Grom Social Enterprises, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GROM), Curiosity Ink Media – its original story telling subsidiary that weeks ago threw open the doors to digital holiday venue, Santa.com – today debuted ASK SANTA, an AI-driven virtual experience that allows kids to engage with Santa Claus, anytime, 24/7, on mobile or desktop devices. Powered by industry-leading AI-powered conversational video technology from StoryFile, ASK SANTA, offers parents a safe, convenient alternative to mall visits and long lines. The unveiling of ASK SANTA was announced today by Darren Marks, Chairman and CEO of Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. Investor relations information on Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. is available at https://investors.gromsocial.com.
To experience ASK SANTA, click here: santa.com/kids/talk-to-santa
For a special message from Santa, click here: Ask Santa Preview
ASK SANTA, designed for kids of all ages, is available by accessing the virtual North Pole section of Santa.com, a winter wonderland brimming with Yuletide-themed games and activities. The experience allows kids to speak with St. Nick from the comfort and safety of their homes, while giving them the opportunity to ask a myriad of questions he is prepared to answer. The visits are now open and will remain so until Christmas Eve, when Santa embarks on his annual worldwide mission to spread joy around the globe.
“ASK SANTA is the perfect complement to the Santa.com, experience and one we hope kids everywhere will embrace and treasure,” explains Marks. “Our mission is to bring to the internet the same experiences the world fell in love with a century ago in traditional department stores: a magical and immersive environment that is all about Christmas; some one-on-one time with Santa Claus; and we’re embarking on an original movie that we hope will become an instant holiday classic. Hats off to the brilliant minds at StoryFile for helping us make our North Pole even more special!”
To experience ASK SANTA, parents must first create a Santa.com account for their child. Then, to ask Santa a question, kids simply press and hold the microphone icon and talk slowly and clearly. They can also use the keyboard to type out questions or click on one of the icons along the bottom of the screen to hear a prerecorded question answered in real time by Santa. ASK SANTA is also bilingual, and can understand questions asked in Spanish, and will respond in English with Spanish subtitles.
‘When we first unveiled ASK SANTA, we were delighted that it was critically-acclaimed, but the real payoff was knowing that kids from over 165 countries had conversations with Santa from the comfort of their own homes and with family and friends,” said Heather Maio-Smith, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of StoryFile. “Now, we’re very proud to see our partners at Grom and Curiosity Ink Media offer more children the chance to have fun with Santa’s storyfile through their new Santa.com holiday site.”
Santa.com is a dynamic holiday venue, overflowing with e-commerce and fun content for every member of the family. The one-stop holiday hub includes specially-themed editorial, curated gift lists, decorating tips, interactive games, and merry content, all of which is designed to ease the stress often associated with holiday preparations.
The site joins Grom’s growing stable of family-friendly, holiday-themed IP following its 2021 acquisition of Curiosity Ink Media, which also includes the afore mentioned original, animated feature-length film, which is inspired by such iconic holiday classics like “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Elf.” Additionally, the company has published books including Santa.com by Russell Hicks and Santa’s Secret Society by international best-selling children’s author Amber Stewart.
