Multiple Deals Secured for MarcoPolo Learning's STEAM Educational Television Series 'The Polos'

'The Polos' Expands Immersive Learning Curricula to Early Learners in 70 Territories

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Jun 18, 2019, 10:00 ET

LONDON, June 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning global educational media company, MarcoPolo Learning, has announced that Boat Rocker Studios has secured a number of major broadcast deals for MarcoPolo's animated preschool series "The Polos," a 52 x 5" episode, CG-animated STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) curriculum television series.

"The Polos" is co-produced and distributed globally by leading media company Boat Rocker Studios, a strategic investor in MarcoPolo Learning and its subsidiaries, Jam Filled Entertainment and Radical Sheep Productions. Boat Rocker has secured broadcast deals with Discovery Family Channel (USA), where the series will premiere in July, and also with Nat Geo Kids (Pan Latin America), Viacom 18 (India), CJ E&M (Korea), PCCW Media (Hong Kong) and Dreamia (Portugal).

These significant distribution deals represent an important phase in MarcoPolo Learning's cross-platform strategy, designed to seamlessly reach as many children as possible worldwide by offering complementary interactive and video content across all touchpoints for millennial parents.

Justin Hsu, CEO and Co-Founder, MarcoPolo Learning says: "Our mission is to channel the power of digital learning in order to spread curiosity about the natural world around a structured STEAM curriculum. That curiosity is essential to the development of the core competencies children will need to make positive future contributions in our 21st-century world. These sizeable deals are a fantastic first step towards helping us realize our global objectives."

Michel Pratte, Chief Revenue Officer, Boat Rocker Media, says: "We have been big believers in MarcoPolo's strategy, and this brand extension through the Polos into global TV solidifies our belief that premium IP must truly be global and multiplatform."

Developed by renowned PhDs in early childhood education, "The Polos" follows the adventures of an inventive group of animated friends who explore the wonders of the natural world through STEAM-centric "road trips."

Executive produced by Backyardigans creator Janice Burgess, with music by Little Leviathan, the songwriters of Disney Jr's 'Doc McStuffins," "The Polos" features a unique mix of 3D animation and live-action footage. It stars six characters—Marco, Willow, Gorby, Chester, Lily and Nash—who travel in their transforming vehicle, the PoloMobile, from their digital world to explore the natural world. Each adventure teaches children about natural science, inquiry and curiosity through stunning HD footage, highlighting such topics as the dung beetle, comets, dinosaurs, ocean pollution, music and sharks—all while modeling and fostering 21st-century skills.

"Working closely with early childhood educators and STEAM experts, we've created a series that goes beyond what children normally learn. Instead, we focus on what children can learn to do to be prepared for the 21st century," says Hsu. "By harnessing children's natural interest in the world around them, we enable the acquisition of lifelong skills—problem-solving, investigating and critical thinking."

The Polos' actions and dialogue model age-appropriate skills and behaviors for the preschool audience, as they make their way through various biomes, asking questions, learning facts and modeling cognitive processes by thinking aloud. The characters represent a range of interests, learning styles, appearances, temperaments and ages, so they are relatable to a diverse audience of children.

"We designed the series to model critical skills, thereby offering a way to engage young minds during a crucial stage of brain development," says Nermeen Dashoush, PhD, Chief Curriculum Officer, MarcoPolo Learning. "Each episode is an investment in a child's future and offers them the skills they need for success."

The Polos characters are also featured in the MarcoPolo World School app. Launched in 2018, the award-winning 2019 Kidscreen Best Learning App and 2019 Rockie Award for Best Interactive Content—Children and Youth—showcases a research-driven early learning curriculum that models inquiry and nurtures curiosity, making discovery fun and inspiring.

For more information, visit www.thepolos.tv.

About MarcoPolo Learning:
MarcoPolo Learning is an award-winning global educational media company with an ecosystem of research-driven, immersive learning products for early learners aged 3-7. Powered by cognitive development research and designed by leading PhDs in early childhood education, MarcoPolo Learning's flagship digital learning platform, MarcoPolo World School, teaches STEAM, literacy and core skills, while developing "future skills," such as problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and teamwork through 300+ video lessons and 2,000+ learning activities. "The Polos" series, it's narrative learning series, is licensed in 70 countries and to more than 180 million households through 3D animation. For more information on the company and its offices in London, New York and Shanghai, please visit www.marcopololearning.com.

About Boat Rocker Media:
Boat Rocker Media is a global entertainment company that creates, produces and exploits premium media content for all platforms and develops brands and IP for worldwide monetization. Boat Rocker Studios, the content, distribution, and brands arm of the company, consists of the following content groups: Temple Street, Crooked Horse, Proper, Insight Productions, Matador Content, Boat Rocker Kids & Family (including Radical Sheep), and a partnership with Industrial Brothers. Boat Rocker Ventures companies include: Untitled Entertainment, Jam Filled Entertainment, MarcoPolo Learning, Serial Box, The Outline, and CAA Creative Labs. A selection of Boat Rocker's recent projects includes: Orphan Black (BBC AMERICA, Space), Lip Sync Battle (Paramount Network), Iron Chef Canada (Food Network), Killjoys (Syfy, Space), The Amazing Race Canada (CTV), Knight Fight (History), Vintage Tech Hunters (Discovery), X Company (CBC), Masterchef Canada (CTV), The Next Step (Family Channel, CBBC), The Loud House (Nickelodeon), Bitz & Bob (CBeebies) and Danger Mouse (CBBC). For more information on Boat Rocker Media, please visit www.boatrocker.com and connect via (Twitter) or (Facebook).