Toy Sensation Squishmallows Signs With CAA (EXCLUSIVE)
Aug 5, 2021
Squishmallows, a top-selling range of plush toys that found a global audience during the pandemic, is giving a super-soft hug to its new agent.
The range of collectibles will be represented in numerous areas by CAA, including film, television, video games, publishing, live touring and more.
Produced by Jazwares, the toys have moved over 86 million units in over 40 countries since launching in 2017. In March, the New York Times wrote about the phenomenon, saying they had “cultivated a fandom in a year of grief, isolation and uncertainty.” The craze has been compared to the fevered Beanie Babies movement.
Founded with eight characters, the original world has now grown to over 1,000 and also counts licensing deals (yes, there’s a Baby Yoda). The brand has found particular success with children and young adults thanks to an expansive TikTok (or “SquishTok”) presence, boasting a combined social reach of 650,000.
“The Squishmallows brand is at this incredible stage, experiencing tremendous growth and increasing popularity over the past year. Now is the perfect time to join forces with CAA, the best partners in the industry, to fully take advantage of the momentum behind the brand and create significant content and entertainment experiences for our brand fans,” said Michael Rinzler, executive vice president and partner at Jazwares.
Prior to signing with CAA, Jazwares expanded the world of Squishmallows with the June 2021 launch of the YouTube animated series “Squishville.” Produced by Moonbug Entertainment, new episodes of “Squishville” will debut every Saturday through October 2021. The series is based on the line of Squishmallows-inspired collectible playsets and accessories, which was introduced at retail in March.