Kartoon Studios Appoints Brooke Bacon as Senior Vice President, Consumer Products and Licensing
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/20...nsing.html
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kartoon Studios, Inc. (NYSE American: TOON) ("Kartoon Studios" or the "Company"
, a global entertainment company creating, producing, distributing and licensing children's and family content, today announced the appointment of Brooke Bacon as Senior Vice President, Consumer Products and Licensing. Bacon will lead global licensing, consumer products, retail, brand partnerships and franchise commercialization across the Company's portfolio of owned and controlled intellectual property, including based on A.A. Milne’s iconic Winnie the Pooh, the Hundred Acre Wood, the Stan Lee Universe, including Stan Lee Superhero Pets, and select established brands.
The appointment advances Kartoon Studios' strategic realignment to an owned IP-led model in which the Company retains ownership economics and participates across multiple points of the value chain. As Kartoon Studios brings its properties to market, consumer products and licensing are expected to serve as core commercialization channels alongside content distribution, publishing, advertising and other brand extensions.
"Brooke is joining Kartoon Studios at an important point in our evolution, as we seek to move from building and developing our IP portfolio, to launching and monetizing those properties across a broader commercial ecosystem," commented Andy Heyward, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kartoon Studios. "Our objective is to create enduring franchises in which Kartoon Studios owns and controls the underlying rights in the characters we bring to the screen, and participates in the value generated across content, distribution, licensing and consumer products. Consumer products and licensing are central to how owned IP can generate value beyond the screen. Brooke has built commercial programs around some of the world's best-known entertainment franchises and brings deep experience across licensing, retail and strategic partnerships. We believe her appointment will strengthen our ability to establish the category strategies, partner network and disciplined execution required to convert audience engagement into long-term brand and shareholder value."
In her role, Bacon will establish global licensing and consumer products roadmaps; identify and manage category, retail and promotional partnerships; oversee brand stewardship, style guides and creative assets; and coordinate go-to-market plans with the Company's creative, production, distribution and marketing teams. She will also help define commercial milestones and performance measures for scaling investment across individual properties.
"Kartoon Studios owns a collection of highly recognizable intellectual property with large, engaged fan followings, which should provide a strong foundation to accelerate monetization through strategic licensing, distribution, consumer products and franchise expansion," said Bacon.
Bacon joins Kartoon Studios from Activision Blizzard, part of Microsoft, where she most recently served as Senior Director, Licensing & Consumer Products and led the global licensing and consumer products business across a portfolio that included Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Spyro and Crash Bandicoot. Her responsibilities included long-range business strategy, creative development, brand stewardship, commercial expansion, executive planning and cross-functional leadership. She previously served as Director, Global Commercial Development and held leadership roles in retail marketing and product management, working with major retail and platform partners including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, Sony and Microsoft.
Before Activision Blizzard, Bacon led Marketing, E-Commerce & Creative at AEG, where she managed retail marketing, brand activation and e-commerce consumer products programs for prominent properties, including the LA Lakers, LA Kings, LA Clippers, LA Galaxy and the GRAMMY Awards.
She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication, with studies spanning sports media, marketing, entertainment, entrepreneurship and cinematic arts.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/20...nsing.html
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kartoon Studios, Inc. (NYSE American: TOON) ("Kartoon Studios" or the "Company"
, a global entertainment company creating, producing, distributing and licensing children's and family content, today announced the appointment of Brooke Bacon as Senior Vice President, Consumer Products and Licensing. Bacon will lead global licensing, consumer products, retail, brand partnerships and franchise commercialization across the Company's portfolio of owned and controlled intellectual property, including based on A.A. Milne’s iconic Winnie the Pooh, the Hundred Acre Wood, the Stan Lee Universe, including Stan Lee Superhero Pets, and select established brands. The appointment advances Kartoon Studios' strategic realignment to an owned IP-led model in which the Company retains ownership economics and participates across multiple points of the value chain. As Kartoon Studios brings its properties to market, consumer products and licensing are expected to serve as core commercialization channels alongside content distribution, publishing, advertising and other brand extensions.
"Brooke is joining Kartoon Studios at an important point in our evolution, as we seek to move from building and developing our IP portfolio, to launching and monetizing those properties across a broader commercial ecosystem," commented Andy Heyward, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kartoon Studios. "Our objective is to create enduring franchises in which Kartoon Studios owns and controls the underlying rights in the characters we bring to the screen, and participates in the value generated across content, distribution, licensing and consumer products. Consumer products and licensing are central to how owned IP can generate value beyond the screen. Brooke has built commercial programs around some of the world's best-known entertainment franchises and brings deep experience across licensing, retail and strategic partnerships. We believe her appointment will strengthen our ability to establish the category strategies, partner network and disciplined execution required to convert audience engagement into long-term brand and shareholder value."
In her role, Bacon will establish global licensing and consumer products roadmaps; identify and manage category, retail and promotional partnerships; oversee brand stewardship, style guides and creative assets; and coordinate go-to-market plans with the Company's creative, production, distribution and marketing teams. She will also help define commercial milestones and performance measures for scaling investment across individual properties.
"Kartoon Studios owns a collection of highly recognizable intellectual property with large, engaged fan followings, which should provide a strong foundation to accelerate monetization through strategic licensing, distribution, consumer products and franchise expansion," said Bacon.
Bacon joins Kartoon Studios from Activision Blizzard, part of Microsoft, where she most recently served as Senior Director, Licensing & Consumer Products and led the global licensing and consumer products business across a portfolio that included Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Spyro and Crash Bandicoot. Her responsibilities included long-range business strategy, creative development, brand stewardship, commercial expansion, executive planning and cross-functional leadership. She previously served as Director, Global Commercial Development and held leadership roles in retail marketing and product management, working with major retail and platform partners including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, Sony and Microsoft.
Before Activision Blizzard, Bacon led Marketing, E-Commerce & Creative at AEG, where she managed retail marketing, brand activation and e-commerce consumer products programs for prominent properties, including the LA Lakers, LA Kings, LA Clippers, LA Galaxy and the GRAMMY Awards.
She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication, with studies spanning sports media, marketing, entertainment, entrepreneurship and cinematic arts.
