Hidden Pigeon Co. (HPC) has added two new members to its team, Tori Cook and Paula Allen, as it expands author Mo Willems’ character brands. Tori Cook will serve as Senior Vice President, Franchise Management and Paula Allen will fill the role of Publishing Consultant. Allen and Cook will report to HPC CEO Karen K. Miller.
In her new position, Cook will lead and develop HPC’s short- and long-term strategy on a global scale. She will also spearhead the growth of the company’s consumer products programs and identify, evaluate, plan, and pursue franchise opportunities within publishing, digital and social media, consumer products, gaming, content development, and live events.
Cook has extensive experience in franchise and brand management, retail development, marketing, and consumer products. Before she joined HPC, Cook served as Spin Master’s Vice President, Global Brand Management and Marketing, where she led design teams and the brand marking in the Wheels and Action product development and business strategy areas.
Prior to her position at Spin Master, Cook served as Vice President, Global Franchise Marketing, Retail Development and Location-based Entertainment at Mattel; Senior Vice President, Consumer Products (Licensing, Retail development and Marketing, Creative, Product Development at Saban Brands; and Vice President, Retail and Business Development at Sanrio.
“There are so many opportunities to share Mo Willems’s wonderful and beloved characters with his large and loyal fan base, who already know and love The Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie, and Knuffle Bunny, and to introduce them to new fans,” Cook says. “I look forward to helping to drive the growth of these enduring brands in creative new ways.”
In her new role as Publishing Consultant, Allen will broaden the Mo Willems universe in the licensed format while building on the author’s work with Union Square & Co., HPC’s publishing partner. Allen has more than 30 years of publishing experience. She founded the consultancy Screenland Literary Associates and has been providing literary services to authors and screenplay writers while helping businesses develop intellectual properties and expand overseas.
Before she founded Screenland Literary Associates, Allen served as Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Global Publishing, DVDS, and Stationery at Nickelodeon Consumer Products, where she retooled and merged the international and domestic publishing business units into one organization. Prior to joining Nickelodeon Allen was Vice President, Global Publishing at Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Merchandise Manager, Juvenile and Speciality Business at Barnes & Noble.
“Mo Willems has brought such brilliantly engaging stories to life for generations of young and young at heart readers and I look forward to working with Karen, Tori, and the whole HPC team to develop even more ways for consumers everywhere to engage with these book-based brands,” Allen says.
“Tori and Paula are recognized leaders in their respective fields and fantastic additions to our growing team of exceptional talent,” Miller says. “We are delighted to have both of these outstanding professionals onboard to help us extend our unique IP to an even broader audience of kids and ‘former kids’ across multiple platforms and merchandise categories throughout the U.S. and around the world.”
For more information, visit hiddenpigeoncompany.com.
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