Genius Brands International and Fat Red Couch Launch First Mobile App for Thomas Edison's Secret Lab

BEVERLY HILLS, CA--(Marketwired - November 18, 2015) - Genius Brands International, Inc. ("GBI") (OTCQB: GNUS), a global brand management company dedicated to providing entertaining and enriching 'content with a purpose' for toddlers to tweens, and interactive media publisher FatRedCouch are launching the first mobile app for GBI's new animated children's series, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab.

The Thomas Edison's Secret Lab app captures all of the excitement of scientific experimentation and discovery while encouraging kids to use their imaginations and creativity to investigate, explore and unlock scientific wonders. Featuring a self-contained play environment offering real experiments that can be easily performed at home, games, an interactive inventor library to learn about the greatest inventors of all times and a screening room presenting episodes from the series. The new Thomas Edison's Secret Lab mobile app is available for iOS and Android shows kids that science can be a blast!

"As kids are discovering the fun of Thomas Edison's Secret Lab on Netflix, Comcast Xfinity and public TV stations across the country and in 60 international territories, we also wanted to provide a playful way for kids to experience the series on their handheld devices," said GBI's President of Global Consumer Products Stone Newman. "FatRedCouch did a great job of combining all of the exciting elements of Thomas Edison's Secret Lab into an entertaining and playful interactive app that engages kids and involves them in the series as members of the Secret Lab Kids' Club."

"GBI's premise and development of Thomas Edison's Secret Lab unlocked the creative imaginations of our own development team," added FatRedCouch Founder and CEO Nicole Lundeen. "When you open the secret lab of Thomas Edison, there are no limits to the activities and content you can offer."

The Thomas Edison's Secret Lab mobile app kicks off when the Secret Lab Kids, led by 12-year-old prodigy Angie, crack the secret coded message left behind by genius creator Thomas Edison, opening the door to the inventor's secret laboratory as well as the discovery of a virtual version of Edison and his nearly completed robot, Von Bolt. Mobile app users venture inside the Secret Lab to play with interactive laboratory equipment and discover amazing science experiments and projects that can be conducted in their own home. Moving on to the Library, the app features an interactive animated gallery of famous Scientists and Inventors, sharing interesting factoids from their backgrounds and their work, discoveries and amazing inventions with app users. Demonstrating that science is as fun as it is exciting, the app also offers three (3) wacky games -- Honey Bee Spree which has the Secret Lab Kids help their bee friend pollinate flowers; Kafloooey Ka-Splat -- cranks up the kaloogalator to splat the Secret Lab Kids with Kafloooey!; and Von Bolt's Circuit Switch -- which has users connect the circuits to light up the light bulbs in this flip-tastic challenge!

In the app's HoloCenter, users can meet the Secret Lab Club and preview 3D HoloCards for each cast member. App users can also chose visit the Theater and experience great videos starring Thomas Edison and the Secret Lab Kids, including 6 Music Videos and 6 Episode Clips from the series!

Developed for children ages 5 and up, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab mobile app contains links to the Thomas Edison's Secret Lab website and to the AppStore. The app does not collect or share any location and/or personal data, and does not contain any third-party ads.

Recently launched on Public Broadcasting Stations throughout the U.S., the series, also available through Netflix and the all-new Kid Genius channel on Comcast's Xfinity on Demand, follows Angie, a 12-year-old prodigy, and her young science club after they accidentally discover Thomas Edison's Secret Lab. The 'tricked out' dream lab is equipped with gizmos and gadgets, including two of Edison's very last inventions: a hologram that brings Mr. Edison himself "to life," and a virtual reality machine that lets them go anywhere. Thomas Edison's Secret Lab delivers fun-filled comedy, exploration and adventure to show kids how exciting science can be, encouraging them to explore the possibilities of their own imaginations. It even has a wacky (and slightly nervous) robot called Von Bolt, who becomes part of every adventure. In each of the episodes, Edison encourages and inspires the kids through a variety of scientific and technological explorations and lots of other fun, whacky, wild and engaging topics, School House Rock-style music videos and more, showing kids just how much fun science can be.

Thomas Edison is voiced by American singer, songwriter and Berklee College of Music Professor Livingston Taylor. Emmy-nominated writer Steve Banks (SpongeBob Square Pants) wrote the pilot episode; Grant Moran (Word Girl, New Adventures of the Magic School Bus) and Betsy McGowan (Senior VP Kids' WB!, co-creator Camp Lakebottom) are co-story editors; Emmy Award-winning Michael Maliani (Madeline, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego) serves as co-producer and director; Kevin O'Donnell is the series co-creator; and Emmy Award-winning Mark Young (All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, Tutenstein) serves as co-producer. An academic team led by Professor Emeritus Don Roberts of Stanford University, and Dorothy Singer of Yale, have overseen the development, as well as the episodic content to ensure it meets E/I (educational and informational) standards.

As a fully immersive multi-media property that crosses a variety of platforms to entertain Thomas Edison's Secret Lab's Master Toy partner Wicked Cool Toys will debut a new line of toys in fall 2016. In December 2015, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab makes its debut on DVD and GBI also plans to unveil other new games, activity kits, apparel, publishing, and in-school curriculum programs in 2016. For more information visit www.edisonsecretlab.com.

About Genius Brands International
Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, Genius Brands International, Inc. "GBI" (OTCQB: GNUS) is a publicly traded global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia content for toddlers to tweens. Led by award-winning creators and producers, GBI creates "content and products with a purpose," providing enrichment as well as entertainment. The Company distributes its content worldwide in all formats, as well as a broad range of consumer products based on its characters. GBI's portfolio includes award-winning Baby Genius, recently re-launched with new entertainment and over 40 new products; adventure comedy Thomas Edison's Secret Lab, available on Netflix, public broadcast stations and GBI's Kid Genius channel on Comcast's Xfinity on Demand reaching 21 million households; animated movie Stan Lee's Mighty 7, the first project from Stan Lee Comics, a joint venture with Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment and featuring an all-star voice cast led by legendary Stan Lee; and Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club, created with and starring iconic investor Warren Buffett. The Company is also producing a new animated preschool series based on Llama Llama, the NY Times bestselling children's book franchise; and a tween adventure series Space Pop, featuring original music from renowned industry veteran Ron Fair and his singer-songwriter wife Stefanie Fair.

GBI's wholly owned subsidiary A Squared Entertainment is a brand management and licensing company that represents third-party properties across a broad range of categories in territories around the world. The company currently represents Psycho Bunny, a luxury apparel line, From Frank, a humor greeting card and product line, and Celessence Technologies, the world's leading microencapsulation company.

For additional information please visit www.gnusbrands.com.

About FatRedCouch
Fat Red Couch (http://www.fatredcouch.com) uniquely blends brands and technologies to create innovative entertainment, publishing and educational experiences using digital platforms and durable goods -- a process called Digital+Durable™ -- which includes lines such as the Magic Toy Maker and U of Chew. Some of their other immersive interactive titles include Charlie the Chocolate Chihuahua and Puff, The Magic Dragon's Playground.

FatRedCouch is a proud member of Know What's Inside, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers with family-friendly apps.

Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), not limited to Risk Factors relating to its patent business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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