Apparel and Costumes from Komar, Mad Engine, and Rubies Arriving Fall 2023

Pittsburgh, PA — A new collection of products from Donkey Hodie, the hit preschool puppet series, will be introduced nationwide this year. Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s educational media organization behind multiple Emmy®-winning PBS KIDS series, and Licensing Street, licensing agent for the show, have partnered to secure deals with top brands in a variety of categories. The debut Donkey Hodie collection, which will include apparel from Komar and Mad Engine, as well as costumes from Rubies, is set to launch this fall.

“Consumer demand for Donkey Hodie products has been high since the series debut and we’re excited to welcome these best-in-class licensees to the Donkey Hodie family,” said Matt Shiels, Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, Fred Rogers Productions. “They are sure to help extend the whimsical and huggable world of Donkey Hodie so children can create their own imaginative series-themed adventures.”

“Donkey Hodie is a winner with kids and families,” said Jason Korfine, Partner at Licensing Street. “Just like viewers who are drawn to the series, licensees have been eager to join in, too, and we’re delighted to be working with Komar, Mad Engine, and Rubies to offer new series-inspired products for fans everywhere.”

The first Donkey Hodie products heading to retail include:

• Komar – Sleepwear
• Mad Engine – T-shirts and apparel
• Rubies – Costumes and role-play

In addition, Jada Toys, master toy partner, will introduce a range of Donkey Hodie toys, including highly anticipated feature plush. Toys and additional character plush are expected later this year.

Since its launch, three highly rated games have been released, and 12 books have debuted from master publisher, Simon & Schuster, all furthering the series’ learning goals for children beyond broadcast. Donkey Hodie is currently in production on its second season, which will premiere later this year.

The series has consistently ranked in the top ten for children 2-8 on PBS KIDS since its debut in 2021.* Emmy®-nominated Donkey Hodie has also had great success on SVOD as well as the PBS KIDS Games app and website. The series was streamed more than 125 million times in 2022 and Donkey Hodie games regularly rank in the top-ten on the PBS KIDS Games app.**

Inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Donkey Hodie is an imaginative puppet series that follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie, an enthusiastic and charming go-getter who takes on each day with curiosity and resilience, and her pals Purple Panda, Duck Duck, and Bob Dog. Set in the whimsical land of Someplace Else, the series is designed to empower children ages 3-5 to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, work hard and persevere in the face of failure, be resourceful, and discover they can solve problems on their own—and laugh themselves silly along the way. 

Donkey Hodie is produced by Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures. The series is created by Adam Rudman and David Rudman of Spiffy Pictures and developed by Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer of Fred Rogers Productions. Executive producers are Doherty, Adam Rudman, and David Rudman. 

*Source: Nielsen NPOWER Avg Mo Series Reach (exclu specials). Google Analytics monthly streams, users, and game starts. Tubular Labs YouTube Views. * Users exclude Amazon Fire WebView Browsers from Sept 2021 to-date

About Fred Rogers Productions

Fred Rogers Productions was founded by Fred Rogers in 1971 as the non-profit producer of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for PBS. In the years that followed, it created hundreds of

episodes of this much-loved program and extended Fred’s values and approach to other efforts in promoting children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health while supporting parents, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals in their work with children. Fred Rogers Productions continues to build on Fred’s legacy in innovative ways through a wide variety of media and engages new generations of children and families with his timeless wisdom. The company’s highly rated children’s series, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, Odd Squad, and Through the Woods, have earned 30 Emmy® Awards among other important honors. The company’s latest series are Donkey Hodie, the innovative puppet series inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and Alma’s Way, an animated series created by Sonia Manzano. Fred Rogers Productions strives to inspire a lifelong enthusiasm for learning through its series as well efforts beyond broadcast including games and digital offerings, community engagement activities, and much more. For more information, visit www.fredrogers.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.