Doll of the Year Finalist at this week’s 2023 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards The Fresh Beats Dolls will come to life in an animated short series. It will be made by The Dr. Lisa Company’s toy and publishing division EPI and Carl Reed’s animation studio Composition Media.
“From being honoured as a Doll of the Year Finalist with the biggest names in the toy industry, showcasing our diverse line at Toy Fair, and preparing for our first animated series, this is a monumental week for EPI,” said The Dr. Lisa Company CEO and founder Dr. Lisa Williams.
“We’ve been working to expand into content behind the scenes for some time,” Williams continued. “Carl’s extensive experience and mission to highlight minority and underrepresented communities perfectly align with our vision – to ensure black and brown children see themselves reflected in toys and entertainment, to embrace their beauty and build their self-esteem.”
“It’s an honour to be working with Dr. Lisa Williams, a pioneering leader in the toy industry who shares the same commitment to bringing diversity to young audiences,” said Reed. “By bringing The Fresh Beats Dolls to life, we’re expanding the opportunity for kids to experience these relatable and captivating characters in a new way.”
The Fresh Beats Dolls is an animated series of six, three-minute shorts and centres around a titular girl group forming over the course of a EuroVision-type singing competition. The short series is set to debut later this fall on YouTube.
Each 10″ doll in The Fresh Beats Dolls Collection features custom-blended skin tones and premium rooted hair with authentic textures, including patent-pending locs. From pop princess Bao BBY, to non-binary hip hop queen Beigne au Lei, and rock star Loxx, each embraces diverse and relatable personalities and stage-ready fashions. The dolls are available now at Target for $17.99 each.
Williams is also a 2023 Toy of the Year Finalist in the Champion of Diversity and Inclusion category and recognised as an individual who has made outstanding contributions or acted as a change catalyst to develop purposeful, environmentally friendly, and mission-driven programs that lead the way in creating a better future for the toy industry.
EPI won Doll of the Year in 2022 for Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fresh Fierce Collection. The company will be showcasing The Fresh Beats Dolls and more at New York Toy Fair at Booth 2779.
Academy Award-winning short Hair Love, producer Reed founded Composition Media to present universally themed stories to audiences seeking elevated content. Earlier this year, the company announced a major anime production partnership with Black Sands Entertainment, a leading force in Black comic book publishing.
Additional projects in development include a feature film co-produced alongside Steve Harvey’s East 112; and Sky & Luna, the first movie in an eight-picture slate partnership with Labid Aziz’s PoC Studios and Man of Action Entertainment. Reed most recently served as a producer on Max’s Young Love, the Hair Love spinoff series starring Issa Rae and Kid Cudi.
