Genius Brands (“Genius Brands” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: GNUS), a
global brand management company that creates and licenses
multimedia entertainment content for children, today announced the
promotion of Jon Ollwerther to President of Kartoon Channel! Mr.
Ollwerther previously served as General Manager of Kartoon Channel,
and will continue in his role as Executive Vice President of
Business Development for Genius Brands.
Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Genius
Brands, stated, “I am pleased to announce the well-deserved
promotion of Jon, in recognition of his significant contributions
to the rapid growth and success of our hit kids streaming platform,
Kartoon Channel!”
Jon Ollwerther added, “Viewer rankings have put
Kartoon Channel! above all other services, including Netflix,
Disney+, and YouTube Kids, in both the Apple and the Google app
stores. In addition, I am extremely proud to announce that “Stan
Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten” has just surpassed 21 million views
on Kartoon Channel!, over 3.6 million per episode, since the
initial launch just over 1 month ago with 6 episodes now released.
We believe Superhero Kindergarten has risen to the ranks of one of
the most highly viewed new cartoon launches in history, as we are
building an evergreen production that will entertain generations of
children, while attracting both advertisers and consumer product
licensees.”
“In addition to the recently launched hit, Stan
Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, we
will be rolling out ’KC Pop Quiz!’ next quarter. It is a lightning
fast-paced daily game show based on pop culture where kids win cool
prizes. Think Jeopardy meets HQ Trivia! Shortly thereafter, we will
introduce our 3rd original product, Shaquille O’Neal’s first
animated series, ‘Shaq’s Garage,’ created by Joel Cohen, the
co-writer and creator of Toy Story. Additionally, we will now be
launching Season 3 of our hit series, ‘Rainbow Rangers’ with an
exciting new twist.”
Mr. Ollwerther continued, “I am honored to take
on this new role with Genius Brands, as I truly believe we are
curating the very best combination of original, exclusive, and
commercially acquired product within the kids’ entertainment
industry. Key to our strategy is delivery of premium content that
we believe will resonate with our audience—children. We could not
have accomplished this successful launch without the leadership and
support of our executive Chair, Margaret Loesch, and the handpicked
Kartoon Channel team. We are excited about what is coming down the
pipeline and we remain more encouraged than ever as we execute on
our goal of building the premier kids streaming platform.”
Prior to joining Genius Brands, Mr. Ollwerther
served as Vice President of Media, Arts & Entertainment for
Measure, the nation's leading Drone as a Service® company. Working
with clients across the country and around the world, Ollwerther
has an extensive credit list of collaborations with brands and
advertising agencies to create unforgettable experiences.
About Kartoon Channel!
Available everywhere and anywhere kids are today, Genius Brands
International’s streaming digital network, Kartoon Channel! is a
family entertainment destination that delivers enduring childhood
moments of humor, adventure, and discovery.
Delivering 1000’s of episodes of carefully
curated free family-friendly content, the channel features animated
classics for little kids, including The Wubbulous World of Dr.
Seuss, Babar, Mello Dees, Super Simple Songs and Baby Genius, and
hit content for bigger kids, such as Pac-Man, Angry Birds, and
Yu-Gi-Oh, to original programming like Stan Lee’s Superhero
Kindergarten, now premiering and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger,
KC! Pop Quiz coming in spring 2021, and Shaq’s Garage, starring
Shaquille O’Neal for 2022. Kartoon Channel! also offers STEM-based
content through its Kartoon Classroom!, including Baby Einstein,
and More.
Kartoon Channel! delivers positive and
purposeful content across multiple platforms, including Comcast,
Cox, DISH, Sling TV, Amazon Prime, Amazon
Fire, Apple TV, Android TV, Android Mobile, Google Play,
Xumo, Roku, Tubi, Samsung Smart TVs, and LGTVs.
Kartoon Channel! can also be streamed on TVs and
mobiles device by downloading the app, or on desktops by visiting
www.kartoonchannel.com
About Genius Brands
InternationalGenius Brands International, Inc. (Nasdaq:
GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing,
marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties
and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The
Company’s ‘content with a purpose’ portfolio includes Stan Lee’s
Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon
Channel!; Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal on Kartoon
Channel!; Rainbow Rangers on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix ; Llama
Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, on Netflix; award-winning toddler
brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series Thomas Edison's
Secret Lab; and entrepreneurship series Warren Buffett's Secret
Millionaires Club. Through licensing agreements with leading
partners, characters from Genius Brands’ IP also appear on a wide
range of consumer products for the worldwide retail marketplace.
The Company’s new Kartoon Channel! and Kartoon Classroom! are
available in over 100 million U.S. television households via a
broad range of distribution platforms, including Comcast, Cox,
DISH, Sling TV, Amazon Prime, Amazon
Fire, Apple TV, Apple i0s, Android TV, Android Mobil,
Google Play, Xumo, Roku, Tubi, KartoonChannel.com,
Samsung Smart TVs and LG TVs. For additional information, please
visit www.gnusbrands.com.
Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements
in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as
"may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast,"
"project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements
regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are
forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these
forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should
not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are
based on information available to us on the date of this release.
These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates
and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties,
including without limitation, our ability to generate revenue or
achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing
on acceptable terms, if at all; the potential issuance of a
significant number of shares, which will dilute our equity holders;
fluctuations in the results of our operations from period to
period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability to
anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion
and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of
content and within the retail market; our reliance on and
relationships with third-party production and animation studios;
our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on
third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace
with technological advances; our ability to protect our
intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the
“Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report
on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Thus, actual
results could be materially different. The Company expressly
disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by law.
MEDIA CONTACT:pr@gnusbrands.com
INVESTOR RELATIONS
CONTACT:
ir@gnusbrands.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7f084b5-8bff-41cc-8cd9-adef2f8605c1
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