International kids’ entertainment company seals representation deal
(May 30th 2012 – London) – A Squared Elxsi Entertainment LLC (A2E2), a joint venture between A Squared Entertainment and Tata Elxsi Ltd, today announces it has appointed the Kaleidoscope agency in Canada to handle distribution for all A2E2 content.
In a 3-year deal, Kaleidoscope will oversee distribution to Canadian broadcasters of A2E2’s properties across free, pay and non-linear TV channels in both English and French.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, A2E2 creates, produces, acquires and distributes digital kids’ entertainment. The business is dedicated to producing “content with a purpose” – creating entertainment for children that is as enriching as it is entertaining. The company’s TV brands include animations such as Warren Buffett’s ‘Secret Millionaires Club’, ‘Martha & Friends’ created with US design guru Martha Stewart, Marvel comic legend Stan Lee’s new superhero series ‘Stan Lee and the Mighty 7’ and ‘Gisele & the Green Team’ an environmental show featuring model Gisele Bundchen. Several exciting new programs are scheduled to be announced in the coming months.
Kaleidoscope’s Randy Zalken will report into Paul Robinson, A2E2’s President of International, who has responsibility for A2E2’s content distribution in all formats, content acquisitions, brand licensing and the company’s international expansion.
“Randy and Kaleidoscope have a fantastic track record in Canada and I’m confident they will do a fantastic job of representing A2E2’s world-class entertainment portfolio in a key market for us.” said Paul Robinson, President of International for A Squared Elxsi.
The Kaleidoscope deal encompasses A2E2’s programming only. A2E2’s in house licensing team will continue to focus on extending its brands into consumer products sectors such as toys, digital products, books and apparel into the Canadian market and globally. A2E2 is also an international licensing agent for brands including Build-A-Bear Workshop, the interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail experience.
“Today’s kids are seeking entertainment in non traditional ways. A2E2 has an intuitive, multi-dimensional approach to this new digital playground” said Randy Zalken, Kaleidoscope’s founder. “This strategy is supported by Andy Heyward’s application of established brands, utilization of celebrity and adherence to the prime directive of good story telling. When Paul Robinson approached us to represent them in Canada, all of us at Kaleidoscope Entertainment Inc. unanimously embraced the opportunity”.
A2E2 was created by Co-Presidents Andy Heyward and Amy Moynihan Heyward in 2009. Having spent the last quarter of a century in the kids’ industry, the two created the business with a mission to develop meaningful entertainment in various formats, and recreate the way brands are managed and brought to market in this multi-media, multi-tasking world.