The brand builder behind the recent reboot of Hasbro’s G.I. Joe and Transformers brands in comics as the shared “Energon Universe” has a new gig.
Michael Kelly, former Vice President of Global Publishing at Hasbro has opened the doors to Extensive Enterprises, a new company “specializing in the development and incubation of IP and agency representation in the fields of publishing and brand licensing.”
Kelly, who started his career in the stock room of his local Barnes & Noble, has more than 30 years of experience, including 12 leading Hasbro’s Global Publishing Department where he developed new storytelling opportunities for Clue, Jem and the Holograms, Micronauts, My Little Pony, and more. The Energon Universe, which launched last year via Robert Kirkman’s (The Walking Dead) Skybound, quickly shattered records with its G.I. Joe and Transformers titles becoming the best-selling comics in Hasbro history. Now, Kelly is offering his expertise to other creators and IP owners.
Developing a strong IP and executing the right brand strategy is vital to breaking through the noise in today’s marketplace, and storytelling is a particularly important component in any brand strategy. I have an extensive and verifiable track record of success in this space, and am looking forward to helping companies, creators, and publishers achieve their goals.”
At launch, Extensive Enterprises boasts a client roster including Valaverse, the company behind the Action Force brand of action figures and vehicles; King Features, a unit of Hearst that manages brands including Popeye, Cuphead, Flash Gordon, and more; Punkies Playhouse, an IP owner relaunching the Fluppy Dogs, Sea Wees, Snorks, and ESLEEP brands; DCS International Productions; Anime Village; and the forthcoming animated feature, Pierre the Pigeon Hawk.
In an appropriately toyetic nod to the past, Extensive Enterprises borrows its name from the in-universe public front used by Cobra in the G.I. Joe franchise.
For more information on the services offered by Extensive Enterprises, visit extenterprise.com.
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