Baby Shark swims into NFTs with Toekenz

Pinkfong’s IP will debut as a blockchain-based game on Toekenz’s upcoming NFT platform, joining brands from Boat Rocker and Mattel.

By Andrea Hernandez November 29, 2022

South Korea’s Pinkfong Company has inked a licensing agreement that will see its flagship Baby Shark IP featured on Toekenz Collectibles’ upcoming platform that gamifies NFTs.

Toekenz will develop and introduce a blockchain Baby Shark game for kids ages five to nine, and the brand’s characters will also be available as digital collectibles that kids can customize and share with other players.

Targeting kids under age 12 and their families, the Toekenz platform is designed to turn collecting, buying and selling NFTs into a game for kids. It’s set to launch in Q1 2023 through the App Store and Google Play, and will feature blockchain-based games that kids can play to earn licensed digital tokens. The platform will also offer educational resources about new tech like web3, blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

Baby Shark is just the latest major kids brand to get on board with Toekenz, which recently partnered with Canada’s Boat Rocker Media to create NFTs based on its series The Next Step and Daniel Spellbound. And in an even bigger get, Toekenz also signed a deal with Mattel in October for a handful of its franchise brands.

Since the launch of its signature song in 2016, Baby Shark has generated more than 11 billion views on YouTube and expanded into consumer products, animated series and films. This is the brand’s second foray into NFTs. Last year, Pinkfong partnered with digital art marketplace MakersPlace for a range of tokens featuring animated illustrations of Baby Shark and his family, as well as the Baby Shark song.

Boat Rocker expands into NFTs with Toekenz

The Next Step and Daniel Spellbound will get digital collectibles that kids can earn in the upcoming Toekenz platform.

By Andrea Hernandez November 7, 2022

Toronto-based Boat Rocker Media has signed a licensing agreement with LA-based Toekenz Collectibles to bring two of its properties onto Toekenz’s upcoming NFT platform.

Live-action series The Next Step (which spans eight seasons) and animated series Daniel Spellbound (which premiered on Netflix last month) will join the platform as blockchain-based games aimed at kids ages eight to 12. Focused on creativity and self-expression, the games allow kids to earn and collect NFTs while learning about web3, blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

Boat Rocker is partnering with Toekenz because the platform offers a new way for brands to engage with audiences, says Kate Schlomann, EVP of brand management and content marketing. The deal expands the IPs beyond the screen and into digital experiences that teach kids about web3 technology, she adds.

Toekenz’s platform—set to debut before the end of the year—targets Gen Alpha and their families. The platform is designed to let kids collect digital tokens by playing games; buy and sell NFTs based on licensed kids brands and characters; and access educational resources about the tech.

Toekenz is seeking more partnerships with kidcos and has its eye out for brands with co-viewing potential, says CEO Iris Ichishita. The company’s strategy is to build out the platform with brands that will appeal to families interested in playing games and learning about NFTs in a family-friendly space, she says.

This approach is off to a strong start after Toekenz signed a deal with Mattel last month to bring some of its brands to the platform. More brands and characters will be added to the platform in the coming months, says Ichishita.

Looking ahead, Boat Rocker is exploring other ways to expand its brands into NFTs and web3 tech, says Schlomann. “[It’s] an exciting first step in the execution of our broader web3 strategy spanning Boat Rocker brands across all genres.”

Toekenz Collectibles Announces Partnership with Mattel

 

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES, California—October 19, 2022—Toekenz Collectibles and its forthcoming, family-focused digital collectibles application today announced it has entered a licensing partnership with Mattel. Through the partnership, Toekenz will create blockchain-based digital collectibles for children and families featuring some of Mattel’s most iconic brands and characters.

Cofounded by digital content creative Iris Ichishita and cryptocurrency industry expert James Runnels, Toekenz is a technology company that designs and develops on-chain branded experiences for kids and families. Upon its launch in Q42022, Toekenz will be the first family-focused and kid-safe NFT platform, built for end-to-end parental control and featuring user-friendly games and a marketplace.

Toekenz NFTs are multi-chain for maximum flexibility and interoperability as well as minimal environmental impact. Mattel, which owns one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world, was the first toy company to launch NFTs and continues to expand in the Metaverse.

“I am inspired by Mattel’s pursuit of innovative ways to delight families and children,” said Iris Ichishita, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Toekenz. “Mattel’s activations on Toekenz will represent exciting new engagement opportunities in the digital world for their world-class brands.”

New Web 3 technologies like blockchain, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), non-fungible and fungible tokens, will continue to revolutionize how the world interacts. Toekenz provides a safe environment for children to experience Web 3 where they can learn through play and amass digital skills and collectibles, all in preparation for the future.

“We already know that NFTs are a fantastic way for fans to further engage with Mattel brands,” said Mike DeLaet, Global Head of Digital Gaming at Mattel. “Until now, no such platform has existed where parents and children can together discover and learn more about the world of digital collectibles. We are proud to partner with Toekenz as we bring some of the most iconic Mattel IP to their cutting-edge platform.”

“Parents play the starring role in fostering their children’s healthy development – a role that they now need to play in the digital world as well,” said Dr. Laura Jana, a pediatrician, author, advisor to Toekenz, and founding member of the Mattel Medical and Scientific Safety Council. “I am enthused about collaborating with Toekenz to provide parents with a safe, guided and developmentally appropriate opportunity to learn and participate side-by-side in the virtual world of today.”

Toekenz will soon announce other partner licenses in addition to Mattel, which include legacy characters, preschool powerhouses, live-action, and animated content franchises to round out an offering representing the best in global children’s entertainment.
“These are powerful brands utilizing robust technology,” said Adam Raskin, advisor to Toekenz and an investor-collector who owns blue-chip NFTs like Bored Apes, Moonbirds, and Cool Cats. “My kids are infatuated with NFTs. They want to dive into the deep end, but first they must learn how to swim. Toekenz is the perfect place to do that.”

Toekenz, an application with Play-to-Collect™ games, an intergenerational DAO, and metaverse marketplace, will be available to the public in Q4 2022 via the Apple and Google app stores.

About Toekenz Collectibles, LLC
Toekenz is a digital media, content, and tech startup. Through licensing agreements with leading partners, Toekenz connects brands with their target audiences through the creation of blockchain-based digital collectibles, games, and communities. Toekenz is bridging the gap between physical and digital play patterns for families and providing turnkey solutions for partners to enter the metaverse. For additional information, please visit www.toekenz.com.

About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Monster High® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music, and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us online at mattel.com.

Press Contact:
Toekenz
Jeffrey Allen
Jeffrey@toekenz.com

Mattel
Niki Kazakos
Niki.Kazakos@mattel.com

Casey McDonald
Casey.McDonald@mattel.com

Kid-safe platform, TOEKENZ announces the first family-focused NFT marketplace

LOS ANGELES, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Content and tech startup Toekenz Collectibles announced on their website www.toekenz.com the forthcoming launch of TOEKENZ, the first family-focused and kid-safe NFTapplication.

Content and tech startup Toekenz announced the launch of the first family-focused and kid-safe NFT application.

Toekenz will be available by invitation-only beginning in July 2022. The platform and marketplace will include blockchainbased digital collectibles, games, and communities, all centered around popular kid and family brands, as revealed in a Toekenz promo video.

The Toekenz app, which will be available for iOS and Android, will feature intuitive kid-friendly design, a marketplace where  families can buy/sell NFTs, Play-to-Collect™ gaming, Learn-toEarn™ curricula, and a robust, unparalleled set of controls, which give parents complete visibility and peace-of-mind.

Toekenz was built from the ground up for the NFT and crypto-curious, especially the underserved family market

“Toekenz will change who has access to NFTs, lowering the barriers to entry for everyday families, making digital collectibles accessible, and equipping kids with new skills to navigate the metaverse as it evolves,” stated Co-Founder and CEO, Iris Ichishita. “I’m thrilled for my girls to build their first collections,” she said of her two children.

“This is revolutionary,” said Neale Godfrey, advisor to Toekenz Collectibles and Chairperson of the Children’s Financial Network. “In addition to creating the world’s first NFT marketplace for kids, we’re also creating the world’s first intergenerational DAO! A place for kids to get involved with finance and democracy through NFTs.”

The New York Times #1 best-selling author of books teaching kids about money, Godfrey, is talking about a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), an online community with real governance. “Toekenz is an unparalleled opportunity for families to learn about de-fi together,” Godfrey said. “There are lots of places where kids can play around with funny money, but the only way to truly learn is to use real money