Genius Brands International's Kid Genius Network, Available on Comcast, Launches First Branded Channel, Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues, in Partnership With HeR Interactive

New Channel Premieres October 1st, Reaching 22 Million U.S. Households

BEVERLY HILLS, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/16 -- Genius Brands International "GBI" (GNUS), a global content and brand management company, continues to build its Kid Genius Network, an on demand service available on Comcast's Xfinity on Demand platform reaching 22 million U.S. households, by partnering with HeR Interactive to launch its first branded channel, Nancy Drew®: Codes & Clues®, based on the new mobile game.

Premiering on the channel on October 1^st is the new animated series, Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues, featuring the smart, independent, gutsy and resourceful teen detective whose stories have been published in 22 languages with more than 100 million copies in print worldwide. In this new series, targeting girls ages 6 - 11, viewers will meet a tween version of Nancy and her best friends, Bess and George who must work together, along with their new robot puppy, to uncover clues to solve the mystery of the missing tech fair project. The series introduces younger fans to the foundational concepts of coding in a fun, engaging and accessible manner, as the de-TECH-tive team don undercover disguises, and employ coding principles to solve their clues together with critical thinking skills involving pattern recognition, problem solving and spatial visualization.

This content is based on the recently launched Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues story-driven, hidden-object mobile game from the award-winning mystery adventure game publisher and developer, HeR Interactive, developed for kids without any coding experience or skills.

In addition to launching on Kid Genius Network, Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues will be a new sponsor of GBI's hit tween YouTube series, SpacePOP, which has already amassed over 7 million channel views since its June launch.

"In keeping in line with our mission of providing 'content with a purpose,' Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues is the perfect complement to our ever-growing Kid Genius Network, and we look forward to collaborating with HeR Interactive to create this compelling destination for young girls," stated Deb Pierson, General Manager, Kid Genius Channel. "Introducing the foundational concepts of coding and problem solving to kids at a young age has become very important, and with our new channel, we are delivering that concept in an engaging and entertaining way."

"The Kid Genius Network is the ideal entertainment platform to launch the Nancy Drew Codes & Clues channel," said Penny Milliken, CEO of HeR Interactive. "In addition to the series, the branded channel will highlight our new app that has been sparking an interest in coding with early learners all over the world. Girls need to see and experience positive STEM role models in a way that matches their viewing, learning, and play patterns. What better way to introduce them to this coding super hero than through a streaming VOD platform reaching millions of fans?"

The Kid Genius Network is a free, advertising supported On Demand service, featuring GBI's innovative, original animation series, including SpacePOP, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab, Stan Lee's Mighty 7 and Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club alongside award-winning Baby Genius content and such classic children's series as ABC Monsters. For more information, visit www.kidgeniustv.com

About Genius Brands International:

Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, Genius Brands International, Inc. "GBI" (OTCQB: GNUS) is a publicly traded global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia content. Led by award-winning creators and producers, the company distributes its content worldwide in all formats, as well as a broad range of consumer products based on its characters. In the children's media sector, GBI's portfolio features "content with a purpose" for toddlers to tweens, which provides enrichment as well as entertainment, including tween music-driven brand SpacePOP; preschool property debuting on Netflix Llama Llama; award-winning Baby Genius, re-launched with new entertainment and over 40 new products; adventure comedy Thomas Edison's Secret Lab®, available on Netflix, public broadcast stations and GBI's Kid Genius channel on Comcast's Xfinity on Demand; Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club, created with and starring iconic investor Warren Buffett. The company is also co-producing an all-new adult animated series, Stan Lee'sCosmic Crusaders, with Stan Lee's Pow! Entertainment and The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, under GBI's wholly owned subsidiary, A Squared Entertainment, the company represents third-party properties, including From Frank, a humor greeting card and product line, and Celessence Technologies, the world's leading micro encapsulation company, across a broad range of categories in territories around the world. For additional information please visit www.gnusbrands.com.

About HeR Interactive:

Based in Bellevue, Washington, HeR Interactive was a pioneer in 1998 when it began developing and publishing Nancy Drew interactive games for females. Since then, the company has released over 32 games, won 30 Parents' Choice awards and has sold more than 9 million copies of its games. Nancy Drew players now include moms who have introduced their daughters to the girl detective, making her one of history's longest-running iconic figures spanning generations. More information about the company and Nancy Drew games can be found at www.herinteractive.com.

About Nancy Drew:

Nancy Drew debuted in 1930 and is still going strong. She is a smart, independent, gutsy and resourceful teen detective who can crack even the toughest case. Published in 22 languages and with more than 100 million copies in print worldwide, Nancy Drew has engaged readers and served as a role model globally for generations. NANCY DREW is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Licensed by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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 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.

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GBI MEDIA CONTACT:
Michelle Orsi/Carol Holdsworth
Three.Sixty Marketing & Communications
310-418-6430
Email contact

INVESTOR RELATIONS:
Michael Porter
PLR Investor Relations
212-564-7000
Email contact

Source: Genius Brands International, Inc.

Released September 14, 2016