Odido and Besties join forces to reduce screen time and encourage more listening time

Odido and Besties are launching a partnership around Besties’ listening and collectible subscription, with the aim of making screen-free play more accessible. Starting today, Odido customers can purchase a Bestie figurine with an accompanying audio story every month for three months for a one-off payment of €7.50, instead of the regular price of €29.99. Through this initiative, Odido and Besties want to encourage children to spend more time listening and playing, without putting the screen at the centre of the experience. Odido customers will be informed about the offer by email.

Besties is a monthly listening and collectible subscription for children aged 2 to 9. Children receive a listening card from which they pop out a new Bestie and easily assemble it themselves. They then place the figurine on a phone, which starts playing the corresponding story. Every month, a new figurine and adventure are added. Parents can choose between stories for children aged 2 to 5 or 6 to 9.

More listening, less screen time
Screens have become an integral part of children’s daily lives, while parents are increasingly looking for a healthy balance between digital use and other activities. With Besties, the phone is used to play the story, but the screen itself is not the focus. The audio stories spark children’s imagination while also supporting language development, and the physical Besties encourage children to continue playing, exploring and collecting.

“At Odido, we support initiatives and technology that encourage children to play, listen and use their imagination independently, without putting a screen at the centre of the experience. Besties fits perfectly with that approach,” says Leo Hensen, Head of Marketing & Communications Mass Market.

“Together with Odido, we are introducing the Besties subscription model to a broad audience. With an attractive offer for the first three months, families can discover Besties in an accessible way. After that, we want to keep surprising children every month with a new Bestie and a new story. This way, listening to stories becomes more than a one-off moment; it becomes something to look forward to every month,” say Niek Nijenhuis & Jobke Egging, Founders of Besties.

Now available to Odido customers
The partnership between Odido and Besties has been live since 24 September. Odido customers will be informed about the offer by email. They can receive one Bestie every month for three months for a one-off payment of €7.50 instead of €29.99, including access to the accompanying audio stories. The offer ends automatically after three months.