Spin Master Entertainment announces new animated series, Vida the Vet

Spin Master Entertainment has announced the upcoming launch of an all-new animated series, Vida the Vet. The show is the thirteenth series to date from the creators of the preschool powerhouse franchise PAW Patrol and last year’s worldwide box office success PAW Patrol: The Movie.

Season one of the series, comprising 52 x 11-minute episodes, will debut on BBC’s CBeebies and streaming platform BBC iPlayer in the UK and Corus Entertainment’s Treehouse and streaming platform STACKTV in Canada in autumn 2023, expanding to a raft of international broadcasting partners to be announced at a later date.

Vida the Vet follows 10-year-old Vida, an animal doctor who nurtures the charming and silly woodland creatures who live outside her home. Is there a fox with a sprained paw? A turtle with an itchy toe? A tiger with an aching tooth? Then Vida is the vet for the job. With quick thinking, a doctor’s intuition and the help of her closest friends, Vida helps adorable animals and makes sure they get the care they need.

“Spin Master Entertainment has deep experience creating award-winning content and engaging stories for preschoolers that are infused with a sense of play,” says Jennifer Dodge, Spin Master’s President of Entertainment. “Featuring a gorgeous, colourful world with a distinct look and feel, Vida the Vet will enchant preschoolers and their families with curious, courageous and caring stories about a little girl and her animal neighbours who show us how to take care of ourselves and others.”

Executive produced by Jennifer Dodge, along with Spin Master’s Co-Founder, Ronnen Harary, Laura Clunie, Toni Stevens and the Emmy Award winning Jennifer Oxley (Peg + Cat, Wonder Pets) who also acts as showrunner, the series is created by Emmy Award Winner Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy, Peg+Cat) and will be animated by Toronto-based Jam Filled Entertainment.

Spin Master Entertainment is orchestrating a strategic global franchise roll-out and will lead consumer products cross-category licensing worldwide, starting with toys in 2024. Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana has been secured as the exclusive licensing and merchandising representative for the brand in Canada and France.

“The classic and familiar world of Vida the Vet, with its beautiful 2D artwork and core theme of nurturing love for all animals, is the perfect property to extend across all facets of children’s lives,” says André Lake Mayer, Spin Master’s SVP, Global Strategic Partnerships & Consumer Products. “We are excited to activate our growing consumer products enterprise with a fresh new property that will resonate within all key categories and regions and through strategic partnerships and promotions worldwide.”

 

Story House Egmont reveals its new PAW Patrol kids’ magazine, PAW Patrol Extra

Story House Egmont has launched its newest preschool magazine, teaming up with Spin Master Entertainment to introduce PAW Patrol Extra, a new monthly title designed to ‘satisfy the incredible demand’ for PAW Patrol content.

The new launch marks the second PAW Patrol licensed title in the Story House Egmont portfolio and follows the successful launch of the PAW Patrol flagship magazine some five years ago. Half a decade on, and Egmont still reports “incredible demand” for the UK’s leading preschool magazine.

Last year, amid what is recognised as a challenging year for the children’s magazines market, the flagship PAW Patrol title sold 880,000 copies and delivered £4 million in RSV. Out of a 17-issue publishing schedule, 2020 saw three issues selling over 63,000 copies and generating close to £1 million in RSV on those issues alone.

The new PAW Patrol Extra has now been billed as ‘the perfect complimentary purchase for PAW Patrol fans’, focusing on specific characters, themes and seasonality, and creating new and captivating content. The branded covermounts are closely linked with the editorial and will reflect important core themes from PAW Patrol TV episodes like empathy and friendship.

The first issue of PAW Patrol Extra focuses on Marshall – the fan favourite fire-fighter pup. From the firehouse to his fire truck, Marshall is a Dalmatian who is all action, which is exactly what readers will find in the first issue of PAW Patrol Extra. As well as stories, stickers, games and posters, issue number one is complimented by four Marshall-themed gifts.

Kiran Vara, publisher of PAW Patrol Extra magazine, said: “We’re thrilled to be celebrating the launch of PAW Patrol Extra magazine. In such a highly competitive market, the sustained growth and popularity of the flagship magazine is a testament to the strength of this incredible evergreen brand and we’re so excited to be giving fans even more action-packed fun with the launch of PAW Patrol Extra.”

Full steam ahead for Spin Master’s Mighty Express as Penguin Young Readers is named global publishing partner

The global children’s entertainment company, Spin Master has secured a global publishing deal for its Mighty Express IP with Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Under the new deal, the publisher will have the global rights to roll out 8x8s, board books, shaped board books, picture books, novelty books, leveled readers, holiday books, and exclusive rights to sticker, activity, colouring and novelty books, all based on the animated pre-school series.

Spin Master Entertainment launched mighty Express – an original animated pre-school series – on Netflix in September 2020. The series appeals to both pre-schoolers and their parents through inclusive and diverse characters combined with stories that promote hard work and celebrate accomplishments.

Built within a franchise ecosystem that includes the streaming series, a YouTube content destination, a Mighty Express mobile app and a toy line slated to launch fall 2021, Penguin Random House will aim to ‘further enrich the franchise sharing the quirky characters and their exciting adventures with pre-schoolers in new formats.’

“Mighty Express is an exciting franchise, with content developed through the lens of play which reaches preschoolers and their families through a multi-platform approach,” said Juli Boylan, Spin Master’s VP of franchise development and outbound licensing.

“We are thrilled to be working with Penguin Young Readers, who are experts at sharing stories that will continue to build deeper engagement and brand love for Mighty Express.”

Daniel Moreton, vice president and associate publisher, Penguin Workshop, added: “When we first stepped into the wonderfully engaging and adventurous world of Tracksville, we knew immediately that we wanted to get onboard. The Mighty Express themes of partnership, unity, and connection, are universal, and something we all need right now.

“Penguin Young Readers Licenses is thrilled to be partnering with Spin Master once again. Their collaborative creative energy and brand building strategies, aimed at reaching kids everywhere they are, make the journey just as exciting as the destination.”

Mighty Express marks Spin Master Entertainment’s first series launching straight to a streaming platform and is part of the Company’s commitment to a multiplatform content strategy. The Mighty Express franchise is wholly-owned by Spin Master and the Company retains the rights to distribution of the series including licensing of consumer products.

The Penguin Young Readers line of books and activities are expected to launch in autumn 2021.

Spin Master Entertainment’s The Mighty Express makes Netflix debut globally

Spin Master Entertainment has made company history with the launch of its first straight-to-Netflix series, Mighty Express, a new CG animated pre-school series that is rolling onto Netflix globally from today. The launch of the new show marks the 11th children’s franchise to be developed by the children’s entertainment company.

“Spin Master Entertainment excels at developing evergreen global properties through compelling story telling and engaging characters that resonate with audiences,” said Spin Master Entertainment’s executive vice president, Jennifer Dodge.

“From the importance of friendship and teamwork, to boosting kids’ confidence in their own attributes and abilities, the Mighty Express series is a fun place for children to laugh and learn alongside the characters in the show. We are so excited for families to discover our first Netflix original series and we look forward to developing more content for the platform in the future.”

Animated by the Vancouver-based toon house, Atomic Cartoons, Mighty Express is created and executive produced by Keith Chapman, the name behind the global franchises PAW Patrol and Bob the Builder. The series is also executive produced by Dodge and Spin Master’s co-founder and co-CEO, Ronnen Harary.

Highlighting Spin Master’s latest commitment to its multi-platform content strategy, Mighty Express marks Spin Master Entertainment’s first series launching straight to a streaming platform. The Mighty Express franchise is wholly-owned by Spin Master and the company will retain the rights to distribution of the series, including the licensing of consumer products.

A toy line is expected to bow in 2021.

The Mighty Express is set in a vast, playful, and quirky world crisscrossed by railway tracks, a team of trains and their kid best-buddies keep things moving and get the delivery done no matter what the trouble. Each of the trains has a specialty which they use when going on Mega Missions or hauling cargo, be it animals, equipment, or giant dinosaur bones. They always rise to the occasion when trouble strikes.