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

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.

Pocket.watch extends its toys licensing partnership with Flair for newest YouTube star Kids Diana Show

Flair Just Play has extended its licensing partnership with pocket.watch, the studio behind the Ryan’s World franchise, to launch a range of role-play items inspired by the YouTube sensation, Kids Diana Show. The new range will launch across the UK and Ireland from spring next year.

According to Tubefilter, the Kids Diana Show channel totals five billion global views a month, making Diana the number three YouTuber in the world.

To support the global launch of the Kids Diana Show merchandise, pocket.watch has produced 40 episodes of Love, Diana. In this series, where live-action meets animation, the episodes are designed to help children learn positive lessons about friendship, family, creativity, and the power of play.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with pocket.watch once again,” said Charlotte Rodgers, marketing manager for the Just Play brands portfolio, Flair.

“Kids Diana Show is an international smash hit on YouTube, with billions of kids across the globe tuning in to view the channel each month, and this is just the beginning! We can’t wait to bring our fantastic Love, Diana role-play collection to the toy aisle.

“When kids play, their world expands, and our Love, Diana toys are designed with that in mind. Our Love, Diana role-play collection is directly inspired by key products featured in the show, which means that the toys are not only easily recognisable on the shelf, but it also means that girls will be able to go on their very own Love, Diana adventures – just like she does in the show.”

Stone Newman, chief revenue officer of pocket.watch, added: “We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with partners like Flair Just Play to expand the reach of the Love, Diana franchise to entertain and inspire young girls around the world.”

The Flair Just Play role-play collection includes Love, Diana’s Adventure Set – a backpack that looks like the one Diana wears in the show. It comes with a transforming wand hairbrush, an interactive phone, a map to help navigate the Land of Play, and more.

The Surprise Deluxe Trunk, meanwhile, has plenty of surprises, with many compartments for girls to discover. This music box promises the ultimate unboxing experience. Plus, there’s the Light-Up Bubble Wand, which produces bubbles like Diana’s wand does before she travels into the Land of Play. There is also an unlockable collection of Love, Diana Mini Mystery Trunks for fans to discover.

Sutikki to develop animated and live action series based on the Digital Dream Labs’ hit Cozmo robot

The children’s entertainment company, Sutikki – best known for the popular UK series, Moon & Me – has inked a new partnership with the US-based educational technology company, Digital Dream Labs, to create, develop and distribute an animated series and live action content based on the robot duo Cozmo and Vector.

Under the partnership, Cozmo has taken its first steps from best-selling toy brand to entertainment franchise with the premiere of its first animated featurette, making its debut on the newly launched Cozmo & Friends YouTube channel

The journey from best-selling toy brand to entertainment franchise starts today with the premiere of the first animated featurette which debuts on the newly launched Cozmo & Friends YouTube channel.  The hub will host a steady flow of innovative and creative content that will further explore Digital Dream Labs’ revolutionary robot creations.

Sutikki’s initial focus will be on Cozmo, an expressive little robot with a mind of its own and a one-of-a-kind personality that evolves and learns over time. Cozmo blazed a trail when it launched in 2017 earning the top spot for the best-selling toy on Amazon US two years in a row and the best-selling toy on Amazon in the UK and France in 2017.

Sutikki plans a comprehensive content campaign, initially on its dedicated YouTube channel, leveraging its experience and expertise in building highly engaging brand franchises that speak to the discerning, tech savvy kids of today. The short-form videos will tap into the production company’s ability to engage consumers through compelling storytelling and to showcase IP on a global scale.

Beyond plans for new video content, Sutikki is planning to launch a global consumer products program. Digital Dream Labs’ pre-order for updated versions of both of their popular consumer robots opens on 20th November 2020 ahead of the holiday season with the new robots hitting retail in Spring 2021.

“We’re looking forward to introducing Cozmo and friends to the world,” said Hannah Mungo, CEO, Sutikki. “Cozmo is an extraordinary character who is not only an educational asset and friend for children, but also full of play and exploration. We are extremely excited to tap into the unique characteristics of DDL’s amazing robot line through creative content and bold new consumer products that will form the blueprint for what is certain to be one of entertainment’s most exciting future franchises.”

Digital Dream Labs is a global leader of creating hands-on educational technology for children of all ages. The high-tech firm specializes in creating engaging, language and system-agnostic products that connect with kids of all ages. Its line of robots are more than simple educational tools and have already gained an online following that sets the stage for a successful evolution into the entertainment realm.

“It’s been a real pleasure for our team to watch the animators capture Cozmo’s unique personality,” added co-founder and CEO of Digital Dream Labs, Dr. Jacob Hanchar. “We’re really excited to see this partnership grow and know that families around the world will welcome Cozmo into homes across many different interactive touchpoints.”

On the EDGE Conservation outlines licensing plans as it launches endangered animals virtual influencers

On the EDGE Conservation, a charitable foundation dedicated to the promotion of biodiversity and conservation, is building on its debut in the worlds of mobile gaming and educational publishing with a series of anthropomorphic virtual influencers set to entertain and engage young YouTube audiences.

The aim of the new influencer series of content is to highlight the predicament of each endangered creature while presenting it in a format recognisable and enjoyed by children and viewers today.

Launching today, OTEC’s new Youtube channel will host weekly, short-form video diaries posted by the first characters in the series: Lexi the Aye Aye and Eric the Pangolin. Tegan the Kakapo will join the group in the coming weeks, and each will have its own Instagram profile, and Tik Tok channels set to launch in February.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLPQ1dKb2f4&feature=youtu.be

To allow the characters to behave with the timeliness of influencers popular with kids aged nine to 12 years old, OTEC has humanised them using a new form of motion capture, where the face, hands and body movements are rendered simultaneously (instead of afterwards). This process enables animation in real time, delivering the pace and feel of a classic vlogger.

These virtual influencers are the brainchild of experienced content-maker Bruna Capozzoli who has invented modern-day lifestyles for the characters and commissioned Emmy award-winning screenwriting partnership, Mark Huckerby and Nick Ostler to create culturally relevant storylines that will resonate with kids.

Lexi the Aye Aye is a wannabe superstar DJ living in London, whilst Eric the Pangolin is studying environmental science at Uni.

“In this project we have really evolved our storytelling,” said Capozzoli, head of creative content at OTEC.

“Through the beauty of virtual influencers, we have surpassed relaying retrospective news and moved towards cultural commentary. The key to ensuring our characters could evolve and gain lives of their own was mastering the technology that sits behind motion capture.”

As an extension of the foundation’s disruptive approach to the traditional model of conservation work, OTEC has ambitious plans to leverage its IP in future across different channels including licensing, third-party brand collaborations and co-produced content.

The adopted motion capture pipeline was designed by Doppelganger, a collaborative of technical specialists who came together to deliver OTEC’s brief for this project. In addition to using motion capture data to control the character 3D model live, Doppelganger used cutting-edge technology to capture data from face, hands and body movement together at the same time, which is usually combined afterwards.

The On the EDGE YouTube channel follows the launch of mobile game, Kakapo Run, and underpins OTEC’s ambition to promote biodiversity differently. By using popular digital platforms, OTEC hopes to inspire and engage a growing number of young activists to champion all of the diversity of life in our natural world.

Beth Blood, founder and CEO of OTEC, added: “By giving a voice to unfamiliar but endangered animals through modern story-telling techniques, we will promote biodiversity as something to be celebrated in pop culture.

“The characters in our animation are delightful and surprising, making refreshing new spokes-animals for the wonders of the natural world and the challenges it faces.”

Giraffe Insights: ‘Covid-19 fuels trends to digital kids content, but TV is still king for advert inspiration’

Covid-19 has been a significant factor in accelerating existing trends towards digitalisation in the children’ market, with over half of all kids across nine European countries now regularly accessing video content online and via on-demand services.

These are the findings of a new study from the UK-based specialist kids, youth, and family research agency, Giraffe Insights, who – to mark World Children’s Day today (Friday, November 20th) – has conducted a ‘ground-breaking international study’ into family viewing, surveying over 3,500 families across nine European markets.

The research has found that children in major European markets, including the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and the Czech Republic, are now more likely to watch a video on demand or online than on live TV.

According to Giraffe Insights, the UK is the closest to a totally digital future with two thirds of kids watching video content via on demand services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney + and over half also watching content through online platforms such as YouTube.  This contrasted with the fact that less than half of UK kids said they had watched content live on the TV channel in the week prior to this research being conducted.

In markets such as the Czech Republic, online viewing is booming, with almost two thirds of children viewing online video content. Even in more traditionally linear dominant markets such as Poland and Italy, online videos now make up a significant proportion of their weekly content intake.

However, Giraffe Insights states that ‘it’s not all doom and gloom for non-digital channels’ and that TV is still king for inspiration.

TV adverts and shows are still kids’ top source of inspiration across Europe for Christmas gifts (48 per cent), surpassing YouTube ads and videos (37 per cent), shops (35 per cent), friends (29 per cent) and online searches (24 per cent).

Maxine Fox, managing director at Giraffe Insights, said: “This exciting piece of research comes at a time where brands need to understand and respond to the changing environment and the impact this is having on consumer behaviour across the globe.

“Whilst this study highlights the acceleration in kids digital viewing across Europe, it also acts to remind us that not everything is changing, with live TV still king for inspiration.

“We have been tracking behaviours among kids and parents throughout this period to be able to provide our clients with strategic insights not currently available anywhere else.”

This research was conducted with 3,500 kids and parents across 9 markets – UK, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands and Czechia.  For more information about this research and our expertise please contact: maxine.fox@giraffeinsights.co.uk 

Influencing the future: Semaphore Licensing and the power of the social media star

For the past decade, the US outfit Semaphore Licensing has made a success of bringing YouTube and social media influencers out of their worlds of online clicks and views, and into the wider licensing space developing licensing programmes around some of the biggest names in the digital domain.

Most recently, Semaphore has been developing licensing programmes for Braille Skateboarding, the leading skateboarding channel on YouTube, as well as Blogilates, a female fitness channel that has swept across the social media space over the course of the last few years.

It’s without question that the social media landscape has helped carve out a new dynamic on the world of consumer products and licensing over the course of the last ten years. Throw into the mix a global pandemic that has forced a world’s population deeper into the digital sphere than ever before, consuming and engaging with content to new levels, and it’s small wonder why Semaphore Licensing approaches Influencer licensing with the passion that it does.

For ten years, this is a business that has been at the vanguard of a shifting landscape of licensing. Here, Licensing.biz talks to Semaphore’s VP of licensing, Lisa Berlin Wright about what Influencers are bringing to our industry, how they are fuelling fandom, and where the company takes things from here.

Hello Lisa, could you talk us through the story of Semaphore Licensing – you guys popped up on our radar with the Braille Skateboarding partnerships, and then with Blogilates fitness channel. What do you look for in the brands you work with?

Semaphore has been around for over 10 years as the leading Business Management firm for YouTube Influencers, with over 500 social media influencers as clients in various divisions. We recognized Consumer Product Licensing as a natural business extension for many of our leading Influencers who had shown the ability to develop sustainable brands with longevity.

Semaphore Licensing Solutions was officially launched one year ago this December and represents Digital Media Stars who are true leaders in their niche. Braille Skateboarding is the number one Skateboarding Channel on YouTube, Blogilates is the number one Female Fitness channel, Hyram is the number one Skincare influencer, and every four to nine year old girl wants a playdate with Trinity and Beyond.

We proudly represent a broad range of new media stars and to date, the current Talent Portfolio has a global audience that spans over 50 million subscribers. 

What attracts you guys to these social media grown brands? To what extent do you think brands like these show us the future of the licensing space? 

We believe these brands have the ability to evolve and thrive for many years to come. These new media stars offer licensees built-in fans. As we have seen in the past few years, more and more consumers make purchase decisions based on recommendations from people they are following people on social media. 

There are studies that show consumers are more likely to buy a product recommended by an Influencer than by anyone else.  What better license then the Influencer themselves?!

Mike Bienstock, Semaphore founder pictured with Aaron Kyto, creator of Braille Skateboarding

How have the events of 2020 helped to fuel the audience growth for brands like these? How has it driven the demand for licensing and merchandising partnerships?

While there have been many challenging things in 2020, for our Influencers, their numbers have skyrocketed due to the shelter-in-place restrictions. We have seen all of the key metrics increase: viewers, subscribers, likes – sometimes up over 500 per cent. With more fans and more engagement, the demand for licensed products dramatically increases. 

What do you think YouTube creators and brands bring to the licensing space? How are they disrupting the traditional licensing space? 

YouTube Creators are bringing a very powerful opportunity to licensing. Having worked with many film, TV and celebrity licensed brands in the past, we see a giant opportunity with Influencers. They have an emotional connection with their fans. They have a direct pipeline to fans where they can talk about the products and drive massive traffic to retailers.  A film or TV show can’t feature the product and say: “Go to Target”, but our Influencers can and it’s authentic.

What are the challenges that you guys face in building brands like these? How receptive are retailers, licensing partners etc? How profound has the shift in mindset been towards creators and brands to emerge from social media over ‘traditional’ means?

Some of the challenges that we face are in teaching the difference in how to measure a Social Media Star vs. Traditional Licensed Properties. With Social Media our Influencers “own” their niche. Everyone in that niche will know and follow whatever that Influencer says. But they are not household names and outside of their niche they can be unknown. 

What we try to illuminate for retailers and licensees is that 11 million people as a fan base (in the case of Blogilates) is bigger than an audience for most traditional TV properties. Our Stars’ audiences are deep not wide; you can sell millions of dollars of licensed products without needing to be broadly known. 

Given the nature of social media and content engagement, it’s arguable that brands like Braille and Blogilates are that extra step closer to the core audience. Is that a fair assessment, and how far does that influence the kind of licensing partnerships you secure?

As we mentioned, that is the “secret sauce” of social media star licensing. Our brands are very close to their audience and there is a deep emotional connection. Our licensees can benefit from harnessing the connection.

What are your next steps for both Braille Skateboarding and Blogilates? What kind of partnerships are you looking for these brands?

We are seeking apparel and retail partnerships for both brands. We are also looking for HBA opportunities.With the Blogilates Sporting Goods arriving at Target in January we see a big opportunity for licensed active wear at retail.

What changes to the consumer mindset or to the licensing space do you think have been brought about by the past year’s events? How do you think these will now go on to shape the future of the licensing space? What will Semaphore Licensing’s role be within that?

Changes in the retail landscape in the past year have shown how important social media and a strong online presence is. It is vital going forward for any brand to have an online audience. Since Semaphore has worked with Social Media influencers for over 10 years now, we have been able to translate the digital landscape for licensees that might be new to it.

We also have deep relationships with influencers of all ages and even pets, so we are able to identify up and coming stars in any niche.

Thankyou Lisa, anything you’d like to add?

  • Philip DeFranco is one of the foremost authorities for news and pop culture commentary in the digital media space. His YouTube Channel currently has 6.39 million subscribers, while the content receives 20 million views per month.
  • Hyram is a YouTuber turned TikTok Skincare Sensation who has accelerated into the spotlight by creating new media content that makes skincare approachable – particularly Gen Z. Hyram’s  authentic, informative and humor infused videos have achieved over 232 million lifetime views with 3.85 million subscribers, while his TikTok fan base is in excess of 6.1 million followers
  • Trinity and Beyond have become the best virtual friend next door for girls 4-9, creating wholesome videos showcasing scavenger hunts, fun skits, slime pranks and games for children. Sisters Trinity and Madison have evolved into America’s sweethearts, as seen on their YouTube channel with over 6 million subscribers.
  • Braille Skateboarding is the #1 skateboarding channel on YouTube with over 5.24 million subscribers and over 1 billion lifetime views. The channel is known for its videos that educate all ages on how to learn various skateboarding moves and tricks
  • Blogilates is the #1 female fitness channel on YouTube featuring full length POP Pilates, PIIT 28, and fun Bootcamp Sculpting workouts. The channel currently has 5.38 million subscribers and over 813 million lifetime views.
  • SuperHero Kids features a family unit that captures epic action and comedy videos for all ages with over 6 million subscribers on their YouTube Channel.
  • Maymo is the most popular pet personality on YouTube with the most subscribers of any pet channel – over 9.9 million – with his content viewed 125 million times per month.
  • Ireland Boys Productions is known for its Vlogs and behind-the-scenes look at pranks. The YouTube Channel currently has over 3.9 million subscribers while its content has had 631 million lifetime views.
  • Vat19 is led by a team of creators who channel their inner child to bring videos to life featuring “curiously awesome” gifts, candy, toys, gummy, putty, puzzles, games, and more – with over 6.5 billion lifetime views and 7.5 million subscribers.

Air walking: From YouTube to the toy aisles, Braille Skateboarding teaches the skate scene new tricks

Who is Aaron Kyro, and why should you care?

Well, to answer the former we’ll have to take you on a journey to San Francisco via a childhood in Montana, chasing the trail of a professional skateboarder in the making and the pursuit of his dreams of hitting the big time. To answer the latter, you need only to travel to your local Smyths Toys Superstore.

Because Aaron Kyro is the talent behind the Braille Skateboarding brand; one that has emerged from the sea of YouTube content creators to rise through the ranks of global popularity and land on the toy shelves of one of the UK and Europe’s most preeminent toy retailers, with its popular line of Braille Fingerboards and accessories.

New to the UK this year, Braille Skateboarding has been met with a warm reception from fans not only country-wide, but across the globe. Projections made by the skate brand deduce that – should things continue at the pace of growth it’s been enjoying over the past year or two – Braille Skateboarding will have shipped around one million fingerboards to retailers by the end of 2020.

That’s not too shabby for a brand that only launched onto the toy scene in July this year. According to the firm, fans have already been ‘going wild for the toys,’ a range that not only comprises fingerboards and skate ramps, but mystery surprise sets and accessories, too, propelling the franchise to international fame.

With 5.24 million subscribers to the Braille Skateboarding YouTube channel and its Skate Everything series of videos – a series that sees Kyro and pals not only create skateboards out of the most bizarre materials they can lay their hands on (seriously, we’ve watched him craft a board’s grip tape out of Gummy Bears), but skate them on camera, too – Kyro is injecting something new into the skateboarding scene, and bringing it into the modern era of social media, virtual engagement and of course, merchandising.

Now, to answer the next question, Licensing.biz takes the (virtual) journey to San Francisco to catch up with Kyro and learn more about the plans for the Braille Skateboarding brand.

Hello Aaron, thanks for talking all things skateboarding with us today. Could you kick things off by talking to us about the Braille Skateboarding story? Where did this all start for you and what’s the journey been like to where you guys are now?

It’s really every skater’s dream.  I grew up in Montana where I learned how to skateboard.  Graduated high school and moved to San Francisco to pursue professional skateboarding. After getting kicked off my main sponsor due to budget cuts my career dreams were all but crushed. I dumped all of my footage onto YouTube where skateboard footage would go to die in 2006 and the video went viral. I realized the power of social media and the ability to reach lots of people, so I started making tutorial videos and teaching people how to skateboard and we grew from there.

When did you guys realise you wanted to break into the toy space with the Braille Skateboarding brand name? What has that process been like for you? What’s it now like to see Braille Skateboarding toys lining shelves not just in the US but internationally?

With our background in teaching people how to skateboard our goal is to make Skateboarding the largest sport in the world.  This is a big goal and of course requires us to reach out to a lot of people in any way we can. So when the idea of creating toys came up it seemed like a perfect fit. The process has been amazing really, it’s so fun to create the different boards. Seeing our boards on shelves in this capacity is literally unreal. I could have never imagined things getting to this level. It’s really amazing.

What do you think is the strength of the Braille Skateboarding brand? Why does it translate so well to toys like it has so far? Why does the brand resonate with its audience in the way it does?

Braille is not just entertainment, but we teach skills that can translate into many different parts of life. If you go through all of the physical and mental barriers to learning a skateboard trick it gives you a great deal of confidence. I love helping people learn and grow through skateboarding, and I think when you do learn a new skill that sticks with you more than just a funny video. So that connection to the audience, I think, makes the brand resonate well.

We have seen the national and international interest in skateboarding surge as a result of the world’s covid-19 response and lockdown measures. Is this something that resonates with you guys? Have you seen increased fan engagement, increased brand engagement? 

With the goal of teaching the world how to skateboard when the world all but shut down a lot of people took me up on that goal and started their journey learning. So yes, I think skateboarding helped a lot of people get through the pandemic.

I hope it’s going to continue to get a lot of people into skating. In order to grow a sport you need new people starting. I think that skateboarding is a healthy activity people can do that helps them during times like this and it’s perfect.

Braille Skateboarding has its own virtual element, in which we offer tutorials across the online platform. Virtual is so perfect because it allows us to safely reach a lot of people and help them learn. I think virtual will play a huge roll in the future of skating not only from people learning but also sharing experiences and making friends from literally all over the world.

That’s what amazing about our virtual skateboarding community – you can learn to kick flip at the same time as your new friend from Australia and share your experiences online.

Home shot videos, community, growing from the grass roots level – skateboarding has arguably always been very close to the ‘social media’ concept, so the idea that Braille has found such success through it seems only right. How do you decide where next to go with the brand?

My decisions are all based around how I can best achieve the overall goal. Reaching new people and getting them into skateboarding is the main piece to that goal. I think this helps the whole skateboard industry as well as individual people’s lives who have gained so many things from skateboarding.

What are the wider plans for the Braille Skateboarding brand? What product areas would you like to see it move into, and how will you ensure it keeps the Braille ethos at its heart?

Creating a global grass roots movement to grow skateboarding at a much faster pace. This includes online as well as in person lessons, but at the heart of it is creating a community that helps each other learn and supports each other in that learning process despite any and all differences.

I would like to see Braille move into any area that could help us grow and build that community. Any product that could help people learn in any way would be great, or any product that puts people’s attention on skateboarding as something they might do in the future, like toys for example, are great.

Keeping the Braille ethos at the heart requires constant work and constant reminders all the time. I can get so busy making fun videos that even I can forget the larger purpose of it all, so the constant reminders of what we are doing and communicating that to my team and beyond is so important.

I love to dream of the larger picture and all the cool impacts we could create with skateboarding all over the world, so just keeping those dreams alive and making sure we keep them at the heart of all the projects keeps it there.

Thank you Aaron, anything you’d like to shout about right now?

Well, I like to sk8…

Baby Shark Dance beats Despacito to become most-viewed YouTube video in history

The perennial ear worm and children’s music video sensation, Baby Shark Dance, has become the most-viewed YouTube video in history, surpassing Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. The Pinkfong IP breaks the record just as the Baby Shark single receives the RIAA Diamond certification for selling over 11 million records.

Baby Shark is now one of the only 41 Diamond singles in history, alongside best-selling artists such as Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga. The song has also been recognised as Brit certified two-times Platinum in September this year.

Baby Shark became a breakout sensation when it launched on YouTube in November 2015. With its catchy music, iconic characters, and playful dance, all combined together, Baby Shark took the world by storm, recording a 20-week-streak on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Official Singles Chart, the highest position ever achieved by a children’s song in history.

The hit song spawned a viral dance challenge named #BabySharkChallenge, generating over one million cover videos around the world.

“We are very proud at Relentless Records/Sony Music to have built a great global partnership with the Pinkfong/SmartStudy team. It has been very inspiring to watch something that brings so much fun to so many people become such a worldwide record,” said Shabs Jobanputra, managing director, Relentless Records.

“Without the love and support of fans around the world, Baby Shark’s new record would have been impossible,” said Min Seok Kim, CEO, SmartStudy. “We’re very honored by this record and will continue to focus on delivering high-quality entertainment beyond the digital platforms.”

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

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.

Female fitness channel Blogilates launches first signature sporting goods through Semaphore Licensing partnership

The female fitness YouTube channel, Blogilates has developed its first line if signature sporting goods in partnership with the US retail giant Target in the brand’s first foray into licensing. The partnership was brokered by the channel’s rights and merchandising agency, Semaphore Licensing Solutions.

Semaphore Licensing is continuing to create opportunities for its ‘new media’ brands to expand their reach within the retail world. The Blogilates deal follows from the previously detailed licensing expansion for the YouTube skateboarding channel, Braille Skateboarding in deals that took the brand into toys and recently into footwear.

Blogilates is recognised as the leading female fitness channel on YouTube with over 812 million lifetime views and 5.36 million subscribers. The channel features full-length POP Pilates, HIIT, and total body sculpting workouts that can all be done at home, led by certified Pilates an fitness instructor, and the CEO and founder of Blogilates, Cassey Ho.

The brand’s extended reach currently engages nearly 11 million wellness loving fans across several other social platforms, including 2.1 million TikTok followers and 1.9 million Instagram followers.

The licensing opportunity with Target will allow Blogilates to bring stylish sporting good essentials into the hands of consumers who value quality fitness equipment, as at home workouts become the new normal. The line of products that will be available via Target stores and Target.com will include items such as luxurious vegan suede yoga mats, beautiful gold dumbbells, and blush toned resistance bands.

Our goal is to create licensing opportunities that connect consumers with their favorite brands via retailers they trust,”said Lisa Berlin Wright, senior vice president of licensing, Semaphore Licensing Solutions

“Target understands the emotional connection that new media stars have with their audience. We are thrilled to be elevating the at home fitness experience through high-quality products at accessible price points for consumers nationwide,” added Michael Bienstock, founder and CEO, Semaphore Licensing Solutions.