Boat Rocker Studios secures two UK partners for The Next Step in Cooneen and Kennedy Publishing

Boat Rocker Studios has detailed a UK licensing deal duo for its hit tween dance drama, The Next Step, partnering with Cooneen and Kennedy Publishing for clothing ranges and a magazine.

The garment designer, manufacturer, and supplier, Cooneen, has signed up for a new collection of apparel for audiences aged five to 16, with The Next step branded items across children and teen nightwear, loungewear including daywear, activewear, underwear, swimwear, and Snugz face coverings.

The range will be available from September 2021.

Meanwhile, Kennedy Publishing, a leading publisher in the children’s magazine sector, will launch a special one-off issue no.28 of ‘Totally Magazine – TNS Edition’ to launch on September 2nd 2021. It will carry insider info, cast news, interviews and fact/dance tips that fans of the show could wish for.

“The Next Step continues to have huge appeal and we’re delighted to be working with these best-in-class partners to offer fans even more choice with these fabulous new apparel collections from the award-winning team at Cooneen,” said Kate Schlomann, EVP brand management and content marketing, Boat Rocker Studios.

“Kennedy Publishing’s new magazine will be an essential read for all fans of the show, connecting them even more closely to the lives and journeys of the dancers of A-Troupe.”

Boat Rocker Studios is in production on some brand new at-home promotional content for CBBC. Specifically, a digital documentary that seeks to explore the experience of the black dancers of The Next Step, “Elevating Black Dancers” as well as three scripted promotional digital pieces that delve deeper into the drama of season season.

The Next Step, produced by Boat Rocker Studios, is an international hit, broadcast in more than 120 countries worldwide. It follows the trials, tribulations and triumphs of A-Troupe, a group of dancers at the Next Step dance studio. Now in its seventh series, the show has consistently been one of the most requested CBBC shows on iPlayer over the past five years, notching up more than six-million requests this year alone.

Boat Rocker Studios signs raft of leading UK licensees for pre-school hit Love Monster

Boat Rocker Studios has detailed a raft of new licensees for its popular new pre-school series, Love Monster spanning nightwear, bedding, daywear, and dress-up and accessories.

Love Monster launched on CBeebies in January this year and already it has proved a hit among young audiences. Support for the series has now been highlighted through the signing of some of the licensing industry’s leading names across apparel, home textiles, and dress-up products.

Cooneen has signed for nightwear and underwear, Dreamtex for bedding and home textiles, Blues for daywear and swimwear, and Amscan International for dress up clothing and accessories. This A list roster of renowned partners are launching Love Monster ranges from autumn/winter 2020 and spring/summer 2021.

Kate Schlomann, executive vice president of brand management and content marketing, Boat Rocker Studios, said: “Children have taken Love Monster and his menagerie of cute furry friends to their hearts, and soon they will be able to get even closer to their Fluffytown heroes, with these delightful new ranges.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with these best-in-class companies to build Love Monster into a strong brand franchise.”

Love Monster, a quirky, 2D animated 54 x 7’ pre-school series which shares little life learnings from a unique monster with a huge heart, is based on the bestselling pre-school books by Rachel Bright, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. The show is the result of a collaboration between BBC Children’s In-House Productions, Boat Rocker Studios and the Chinese production company UYoung.

Within the series, Love Monster searches for the right thing to do in a world in which he is one of a kind. Full of heart and helping pre-schoolers understand different emotions, Love Monster showcases the importance of kindness, empathy, connection and instinct. It currently airs weekdays in the UK on CBeebies and has reached over 4 million iPlayer requests since launch in January.

Boat Rocker Studios is managing the global content distribution and consumer products program for the franchise, excluding China and South East Asia which is managed by UYoung.