Hopster

Growing its international reach, preschool SVOD app Hopster has teamed up with South African telecom company Vodacom and Congolese telecom company MTN to launch in South Africa and the Republic of Congo, respectively.

These deals mark the first time Hopster has been available anywhere in Africa. Under the agreement, MTN’s mobile and web app platform AfrikaStream will host hundreds of Hopster’s educational shows (including Pingu and Peppa Pig), books and music, which will be available in Republic of Congo only to AfrikaStream users.

Vodacom, meanwhile, will broadcast Hopster’s shows—including Clever Brenda, Two Minute Tales and Saturday Club—through its Video Play AVOD service, available in South Africa. The partnership also includes an option for users to pay for the SVOD through their Vodacom mobile bill for US$0.35 (RND$5) per day.

Last year Hopster grew its original programming with new series, including LGBT-focused content Rainbow Stories. It also received a multi-million-dollar investment from Edtech company Sandbox & Co. and UK capital investment firm Venture Founders invested in the company.

Cyber Group

Paris-based prodco Cyber Group Studios and UK licensing agency bRand-Ward have lined up new licensing partners for Cyber Group’s animated preschool series Gigantosaurus.

New licensees TDP/Aykroyds (nightwear and underwear), Roy Lowe & Sons (socks), Character World (textiles), PMS (gift products) will launch products in the UK later this year.

Gigantosaurus is a flagship property for the French prodco that been picked up by Disney+, Disney Channel US, Disney Junior (worldwide) and Netflix. Beyond the screen, master toy partner Jakks Pacific is launching a new toy range this year and Outright Games is launching the brand’s first video game Gigantosaurus: The Game in March.

TeamTO

French prodco TeamTO has partnered with licensing company France Télévisions Distribution to launch an international licensing program for its animated series Mighty Mike and Angelo Rules. Both series are distributed by London-based CAKE.

France’s Dragon d’Or Publishing signed a deal to create corresponding books for animated series Angelo Rules (season one is 78 x seven minutes and seasons two to four total 138 x 11 minutes).  Aimed at kids ages six to 11, the comedy show follows an 11-year-old boy who finds creative ways to deal with everyday problems.

Mighty Mike (78 x seven minutes) follows the adventures of a pug who tries to impress a neighboring dog, and is aimed at kids ages six to 10. TeamTO’s director of marketing and new business Patricia de Wilde told Kidscreen about its CP plans for Mighty Mike last year and said because the show features a few different animals (dogs, raccoons and kittens), there’s room for licensing partners to play with animal apparel, accessories, toys and treat categories.

WildBrain CPLG

London-based licensing agency WildBrain CPLG has signed a licensing deal with UK plush manufacturer Rainbow Designs to create two new Peanuts-themed plush collections. Aimed at preschoolers, the Everyone Loves Snoopy collection features plush versions of beagle Snoopy and canary Woodstock (pictured), while the My First Snoopy collection includes plush rattles and comfort blankets, launching globally in Q4.

These new products come amid a Peanuts brand resurgence, with Apple TV+ partnering with Toronto-based prodco WildBrain on the series Snoopy in Space.