Rocket Licensing has signed a deal to manage the consumer products programme for new stop motion animation, award winning series Kiri and Lou. The series, centred around two little prehistoric creatures, was launched in New Zealand, Canada and Australia and now airs weekdays on CBeebies in the UK. Launched in the UK on April 27th 2020, this delightful series has had a strong initial reception and during its first week, Kiri and Lou was the most requested CBeebies brand. In 4 weeks, Kiri and Lou has achieved over 2 million requests on iPlayer. New episodes are premiering on the 8th of June, and a free Kiri and Lou Hide and Seek app is now available to download from the App Store and Google Play.

Kiri, a feisty little dinosaur, and her best friend Lou, a gentle creature with a long and remarkably sensitive trunk, are the stars of the series, which is aimed at children aged two to five, and created using clay creatures, set in a peaceful, beautiful forest formed from cut out paper.

The gentle show centres around music, the environment, nature, feelings and friendship, and explores values such as kindness, thoughtfulness and empathy. Each episode follows the charming creatures in a fun adventure story with an emotional theme.

Written and directed by prominent New Zealand writer, actor, musician and director, Harry Sinclair, the series also features original songs cowritten for each episode with well-known NZ musician, Don McGlashan. A Kiri and Lou album will be released later this month. The loveable characters are also voiced by famous names, including Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) as Lou.

Rocket will manage the licensing rights in the UK and Eire and will be discussing the exciting new brand with potential partners in a wide range of categories, including toys and games, stationery, publishing, homewares, apparel, accessories, food and drink, educational tools, partyware and digital. Rocket also sees great potential to explore options for sustainable and environmentally conscious product and partnerships, in keeping with the brand’s core values and messaging.

Charlie Donaldson, Joint MD, Rocket Licensing, comments: “Kiri and Lou bring something completely fresh to the preschool sector. The animation employs a traditional stop motion animation technique, which brings not only a different look, but a different pace to the screen and enables fully developed characters, environment and stories.

“The brand is the perfect mixture of a calm and gentle approach to exploring personal and social education for young children, with fun, laughter and adventure. The rich design and writing offer a huge scope for licensed products.”

Fiona Copland, CEO and Producer at Stretchy, adds “We are delighted to partner with Rocket Licensing for the UK and Eire. They share the values of this brand and bring a wealth of experience working with high quality IP that is beloved across the UK.”

CAKE handle all international television distribution. 

About Rocket Licensing

Now in its second decade, and one of the UK’s leading licensing agents, Rocket Licensing represents a diverse and focused roster of brands that spans entertainment, preschool, heritage, lifestyle and specialist interest properties. Rocket’s portfolio currently manages UK licensing programmes for an array of leading entertainment studios and licensors including: Bapper Entertainment, Beano Studios, BocPix, CCA and B, Geographers’ A-Z Map Co, Hat Trick Productions, Legendary Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Minikim Holland, Scholastic/Horrible Histories, Stanfords, The Joester Loria Group/Eric Carle, Timbuktu Labs, Toho and Valiant. For more information, please visit www.rocketlicensing.com 

About Stretchy

Stretchy creates original stories for children in hand made stop-motion animation.  Stretchy brings together writer/director Harry Sinclair (The Price of Milk, Toy Love), animation director Antony Elworthy (Coraline, Corpse Bride, Isle of Dogs), and producer Fiona Copland (The Price of Milk, Matariki, The Strength of Water).  Stretchy is an independent production company focused on making beautiful high-end animation across all platforms for the international market.