Genius Brands International and Toys"R"Us Announce Distribution Deal of Its Hit Brand, SpacePOP

BEVERLY HILLS, CA--(Marketwired - November 22, 2016) - Genius Brands International, Inc. "Genius Brands" (NASDAQ: GNUS), a global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia entertainment content for children, announced today that it is gearing up for the holiday season with a mass retail launch of its new, music-driven tween brand, SpacePOP, at Toys"R"Us® stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com on December 1, 2016.

The launch features a vast array of products from the SpacePOP brand-a hit among tweens with over 10 million YouTube channel views-including:

• SpacePOP beauty and bath products (Taste Beauty)
• Books, with the launch of the second SpacePOP chapter book Rockin' The Rebellion (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)
• Blind bags (Commonwealth/License 2 Play)
• Deluxe collector fashion dolls of the five princesses (Madame Alexander)
• Headphones and microphones (KIDdesigns)
• Bags, backpacks and water bottles (FAB Starpoint)
• Socks, umbrellas and cold weather accessories (Berkshire Fashions)
• Activity sets (Canal Toys)
• Board games and puzzles (Goliath)
• Novelty candy (Flix Candy) and DVDs (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Additionally, all new music CDs will be available, including an exclusive version of the SpacePOP soundtrack that features a single from YouTube sensation Angelic (Sony Music/Legacy Recordings).

To support the launch at Toys"R"Us, Genius Brands has integrated the product line into the SpacePOP entertainment content, which is available on YouTube and across digital platforms- Kabillion Girls Rule!, Toon Goggles, PopJam, BatteryPOP, and Kid Genius channel on Comcast. The new line will also be promoted in a digital marketing campaign, featuring product in videos of YouTube influencers, such as Sophia Grace and Angelic.

"Bringing SpacePOP to the mass market through Toys"R"Us is exactly what we envisioned when creating our unique brand. They recognized the potential and shared our vision and are the perfect retail partner to engage our millions of fans beyond the screen, as well as introduce new girls to the SpacePOP sensation," said Genius Brands' President of Global Consumer Products, Worldwide Content Sales & Marketing, Stone Newman. "We have no doubt that our robust line of high quality products, that speak to our audience of girls who love fashion, friendship, music and adventure, will top many holiday wish lists this season."

The SpacePOP series was developed with best-in-class development and production teams, including Emmy Award-nominated Steve Banks (head writer and story editor of Sponge Bob Square Pants) as content writer; Han Lee (Pink Fizz, Bobby Jack) for original character designs; multiple Grammy Award-winning producer and music veteran Ron Fair (Fergie, Mary J. Blige, Black Eyed Peas, Pussycat Dolls, Christina Aguilera and more) together with his singer songwriter spouse Stefanie Fair (founding member of RCA's girl group Wild Orchid with Fergie) for the original SpacePOP theme music; and veteran music producer and composer John Loeffler (Kidz Bop, Pokémon) for original songs.

SpacePOP is comprised of over 100 serialized adventures featuring original music woven into a narrative that follows five teenage princesses who disguise themselves as musicians and form a band while they secretly plot to vanquish an evil Empress who is seeking to enslave the galaxy. SpacePOP offers a colorful blend of music, fashion, beauty, friendship and intergalactic adventures resulting in an engaging lifestyle brand.

This past summer, Genius Brands launched SpacePOP with a number of marketing initiatives that included a YouTube influencer campaign; national promotional partnerships with Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, Dippin' Dots and Camplified; promotional campaigns with Musical.ly and PopJam; robust social media campaign and the debut of a dedicated SpacePOP site, SpacePOPGirls.com.

About Genius Brands International

Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, Genius Brands International, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNUS) is a publicly traded global brand management company that creates and licenses multimedia content for children. Led by award-winning creators and producers, the Company distributes its content worldwide in all formats, as well as a broad range of consumer products based on its characters. In the children's media sector, Genius Brands International's portfolio features "content with a purpose" for toddlers to tweens, which provides enrichment as well as entertainment, including tween music-driven brand SpacePOP; preschool property Llama Llama to debut on Netflix; award-winning Baby Genius, re-launched with new entertainment and over 40 new products; adventure comedy Thomas Edison's Secret Lab®, available on Netflix, public broadcast stations and Genius Brands International's Kid Genius channel on Comcast's Xfinity on Demand; and Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club, created with and starring iconic investor Warren Buffett. The Company is also co-producing an all-new adult animated series, Stan Lee's Cosmic Crusaders, with Stan Lee's Pow! Entertainment and The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, under Genius Brands International's wholly owned subsidiary, A Squared Entertainment, the Company represents third-party properties, including From Frank, a humor greeting card and product line; and Celessence Technologies, the world's leading micro encapsulation company, across a broad range of categories in territories around the world. For additional information please visit www.gnusbrands.com.

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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