Moose Toys

Ahead of its new Akedo Ultimate Arcade Warriors IP launch this summer, the Australian toyco is teaming up with WildBrain Spark and Nickelodeon for promotional efforts.

The battle-focused brand is aimed at kids ages six and up, and will started hitting shelves internationally in July.

To support the toy launch, AVOD network WildBrain Spark is producing the Akedo Ultimate Arcade Warriors animated series with Moose Toys, which follows a trio of kids who compete to be the best Akedo players in the world. The series will premier the Moose Toys YouTube channel on July 2, and on WildBrain’s linear Family Channel in the fall. WildBrain is handling global distribution for the series, and will also release it through Amazon Prime Video Direct. Licensing agency WildBrain CPLG will handle its licensing program.

Nickelodeon is also stepping in the ring with a branded video featuring influencers battling with different characters, which will roll out on its YouTube channel August 15. Viacom’s marketing and creative content unit Velocity is handling the marketing material.

Moonbug 

The London-based prodco has teamed up with Jazwares to create animated series Squishville (18 x two minutes), based on the toyco’s’ Squishmallows line of plush toys.

Aimed at preschoolers, the series revolves around a group of squishy friends who get into comedic adventures. The first episode drops on the Squishville YouTube channel June 26, with new episodes rolling out weekly until November.

The brand has sold more than 86 million units since its launch in 2017, according to a release. The plush characters have also taken off on TikTok with fans creating their own content featuring the products, the release states.

Teaming up with a toyco to make Squishville is a shift for Moonbug, which is known for acquiring kids properties, growing them with YouTube-first series, and then extending those shows beyond the platform.

APC Kids

The Paris-based distributor has inked a broadcast deal with France Télévisions to air Australian studio Epic Films’ series First Day starting this fall. France Télévisions will release the four x 22-minute series on its linear channel and kids SVOD Okoo. Aimed at kids five to nine, it stars a young transgender girl as she begins high school.

Created by Julie Kalceff, First Day is produced by Epic, in association with Kojo Entertainment. The series premiered on Australia pubcaster ABC Me in March 2020. Broadcasters around the world have picked it up since, including NHK (Japan), Hulu (US) and BBC (UK).

The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) holds its worldwide distribution rights, and APC Kids has been ACTF’s exclusive sales agent in France since 2017.

Magic Light Pictures

France Télévisions and German broadcaster ZDF has picked up the London-based animation studio’s preschool series Pip and Posy, which will bow in 2022. The 52 x seven-minute adventure centers on the play-filled lives of a rabbit and mouse. It’s the first preschool property from Magic Light, and premiered in the UK in March on Channel 5’s Milkshake! and Sky Kids.

France Télévisions also snagged Magic Light’s holiday special Zog and the Flying Doctors (one x 30 minutes), though no air date has been announced yet. Dublin’s Giant Animation provides service work on the special.

Exploding Kittens

The LA-based board game maker is teaming up with Universal Brand Development and Illumination to launch Exploding Minions, a riff on the popular cat card game. Marking the first licensed game for Exploding Kittens, the Minions variation  features a deck of playing cards with characters from the Illumination franchise. Aimed at kids seven and up, Exploding Minions is now available now at Target in the US, and the Exploding Kittens website.