Climate change is a concern for children and adults alike, and kids industry veterans Catherine Winder and Annabel Slaight are tapping into this emerging whitespace with a new environmentally themed IP called the Potatoverse.

Launching this September, the multi-platform brand—a joint project between Winder’s Vancouver-based Wind Sun Sky Entertainment and Slaight’s charity Ontario Water Centre (OWC)—revolves around an eco-superhero named Potato, who also happens to be a time-traveling chicken. 

Winder and Slaight co-created Potatoverse, bringing a unique combination of experience to the collaboration: Winder is a former president of Rainmaker Entertainment, while Slaight co-founded Canadian kids periodical powerhouse OWL magazine and its associated brands. Shaw Rocket Fund and The Temerty Foundation stepped up with some early financing for the project, and its creators are now seeking additional funding.

Aimed at kids ages six to 10, Potatoverse will eventually encompass a whole range of edutainment content starring Potato, who travels back and forth between present day and the year 2050 to explain how current eco-efforts are having a positive impact on the future. It’s an optimistic take on the environmental crisis and is specifically designed to ease children’s eco-anxiety—something which has become a top priority for companies such as PBS KIDS and Kids Can Press when it comes to developing new content for TV and publishing.

First up for the brand is a mixed-media series called The Future Chicken Today Show (16 x 12 minutes), in which Potato interviews real-life celebs, activists, scientists and kids who are passionate about protecting the planet. The show will roll out in September on a dedicated YouTube channel and website, along with a package of digital shorts and a Future Chicken Squawkerama podcast. And then a Future Chicken Roblox game is due to drop in October.

The Potatoverse blends together a number of things Winder has explored throughout her career as a producer, including sci-fi (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), climate change (Ice Age) and even feathered characters (Angry Birds). While there is an inherent challenge in combining them, both she and Slaight are confident in their “flywheel” approach of launching the brand with a variety of content designed for a variety of platforms: “To succeed with a new kids brand today and grab their attention, we need to go to where the audience is—on multiple screens in multiple formats.” With so many entry points, kids can engage with the Potatoverse in whatever way suits their individual interests.

The producers are also planning to organize live events to give kids an opportunity to participate in climate action IRL. And there are plans to issue eco-challenges through the website, asking kids to try waterless teeth brushing and short-shower Saturdays, for example.