Wheeling, IL – October 31, 2024 – CreateOn, a leading innovator and manufacturer of educational toys, announces a groundbreaking partnership with Hidden Pigeon Company (HPC), the dynamic multiplatform kids and family content company that is extending the reach of award-winning author/illustrator Mo Willems’ book-based character brands such as The Pigeon from Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Elephant & Piggie from the popular books. CreateOn will introduce magnetic construction products that combine the open-ended play of magnetic tiles with these beloved characters to help inspire a love for storytelling and imaginative play in young children.
“We are thrilled to partner with Hidden Pigeon Company and its global licensing agent, Retail Monster, to inspire more inventive opportunities based on the world of Mo Willems, a true creative visionary whose work has captivated children and adults alike,” said Steve Rosen, CreateOn’s President of Sales & Licensing. “Mo’s playful characters and relatable stories perfectly align with CreateOn’s mission to empower kids to explore their creativity through play.”
This exciting collaboration will bring Willems’ signature creativity and humor to CreateOn's engaging magnetic tiles, inspiring a new generation of young artists and storytellers.
“CreateOn is a fantastic and inventive company that fits perfectly with our goals of forming thoughtful product partnerships with creative brands in the children’s space,” said Tori Cook, SVP Franchise Management for Hidden Pigeon Company. “We are so happy to be working with CreateOn and providing kids and families with opportunities for imagination-fueled play with their favorite book-based characters.”
About Mo Willems: Mo Willems is the beloved artist and author behind #1 New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Honors-awarded picture books like Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and the Knuffle Bunny series as well as his celebrated Elephant & Piggie early reader series, for which he has won two Theodor Seuss Geisel Awards and five Geisel Honors. Willems has published over 71 children’s books — more than 50 of them New York Times bestselling titles — with 26+ foreign language translations. In addition to his Caldecott honors, Willems has earned six Emmy Awards for his writing on Sesame Street, where he began his remarkable career. He also has created three television specials, six animated series, seven musical adaptations, five licensed theater productions, and three touring exhibits – and he’s the first-ever Education Artist-in-Residence at the esteemed Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
About Hidden Pigeon Company: Hidden Pigeon Company (HPC) is an exciting new multiplatform kids and family content company founded in early 2023 by celebrated children’s book author Mo Willems along with Stampede Ventures and RedBird Capital Partners. It was formed with the goal of expanding the already-impressive reach and impact of Willems’s best-selling catalog of children’s books and intellectual property across all entertainment platforms – from television, film, and digital to live events, location-based experiences, licensing & merchandising, publishing, and more. Hidden Pigeon Company takes its name from Willems’s immensely popular character, the Pigeon, from “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” and “Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!,” as kids and “former kids” (as Mo likes to say) – delight in finding The Pigeon hidden somewhere in all his books. HPC’s Mo Willems Workshop YouTube Channel features fresh content based on Willems’s characters and brands, including Elephant & Piggie, Knuffle Bunny, and The Pigeon, to inspire creativity and spark serious silliness.
About Retail Monster: Launched by an executive team that brings over 70 years of retail, buying, sales, marketing, finance, and licensing experience to its clients, Retail Monster LLC (www.retailmonster.com) utilizes its relationships with best-in-class manufacturers and retailers to deliver strategic licensed programs to shelf. Established in March 2016, Retail Monster operates office locations out of Los Angeles; New York; Orlando; Bentonville, AR; Minneapolis, MN; and London, United Kingdom.
About CreateOn: CreateOn is a leading children's educational toy manufacturer that empowers kids to explore their artistic talents and develop essential life skills through engaging hands-on experiences. CreateOn offers safe and inspiring magnetic tiles for children to draw, paint, animate, and tell stories, all while fostering self-expression and a love for learning.
For more information and fun inspiration, please visit www.createon.com
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For more information about CreateOn, contact the company here:
CreateOn
Steve Rosen
630-310-8478
srosen@createon.com
500 Quail Hollow Drive
Wheeling IL 60090
