NELVANA AND TOIKIDO DELIVER A SMASH HIT WITH THE LAUNCH OF PIÑATA SMASHLINGS™ SHORTS, AVAILABLE NOW ON YOUTUBE
October 27, 2023
Experience Six Exciting Shorts Inspired by the Hit Roblox Game Exclusively on Nelvana’s ‘Keep it Weird’ YouTube Channel
Watch the shorts here
Download Image Assets here
To share this release socially visit: https://bit.ly/45PzC0A
For Immediate Release
TORONTO, October 27, 2023 – Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor and licensor of children’s animated and live action content, and Toikido, a London based entertainment company at the cutting edge of digital design and toys, unleash six new Piñata Smashlings™ shorts on Nelvana’s ‘Keep it Weird’ YouTube channel which are featured on YouTube Kids home page. Produced by Nelvana, and based on the popular Roblox game, the original shorts immerse kids into the enchanting Piñataverse world ahead of the highly anticipated series in development that was announced earlier this year.
“Our team has loved the challenge of giving these adorable and iconic characters their own distinct personalities,” said Mellany Welsh, VP of Nelvana Enterprises & Kids Can Press. “With their eclectic and hilarious escapades, the Smashlings are sure to captivate kids worldwide with their shenanigans. As the game continues to soar in popularity on Roblox, YouTube is the ideal stage to bring everyone’s favourite Smashlings to life and connect with the younger digital generation.”
In the Piñata Smashlings™ shorts, we meet five friends who have been thrown together by fate to form a team of very, very unlikely heroes. Whether questing across the land, pranking the Piñatas in Piñata Village, or rescuing Smashlings from the no-good Bitter Bashlings, the Smashlings make the most out of every day as they learn to be heroes while celebrating being exactly who they are.
Some of these shorts are enhanced by music and an opening theme song performed by Grammy-winning producer Jason Perry, along with Adam Nagy and Rich Savage. For an extra treat just in time for the spooky season, viewers can also enjoy a Halloween-themed song, performed by Jason Perry, Lana Carillo and Adam Nagy.
“Piñata Smashlings™ is an ever-expanding, multi-platform franchise that encompasses gaming, animation, music, toys, publishing, collaborations, and more,” said Darran Garnham, CEO of Toikido. “Nelvana is the perfect partner for the brand as they breathe vibrant life into our cherished characters, promising a vivid and engaging entertainment experience for kids as we launch the new shorts on YouTube.”
Nelvana is in the process of developing a brand-new animated children’s series inspired by the gaming IP, which has been played 2 million times since its debut in the summer. Fans in Canada and the U.S. can currently explore the extensive Piñata Smashlings™ toy collection, featuring plush toys, figurines, and playsets, both online and at Walmart retail locations.
For more information about the shorts and TV series, email info@nelvana.com.
– 30 –
About Nelvana
Entertaining kids for over 50 years, Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor of children’s animated and live-action content. Nelvana produces a stable of award-winning and globally renowned brands that focus on comedies, preschool and action series, and ancillary consumer products programs. Nelvana’s content airs on Corus Entertainment’s kids channels in Canada and in over 180 countries around the world. The Nelvana library has well over 5,000 episodes of programming and has received over 70 major international program awards including Emmys® and Canadian Screen Awards. Visit the Nelvana website at nelvana.com.
About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since 1999, the company’s portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 33 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, digital and streaming platforms, and technology and media services. Corus is an internationally-renowned content creator and distributor through Nelvana, a world class animation studio expert in all formats and Corus Studios, a globally recognized producer of hit scripted and unscripted content. The company also owns full-service social digital agency so.da, lifestyle entertainment company Kin Canada, and children’s book publishing house, Kids Can Press. Corus’ roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, Magnolia Network Canada, The HISTORY® Channel, Showcase, Adult Swim, National Geographic, Disney Channel Canada, YTV, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country 105, and CFOX, along with streaming platforms STACKTV, TELETOON+, the Global TV App and Curiouscast. Corus is the domestic advertising representative and an original content partner for Pluto TV, a Paramount Company, which is the leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service. For more information visit www.corusent.com.
About Toikido
Toikido Ltd is a new KIND of entertainment company that sets itself apart. An innovative, fun, and fast-paced studio which has become renowned for growing global audiences through the creation of captivating toys for emerging digital brands.
With a global reach, Toikido offers an ecosystem across, licensing, gaming, music, marketing, and entertainment and is dedicated to developing its own exceptional intellectual properties (IP) across all entertainment genres. Piñata Smashlings™ is Toikido’s first internally-developed IP and set to become one of the most exciting children’s brands, with the launch of a Roblox game, a range of toys, including collectables, action figures, plush and playsets, an official collectors guide and magazine, and an animated series to bring the Piñataverse to life.
Toikido was founded by serial entrepreneur Darran Garnham in 2020.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Brittany Bell, Associate Publicist
Corus Entertainment
416.479.3384
brittany.bell@corusent.com
Stacey Grimshaw, Senior Publicity Manager
Corus Entertainment
416.479.6082
stacey.grimshaw@corusent.com
