Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears brands team for ‘new but retro’ animated special

WildBrain and Cloudco Entertainment are bringing two popular 1980s kids’ brands together for a new adventure.

Work is underway on a new ‘retro-forward’ 44-minute animated preschool special starring Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears. It has a working title of The Care Berry Switch and is being co-developed by the creative teams at both companies, with WildBrain Studios poised to lead animation production.

Strawberry Shortcake and Cheer Bear have never met, but in The Care Berry Switch, when they each wish upon the same star for a new adventure, they open a magical portal that allows them to switch places and explore one another’s worlds.

The special is aiming to be a homage to the 40+ year history of both brands and will be full of fan favourite villains, 1980s-inspired character designs and memes such as The Care Bear Stare.

“Bringing these two much-loved and instantly recognisable brands together for the first time was an opportunity too good to miss, with their shared ethos of sweetness and friendship perfect for crossover adventures and fun,” commented Steph Betts, evp content creation at WildBrain. “It’s exciting to collaborate with our colleagues at Cloudco to bring this shared vision to life and deliver something extra special to the millions of Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears fans around the world.”

Ian Lambur, evp content strategy at Cloudco, added: “It’s not often when one can deliver something that is unprecedented, fun and surprising, so it’s particularly satisfying to be able to do that here with two iconic brands at once. Both brands are inherently magical and charming in their own right, so we cannot wait to show off all the exponential wonder and fun that results when these two worlds crossover.”

The new project will be showcased at MIPCOM in Cannes from 18-24 October.

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