Building on 12+ years of service at PBS, Ciccone will oversee multi-faceted brand licensing and e-commerce efforts that support the mission of PBS KIDS and member stations
ARLINGTON, VA; September 15, 2016 – Today PBS announced that it has promoted Dawn Ciccone Vice President of Brand Licensing. Ciccone will continue to develop and manage multi-faceted brand licensing and e-commerce initiatives that support the mission of PBS and its nearly 350 member stations.
With more than 20 years of experience in licensing and marketing, Ciccone will lead PBS KIDS brand licensing, including the expansion of licensees and categories, as well as the development of new retail partnerships. She will also collaborate with series producers to expand the brand footprint of PBS KIDS’ educational media properties. In addition, she will establish and grow PBS KIDS’ e-commerce relationships and continue to build on the successful PBS KIDS Shop, which offers learning opportunities through play with toys and products from PBS KIDS and more than 20 series.
“PBS KIDS is committed to using the power of play to help kids learn, and through Dawn’s innovation and vision over the past several years, we have been able to extend that into tangible experiences for kids through licensing initiatives and consumer products,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “These efforts help kids build key skills, and generate revenue that supports our mission. We are thrilled to have Dawn take on this new role, extending this important work.”
Ciccone joined PBS in 2004 and has built a successful PBS KIDS licensing and partnership business. Ciccone secured the first master toy licensee to develop a PBS KIDS-branded line of educational toys and accessories for children and has built more than 30 new trademark licensing and partnership collaborations for the brand. She also established a new cause marketing line of business by securing corporate partners to develop products to support the mission of PBS.
PBS KIDS, the number-one educational media brand for children, extends its innovative work on television and digital platforms into licensed consumer products that inspire children to explore new ideas and new worlds. PBS KIDS consumer products encourage children to learn and grow through play with toys, books, crafts and more that help children build the skills needed to succeed in school and life. Revenue earned from licensed PBS KIDS products helps support new curriculum-based media content for children.
Prior to her tenure at PBS, Ciccone spent many years in leadership roles in licensing and marketing. She served as Vice President, Entertainment Licensing, at Sports Marketing Group, where she developed four new licensing lines of business and created their consumer, trade marketing and media strategies. Before that, she served as Director, Studio Relations for Kodak's Entertainment Imaging Division in Hollywood, where she managed Kodak’s motion picture studio and TV network licensing and marketing relationships.
Ciccone holds a BS in Communications from the State University of New York at Fredonia and an MBA in Business Management from the University of California in Irvine.
About PBS
PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 100 million people through television and nearly 33 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Contacts:
Lubna Abuulbah, PBS KIDS; labuulbah@pbs.org, 703-739-8463
Caitlin Melnick, 360 Public Relations; CMelnick@360PR.com, 617-585-5775
