Genius Brands Appoints Former Cartoon Network Ad Sales Executive, Cindy Kelly, to Head of Advertising Sales for Kartoon Channel!

New Senior Role Established to Accelerate Ad Sale Revenues for Rapidly Expanding Kartoon Channel!

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Continuing to bolster its executive team for the rapidly growing Kartoon Channel!, Genius Brands International (“Genius Brands”) (NASDAQ: GNUS) today announced the appointment of Cindy Kelly to the newly created position of Head of Advertising Sales & Co-Chief Revenue Officer for Kartoon Channel!, working alongside Todd Steinman, who was recently appointed Co-Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer.

In her new role, Kelly will oversee advertising sales, as well as brand, content and event sponsorships for Kartoon Channel!, while Steinman spearheads subscriptions and marketing for the platform.

Kelly joins Genius Brands with over 25 years of experience in executive sales and sponsorship roles at leading media companies, including extensive children’s media sales at Cartoon Network. She also served as Broadcast Account Supervisor at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising in NYC, overseeing media strategy for blue chip accounts, including, Mattel Toys, Campbell’s Soup and Paramount Pictures.

Jon Ollwerther, President of Kartoon Channel stated: “Following the recent announcement of the Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse, and the acquisition of Ameba TV, Kartoon Channel! continues its global expansion, with a goal of becoming the leading children’s entertainment platform. With the appointments of Cindy and Todd, we are focusing on creating meaningful revenue streams by driving advertising sales and brand marketing partnerships. Cindy’s track record speaks for itself. She is at the top of her field and has significant relationships with the most important advertisers in the kids’ business. I could not be more thrilled to welcome her to the Kartoon Channel! team.”

“Kartoon Channel! has the content, the platform, and the audience to provide a very special offering for the advertising community. I’m excited to lead the ad sales and sponsorship strategy given the rapid growth of the network,” said Kelly.

About Genius Brands International
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’ portfolio includes Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!; Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal, coming soon to Kartoon Channel!; Rainbow Rangers on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix; Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, on Netflix; award-winning toddler brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and entrepreneurship series Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. Through licensing agreements with leading partners, characters from Genius Brands’ IP also appear on a wide range of consumer products for the worldwide retail marketplace. The Company’s Kartoon Channel! and Kartoon Classroom! are available in over 100 million U.S. television households via a broad range of distribution platforms, including Comcast, Cox, DISH, Sling TV, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Apple iOS, Android TV, Android Mobil, Google Play, Xumo, Roku, Tubi, YouTube, KartoonChannel.com, Samsung Smart TVs and LG TVs. For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com.

Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release 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, our ability to generate revenue or achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; the potential issuance of a significant number of shares, which will dilute our equity holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from period to period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of content and within the retail market; our reliance on and relationships with third-party production and animation studios; our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace with technological advances; our ability to protect our intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). 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.

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Released February 7, 2022