WILDBRAIN APPOINTS ERIN MORRIS AS VICE PRESIDENT STRATEGIC GLOBAL FRANCHISE & RETAIL

WildBrain  has appointed licensing executive, Erin Morris, to the newly created role of Vice President, Strategic Franchise and Retail. Morris brings over 25 years’ experience developing and driving successful commercial, retail and franchise strategies for kids’ and family brands in the entertainment space, having previously led strategies for retail and consumer products divisions at many of the industry’s largest players, including Disney, DreamWorks and Twentieth Century Fox.

In her role at WildBrain, Morris will lead the talented teams responsible for planning and implementing global growth strategies for key WildBrain franchises, including Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies. She will play a central role in optimizing long-range commercial plans to expand the global footprint of WildBrain’s key franchises, collaborating closely with teams across the company to leverage the advantages of WildBrain’s 360° structure across Content Creation, Audience Engagement and Global Licensing.

Working closely with WildBrain’s global licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG, as well as with local agencies, Morris will also lead licensing and commercialization strategies for WildBrain’s key franchises in Latin America and with major US retail partners, including Walmart, Target, Kohls and Amazon. Based in Los Angeles, Morris reports to Tim Erickson, Executive Vice President, Peanuts Worldwide & WildBrain Brands. Her remit is exclusive of the Peanuts brand, one of WildBrain’s key franchises, managed by Peanuts Worldwide.

Erickson said: “The work our franchise and licensing teams have done over the last few years to drive strong growth and engagement for Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies has been remarkable. Erin joining our team marks the next phase of our franchise growth strategy. She is well known across the industry as an experienced licensing and merchandising executive, brand strategist, deal maker and retail business leader who gets results through forward-thinking strategies. Her rich history in driving consumer products and retail successes for major entertainment companies in territories around the world makes Erin an ideal addition to our team as we look to further accelerate the growth of our franchises worldwide.”

Morris said: “I’ve long admired WildBrain’s portfolio of iconic franchises, especially Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies, and I am excited to lead the teams driving the impressive growth of these beloved brands. I believe that, given WildBrain’s extensive capabilities in driving brand engagement and licensing partnerships, the opportunity exists to build on this strong foundation to take the commercialization of these franchises to the next level. I look forward to working with teams across the company to help drive that next phase of global growth.”

Elizabeth Litten Miller, Vice President, Franchise Strategy, and her team continue to lead the marketing strategy for WildBrain’s Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies, reporting to Morris.