By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Hoho Entertainment has teamed up with The Point.1888 on a licensing program for the animated series Toad & Friends.
The Toad & Friends animated series is based on the classic British novel The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. Honoring the legacy of the original book, Toad & Friends features an updated cast of characters and new storylines to resonate with a modern audience.
The original characters from the book remain and are now joined by several strong female characters.
“Toad & Friends is an amazing property that is going to bring an iconic story to a new generation of children,” said Bethan Garton, CCO of The Point.1888.
The Point.1888 is a brand licensing agency that focuses on matching brands with retailers and manufacturers to create new products. The Point.1888 is known for helping its clients boost revenue, brand awareness, and consumer engagement.
The Point.1888 will represent and manage the licensing programme as the Toad & Friends property looks to find new partners throughout the UK. The Toad & Friends property is looking for partners in product categories such as toys, apparel, homewares and more.
“We can’t wait to get to work and create products that speak to the classic nature and values of the book, but with the shows new creativity and humour,” added Garton. “There is so much potential here to deliver a licensing programme that fits both narratives.”
Toad & Friends is produced by Hoho Entertainment, animated in Scotland by Wild Child Animation, and directed by Tim Searle. Hoho Entertainment is an independent children’s and family entertainment production company that develops, produces, and distributes its content across all media platforms.
“Since it was first published, over 85 million copies of The Wind in the Willows have been sold in more than 29 languages, so it’s not just a British classic,” said Helen Howells, Joint Managing Director of Hoho Entertainment.
“Toad & Friends celebrates the countryside and for children, the simple joy of being outdoors as they follow their favourite characters on brand new, funny adventures in which they discover moral courage, respect, and the value of friendship,” Howells continued.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be partnering with The Point.1888 on this beautiful, modern adaptation of a much-loved classic tale.”
The Toad & Friends series has been developed and supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and produced with the support of the Creative Media Programme. The series is set to premier as on Warner Bros, Discovery’s pre-school brand Cartoonito across EMEA, and on HBO Max in the UK and Europe in 2023.