While it’s taking a decidedly non-Baby Einstein approach to entertaining the pre-verbal set, New York City-based Every Baby Company is headed down the merchandising path paved by the former. The company’s VOD series eebee’s adventures is gaining traction with US parents and is following up a fall toy launch at FAO Schwartz with expanded licensing plans.

Seven new eps of eebee’s adventures are slated to bow on VOD services carried by US cable providers Comcast, Cox and Bresnan today. The new line-up expands upon the first series, which debuted on VOD in 2006 and has thus far garnered 3.5 million downloads.

Company co-founder and former Sesame Wokshop exec Stephen Gass says the series takes an "everyday approach" to child-rearing by encouraging playful parent/child interaction and providing creative ideas that become catalysts for real-world play. "It’s just about playing with what is there, making things up, sometimes getting a little silly," he says.

Fittingly, Gass is taking a non-traditional route to merchandising. The company launched a series of eebee plush toys through a direct-to-retail exclusive with specialty toy retailer FAO Schwartz this past fall. The plush sold out over Christmas, and now Every Baby is looking to expand its reach, although it hasn’t appointed a licensing agent just yet.

Gass is going DTR again with book chain Barnes & Noble for a series of five eebee’s adventures books, including three cloth novelty books, a bath book and a board book, that are set to roll into B & N locations this spring.

"It was a completely different approach to the market," says Gass. "Because we were early, the more traditional root of going to third-party partner at the time we did the book deal didn’t make sense."

Gass isn’t ruling out getting representation and forging more traditional deals; he hints that discussions with larger toy players are underway, and there should be a number of merch and promo announcements in the coming months.

Kidscreen Magazine

AWARD WINNING EEBEE’S ADVENTURES, LAUDED AS THE
‘UN-BABY EINSTEIN’ OPTION, TO PREMIERE SEVEN NEW PROGRAMS BEGINNING JANUARY 15

New “Adventures” And The Debut Of “Music-Only” Specials To Initially Roll Out On-Demand Via Comcast, Cox and Bresnan

Over 3.5 Million Views Of eebee’s adventures Episodes Viewed On-Demand To-Date

New York, N.Y. – January xx, 2008 – eebee’s adventures, the award-winning infant media company which is the only baby brand created for babies and from a baby’s point of view, has produced seven new fun and playful episodes a.k.a. “adventures” which will be offered On-Demand beginning January 15. Themed around water play, music and sound, the new standalone episodes will initially roll out via Comcast’s Select On-Demand Offerings, also available on Cox and Bresnan, with additional MSO carriage to be announced in first quarter ’08. The announcement was jointly made by eebee’s adventures co-founders, child development and creative play experts, Stephen Gass and Don Burton. The new line-up expands upon the award winning eebee’s adventures series that first launched On-Demand in 2006. To-date, eebee’s adventures episodes have received more than 3.5 million views.

On Comcast ,Cox and Bresnan, eebee’s adventures is available to all digital customers and can found on their “Baby Boost” offering of shows that are specifically geared to the 0-2 set.

“The viewer response to eebee’s adventures has been phenomenal as we’ve gained a strong loyal following to our playful “back to basics” approach,” said Gass. “By encouraging simple and playful parent/child interaction, and providing creative ideas, the “adventures” have become catalysts for real-world play and our eebee fan club has grown exponentially. Eebee’s popularity has even translated to our new toy line, which was sold out in less than two weeks at FAO!”

Lauded by the industry and press for its “un-Baby Einstein” approach, each new adventure features “eebee”, the only character ever developed specifically for the infant/toddler market, real babies and real grown-ups actively engaged in rich and varied real-world exploration and play. The seven new adventures include two water play adventures, “Fountain of Ideas” and “Glass Half Full”; two music and sound adventures, “The Sounds of Music” and “Kitchen Band”, in addition to the debut of “eebee’s Songbooks” which encompasses three eebee-music only specials. Each Songbook includes 6 songs or musical activities around a theme: On The Move, songs and games for active toddlers including the favorite “eebee’s beat” segments; Splash & Sing, songs from the latest water and music play adventures; and Discovery Songs, songs all about everyday explorations.

Based on the strong response to the original songs in the first season of adventures, each new adventures also features an original song, representing a range of musical genres including rock, jazz and R&B. These new songs were also designed for a “dual audience: engaging for babies and appealing for parents.

The Every Baby Company was founded in 2004 with a simple, yet essential mission to be a catalyst for rich play experiences. It began with the award-winning and critically acclaimed eebee’s adventures, an innovative, character-based DVD series, for infants and toddlers. It is the first infant media property that is securely based on the latest early learning research AND the effective use of media. Today, eebee’s adventures programming is available On-Demand as well as on DVD. In 2007, it launched its first plush toy line, currently available exclusively at FAO Schwartz. In 2008, a new book series will launch at Barnes & Noble. eebee’s adventures has received multiple awards including Parents’ Choice Awards, Parenting Magazine’s “DVD of the Year” Award” , Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award, National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, iParenting Media Outstanding Product Award, and Mr. DAD Seal of Approval.

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For more information contact:
Amelie Tseng
amelie.tseng@comcast.net
973-207-3874