Tag Archives: Moonbug Entertainment

The Point. 1888 secures raft of licensees for Moonbug’s CoComelon across books, arts & crafts, puzzles and more

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The hit children’s brand, CoComelon has strengthened its licensing portfolio with the addition of no fewer than 11 new licensing partners, thanks to a slate of signings secured by The Point. 1888 on behalf of the pre-school IP owner, Moonbug Entertainment.

The brand extension specialist was brought on board in August 2020 as the master licensing agency across EMEA for CoComelon and other brands under the Moonbug umbrella, including Blippi, My Magic Pet Morphle and ARPO. Since joining, The Point.1888 has sought to build on the fast-growing popularity and awareness of CoComelon, signing licensees that will give the brand products to widen consumer engagement.

New licensees secured by The Point.1888 for CoComelon, include the clothing specialist, Poetic Brands, the underwear specialist Misirli who will produce CoComelon socks, Egmont Books as the master publisher for story, board, novelty, activity, and sound books, and children’s bedding specialist Character World.

Meanwhile, Crayola will create colouring and activity books, Alligator Products will expand on the Crayola offering with complimentary colouring and activity books, RMS International will produce CoComelon wooden puzzles, arts & crafts, bubble kits, and sensory toys, YWOW will create CoComelon branded collectable mini cube puzzles, Danilo will produce greeting cards, and Sinco Creations will produce accessories and playmates.

Finally, Zak will develop a line of lunchware.

These new licensees join CoComelon’s existing partners Jazwares and Bandai, whose products have already proven hugely popular since their launch in A/W as well as Wow! Stuff, Ravensburger, TDP Textiles, Aykroyds & Sons and Egmont Magazine all launching SS2021.

Becky Langer, senior commercial manager of soft goods at The Point.1888, said: “The broad range of deals we’ve secured ensures that CoComelon’s fast-growing audience can build a greater affinity with the brand and still get enjoyment from it even while away from the TV or iPad.

“The growth of the brand is phenomenal and we only expect this to accelerate once product hits the markets and consumers can fully immerse themselves in the world of JJ and the rest of the CoComelon gang.”

Simon Philips, senior in-house advisor, Moonbug, added: “It is great to watch the affinity for CoComelon grow globally and we’re thrilled to bring a broad range of experiences – from puzzles to clothing – to kids and families everywhere.”

Further developments in CoComelon’s EMEA brand licensing programme are to be announced in the coming weeks and the first products are expected to be in stores by January 2021.

Moonbug Entertainment taps Wow! Stuff for new CoComelon pre-school toy range

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The British toy innovation company, Wow! Stuff is continuing its move into the pre-school category having signed a multi-territory licensing agreement with Moonbug Entertainment for its popular 3D animated series, CoComelon.

Launching in 2021, Wow! Stuff will unveil a new range of products based on the kids’ show, with prices ranging from £9.99 to £79.99. It will include a CoComelon activity table, puzzle blocks, night lights, and more.

Richard North, Wow! Stuff CEO, said: “Our mission is ‘to partner with tier one licensed brands and work until our brains hurt to deliver innovation that is on brand and in universe.’

“This new agreement with Moonbug allows us to expand the playful world of CoComelon with new experiences that kids and families will absolutely love.”

Head of product development and licensing, Kenny McAndrew, added: “We have been working with CoComelon for some time and have seen how the brand has captured families around the globe with its educational and engaging content. Now that it’s a Moonbug brand, we’re delighted for what’s to come from our relationship and the new ways in which we encourage play.”

Simon Philips, senior in-house advisor at Moonbug Entertainment, said: “As we look to bring new ways for fans to engage with their favourite characters, we need partners who can create toys and products that truly bring them to life.

“Wow! Stuff’s reputation in developing innovative toys is unparalleled and we look forward to bringing them kids worldwide.”

CoComelon is the world’s most-viewed YouTube channel with over 3.5 billion average monthly views and over 100 million subscribers. The show centers around the everyday experiences of Baby JJ and his siblings and helps preschoolers learn letters, numbers, animal sounds, colors and more.

Its upbeat videos impart positive, prosocial life lessons that provide parents with an opportunity to teach and play with their children as they watch together.

For national and international sales enquiries please contact dawn.lavalette@wowstuff.com

CoComelon passes 100 million YouTube subscribers, 100 billion views and sees ‘sell-out success’ of Jazwares toy line

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Moonbug Entertainment has hit several record-breaking milestones for its wildly popular CoComelon brand having surpassed 100 million subscribers on YouTube and clocked nearly 100 billion views on the social media platform.

According to Forbes, CoComelon has also just broken records on Netflix where it pre-school series debuted on June 1 this year and, as of December 5th, made 100 consecutive appearances on the Top 10 in the US, outpacing all content categories for both kids’ and adult programming.

The new records have been set all within what has been earmarked by Moonbug Entertainment ‘as an unprecedented year of growth for the brand.’

“The brand ethos of CoComelon is simple: make kids happy and smart through fun and relatable content. That’s been our brand’s mission since creation, which is why CoComelon has not only remained a family favorite but has seen such exponential growth,” said Patrick Reese, general manager at Moonbug, CoComelon.

“Our content speaks to children through relatability and the age-appropriate nature of the show keeps them entertained and parents relieved.”

In addition to on-screen popularity, the CoComelon toy line with consumer products leader Jazwares has reportedly ‘been flying off the shelves.’

Moonbug and Jazwares have been working with retailers including Amazon, Target and Walmart to replenish stock so parents can access the products. The line features characters and items inspired by the show and includes a wide array of categories, such as plush, vehicles, figurines and role play.

“JJ, his friends and family have been a bright light for children since the brand’s inception,” added René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO, Moonbug. “As kids across the globe look to CoComelon for relatable content, we’re continuing to grow the show. This is just the beginning of the brand’s global growth as we work to expand the franchise both on and off the screen.”

CoComelon teaches children how to take on everyday activities and role models positive behavior with a sense of enthusiasm. Kids can easily relate to the universal themes and everyday narratives such as eating your vegetables, learning to tie your shoes and getting ready for bed.

With its bright and bold colors and cheerful nursery rhymes and phrases, CoComelon attracts children aged one to four to sing and dance along with Baby JJ and his siblings as they learn letters, numbers, animal sounds, colors and more.

CoComelon is available on all major platforms including Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music, Roku and Netflix.

Moonbug Entertainment welcomes former Disney director David Levine to head of studio role

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The digital media company, Moonbug Entertainment, has named the former Disney director, David Levine as its head of studio. He joins from his previous role as VP of kids programming, Disney Channels Europe and Africa, UK and Ireland.

In his new position with Moonbug, Levine will focus on driving the company’s IP expansion by taking properties like CoComelon and Blippi to new formats, markets and platforms to support the company’s continued growth. He will report to René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO, Moonbug.

“David’s track record at Disney as a visionary executive specializing in children’s original content makes him uniquely well-suited to lead Moonbug’s creative, production and content strategies,” said Rechtman.

“This is a key position for Moonbug as we look to expand our content offerings around the world and develop more IP that delivers fun, educational and relevant programming families love.”

Levine brings more than 20 years experience in the media and entertainment industries to Moonbug. During his tenure at The Walt Disney Company, he was an integral member of the senior leadership team that built the Disney Channel Brand and led all strategic and operational aspects of kids’ programming across Disney Channels Europe and Africa.

Levine oversaw the direction of original production and developed and commissioned a number of shows including First Class Chefs, The Lodge, 101 Dalmatian Street and the Emmy-nominated TV series Evermoor. He also launched and commissioned multiple seasons of global hits PJ Masks and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.

Additionally, Levine was responsible for spearheading LGBTQ+ inclusive representation in Disney’s programming, with LGBTQ+ characters and themes in commissions such as The Lodge and Best Bugs Forever.

“Kids content is playing an increasingly vital role in early childhood development, and now more than ever parents are looking for safe, inclusive, educational content they can trust. Moonbug is at the forefront of this transformation,” said Levine.

“It’s an exciting time to join the company, and I look forward to building on our strong producer and studio relationships while also increasing the diversity and representation in our content and on our creative teams.”

Prior to joining The Walt Disney Company, Levine was vice president at Ragdoll USA. He also served at The itsy bitsy Entertainment Company, supporting the billion dollar Teletubbies franchise in North America and South America.

Moonbug’s Blippi lands UK kids’ magazine partnership with DJ Murphy through The Point. 1888

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Moonbug Entertainment’s popular pre-school brand, Blippi, a YouTube sensation turned children’s entertainment franchise, is coming to the UK’s children’s magazine space thanks to a new partnership with publishers DJ Murphy.

The deal was brokered by The Point. 1888 on behalf of Moonbug Entertainment, and looks to capitalise on the show’s popularity among children. With over 12 billion content views worldwide, the fun and goofy Blippi aims to educate and entertain the two to six year old market the world over.

Blippi aims to inspire and keep children busy with fun and educational activities. The Point.1888 signed a deal with DJ Murphy to take the show’s best elements and turn them into an interactive magazine.

 Issued monthly, the 36-page fun-zine is designed to surprise, challenge and delight fans with activities, games and puzzles while Blippi helps them to understand the world.

 This is not the first time that The Point.1888 and DJ Murphy have collaborated, having enjoyed a great working relationship for many years with client L.O.L.. Due to the publishing group’s rich history of working with YouTube brands including Shopkins and equestrian This Esme, as well as its strong retail relationships, The Point.1888 was keen to secure them as Blippi’s publishing partner from day one.

Zoe Cannon, managing director at DJ Murphy, said: “From the moment we saw how engaged Blippi’s fans are with his shows, we wanted to work with the brand. His passion and excitement for discovery and curiosity is contagious and we desperately wanted to make a magazine that would be as immersive, educational and fun.

“Working with our existing contacts at The Point.1888 and with new licencing partner Moonbug, has been great. Moonbug’s creative team are so excited and passionate about the brand that it’s really contagious. There is such a wealth of assets for Blippi that literally anything is possible in the magazine.”

Bethan Garton, commercial director at The Point.1888, said: “Alongside the monthly magazines for 2021, there is so much more in the pipeline for this brand with partners secured across apparel, bedding, toy, arts and crafts and more. We’re thrilled to be working with the industry’s best people to make it all happen.”

 The magazine is now in stores and available to buy in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, WH Smith, Asda, Waitrose, Co-op and all good newsagents, or online from ponymag.com/shop.

Space mission: How Moonbug Entertainment’s rocketing success is disrupting the pre-school space

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It may be highly competitive, it may even be getting a little bit crowded at times, but there’s one thing that the pre-school sector hasn’t become in recent years – particularly now, as audiences shift their viewing habits and the means in which they engage with it – and that is, a done deal.

Compared to the work that has been going on behind the scenes of some of the most powerful digital brands in the pre-school space today, it’s relatively early days for the licensing world. It’s not been until recently that licensing has paid close attention to the kind of pre-school IP grown from the ground upwards on platforms like YouTube, and only in the last year or two that it has recognised the power that such brands can wield.

Moonbug prides itself as being one of the pioneers of this space. Just take a look at the portfolio it boasts today: CoComelon, Blippi, Little Baby Bum, and more waiting in the wings, all of which have managed to strike a particular chord with children and families on a global scale, and all of which have been the subject of some world-spanning master toy and consumer products partnerships, all driven by worldwide demand.

The world’s recent lockdown at the hands of the coronavirus pandemic, suggests Moonbug Entertainment’s senior in-house advisor, Simon Philips, simply helped to drive that engagement further. Suddenly, co-viewing between parents and children increased, and families the world over began to better see the value in the digital medium as both a means of entertainment and education for children.

 Licensing.biz catches up with Moonbug Entertainment’s Philips to talk about the rocketing popularity of the company’s portfolio, it’s ongoing mission to disrupt the pre-school sector, and what kind of plans it has in place for 2021 and beyond.

 Can we kick off with an overview of what Moonbug incorporates, you guys create, produce and publish much of the content yourselves, before handling the licensing and merchandising opportunities?

Today, Moonbug is the largest digital kids media company in the world. We have done this primarily by identifying and acquiring the most exciting kids shows with untapped potential and investing in them to create more episodes, develop new storylines and expand their reach across multiple platforms. This approach then allows us to make those brands more accessible through licensing and merchandising opportunities – deepening our connection with the audience and growing the brand identity. 

There’s been a lot of activity from Moonbug this past year, and a lot of demand for the IP portfolio, including CoComelon, Blippi and Little Baby Bum, what is it that Moonbug is bringing to the licensing space and the children’s entertainment space?

The licensing world is now turning their attention to something we are proud to have been pioneers in – the potential and power of digital brands. Early on, we focused almost exclusively on tapping into the undiscovered pool of talented creators on digital platforms who not only had significant viewership, but also a very loyal audience. 

Our thesis, which now has been proven, was simple: empower our creative team to build on these huge hits, increase the speed of production, and then distribute it across our vast distribution network. This seemed like an obvious opportunity to offer kids and families new and engaging content while growing these brands into global franchises. Over time, our creative, data and distribution teams are always looking at what works, what doesn’t, and how to deliver more of what kids and families want.

Moonbug has demonstrated that there is room in the pre-school space to disrupt and break the traditional, how has the past year or so been for you guys in terms of growth, engagement, audience reach? Why is now the right time for Moonbug to be doing what it is doing?

Historically, there was a focus on exclusive content on individual streaming platforms. Our strategy from the beginning has been more content on more platforms. It has been validating to see that the viewing patterns of the modern family reflect our approach – with increasing co-viewing across streaming platforms and connected TVs. 

The democratization of content and the freedom for families to decide what, when, and where they watch their favorite programs has been a huge driver in the growth of our portfolio, which culminated with two of our largest acquisitions and raising an additional $120 million in funding.

We believe we are well positioned to keep growing as we continue to see the immense value ‘content-everywhere’ has to our audience as pre-schoolers are platform agnostic, caring only about watching their favorite characters on screen.

We think this means meeting your audience where they are. This is why we are incredibly excited that today, Moonbug’s shows are on over 100 platforms globally and at the top of the Netflix rankings. Our portfolio currently has more than 7 billion average monthly views on YouTube alone. 

Is there an overall mission or goal for Moonbug in terms of its licensing and consumer product partnerships?

 We are making educational, family-oriented shows more accessible. By acquiring new shows and expanding them to new platforms, we’re bringing our programs into even more homes around the world. The trust of families is especially important to us and we provide the programming parents can trust will keep their children entertained while also learning along the way. We are very deliberative and thoughtful to make sure that the licensing product fits the value of the content and reflects a fun learning experience for children everywhere. 

It’s been a bit of an odd year – how have you guys seen consumer and viewer habits change over the course of 2020 and how are you placed to tap into these changes? What of these changes do you think will stay with us going forward?

 The co-viewing between parents and children was one trend we saw increase during the lockdowns, leading to a greater appreciation of how content can be used as a learning tool. As parents are taking a more active role in their children’s learning, our shows have become both a resource to parents and a moment of joy for the child. 

We began to see this shift before the lockdowns and it has since accelerated — we expect the trend to continue as an expression of consumer behavior. 

Can you talk us through the strength of the Moonbug Music arm of the business – how big a market has the children’s music/audio space become and what are your plans for developing and innovating in this space?

 We view music as an essential part of how kids and families engage with our content. A show’s soundtrack not only draws people in, but helps with their retention of the content. Our team is always working to understand the interplay between the music and narrative. We’re continuing to experiment with new ways to use music as a critical component to developing compelling, educational and family-friendly content.

What’s the next big step for Moonbug?

While this has been a very big year for us, it is only the beginning and there are many new things to come in 2021. Next year, there will be more of the engaging shows that kids know and love, along with many more original products. On the licensing side, we will be building on the incredible success of Little Baby Bum, Blippi, and CoComelon toys by introducing complementary products from apparel to games, bedding, and everything in between.

Moonbug Entertainment partners with Virgin Media to expand kids’ programming in the UK

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Moonbug Entertainment is partnering with Virgin Media to expand its children’s programming across the UK. Under the partnership, ten new shows will air on Virgin Media’s TV platform, starting with a roll out from mid October.

The children’s programming set to air includes Blippi, Little Baby Bum, Playtime with Twinkle, Go Buster, Toddler Fun Learning, Digley and Dazey, Dr Poppy, Supa Strikas, My Magic Pet Morphle and Gecko’s Garage.

“We couldn’t be more delighted to enter this strategic partnership with Virgin Media, one of the leading platforms in the UK,” said Nicolas Eglau, head of EMEA and APAC at Moonbug.

“Brands like Blippi and Morphle have become household names in the UK and by bringing them to Virgin Media customers, even more families will have the opportunity to enjoy these blockbuster titles. We look forward to working with Virgin Media on bringing more Moonbug shows to their viewers in the future.”

David Bouchier, chief digital entertainment officer at Virgin Media, added: “We’re constantly looking for ways to expand our kids offer and we’re very pleased to add Moonbug’s impressive range of popular children’s characters for our customers.

“Not only will families gain access to more than ten new franchises, but they’ll have exclusive access to new episodes of Blippe before anyone else, from November 2nd.”

Blippi is the most recent program to join Moonbug’s impressive lineup. Through singing, dancing, and exploring, Blippi helps children understand the world around them and encourages vocabulary development. Virgin Media exclusively gets a selection of new Blippi episodes for one month before they air on other platforms in the UK.

My Magic Pet Morphle, an animation show loved by children aged aged three to six, follows Little Mila and her magical pet Morphle as they turn playtime into a series of fun and educational adventures while teaching themes of friendship, problem-solving and creativity.

Gecko’s Garage is a show about friendly neighbourhood mechanic Gecko and his team of clumsy robot Mechanicals who together help any vehicle in need. Whether it’s a bus with a leaky oil tank, or a goldfish trapped in an exhaust, they’ll always try their very best and get the job done.

Moonbug Entertainment acquires Blippi and Cocomelon to become world’s largest digital kids media firm

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Moonbug Entertainment has acquired the popular kids’ entertainment properties Blippi and Cocomelon. It’s a move to become one of the world’s largest digital kids media companies.

 Blippi is a live-action program that has struck a chord with parents and kids through its engaging and accessible educational content, successful toy line, and sell out live shows, while CoComelon – the world’s largest YouTube channel – brings an animated show whose hallmark positivity helps kids constructively go about their daily routines.

These acquisitions boost Moonbug’s monthly subscribers to over 235 million across its more than 100 platforms globally, with more than 7 billion average monthly views, making the outfit the largest digital kids entertainment company in the world.

“Blippi and CoComelon represent what lies ahead in the years to come for children’s entertainment: dynamic characters with a close relationship to their audience through content, licensing, merchandise, and social media. We could not be more excited to welcome these shows to our line up,” said René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO of Moonbug.

“Moonbug is transforming the industry by constantly creating new content, forming strong partnerships with merchandisers, and making entertainment more accessible to viewers,” said Simon Philips, senior in-house advisor at Moonbug. “Digital-first properties are at the forefront of children’s programming and revolutionizing the way families consume content – with these new acquisitions, Moonbug is a proven leader in the industry.”

Moonbug plans to apply its model of rapidly scaling the brands with proven global potential by adding characters and storylines and distributing the shows more broadly across its global distribution network. By expanding their content and reach, Moonbug will enable both shows to leverage new licensing and merchandising opportunities, as well as original productions and new brand partnerships.

By coordinating content and product releases, Moonbug has the ability to analyze data and work with retailers to address trends in real time–rather than looking back at what was successful after the fact or guessing at what might be successful in the future.

Investors have taken notice of Moonbug’s success in applying its model to its current programming line up, including Little Baby Bum, My Magic Pet Morphle, Supa Strikas and many more. The recent $120 million financing round was led by Growth Equity (GS Growth), part of Goldman Sachs’ Merchant Banking Division, and Fertitta Capital. The Raine Group and Felix Capital participated.

Funds will be used for growth and to make additional acquisitions in the continued drive by Moonbug to consolidate the most interesting and popular properties in the kids space.