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VIZ Media Announces Development Partnership With Ghostbot, Inc. For CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS
One Of Social Media Messaging's Most Popular Lifestyle Brands To Be Adapted For A Range Of Entertainment & Merchandise

SAN FRANCISCO, May 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation, and global entertainment licensing, announces a content development & merchandise partnership with animation studio Ghostbot, Inc. for the character brand CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS. With hundreds of millions of active global fans, CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS is one of the top sticker sets in social media messaging.

VIZ Media announces development partnership with Ghostbot, Inc for CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS, one of social media messaging’s most popular lifestyle brands

Since the launch of CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS in September of 2016, millions of fans have been sending and posting billions of these cute, animated stickers to express love, sadness, laughter and excitement to friends near or far. The Chummy Chum Chums are friends through thick and thin, and are quickly becoming the perfect lifestyle brand for the digital era.

VIZ Media will be working closely with Ghostbot to develop and expand the property, including all categories of consumer merchandise, animation and more. CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS will be one of VIZ Media's highlights at the upcoming Licensing Expo 2018 (May 22nd – 24th, Las Vegas, Booth #R202).

"We're so excited to share CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS with the world and to team up with VIZ Media to adapt the adorable characters for a wide range of delightful creations," says Alan Lau, Ghostbot Co-Founder. Adds Corrine Wong, Ghostbot Executive Producer, "CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS is a fun property about friendship and love that was inspired and created from our hearts and our affection for animals; it's been thrilling to see our characters continue to evolve in such new and innovative ways."

"The team at Ghostbot has created an entirely new, iconic, and adorable way to communicate with your friends, and we are so excited to be working with them to expand on this success," says Brad Woods, VIZ Media's Chief Marketing Officer. "The CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS are a great addition to the VIZ Media family."

CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS is now widely used on popular social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram as well as through iOS. Since the phenomenon began in 2016, billions of these cute, animated stickers have been sent since the brand's inception, by hundreds of millions of active fans.  Every day, tens of millions of stickers are sent daily.

Additional information on CHUMMY CHUM CHUMS is available at: www.ghostbot.com/chummychumchums

For additional information on other titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.

About Ghostbot, Inc.
Formed in 2004 with over 50 years of combined experience in the entertainment sector, the principals of Ghostbot work tirelessly to deliver the highest quality product. Throughout the history of the company, the award-winning animation studio has come to be recognized as one of the premier creative forces in the animation industry. Additional information is available at: https://www.ghostbot.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at viz.com.

 

SOURCE VIZ Media, LLC

For further information: Ghostbot, Inc., David Yeary, david@ghostbot.com, 415-307-4414; VIZ Media, Jane Lui, janelui@viz.com, 415-546-7073 x176