Paris-based animation studio HARI has lined up a raft of new deals to drive a consumer products and experiential push for its CG-animated slapstick comedy series Grizzy & the Lemmings (234 x seven minutes). 

French book publisher Hachette Jeunesse will kick things off this spring with a range of Grizzy story and chapter books, followed by a line of collectible medals by Société Française des Monnaies. Then board game manufacturer Débâcle Jeux will release the brand’s first tabletop game in France, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg in the second half of the year. 

HARI brand manager Corentin Besse says this is the perfect time to start building a franchise foundation for Grizzy, which now has more than 7.7 million subscribers on its YouTube channel. The series also racked up 132 million hours of watch time on Netflix from January through June last year, cracking the streamer’s top-10 list of animated kids shows for that window with its slapstick-driven episodes about a bear who lives peacefully in the fictional Nutty Hill National Forest until his quiet life is disturbed by a rambunctious group of lemmings. It’s also airing on linear broadcasters including France Télévision, Super RTL, the BBC and Cartoonito EMEA.

HARI is pursuing experiential activations at retail as well in order to expose the brand to new audiences and cross-promote the series, says Besse. These efforts include a collaboration with French toy chain JouéClub, which will roll out dedicated Grizzy & the Lemmings play areas in 350 stores this month to drive hands-on brand engagement and sales of licensed toys and gift products. And in December, 726 Leclerc stores in France will distribute exclusive licensed Grizzy gluesticks from UHU with QR codes that kids can redeem to unlock prizes, activities and games online.

To keep this brand momentum up, Besse and his team will be hitting Licensing Expo, Cobrandz and Brand Licensing Europe in search of licensees in priority categories including plush, toys, books, games and collectibles. 

Prior to the launch of Grizzy & the Lemmings (78 x seven minutes) season four later this year, HARI will also be experimenting with theatrical events in partnership with French theater chain Kinepolis. The plan is to run exclusive screening premieres of the show’s new episodes, along with in-theater giveaways, quizzes and photo opportunities.