NELVANA APPOINTED MERCHANDISING AGENCY FOR MGA ENTERTAINMENT IN CANADA

New Partnership Sees Nelvana Representing MGA’s Mega Franchises L.O.L. Surprise!^™, Bratz^®, Rainbow High^™, Little Tikes^®, and MGA’s Miniverse^™

For additional photography and press kit material visit: https://www.corusent.com

To share this release socially use: https://bit.ly/4bmUhNi 

For Immediate Release

TORONTO, May 21, 2024 – Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live action content, announced today its new licensing agreement with MGA Entertainment, one of the fastest growing and largest privately held toy and entertainment companies in the world. As its licensing agent in Canada, Nelvana will handle all consumer products licensing, marketing, and retail support in Canada, outside of toys, for MGA’s household name brands such as the award-winning L.O.L. Surprise!^™, Bratz^®, Rainbow High^™, Little Tikes^®, and the highly popular, global sensation MGA’s Miniverse^™.

“Our Nelvana licensing team has experienced impressive success growing brands through Canadian licensing and retail programs and we are delighted to welcome MGA Entertainment’s juggernaut brands to our portfolio,” said Carly Slack, Director, Licensing, Retail & Marketing, Nelvana. “MGA is a master of innovation, creating acclaimed brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!, Bratz, and Rainbow High, rebuilding beloved Little Tikes, and launching new properties such as MGA’s Miniverse. We’re really excited to work together and find new and creative ways to further brand affinity among fans in Canada.”

MGA brands have delighted children and adults around the world for 45 years, including everyone from preschool age to tweens and kidults, with the goal of enriching kids’ and kidults’ imaginations and enhancing their social and cognitive skills through story and play. These brands already extend from toy lines to TV series, movies, social media, apparel, accessories, and more. Notable accomplishments include L.O.L Surprise being a top five global property for six years in a row with 180 million engagements on Roblox; Rainbow High was the No. 1 fashion doll brand globally in 2023 with more than 1 billion minutes watched on YouTube, Bratz is the most followed MGA brand on social media with a combined following of 2.6 billion, and Little Tikes is the No. 1 brand in outdoor and sports.

“We are proud to partner with Nelvana as our exclusive licensing agent to help bring our brands to more fans across Canada,” said Mindy Puente-Escalera, SVP Global Licensing, MGA Entertainment. “Their more than 50 years of experience in children’s entertainment internationally combined with our globally-loved, award-winning brands, will grow our brands across categories beyond toys in the country.”

For licensing opportunities, please email nelvanalicensing@corusent.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 MGA Entertainment, Inc.
MGA Entertainment is one of the largest and fastest growing privately held toy and entertainment companies in the world, known for its commitment to creativity, quality, and innovation. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices globally, the company creates innovative, proprietary, and licensed consumer products and entertainment properties, including toys, games, dolls, apparel, consumer electronics, home décor, stationery, sporting goods, movies, and television series. The MGA family includes award-winning brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!™, Little Tikes®, Rainbow High™, Bratz®, MGA’s Miniverse™, Fluffie Stuffiez™, Na! Na! Na! Surprise™, BABY born®, and Zapf Creation®. For more information, please visit us at www.mgae.com or check us out at LinkedIn, Threads, Instagram and Facebook.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Dania Junejo, Associate Publicist
Corus Entertainment
(416) 479-3195
Dania.Junejo@corusent.com

Stacey Grimshaw, Sr. Publicity Manager
Corus Entertainment
(416) 479-6082
stacey.grimshaw@corusent.com

Alan Hilowitz, VP, Global Corporate Communications
MGA Entertainment
news@mgae.com