GoldieBlox

California-based prodco GoldieBlox has partnered with charitable initiative If/Then to launch the new YouTube series Fast Forward Girls. The show revolves around young women who learn about STEM with the help of female innovator, and features YouTube stars, including Hayley and Annie LeBlanc (7.2 million subscribers through their Bratayley YouTube channel) and Shameless Maya (1.1 million subscribers). It launched on the GoldieBlox YouTube channel (645,000 subscribers) on July 24.

Run by Colorado-based charitable organization Lyda Hill Philanthropies, the STEM-focused If/Then Initiative is focused on increasing the number of women in STEM fields by inspiring girls with portrayals of women through media and learning experiences. GoldieBlox, meanwhile, creates digital STEM content for young girls and last year hired former DreamWorks and American Girl exec Shawn Dennis as its president with the remit of ramping up its content and CP efforts.

Boat Rocker

Toronto-based producer/distributor Boat Rocker Studios has partnered with toyco Funko on a new range of collectibles based on the characters from the animated series Danger Mouse (pictured).

Set to launch online and on third-party distribution channels in fall 2020, the new products are based on the original version of the action/comedy show and will include Funko’s Pop! style of vinyl figures. The toyco is also releasing digital stickers (still and animated), digital cards and 3D collectibles of characters. Consumers will also be able to create 2D- and 3D-custom avatars based on Danger Mouse through Funko’s Pop!Yourself mobile app.

Originally produced by British animation studio Cosgrove Hall Films, British broadcaster ITV ran Danger Mouse from 1981 to 1992. The cartoon was rebooted in 2015 by British prodco FremantleMedia and British kidcaster CBBC, which premiered the new iteration that same year. The rebooted 2D-animated series targets six- to 11-year-olds and has run three 94 x 11-minute seasons.

Line Friends

Korean lifestyle brand Line Friends’ has partnered with British gift and homeware licensee GB Eye to launch a range of posters, gifts and merchandise around Line Friends’ popular character brand BT21.

A character IP with 1.9 million subscribers on YouTube, BT21 features eight animated characters (including a bunny, sheep and koala bear). The new products, including posters and collector prints, launched last week on GB Eye’s website.

Line Friends has been busy building up its CP and expanding its brand in the last two months. Earlier this month the company partnered with plush manufacturer Gund for a line of 15 items to launch online and with specialty retailers across North America. Meanwhile, in an effort to build out its IPs beyond consumer products, Line Friends partnered with Corus-owned prodco Nelvana, last month, to produce and distribute a preschool series featuring its characters, set to be completed in 2022.

Pluto TV

Viacom-owned free streaming service Pluto TV is continuing to expand its kids and family portfolio by releasing a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed pop-up channel. Launched in Germany and Austria, the new AVOD option was unveiled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the SpongeBob brand.

The new channel features back-to-back episodes of the first five seasons of the popular animated series, and joins Pluto TV’s Dora the Explorer-themed pop-up channel, which launched last week.