Genius Brands International, Inc. Enters Next Significant Phase of Growth With Launch of Branded Merchandise at Retail for Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama

Leveraging Hit Children’s Content into Licensed Products Across Key Categories for Mass and Mid-Market, Specialty, and Online Retail Distribution

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Brands International, Inc. (“Genius Brands”) (NASDAQ: GNUS), the global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia entertainment content for children, announces that it is has entered the next phase of its growth, expanding beyond content development, production and distribution into product merchandising, as licensed consumer products tied to the Company’s two hit flagship series, Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama, begin to hit shelves in Q3 and Q4 2019.

In 2019 through 2020, Genius Brands plans to debut over 450 SKUs of branded merchandise combined for Rainbow Rangers, which currently airs on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr., and Llama Llama, available on Netflix. The first products from the extensive Rainbow Rangers program began rolling out this month, including apparel from Bentex, available on Amazon; and bicycles from Dynacraft, available at Walmart.com, Target.com, and Kohl's.com, which will be available in August with plans to expand distribution through storefront channels. In September, the Company will unveil Halloween costumes from Disguise at Walmart, Party City and online retailers; and a Halloween retail program with Rainbow Rangers’ costumes will be available in approximately 1,200 Spirit stores. Additional Rainbow Rangers’ products planned to launch this year include stationery items from Inkology, all-natural chewable vitamins from Integrity Vitamins and more.

Genius Brands has already debuted a range of products for Llama Llama, including plush toys from Kids Preferred available at Walmart.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Buy Buy Baby, Wegmans and more; activity books from Bendon Publishing available at Michael’s and Dollar General; DVDs from NCircle Entertainment available at Walmart, Target and online; puzzles available at Go Retail shops and online; Decopac’s cake design and decorating kits available at grocery and bakery stores; and party accessories from Prime Party and Creative Converting available at online retailers.  In Q3 and Q4, additional Llama Llama branded products will debut at retail, including books from Scholastic; Halloween costumes at Halloween.com/Fun.com, the largest online purveyor of costumes; holiday ornaments from Kurt Adler; and holiday plush from Cuddle Barn.

“Given the success of Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama, I am pleased to report we are now transitioning into the next phase of our growth, which includes product merchandising around these two hit series,” said Andy Heyward, CEO of Genius Brands International. “Our goal from the start, which I have communicated often over the past few years, has been to leverage our content strategy into product merchandising, and we are achieving that goal now, as planned, with nearly every conceivable consumer product category licensed for Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama.  Moreover, our partners are among the top manufacturers, from toys by Mattel, to vitamins by Integrity Vitamins, to bikes by Dynacraft and apparel by Bentex.  In total, we have over 450 licensed SKUs for Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama scheduled to come to market over the next twelve months, as well as a planned nationwide live tour for Rainbow Rangers from Gershwin Entertainment that will debut in Bentonville, Arkansas. We look forward to providing further updates as future products hit the market.”

About Genius Brands International
Headquartered in Beverly Hills, Genius Brands International, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The Company’s “content with a purpose” brand portfolio, which is led by award-winning creators and producers, includes the new action-adventure animated series for children, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; flagship preschool properties, Rainbow Rangers for Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr., and Netflix Original Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner; award-winning toddler brand, Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and financial literacy and entrepreneurship series, Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. The Company’s content catalog also includes the animated series, Stan Lee's Cosmic Crusaders, created with Stan Lee's Pow! Entertainment. Seeing the need to provide kids and parents with a safe viewing environment that offers premium enriching and engaging programming, Genius Brands launched the Genius Brands Network – comprised of Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV, as well as an exclusive Kid Genius Cartoons Plus subscription channel on Amazon Prime. The Network channels are available in approximately 80 million U.S. households via a variety of distribution platforms, such as OTT, set-top box, internet, and mobile. Through licensing agreements with category leading partners, characters from the Company’s properties also appear on a wide range of consumer products for retail. For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this notice constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), not limited to Risk Factors relating to its patent business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/42296ff6-61b2-406e-a5aa-6e4d0f446914.

Genius Brands International's Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama Branded Merchandise Hits Retail Shelves

In 2019 through 2020, Genius Brands International (Nasdaq:GNUS) plans to debut over 450 SKUs of branded merchandise combined based on its two flagship preschool series, Rainbow Rangers, an original series which currently airs on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr.; and Llama Llama, which stars Jennifer Garner and is available on Netflix.

Released July 15, 2019