Tag Archives: Little Baby Bum

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.

Moonbug continues its international expansion as it scoops Korean animated IP Arpo

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More news from Moonbug’s ongoing plans for global expansions has arrived as the firm behind the success of Little Baby Bum has scooped up the popular Korean animated series Arpo.

Throughout 2020, Moonbug will produce 26 premium three to five minute episodes of the slapstick animated comedy on global OTT platforms in the US, EMEA, and APAC. Arpo currently boasts over 2 million subscribers and 100 million monthly views on YouTube.

The first 12 new episodes from Moonbug have already launched.

Arpo is a light dialogue, slapstick show that follows the relationship between Arpo, a commando robot-turned-nanny and Baby Daniel, the curious boy that he cares for. In the latest episodes being developed, Moonbug will introduce the show’s global audience to new characters and expanded worlds.

Arpo helps children aged three to six build an understanding of non-verbal communication like body language and facial expressions, and also promotes life skills such as friendship, being considerate of others and cooperation.

“As Moonbug continues to expand globally, Arpo was a program that immediately caught our eye. It is such a unique, fun show and we recognised how well it resonated with the progressive audience in Korea, as well as others around the world,” said John Robson, COO of Moonbug.

“We’ve seen a huge demand in new content from these beloved characters and are looking forward to expanding ARPO’s reach to new markets over the coming year.”

Arpo is currently available on popular streaming services including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Kidoodle.TV, Roku, YouTube and more.

It joins Moonbug’s own expanding portfolio that currently boasts the likes of Little Baby Bum, My Magic Pet Morphle, Supa Strikas, and Go Buster. Moonbug shows are available on global platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Sky, Amazon Prime Video and many more.

Moonbug has tapped Thinkway Toys as master toy partner for its new digital pre-school property Morphle

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The global children’s entertainment company, Moonbug – the team behind the popular Little Baby Bum – has secured a new partnership with Thinkway Toys that will see the development of a global master toy line for its latest pre-school property, Morphle.

The partnership has been announced just days ahead of this year’s New York Toy Fair. The pair have set out an agenda ‘to transform preschool toys, through the deal.

A company that receives more than 2 billion average monthly views, Moonbug is responsible for the success of the likes of Little Baby Bum, Supa Strikers, and Go Buster. Its latest digital IP Morphle has already proved to be a success with US audiences.

With 180 episodes produced and distributed in six different languages, the story-led series encourages curiosity, imagination and kindness among its audience, along with a playfulness that Thinkway and Moonbug are “eager to expand upon in new toy lines set to launch in 2020.”

“This is a really important moment in Morphle and Moonbug,” said René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO of Moonbug. “Collaborating with a great partner like Thinkway to ‘morph’ the magic of the series into imaginative new toy lines is sure to delight our young fans, and further champion the success of digital-first entertainment franchises.”

Thinkway Toys has become one of the leading names in the global toy business over the course of its 30 year history. Breaking through the industry in 1995 with Toy Story, the company has now seen potential in Morphle.

“We are excited to be partnering up with Moonbug over this unique digital IP,” said Albert Chan, CEO of Thinkway Toys. “It’s not every day that we come across a digital IP that is able to speak to any gender on so many diverse markets, which makes Morphle extra special.”

Born on YouTube in late 2011, Morphle is now distributed on top tier digital platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Samsung and Apple TV. In Q4 of 2019, more than 20 million American households watched at least one episode of Morphle weekly – a number that is expected to grow tremendously in 2020.

“The stats speak for themselves,” added Chan. “We are onto something big with Morphle and are looking forward to doing some really cool stuff with Moonbug – the future for this magical red creature is looking bright.”