LONDON – Koko Rose Media has announced a ground-breaking deal that will see its arts and lifestyle property Deer Little Forest brand five indoor activity theme parks across Thailand, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Currently under construction, the first park is scheduled to open in Bangkok in June 2019.

The agreement was brokered by Tokyo-based Honmoku File, headed by Nobutaka Nagai, former agent for Disney’s park attractions in Japan, DisneySea and Disneyland Japan. The deal is Deer Little Forest’s first in Asia and is a testament to the strength of the brand’s magnetic and universally appealing designs.

The indoor activity parks are aimed at children and their families and feature a range of educational, entertainment and sports activities. The facilities will also include a selection of cafes and shops, as well as hang-out areas for parents and carers to enjoy while children immerse themselves in play and learning experiences – including opportunities to act out and experience different grown-up professions.

Deer Little Forest will be the official mascot of the parks providing the visual branding throughout the park as well as its own line of merchandise in all the stores. Artist and creator Jo Rose has already started creating a full range of animal bakers, pilots, doctors, shopkeepers, construction workers, chefs, and more, that will host the various sections of the park – and provide a wealth of new assets to Deer Little Forest’s existing style guide. The characters will also appear in a range of books relating to the activities in the theme park.

The first park – which will be called a localised version of Deer Little Forest – is scheduled to open in Bangkok in June 2019. A further four parks are planned in Japan, Northern Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore between 2020 and 2022, with plans to expand into China thereafter.

Nobutaka Nagai, President of Honmoku File said: “It is a real breakthrough for Deer Little Forest to be chosen to brand a theme park since typically these projects go to much more established and commercial properties who financially sponsor the parks. In this case, Deer Little Forest has been selected because of its potential to bring a fresh sense of fun and fantasy to the work experience theme park, thanks to the elegant and intelligent qualities of the brand. The result of this atypical choice of branding will result in a refreshingly original, unique and long-lasting identity to these parks – and a very promising platform for Deer Little Forest in Asia.  We look forward to working together with Koko Rose Media to make it a great success.”

Lisa Hryniewicz, Managing Director of Koko Rose Media commented: “We are beyond thrilled with the opportunities that a DLF-branded theme park offer to reach fans in Asia. Not only will the park provide a solid platform from which to launch the property – but the fun, family-oriented educational environment provides the exact right value for the Deer Little Forest brand. And with Honmoku’s combined experience in theme-park licensing and high-end properties, we know that Deer Little Forest is set to shine.”

Deer Little Forest is a singular arts and lifestyle brand created by Jo Rose featuring her signature, instantly recognizable animal designs. Jo’s designs are being developed across a broad range of categories, including publishing, with a new 32-page picture book The Big Berry Hunt under submission in the UK and US. The timeless tale follows a group of friends who learn the importance of offering a helping hand – even if it gets in the way of cake.

Licensing and publishing rights for Deer Little Forest are represented in the UK by leading arts and lifestyle agency This Is Iris headed by Sarah Lawrence, and in the US by the Lantic Group, headed by former Disney VP Jonathan Symington.

All rights are held by Koko Rose Media, a joint venture between Managing Director Lisa Hryniewicz and Creative Director Jo Rose.  Jo’s other creations include Flora & Fauna (52 x 11), a preschool animation series in development with three-time Emmy winning Executive Producer Karen Fowler, Producer and Distributor, Tatiana Kober, and Canadian CG studio Yeti Farm.