recommend all Bullseye fans, darts enthusiasts and Stroke Association supporters visit www.blugoblin.com now, where they can sign up for our Newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, to ensure they are the first to know when the limited-edition replica Bronze Bully trophy is available to order.”

Blu Goblin launched on 2 March with framed limited edition prints inspired by the recent Tokyo Art and Photography exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum. Future campaigns include a Beano Chess Set, Dennis 70th anniversary statuette and Danger Mouse 40th anniversary figurine collection.

Louis Kennedy launches DTC platform to raise money for good causes

British fashion label Chinti & Parker launches Care Bears collection

Bulldog Licensing’s latest partner to celebrate the Care Bears’ 40th anniversary by joining the consumer products programme is luxury knitwear label Chinti & Parker.

Established in 2009, Chinti & Parker produces knitwear that celebrates joyful colour, timeless shapes and innovative textures. Now, using some of its favourite intarsia knitting techniques and intricate embroidery, Chinti & Parker brings the colourful Care Bears to life in a collection of cashmere jumpers, hoodies, sweat pants and T-shirts. The range is the latest in a line of nostalgic collaborations for the fashion label and features oversized, slouchy fits and a bold colour palette designed to keep the look cool rather than cutesy.

While the Care Bears have grown through various looks and styles over the last 40 years, the rainbow colours, main characters and unique belly badges, along with the core messages of kindness and caring, remain iconic and instantly recognisable.

Designs in the Chinti & Parker collection range from the classic Care Bears logo to the faces of characters including Grumpy Bear and Lucky Bear, as well as jumpers with Cheer Bear and Funshine Bear emerging from their pockets, and fun slogans such as ‘Good Vibes’.

Sophie Yates, Licensing Executive at Bulldog Licensing, says: “This collaboration is a great addition to the Care Bears licensing programme and clearly demonstrates the strength of the Care Bears brand. We can’t wait to see these pieces being styled and shared over the coming weeks.”

“Chinti & Parker have always been effortlessly cool and fun,” adds Roubina Tchoboian, VP of International Licensing at Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the Care Bears brand. “We’ve been a fan of their nostalgia collections for quite some time and are thrilled to see the Care Bears collection come to life as we celebrate 40 years of sharing and caring.”

The Chinti & Parker x Care Bears collection is available to buy online now at chintiandparker.com/collections/chinti-parker-x-care-bears.

Bulldog signs Wow! Stuff for master toy global deal

Licensing agency Bulldog has agreed terms on a deal with Wow! Stuff for the toy company to become the first licensee for the ‘boundary breaking’ 2.5D animated series Odo.

Created by Sixteen South Originals and co-produced with Letko, Odo has now sold into more than 128 countries. In the new Master Toy global deal, Wow! Stuff will create a comprehensive range of toys including plush, dolls, figures and accessories, role-play toys, play sets, track sets, construction toys and bath toys.

Odo is a little owl with big ideas and was recently selected to join the Bulldog family of brands following its stellar TV launch last year. The first series comprises 52 x 7-minute stories and has already been pre-sold to many leading networks and broadcasters worldwide. The series is now airing every weekday on Milkshake! in the UK.

Odo has also been signed by HBO Max in the US and is airing on MiniMini+ in Poland, TVO Kids and Knowledge Kids in Canada and ABC in Australia. Many more territories will roll out throughout 2022.

The series combines humour and heart and aims to teach young children self-efficacy and to believe in themselves to help combat the troubling rise in childhood anxiety and depression levels. Each episode sees Odo positively tackle challenges with the help of his best friend Doodle, under the loving watchful eye of Camp Leader, an eagle.

Wow! Stuff’s Director of Licensing, Kenny McAndrew, is delighted with the deal. “We were pitching against some of the biggest toy companies for Odo,” he says. “Everything Odo stands for resonates and aligns with our own values, we wanted this with all our hearts – and I think that showed through in our pitch! Odo is unique; Odo the owl is gender neutral, the themes are groundbreaking and the series is grounded on social justice. And it’s very, very funny.”

Vicky Miller, Licensing Director of Bulldog Licensing, adds: “Wow! Stuff’s reputation for innovation is really unmatched in the industry and that’s what we wanted for Odo. The series is breaking boundaries in its approach to children’s mental health and wellbeing, it’s a trail-blazer in the preschool entertainment arena. Similarly, Wow! Stuff always goes above and beyond to create innovative, show-stopping product ranges and that’s just what Odo deserves”.

 

Bulldog signs up MoYou and The Hut Group to create new Care Bears products

Bulldog, which manages the Care Bears licensing programme in the UK, has brought on board two new licensees to create offerings based on the loveable, huggable bears.

MoYou will be creating a collection of Care Bears-inspired nail products, including children’s and adult nail art stencil plates, a nail art scraper, a nail art stamper, and nail polish. Meanwhile, The Hut Group has signed on to design a wide range of products inspired by Funshine Bear, Bedtime Bear, Love-a-Lot Bear, and their friends. The offering will span apparel, homewares, accessories, electronics, collectibles, and furniture with collections already available on the likes of www.zavvi.co.uk

“The strong values at the heart of the Care Bears, inclusive of sharing, caring, and kindness, are what ensures the brand remains relevant throughout generations of children and adults,” says Sophie Yates, Licensing Executive at Bulldog Licensing. “The two new partners will expand the product offering for the many fans with a number of brand-new designs. We look forward to seeing the upcoming collections on shelf very soon.”

Care Bears – as well as a stable of other iconic entertainment brands including Holly Hobbie, Madballs and Twisted Whiskers – is owned by Cloudco Entertainment, formerly American Greetings Entertainment.

 

 

Sixteen South’s preschool series Odo prepares to take flight in the US and Latin America

The recently launched preschool series, Odo – recognised for its warm-hearted and comic storytelling – is taking flight in the US and Latin America following a new broadcast deal between Sixteen South and WarnerMedia Kids & Family.

Under the partnership, the series will air on the company’s upcoming Cartoonito preschool programming block, slated for HBO Max across the two regions. Cartoonito will launch this autumn on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.

Meanwhile, Odo is now set to premiere in the UK on Channel 5’s Milkshake this summer, before rolling out to the German PSB children’s channel, KiKA as well as other territories. Currently in production with co-production partners, Letko, Odo will welcome kids aged three to five into a world of possibilities depicted in its hand drawn, 2.5D animation.

Although he is one of the littlest campers at the Forest Camp for Young Birds, Odo knows he can do absolutely anything that he sets his mind to.

The series aims to teach young children self-efficacy and to believe in themselves. Comedic and warm, with gender neutral appeal, the stories also deal with important themes such as immigration, racism and respect for others, and shows kids how to deal with setbacks in a meaningful way while promoting the development of social skills.

Colin Williams, showrunner and creator of Odo at Sixteen South, said: “Odo has had a fantastic response even before it is completed and is already taking flight around the world. We’re delighted that he has now also landed on the mighty HBO Max Cartoonito strand and that his adventures will be seen by kids all across the Americas – and we hope that they will love him as much as we do.”

Sixteen South Rights are managing the international distribution rights for Odo and Bulldog Licensing has been recently appointed to represent the global licensing rights for the brand.

The WarnerMedia Kids & Family/Cartoonito deal follows recent sales of Odo to Canal+ France, ABC Australia, TVO-Kids! Canada, RTE Ireland, Mini Mini Poland, SVT Sweden, NRK Norway, S4C Wales and VRT Ketnet Belgium.

Odo is produced by Sixteen South and Warsaw-based 2D animation studio Letko with funding provided by the UK government funded Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), which is managed by the BFI, NI Screen and the Polish Film Institute.