Cosmo DeNicola Companies News

Thursday, November 17, 2022

HISENSE AND VIDAA USA TEAM UP WITH CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT TO ADD A CRACKLE-BRANDED BUTTON TO MILLIONS OF REMOTE CONTROLS AND ADD CRACKLE STREAMING SERVICES TO THE VIDAA PLATFORM

Starting in early 2023, consumers will be able to easily access tens of thousands of free movies and TV shows through the Crackle app at the touch of a button

Deal also includes distribution of Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, further scaling their distribution footprint

NEW YORK, NY – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video on demand (AVOD) streaming services, along with VIDAA USA, the company developing and managing the VIDAA platform on Hisense Smart TVs, today announced an agreement to add Crackle streaming services and a Crackle-branded remote control button – providing immediate access to the popular ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) service on devices powered by VIDAA OS. The button will be available starting early next year on millions of Hisense TVs sold in the US.

The companies also announced today that the Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul free ad-supported television (FAST) channels will launch on the VIDAA platform. In the coming weeks, the channels will give consumers in the US free access to the best movies and TV series streaming 24 hours a day – including originals such as Wedding Talk and Going From Broke. The channels will be available on the channel guide of the TV, which reduces the need to toggle between applications while accessing content from different providers. The Crackle AVOD app is now available on the VIDAA service.

“Hisense is known for its high-quality televisions, which are affordable to cost-conscious consumers,” said Adam Mosam, chief digital officer, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The addition of the Crackle app on the VIDAA TV operating system and the remote button will help bring a whole new audience to our service. We have a wide range of amazing content which I know their consumers will enjoy.”

“Providing the best free content in the simplest way to consumers is our mission at VIDAA. Which is why the partnership with Crackle is a great addition to our already large lineup of free VOD content as well as FAST channels,” said Nick Ruczaj, VP of Content at VIDAA USA. “We’ve also made the content easy to discover in our platform’s search engine and will be placing the streaming channels right alongside the broadcast TV networks in the programming guide,” he added.

The VIDAA Smart TV OS is a Linux-based smart TV operating system, powering millions of Smart TVs, including Hisense, Toshiba, Loewe, Supersonic, and hundreds of other Smart TV brands, globally. The independent company VIDAA USA was established in 2019, and it has become a strong global contender in the Smart TV platform category.

Crackle Plus’ recent releases include season 2 of the murder mystery series The Wall, the home renovation series Pet Caves, plus-size mountain climber documentary Kili Big, season 2 of the hit college thriller series In the Vault, the sci-fi series Salvage Marines starring Casper Van Dien, and the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

The Crackle Plus and Redbox streaming services are currently distributed through over 140 touchpoints in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon Fire TV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS, and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com and Redbox.com with plans to expand to over 160 touch points this year.

ABOUT VIDAA

Established in 2019, VIDAA USA is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and is the developer of Smart TV operating systems. Its flagship product, VIDAA TV OS, is currently in its sixth generation and provides advanced solutions to a multitude of leading Smart TV manufacturers globally, including Hisense, JPE, BOE, and TP Vision. Its award-winning Linux based licensed operating system with voice control, applications store, billing, and payments capabilities provides a turnkey solution to factories and brands, including licensed access to leading global and local premium streaming video content providers. VIDAA USA partners include over 100 Smart TV brands and over 400 content providers globally.

For more information, visit @vidaatv Instagram, @vidaatv Facebook, @VIDAATV Twitter, vidaatv Linkedin.

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Crackle Plus Unleashes Streaming Series ‘Pet Caves’ For PetSmart

Makeover show launches on Chicken Soup for the Soul AVOD service September 1

Cats. dogs, bunnies and more are coming to Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s ad-supported VOD service in Pet Caves, a new series created with sponsor PetSmart.

Pet Caves is hosted by pet behaviorist Kayla Oliver and celebrity design architect Nina Ferrer, who help animal lovers makeover rooms in their homes to accommodate their mostly furry family members.

In each episode, Oliver–who once worked at PetSmart no less–and Ferrer go to a PetSmart store for items and accessories they need to provide critter comforts.

The show will debut exclusively on the Chicken Soup for the Soul free streaming service, which is available on Vizio and Samsung smart TVs, starting September 1. Pet Caves will also be available for free on Sept. 15 via the company’s Crackle service. Redbox, recently acquired by Chicken Soup for Soul Entertainment, will also stream the show later this fall.

Darren Olive, executive VP of national sales and strategy for Crackle Plus, the Chicken Soup for the Soul division responsible for its streaming business, told Broadcasting+Cable that the idea for the show grew out of an annual meeting with PetSmart, already an ad client.

Chicken Soup for the Soul’s family-friendly programming over-indexes with pet owners and PetSmart was looking to reach audiences that no longer watch traditional television.

Crackle Plus hatched its Chicken Soup for the Soul AVOD network earlier this year, and “it really fit well into their initiative to target families in an environment that’s brand safe and trusted,” Olive said.

With streaming, Crackle is able to use pet ownership as a behavioral target to zero in on the consumers PetSmart is looking to reach.

In its discussions with Crackle Plus, PetSmart also said it was interested in integrating its brand direction into original programming, Olive said.

“We had been in development of the show Pet Caves kind of serendipitously as part of a push to do more branded content on our AVOD and fast channels,” Olive said. The show was a doggone good fit with the PetSmart tagline “Anything for Pets.”

“We said 'hey, we’ve got this show. It aligns really well with your tagline and what you’re looking to do.' It was an aha moment for us,” he said.

On top of that, Chicken Soup for the Soul has its own brand of pet food, which is sold at PetSmart. The Chicken Soup for the Soul brand pet food is being integrated into the series as well, Olive said.

“At PetSmart, we’re always seeking innovative ways to connect with pet parents and share our unrivaled expertise and love for pets,” says PetSmart senior vice president and chief marketing officer Will Smith. “Home is truly where our pets are, and what better way to show we’ll do anything for pets than by shining a light on the stories of people who revitalize their homes just for their furry, feathered, or scaly family friends? That’s exactly what Pet Caves does.”

In addition to being integrated into the show, PetSmart will be presenting the show with limited commercial interruptions. It will also get other show-adjacent opportunities, including custom billboards and pause ads (paws ads?) that show a static message from PetSmart when viewers pause the show.

Petsmart will also be featured in custom tune in ads and its commercials will run on Popcornflix and Red Box in addition to the Chicken Soup for the Soul and Crackle Channels.

Crackle Plus is also providing PetSmart with 20 short-form clips from the show it will distribute over its own social channels and internally to its employees.

Crackle Plus and PetSmart mutually agreed to have the show produced by TeamSheed Productions, a black-owned production company Crackle Plus had worked with before.

TeamSheed helped Crackle Plus and PetSmart showcase a diverse set of families as well as a broad range of pets, including a bearded iguana.

“We saw Pet Caves as a great opportunity to work with two beloved brands, Chicken Soup for the Soul Studios and PetSmart,” said Rasheed J. Daniel, principal and executive producer for Teamsheed. “As a black-owned business, we were also attracted to the diversity not only reflected in the show but also the values reflected in both of these esteemed organizations.”

It was also a stroke of luck that co-host Kayla Oliver had once worked at a PetSmart. “She had a great understanding of the brand and the company, so it was just this perfect marriage and perfect partnership,” Olive said. “We're hoping to springboard into a whole, a whole series of new shows and movies.”

Olive declined to say how much PetSmart is spending on Pet Caves, but said the retailer is now the company’s largest media partner in the pet category.

Pet Caves is executive produced by Rasheed J. Daniel of TeamSheed Productions and Michael Winter for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. Corey Noll and Lexi Brown serve as co-executive producers, and the series is distributed globally by Screen Media.

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Crackle Plus and PetSmart to Launch New Original Makeover Series Pet Caves

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) today announced it has partnered with PetSmart to create a 10-episode series celebrating pet parents who will do anything for their furry friends. Pet Caves will premiere exclusively on Chicken Soup for the Soul - a free AVOD streaming TV service available on VIZIO and Samsung-connected TVs beginning September 1. The series will also be available on demand for free on September 15 via Crackle on CTVs, mobile and tablet devices as well as at Crackle.com.

Featuring pet owners transforming a space in their home to make their pets as happy as their pets make them, Pet Caves is hosted by Atlanta-based pet behaviorist Kayla Oliver and celebrity design architect Nina Ferrer (HGTV’s Design Star and Clean House New York). In each episode, Kayla and Nina visit a PetSmart store to outfit the dazzling domicile with all the latest and greatest pet necessities and accessories. Dogs, cats, bunnies, and even a bearded dragon all get the white glove treatment to turn their living space into their own private pet paradise.

In addition to PetSmart products and services highlighted in each episode, the series will also feature strategic media buys and other tailored content from PetSmart across Crackle Plus’ network of streaming services.

“We saw Pet Caves as a great opportunity to work with two beloved brands, Chicken Soup for the Soul Studios and PetSmart,” said Rasheed J. Daniel, principal, and executive producer for Teamsheed. “As a black-owned business, we were also attracted to the diversity not only reflected in the show but also the values reflected in both of these esteemed organizations.”

“Our partnership with PetSmart perfectly reflects our commitment to provide like-minded brand partners with the opportunity to act as creative collaborators on our quality programming and to pursue unique integrations,” said Darren Olive, executive vice president of National Sales and Strategy for Crackle Plus. “We continue to double down on bringing a fresh viewing experience to our audience who are not only savvy consumers but are also interested in the ways in which content can go beyond the screen.”

The series is executive produced by Rasheed J. Daniel of TeamSheed Productions and Michael Winter for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. Corey Noll and Lexi Brown serve as co-executive producers, and the series is distributed globally by Screen Media.

Crackle Plus’ recent releases include the plus-size mountain climber documentary Kili Big, season 2 of the hit college thriller series In the Vault, the exclusive scripted series Les Norton, starring Rebel Wilson, the sci-fi series Salvage Marines starring Casper Van Dien, Inside the Black Box, hosted by Joe Morton, and the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Crackle Plus also recently announced season three of the award-winning series Going From Broke.

The Crackle Plus and Redbox streaming services are currently distributed through over 140 touchpoints in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon Fire TV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS, and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com and Redbox.com, with plans to expand to over 160 touchpoints.

ABOUT PETSMART

PetSmart LLC is the leading pet retailer offering products, services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so together they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities.

PetSmart operates approximately 1,660 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. We provide a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products as well as services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp™ and pet adoption.

PetSmart, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada work with nearly 4,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated over 10 million adoptions, more than any other brick-and-mortar organization.

ABOUT TEAMSHEED

TeamSheed Productions is a full-service production company dedicated to premium reality, commercial, film, and documentary content. Launched in 2020, Teamsheed’s vision is to continually redefine storytelling by offering a solution to proper representation bundled with a history of battle-tested production strategies and hit-making execution. TeamSheed is a private Black-owned company with production and development partners across the US.

Monday, March 28, 2022

Screen Media and BBC Studios Sign Multi-Year Content Deal,Bringing 2,500+ Hours of Premium Content toAll Crackle Plus Streaming Services

Several-year agreement features U.S. premieres and several exclusives,

including ‘Ripper Street’ and ‘A Life in Ten Pictures’

COS COB, CT – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks, today announced a multi-year content deal with BBC Studios that will bring more than 2,500 hours of premium content to all current and future Crackle Plus streaming services including Crackle, Popcornflix, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Crackle Plus, also a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company, is one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand networks.

This announcement comes on the heels of another major deal between the two sides that saw the exclusive rights to the popular series Sherlock go to Crackle Plus.

More than 300 hours of content will be available to viewers for free on the various Crackle Plus streaming services beginning in April, including the award-winning, critically acclaimed mystery series Ripper Street starring Matthew MacFadyen (Succession), several seasons of which will be streaming only on the Crackle Plus streaming services. In addition, A Life in Ten Pictures, will have its exclusive U.S. premiere in June on the services. More content will be added each month throughout the multi-year agreement.

The deal will also include: all seasons of BAFTA Award-winning series Happy Valley, starring BAFTA Award winning actress Sarah Lancashire and SAG award winning actress Siobhan Finneran; the crime mini-series From Darkness, starring BAFTA award-winning actress Anne-Marie Duff and Johnny Harris; and the first five seasons of the long running crime series Silent Witness, originally starring Amanda Burton. In addition, the 2014-16 action/drama series The Musketeers, and drama series The Coroner, created by Sally Abbott who wrote on EastEnders, will be available to audiences as part of the pact.

“The BBC has been producing highly sought-after content for years and we expect this content to perform exceptionally well on our streaming services,” said William J. Rouhana Jr, chief executive officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The long-term nature of this agreement enables us to plan ahead to maximize the value of the content to our viewers as well as our advertisers, the BBC, and us.”

“We are ecstatic to bring to the Crackle Plus audience premium content from the BBC,” said David Fannon, president of Screen Media. “With the Benedict Cumberbatch series, Sherlock, their extensive catalog of quality series and movies, and brand new titles that have yet to be released, this agreement provides Chicken Soup for the Soul with a wide array of unique and high quality content. Screen Media could not be happier than to announce this agreement with the BBC.”

Dina Vangelisti, executive vice president, content sales, BBC Studios said: “Through this multi-year partnership with Screen Media, we are making it even easier for customers to discover and access our robust programming catalog. The best of British content has never been easier to find in the Americas, and we’re excited by this new relationship with a leading AVOD service.”

Screen Media is the exclusive supplier of original content to Crackle Plus streaming services. Recent titles from Screen Media that have premiered on Crackle include the Crackle Originals Vince Carter: Legacy, Playing with Power and Insomnia, as well as the exclusives The Mercy starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, Tom Hardy-led Taboo, international thriller series The Platform and disaster film Skyfire, starring Jason Isaacs.

ABOUT SCREEN MEDIA VENTURES, LLC

Screen Media Ventures, LLC, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company, acquires the rights to high quality, independent television series and feature films. Screen Media Ventures acquires worldwide rights for distribution through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, video-on-demand, and new digital media platforms. The company acquires AVOD rights for third party networks and is the main supplier of content for Crackle Plus and other Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment properties. With a library of over 1,500 television series and motion pictures, Screen Media Ventures is one of the largest independent suppliers of high-quality tv series and motion pictures to U.S. and international broadcast markets, cable networks, home video outlets and new media venues. For more information, visit: www.screenmedia.net

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Content-Rich Streaming Service Chicken Soup for the Soul to Feature Thousands of Hours of Television and Movies

New Streaming Service to Feature Exclusive Programming from Kin Community, Reel One, Chicken Soup for the Soul Originals, and the Sonar Library

COS COB, CT – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks, today announced that its free ad-supported Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming service AVOD will launch shortly with thousands of hours of family-friendly movies and television series including, feel-good movies, food, home and travel series, lifestyle and parenting shows. Hundreds of hours of exclusive content will be from Kin Community, Reel One, the Sonar library, and Chicken Soup for the Soul Originals. The Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming service is currently available as a FAST channel on Plex, FreeCast, Redbox, LG Channels, Stirr, XUMO, VIZIO’s free streaming service, WatchFree+, with the VOD launch of the service coming soon.

“When planning the launch of the Chicken Soup for the Soul AVOD streaming service, we set the bar very high,” said Jeff Meier, head of programming for Crackle Plus. “We exceeded our own expectations and are launching with a substantial amount of high-quality content with well-known stars and TV personalities that we believe will be the perfect fit for our audience.”

One of the new original series launches from Kin Community will be Comfort Kitchen hosted by Tia Mowry (Sister, Sister and Family Reunion) who will take viewers into her kitchen, teaching them to make all her favorite home-cooked recipes, with celebrity guests pitching in to chop, stir, and taste. New episodes of this series will premiere on the streaming service. Kin Community, a leader in celebrity-driven lifestyle programming, will also be providing hundreds of hours of lifestyle content on an AVOD exclusive basis such as All Things Adrienne with Adrienne Houghton (The Cheetah Girls, The Masked Singer), Hello Hunnay with Jeannie May (The Real), Side By Side with Malika (Sky High, ATL) and Khadijah (Sky High, Happy Feet), as well as many others.

“Tia Mowry's Comfort Kitchen is the perfect series to launch Kin's partnership with Chicken Soup for the Soul," said Michael Wayne, chief executive officer of Kin Community. "The combination of a world-class talent like Tia and Kin's premium lifestyle programming will help build meaningful audiences for Chicken Soup's new AVOD offering.”

On the scripted front, Chicken Soup for the Soul will feature original movies from Reel One Entertainment, a global production company that specializes in scripted dramatic content enjoyed by millions of viewers worldwide. These original titles will be premiering one per month and will be the first of a series of additional original scripted shows to be announced. Titles from Reel One Entertainment will include For the Love of Chocolate, Love Afloat, A Priceless Love, A Slice of Chicago Romance, Love for Starters, A Bouquet of Love, Love Map, A Snapshot of Forever, Love Amongst the Stars, The Beauty of Love, Love at the Ranch, and Love in Full Swing.

“The team from Reel One is enthusiastic to be working with the Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming service,” said Tom Berry, chief executive officer of Reel One Entertainment. “Their vibrantly loyal audience is a perfect fit for the fun and romantic themes our titles will represent as original content on their network. We’re so excited to play a part in the historic launch of this entertainment destination.”

Classic series and movies from the Sonar library such as Mothers and Daughters (Susan Sarandon, Sharon Stone, Courteney Cox, Christina Ricci, Selma Blair, Mira Sorvino), Morning Glory (Christopher Reeve, Deborah Raffin), My Boyfriend’s Back (Sandy Duncan, Jill Eikenberry, Judith Light), and more will be available on the streaming service. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment acquired the Sonar library in April of 2021 and brought over 1400 hours of content composed of over 600 titles with 268 Emmy and 16 Golden Globe wins.

Chicken Soup for the Soul will bring home to its own streaming service Chicken Soup for the Soul Originals such as Hidden Heroes, Animal Tales, The New Americans, Project Dad, and Going From Broke executive produced with Ashton Kutcher. Premiering on AVOD on the streaming service will be the newest Chicken Soup for the Soul Original Smart Home Nation, produced by Efran Films in association with Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and Parkside Entertainment, and hosted by Tanya Memme,

“The programming coming from Kin, Reel One and our Sonar library are great examples of the type of content fans can expect to see on Chicken Soup for the Soul’s streaming service,” said Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle Plus. “We’ve already started introducing the brand as a FAST channel and we’re launching a branded Chicken Soup “tray” on Crackle, to give fans easy access to the content as it rolls out wide with additional partners over the next few months.”

The Crackle Plus streaming services are currently distributed through 60 touch points in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, VIZIO), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com, with previously announced plans to expand to over 80 touch points. Crackle is also available in approximately 500,000 hotel rooms in the Marriott Bonvoy chain.

Monday, July 19, 2021

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Expands International Plans by Acquiring Crackle International Trademarks From Sony Pictures

COS COB, CT – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks, today announced the acquisition of Crackle international trademarks from CPE Holdings, Inc (“Sony Pictures”) in over 50 countries covering Australia, Asia, Europe, and South America.

“We are accelerating our growth by making a big commitment to offer our AVOD networks worldwide,” said William J. Rouhana Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “We already owned the international trademarks to our Popcornflix and Chicken Soup for the Soul networks as well as the trademarks for the U.S. and Canada for Crackle. By acquiring the international trademarks for Crackle, we are now in a position to offer all three of our primary networks across the globe. We have already begun discussions with international broadcasters and other media companies regarding these plans.”

Monday, July 19, 2021

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Announces Proposed Public Offering of Common Stock

COS COB, CT – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”, Nasdaq: CSSE), a leading operator of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks, today announced that it intends to offer and sell shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering. All of the shares to be sold in the offering will be offered by the Company. The offering is subject to market conditions and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering. In addition, the Company intends to grant the underwriters a thirty-day option to purchase up to an additional 15 percent of shares of its common stock offered in the public offering.

Guggenheim Securities and Needham & Company are acting as joint book-running managers for this offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s Crackle Plus Announces New Slate of Original Programming

Upcoming Slate of Original Content Includes New Sports Docu-series ‘Promiseland’ and ‘Vince Carter: Legacy’, Featuring Respectively Ja Morant and Vince Carter, and The Unscripted Show ‘Inside the Black Box’, Which Explores the Role Race Plays In The Entertainment Industry

Publishing Megabrand ‘Chicken Soup for The Soul’ To Bring Its Original Mission Of “Changing the World One Story at The Time” To A New Streaming Network In The Fall

COS COB, CT – Crackle Plus, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) company and one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks, made multiple announcements today during its NewFronts presentation, including a diverse new slate of original and exclusive programming, and the launch of a new Chicken Soup for the Soul AVOD network.

Crackle Plus has more than doubled its content offerings on its AVOD networks Crackle and Popcornflix, and added over 200 hours of original and exclusive programming in the past year.

As part of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Crackle Plus uniquely sources its original content from sister companies Screen Media Ventures, a leading content distribution company, Landmark Studio Group, a production company of premium scripted and unscripted content, and recently announced Halcyon Television led by industry veteran David Ellender.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, also recently announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire the film and television assets of Sonar Entertainment, Inc. (Sonar). The Sonar library includes 700 movies and 1800 TV episodes which have earned a total of 446 Emmy Nominations, 104 Emmy Awards and 15 Golden Globes. The Sonar assets will expand Crackle Plus original television content offering and position the company to launch additional AVOD networks as well as provide a faster path to growing its international presence.

The combination of movie exclusives and original unscripted content propelled Crackle to one of its best years ever. Exclusive AVOD titles Crown Vic, Grand Isle and Elliott: The Littlest Reindeer were popular amongst Crackle viewers, delivering #1 titles for the streaming service. Standout inspiring unscripted series included Road to Race Day, On Point, Anything is Possible: The Serge Ibaka Story and Bucket List.

“Crackle has been pioneering original programming on AVOD for nearly a decade,” said Jeff Meier, head of programming for Crackle Plus. “We’ve always believed in the combined power of originals and a strong, diverse library of content that keep viewers coming back for more.”

With original unscripted programming, sports docu-series and exclusive feature films, Crackle has built a deep pipeline of unique, diverse and inspiring new content to entertain and empower its viewers. At NewFronts, Crackle Plus shared its plans to develop and produce new and returning original series and feature films with diverse storylines and audiences in mind. These include:

Unscripted and documentaries

Following award-winning original series, Going From Broke, critically-acclaimed film After the Murder of Albert Lima and electrifying docu-series Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story, Crackle returns with a diverse slate of unscripted shows and documentaries for 2021:

Going From Broke

Season two of Going From Broke is executive produced by Ashton Kutcher and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. Premiering Thursday, May 20, co-hosts Dan Rosensweig, CEO of Chegg, and Tonya Rapley, entrepreneur, help people facing extreme debt overcome crippling financial struggles to become CEOs of their own lives.

Riding Phat

Riding Phat follows the hectic entrepreneurial journey of the Phat Scooter company as they strive to become the nation’s top electric scooter company by designing, building, and delivering eye-catching scooters to fun-seeking pro athletes and celebrity clients including NASCAR great Michael Waltrip, NFL legend Tedy Bruschi, and NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins.

The Uncommon History of Very Common Things

Did you know that scissors were invented by Leonardo da Vinci? That high heels date back to Ancient Egypt? And what do chocolate bars have to do with the invention of the microwave oven? Each half-hour episode of The Uncommon History of Very Common Things examines the unknown, sometimes shocking, often irreverent, and always entertaining history of the everyday items that make up our lives.

Inside the Black Box

Created and hosted by beloved acting coach Tracey Moore and Emmy-winning actor Joe Morton, Inside the Black Box spotlights the world’s greatest Black artists within the entertainment industry. From actors, producers and directors to writers and musicians, the series features A-list guests like Sherri Shepherd, Kerry Washington and Tamara Tunie. Each episode is filled with revealing conversations on trials and triumphs, performance workshops, and honest discussions about being Black in Hollywood.

Sports Docu-series

On Point, Crackle’s most-watched series of 2020, and Bucket List hosted by Brian “The Boz” Bosworth, evidenced the strong demand for sports docu-series. 2021 premieres include:

Vince Carter: Legacy

Vince Carter: Legacy explores the fantastic highs and unsettling lows of 8-time All-Star and slam dunk champion, Vince Carter, as he looks back on his record-breaking 22-season professional basketball career.

Promiseland

The visceral, intimate and all-access coming of age story of 2020 NBA rookie sensation Ja Morant follows him from the eve of his NBA debut, through his Rookie of the Year crowning and shares the amazing experiences of his debut season.

The Green Wave

The Green Wave tells the incredible true comeback story of the Summerville High School basketball team after their coach, Louis Mulkey, a dedicated firefighter, dies in a catastrophic fire.

The Machine

After a century of excellence, Long Beach Poly, the most storied sports high school in American history, finds itself backed into a wall. The underfunded public school is struggling to maintain dominance in a field that contains million dollar private school programs with players recruited from all across the states. The series follows players and coaches as they set out to prove that Long Beach Poly is still a force to be reckoned with.

Feature films

Crackle Plus also announced exclusive AVOD streaming rights to premium feature films, including:

Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren and Stimpy Story starring Jim Ballantine and Ed Bell

Skyfire starring Jason Isaacs, Bee Rogers, and Alice Rietveld

The Jesus Rolls starring John Turturro and Bobby Cannavale

Bel Canto starring Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe

Colonia starring Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl

Senior Moment starring William Shatner and Jean Smart

Trigger Point starring Barry Pepper and Laura Vandervoort

Eat Wheaties starring Tony Hale, Alan Tudyk and Elisha Cuthbert

Cagefighter starring Gina Gershon and Brenna Coates

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Announces Accelerated and Expanded Distribution Rollout of Crackle Plus Networks

Crackle Plus Networks Available at 41 Distribution Touchpoints with an Additional 23 Contracted

COS COB, CT – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (“AVOD”) networks, today reported that it has increased its distribution of its Crackle Plus AVOD networks to 41 touchpoints, above its prior target, and now is expanding this initiative with plans to reach a total of 64 consumer touchpoints.

The Crackle Plus networks, including Crackle and Popcornflix, are available on a variety of platforms and services as both linear and VOD offerings. Crackle Plus networks are always free and offer a wide selection of hit movies, TV series, and original and exclusive programming. Expansion of Crackle Plus’s distribution is a key part of the Company’s broader marketing strategy to drive more viewers to its original and exclusive content.

“Our company has found that distribution has proven to drive increased viewership of our networks, and can bring up to hundreds of thousands of new viewers over time. From leading digital platforms to major cable providers and smart TV manufacturers, we are adding partners that we expect to drive new viewers to our Crackle and Popcornflix networks. As a result, we have reset our goal to now target 64 total touchpoints by the end of this year,” said William J. Rouhana, chief executive officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “We are seeing encouraging early results from our overall efforts to increase viewership, including a significant increase in viewership of our Crackle network in February over January of this year.”

“Our aim is to make our free movie and TV content available to all viewers on all available platforms, including streaming devices, game consoles, connected TVs and FAST networks. As we add new distribution touchpoints and develop both new AVOD and linear channel offerings, we continue to make it easier for consumers to find us,” said Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle Plus. “In doing so, we are capturing a growing audience of unique, hard-to-reach consumers for our advertising partners.”

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Crackle Plus Adds SpotX to Monetize OTT Inventory Across New Distribution Channels

Leading Global Video Advertising Platform Connects Advertisers with Crackle Plus Premium Inventory Distributed Across FAST Channels

NEW YORK, NY — SpotX, the leading global video advertising platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Crackle Plus to serve as a primary supply-side platform (SSP) to power the video monetization of Crackle Plus inventory across both existing and new distribution channels.

Crackle Plus, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company, linear and VOD networks are available in the US and can be accessed on up to 29 devices and services including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, and VIZIO), gaming consoles (PS4 and XBox One), iOS and Android mobile devices, and on desktop at Crackle.com. Crackle is also available in approximately 500,000 hotel rooms in the Marriott Bonvoy chain.

Crackle Plus is enhancing Crackle and Popcornflix’s video-on-demand (VOD) experiences, as it expands its marketing activities into the new world of free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels. Crackle Plus recently announced new VOD and linear distribution on fuboTV, Philo, Plex, VIDAA, VIZIO Watch Free, and XUMO.

By unlocking content on these platforms and making it easily discoverable, Crackle Plus is making its content available to up to 60+ million new viewers across these new linear and VOD distribution channels in 2021.

As part of the part of the agreement, Crackle Plus will use Total Connect+, a new capability SpotX has brought to market powered by joint efforts between video ad server SpringServe and SpotX, to intelligently route inventory across these new distribution channels while powering the programmatic enablement of the newly unlocked inventory. Total Connect+ enables server-to-server connections with SSPs, as well as advanced podding features, synced campaigns, united audience data, and forecasting.

Crackle Plus is also packaging premium content and overlaying third-party data via SpotX’s Audience Management Engine (AME) to enrich its inventory and create audience-enabled programmatic guaranteed campaigns with specific market segments. Crackle Plus’ programmatic capabilities include targeting by genre and deal IDs powered by SpotX, data-layered measurement support for attribution and analysis transparency, with series- and show-level reporting capabilities currently in development.

“SpotX’s programmatic infrastructure, data enablement capabilities, and expert service have positioned them as a highly-valued monetization partner,” said Darren Olive, EVP of National Advertising Sales & Strategy at Crackle Plus. “Together, SpotX and SpringServe also offer state-of-the-art ad serving and inventory management, and we are excited to deploy SpotX’s sophisticated header bidding solution, Total Connect+, to maximize yield and campaign performance for all our ad partners.”

“Crackle Plus continues to lead the AVOD streaming service providers in delivering unique reach across its top original and exclusive programming. Their content has exceptionally high engagement and time spent on the platform by audiences is growing rapidly,” said Mike Laband, SVP of Platform at SpotX. “Their premium, brand-safe inventory is particularly appealing to advertisers because it offers little overlap with traditional broadcasters, thus providing incremental reach against the increasing audience of cord-cutters. We are also very excited to add Crackle’s new live streaming supply that will further increase the scale of its private marketplaces.”

About SpotX

SpotX is the leading video advertising platform shaping digital video and the future of TV globally. The company’s solutions enable media owners to monetize content across all screens and streams while providing advertisers with direct access to brand-safe, premium inventory. With best-in-class technology purpose-built for video, SpotX’s trusted, privacy-compliant solutions are employed by some of the largest media owners in the world including A+E Networks, Crackle Plus, The CW Network, Dentsu CCI, Discovery, Fox Corporation, fuboTV, LG, Microsoft, Newsy, Pluto TV, Roku, Samsung, Sling TV, and Vudu. In the US, SpotX works with nearly all major OTT stakeholders and reaches 4 out of 5 viewers of ad-supported CTV, or 70 million households. SpotX is a subsidiary of Bertelsmann’s RTL Group and is headquartered in Denver with 10 offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC regions. Learn more at www.spotx.tv.