Tag Archives: Kennedy Publishing

Boat Rocker rounds up new herd of Dino Ranch licensees across US, Canada, and EMEA

Posted on by

The dress up and costumes specialist, Rubies has been listed among a suite of new US, Canadian, and EMEA licensing partners for the break out hit preschool series, Dino Ranch.

Having launched in January, the popular preschool series has proved to be a hit with both audiences and licensees, with multiple deals already lassoed by brand Boat Rocker across key consumer categories in a number of international territories.

A swathe of new deals reaching across the US, Canada, and the EMEA region now expand the Dino Ranch licensing programme into toddler bedding, hoisery, holiday ornaments, dress up and compilation magazines, with more categories destined to follow in the coming months.

Under its new partnership with the Toronto-based Boat Rocker studio, Rubies is enabling kids to become their favourite Dino Ranch character with costumes and dress up accessories. The team will manufacture and distribute across multiple territories, including the UK and Ireland, France, Iberia, Italy, Benelux, Nordics, CEE, Australia, and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Kennedy Publishing – recognised as the UK’s third-largest and fastest growing children’s magazine publisher, will be producing special Dino Ranch compilations featuring stickers, gifts, puzzles and colouring.

Young fans in the US and Canada can snuggle up with their heroes in a Dino Ranch themed bedroom with toddler bedding from Baby Boom Consumer Products, while High Point Design will be producing colorful socks, hosiery and Fuzzy Babba slipper socks.

Holiday festivities will have a distinctive Dino twist with ornaments from third-generation family firm Kurt S. Adler, Inc, the leading importer, and distributor of holiday decorations for 75 years for the US and Canada.

Kate Schlomann, EVP brand management and content marketing, Boat Rocker Studios, said: “Dino Ranch has been an incredible success since hatching on Disney Junior, where it launched as the number one preschool show.

“The Dino Ranch YouTube channel has engaged fans with a staggering 23M views in seven months. We’ve seen a huge appetite for the show from viewers, licensees and retail buyers alike. Jazwares launched an early drop of the Blitz dino plush on Amazon.com in the US and units completely sold out organically in less than two weeks.

“We are delighted to welcome another herd of partners to supply young fans with more exciting product across further key categories as public demand is high.”

These new licensees follow a slate of recently announced deals for publishing, apparel, swimwear, sleepwear, home décor, timepieces, dress up and costume characters in the US and Canada, which begin rollout from early 2022. Global master toy partner Jazwares will launch its own Dino sized toy range this autumn.

Dino Ranch is also available on Disney+ in the UK, Australia, and the US and the first 26 episodes are available to own on Apple iTunes (U.S.).

Created by Matt Fernandes (of Industrial Brothers) and produced by Industrial Brothers and Boat Rocker Studios, in association with CBC Kids and Radio-Canada. Boat Rocker Studios manage the global franchise development including content distribution and consumer products.

DC Thomson, Redan, and Egmont among kids’ publishers to back Wastebuster’s Recycle to Read scheme

Posted on by

A group of the UK’s biggest names in children’s magazines, including DC Thomson and Redan Publishing has signed up to become founding members of the education, research, and recycling programme, Recycle to Read, a campaign aimed at creating a more circular economy for children’s toys.

This week will see the programme begin sign up for schools for pilot collections in the autumn term, and will be announcing additional partnerships from the book publishing, retail, and toy sectors over the coming weeks.

Recycle to Read is a new toy and tech recycling initiative launched by Wastebuster in association with EPPIC and Products of Change with the aim of providing a solution for recycling all plastic toys with ‘take back’ collections housed across retailers, schools and household recycling centres in the UK.

This week sees the programme welcome a host of founding members from across the children’s magazine publishing space, including DC Thomson, Story House Egmont, Immediate Media, Kennedy Publishing, Redan Publishing, and Signature Publishing.

Katy Newham, founder of Wastebuster, said: “This is a really exciting time for the programme, thanks to the children’s publishers we are able to get phase one off the ground and we have more and more members coming on board as we progress with our talks.

“The entire industry is beginning to understand the value of using toys as a force for good, when educating children and their families in how to live a more sustainable life. Schools who take part in the Recycle to Read programme will benefit from curriculum linked environmental education, based in real life learning and rewarded with books.

“Our collaborative approach and not for profit ethos, means that we can offer an environmental solution for all UK companies who produce toys, not just the ones with the deepest pockets and our investment in education and research, as well as infrastructure and clear packaging iconography, means that our solution has the potential to be far reaching and long-lasting.”

Helena Mansell-Stopher from Products of Change, said: “With only 18 per cent of plastics being recycled globally, and no recycling infrastructure currently in place in the UK to recycle toys, the recycle to read collective impact initiative will provide a solution to this.

“As a cross industry sector initiative, it will be business that will fund the set-up of the toy recycling infrastructure, with all profits going back in to the initiative as Wastebuster are a not-for-profit environmental educator. Products of Change is extremely proud to be working with the Wastebuster team to bring this solution to the industry.”

For more information on the programme please visit www.recycletoread.org or contact Emily Bell on 07715902681 email emily@wastebuster.co.uk.

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

Posted on by

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.

Edutainment Licensing secures NSPCC Buddy partnership with Kennedy Publishing

Posted on by

Edutainment Licensing has secured a new partnership with Kennedy Publishing for its NSPCC ‘speech bubble’ mascot, Buddy. The campaign will start on May 26th in the publisher’s Busy Time, and will continue in Get Busy on June 24th.

Kennedy Publishing is a leading publisher in the children’s magazine sector, with a portfolio of over 50 children’s magazine titles, licenses for over 30 properties, and a global readership of over 15 million. 

The NSPCC’s Buddy is a bright green ‘speech bubble’ mascot used to communicate the NSPCC’s ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ (SOSS) campaign, which has so far reached 90 per cent of primary schools nationwide. 

The age appropriate assemblies and workshops are delivered to children across the UK to encourage them to speak out if something is worrying them.

In February this year, the NSPCC held an online assembly with the help of TV stars Ant and Dec, as volunteers were unable to deliver assemblies in person due to school closures. It has since been watched more than 600,000 times.

The Buddy page will feature the key message from the campaign alongside an activity for the child to enjoy and engage with.

“We are excited to be working with the dynamic team at Kennedy for Buddy,” said Denise Deane of Edutainment Licensing. “We know that they passionate about creating high-quality, engaging content that helps support their young readers’ development and are grateful for their support.”

Sophie Rowlands, licensing director, Kennedy Publishing, added: “We are proud to support the NSPCC in our pre-school magazines which offer unique, play-based learning opportunities. Buddy will join a wealth of popular character activities that encourage children’s imagination and creativity.”

Acamar Films signs slate of new UK partners for its hit pre-school series Bing

Posted on by

Acamar Films has signed up a slate of new UK partners for its hit pre-school show, Bing, including the likes of Beautiful Game and Kennedy Publishing, as well as further line extensions with Moonpig and a renewed partnership with CBeebies Land at Alton Towers Resort.

Beautiful Game launched Bing wall stickers in late August this year, which are now available direct to customers from its web shop (www.beautifulgame.co.uk) and on Amazon Prime. Founded in 2014, the platform is recognised as a leading official and exclusive home of sports and entertainment wall art.

Sebastian Mather, managing director of Beautiful Game, said: “We are delighted to partner with Acamar for these brand-new wall stickers. Bing is a visual treat, colourful and fun, and will make wonderful wall art for nurseries or play areas. We are sure that Bingsters will love the chance to be surrounded by their favourite character and his friends.”

Meanwhile, Kennedy Publishing launched its Box of … Bing! on 13 August. The deal is for an innovative branded carry box containing a 16-page craft magazine, a 16-page colouring magazine, two fold-out sticker sheets, a fold-out poster, giant sticker story and lots of creative gifts, from paint pots and crayons to cookie cutters and craft supplies.

Priced at £3.99, the newly themed box will go on sale across news-stands every six weeks. Bing will also feature in Kennedy Publishing’s compilation titles, Busy Time and Get Busy.

Moonpig launched first with personalised Bing cards in January 2020 and then expanded the collection to the addition of e-cards from April 2020. The Bing launch has been a great success and Acamar Films is developing more product with Moonpig.

Bing has been resident in CBeebies Land at Alton Towers Resort since 2017 and due to the ongoing popularity of the brand the partnership is confirmed to continue into 2021 with 2 mini shows and Bing and Flop meet and greets. The popularity of Bing is also reflected in merchandise sales with Bing continuing to be the top-selling brand in the retail stores within the CBeebies Land and CBeebies Land Hotel.

Louise Simmonds, head of UK licensing and merchandising at Acamar Films, said: “We are thrilled to announce we are teaming up with these respected partners to offer Bing fans a selection of wonderful new quality products. We are excited to be expanding our Bing licensing programme thanks to our dedicated focus and carefully considered strategy, which has seen strong growth over the past year.”

These deals follow hot on the heels of new toy partnerships with 8th Wonder and MV Sports, with recent NPD data listing Bing among the top 10 fastest growing toy licenses from January to June 2020 in the UK. Acamar Films will be exhibiting at the Festival of Licensing 6-8 October.

Flossy and Jim lands stand-out poster position with Kennedy Publishing’s 100% Wow magazine

Posted on by

Flossy and Jim, the creative team behind the Horace & Co series of children’s books has secured a stand-out poster slot within Kennedy Publishing popular tween girls’ magazine title, 100% Wow.

Aimed at girls aged nine to 12 years old, 100% Wow boasts girl-powered features, puzzles, and pop culture all designed to spark children’s imagination and inspire their creativity. In a deal brokered by Edutainment Licensing, parallels were drawn between the 100% Wow brand and Flossy and Jim, that has resulted in the character brand securing a poster position within the latest issue.

Brimming with inspiring celebs, hot trends and high-value competitions, plus popular gaming and movie content 100% Wow is designed specifically to bridge the gap between childhood interests and teen culture.

The Flossy and Jim ‘you are out of this world’ poster will feature in issue six which goes on sale from August 27th to October 1st in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda.

Kennedy Publishing partners with The Social Store to launch Hearts By Tiana themed issue of Totally

Posted on by

Kennedy Publishing is celebrating a successful partnership with The Social Store that will see the children’s magazine publisher launch a one-shot issue of its hit Totally magazine featuring the ten-year-old YouTube sensation, Tiana Wilson, face of the Hearts By Tiana brand.

The 36 page magazine will be based on Tiana’s licensed brand, Hearts By Tiana, which launched exclusively with ASDA where it saw a 60 per cent sell through in the first week. Tiana currently boasts more than 16 million subscribers across hr two YouTube channels and total video views of three billion.

In this special issue of Totally, readers can find out all about Tiana and read what she has to say in her own words. Fans can take the TT squad quiz, solve puzzles, get involved with squad pranks and make fun crafts. There will also be pull-out Tiana posters and an exclusive competition for Hearts By Tiana product. Readers will receive a Squad Set gift including gel pens, notepad, scrunchie and surprise collectable.

The Hearts By Tiana range, including daywear, nightwear, bags, shoes, accessories and stationery is now available at over 1000 retailers across the UK. Readers can find an exclusive discount code inside the magazine to put towards their favourite items.

“We are excited to be working with Tiana for this new one-shot edition of Totally magazine,” said Sophie Rowlands, licensing director at Kennedy Publishing. “High quality editorial, design and gifts combined with Tiana’s huge following will ensure the magazine is a great success at retail.”

Ian Shepherd, founder and CEO of The Social Store added: “[Hearts By Tiana] has opened up a new category of licensors injecting new opportunities into the retail space and demonstrated the power of licensing in a new, high profile and rapidly growing influencer industry.

“We are very proud to work with Kennedy Publishing on this landmark magazine and are sure it will be a huge success for kids looking to learn more about Tiana.”