March 21, 2023 - aNb Media, Inc.

Kabillion Announces Debut of New “Woody Woodpecker“ Animated Shorts

Kabillion, a top five AVOD network, announces another classic character joining the network on Wednesday, March 22. “Woody Woodpecker,” a series of animated shorts produced by Splash Entertainment, commissioned by Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production arm of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, will be broadcast on both Kabillion’s cable and OTT services. The shorts, directed by Mike Milo, feature an array of the top animation voice artists in the business today, including Eric Bauza as “Woody Woodpecker,” Tara Strong as “Winnie Woodpecker,” Tom Kenny as “Wally Walrus,” Nika Futterman as “Knothead,” Kevin Michael Richardson as “Buzz,” and Dee Bradley Baker as “Chilly Willy.”

HGTV Brings Mattel’s Famous Dreamhouse to Life in New ‘Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge’ Hosted by Ashley Graham

One of the world’s most iconic toys will become reality when HGTV taps into the zeitgeist of Mattel’s Barbie in its new competition series, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, set to premiere on HGTV this summer. Inspired by the singular, enduring popularity of the global icon herself and by the excitement surrounding the upcoming release of the Warner Bros. Pictures film, Barbie, HGTV will harness the unmatched power of its corporate siblings to support four nostalgia-filled episodes and execute Barbie-themed cross-network content and promotions. Punctuated by celebrity guests, pop culture history and a plethora of Barbie surprises, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge will be hosted by supermodel, designer, author and entrepreneur Ashley Graham and feature eight teams of HGTV superstars as they transform a Southern California home into a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse. In the end, one passionate Barbie fan will get the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime stay in a home created for dreamers.

News You're Hired

PlayMonster Grows Strategic Sales Channels with New Hires Melanie Bailey and Dave Trentman

Leading international toy and game company PlayMonster Group LLC announced the growth of its sales division as it welcomes Melanie Bailey, National Account Manager, and Dave Trentman, Sales Manager Value Channel. The two toy and game veterans will lead PlayMonster’s specialty business and value channels, respectively. “Melanie and Dave are sales powerhouses who will be key in propelling PlayMonster’s trajectory in two strategic channels, as the retail landscape continues to evolve,” said Steve Adolph, PlayMonster CEO. “They are industry pros who have a proven track record in building long-standing relationships while delivering product and innovation to their partners. We’re thrilled to welcome them both during this pivotal time for PlayMonster.”

The Elmer’s Brand Launches New ‘Elmer’s Squishies’ Activity to Inspire Kids’ Imagination

Elmer’s, the #1 glue brand for crafts in school and at home, is expanding its activity collection with new Elmer’s Squishies, designed to inspire your child’s imagination. This DIY kit includes everything to make your own customized, surprise squishy toy. Simply mix the ingredients with colored glue, pour into the Mystery Mold, and after 60 minutes, pop out your mystery character and play! With more than 80 characters, including 12 rare characters, kids can play and swap with friends as they aim to collect them all for the ultimate adventure. The fun continues on ElmersSquishies.com where kids can learn more about their characters, including their names, birthdates, families, friends and even rivals, to bring storytelling into their play.

‘Brand-new’ Partnership Formed by Poetic Brands and Brand Collective

Poetic Brands, the specialist apparel licensee for adults, kids and babywear, and Brand Collective, known for its unique tech and lifestyle products, are delighted to announce they will be forming a collaboration to extend the potential leverage of both businesses. Being part of the PDS Multinational Group and already hugely successful as separate enterprises, the coming together of Poetic Brands and Brand Collective will see these two dynamic sister businesses making the most of each other’s skills and experience.

Paragon FX Batman Radio and Wizard Of Oz Slippers Make Collector’s Dream Come True

Pop-Culture aficionados are ecstatic to have an opportunity to add “grail” items to their collections thanks to Paragon FX Group. Dorothy’s ruby slippers and the 1966 Batman’s Bat-radio are two of the most recent museum quality items offered by the collective of artisans. Many screen used props are far outside the reach of most collectors, while the picture perfect recreations from Paragon FX Group are accessible for fans.

WowWee Expands Partnership with Hasbro on NERF Super Soaker Action and Outdoor Products

WowWee, a leading manufacturer of innovative consumer entertainment products, and global branded entertainment leader Hasbro, has announced their expanded partnership to bring more classic Hasbro Gaming products to the outdoor play space & unleash the ultimate soak with innovative new NERF Super Soaker products.

Licensing News

Atari Announces Acquisition of 12 Classic Arcade Properties, Including Berzerk and Frenzy

Atari — one of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers — announced the acquisition of a dozen retro arcade games, including the 80s classics Berzerk and Frenzy. Atari will seek to expand digital and physical distribution of the classic titles, create new games based on the IP, and explore brand and merchandising collaborations.

Poppy Playtime’s Mob Entertainment Taps Reemsborko for EU and Australia Licensing

Mob Entertainment has appointed Reemsborko as its agent for consumer products licensing in Europe and Australasia for Poppy Playtime, the smash hit episodic horror video game. The first chapter of Poppy Playtime was released in October 2021 and spawned an immediate and sustained wave of fandom via YouTube videos of gamers playing the game, due in no small part to one of the game’s main characters, Huggy Wuggy.