Press
The facts, the friends, approved images and who to contact for stories about Bounce Back Beny & Friends.
Logos, key art and all 14 friends, in one 14 MB zip file.
At a glance
Bounce Back Beny & Friends is a world of 14 animal friends who practice simple tools for everyday life.
About, short
Bounce Back Beny & Friends is a neighborhood of 14 animal friends learning to meet everyday life together. Each friend practices one simple power, from bouncing back after a missed shot to giving friends room.
About, long
Bounce Back Beny & Friends is a children’s character world built around lifelong tools for everyday adventures. Beny the bear loves basketball and bringing his friends together for a game. When a shot misses or a plan changes, he takes a little time and finds his next move, with his friends beside him. Each of his 13 friends has their own interest, from surfing and DJing to gardening and painting murals, and one everyday power they practice, like checking the story, taking a breath or keeping your word. Created by Joey Hamilton and Graham Betchart of the Making Space for Love podcast, the brand gives kids characters to love and gives grown-ups a simple way to start a conversation.
- Name
- Bounce Back Beny & Friends (Beny is spelled with one n)
- Tagline
- Lifelong tools for everyday adventures.
- What it is
- A children’s character brand: a neighborhood of 14 animal friends, each practicing one everyday power
- Created by
- Joey Hamilton and Graham Betchart, co-hosts of the Making Space for Love podcast
- For
- Kids about 3 to 8, and the parents, caregivers and educators who explore with them
- Live now
- This website, with a page for every friend, ideas to try and questions to ask together
- In development
- An animated series with episodes planned around 8 minutes, stories, plush friends and friend cards
- @bouncebackbeny
The creators
Friends for more than twenty years and co-hosts of Making Space for Love, a podcast about relationships, vulnerability and emotional health.
Joey Hamilton
Brand marketing strategist, photographer and father of three. A former NCAA Division I swimmer, Joey trained with the World Sprint Team at Cal Berkeley before coaching a New York high school team to five straight state championships. As a coach he has worked with NCAA champions, a world champion and a 2012 Olympian.
Graham Betchart
Mental performance coach who has spent nearly three decades helping NBA champions, Olympians, the U.S. Navy and high-performance teams stay present under pressure. Several of the friends’ powers come straight from his coaching, like Finn’s “Palms down” and DJ Next Play’s “Next play speed.”
Meet the friends
Each friend has an interest they love and one everyday power they practice. Beny practices all of them.
Beny
Beny, the bearBounce back
Cappy
Cappy, the capybaraLove yourself
Willow
Willow, the owlCheck the story
Ollie
Ollie, the otterListen to your body
Pippa
Pippa, the penguinBe brave
Tilly
Tilly, the turtleJoin in
Hazel
Hazel, the rabbitGive others room
Zuri
Zuri, the zebraStay true to yourself
Sully
Sully, the slothGo at your own pace
Ellie
Ellie, the elephantStay present
Finn
Finn, the foxTake a breath
DJ Next Play
DJ Next Play, the cheetahFind your next play
Peri
Peri, the peacockLove all of you
Kiki
Kiki, the kangarooKeep your wordIn development
An animated series for kids ages 3–8, with episodes planned around eight minutes, plus plush friends and friend cards. Nothing is available to watch or buy yet, so please describe them as in development.
Episode idea
The Wobbly Game
Beny's chalk game takes a surprising turn. A little pause and a new idea get the friends playing together again.
Starring Beny, with Finn and Pippa
Episode idea
The Picture Invitation
Tilly turns a drawing into an invitation to join the fun.
Starring Tilly, with Hazel and Zuri
Episode idea
The Next Beat
DJ Next Play finds a new direction after an unexpected beat.
Starring DJ Next Play, with Ellie and Sully
Story angles
- From a podcast for grown-ups to a world for kids: how “Don’t eat the bunny” became Hazel the rabbit.
- NBA mental skills, kid sized: pro coaching retold as a surfer fox and a DJ cheetah.
- Two friends who want kids to see men talk openly about feelings.
- Bouncing back without toughing it out: the friends never tell a feeling to go away.
- Simple ways parents and teachers can use one friend at a time.
Images
Approved logos, key art and character art for editorial use.
- Spell it Beny, with one n, and use the full name Bounce Back Beny & Friends on first mention.
- Use the art as supplied. Please don’t crop into the characters, recolor them or create new art of them.
- Label plush and card images as concepts. Credit: Image courtesy of Bounce Back Beny & Friends.
Press contact
For interviews, images or partnership questions, contact Joey Hamilton.