Kidscreen Hot50 2021 by Brunico Communications

2 02 1

See who’s blazing trails in kids entertainment

This year’s Hot50 winners focus on the needs of kids ith ongoing disruptions due to the pandemic, the children’s entertainment landscape continued to be challenging in 2021. But even though live-action production and theatrical business struggled to bounce back, demand for animation just kept on booming. Netflix, for example, acquired more animated kids and family movies than ever before, including Hasbro’s My Little Pony film and Sony’s digital-first release The Mitchells vs. The Machines. The SVOD also announced a number of new films—like Back to the Outback and Arlo the Alligator Boy—as part of its strategy to launch six original animated movies every year. On the TV front, it premiered a slew of new shows from big-name talent including Chris Nee (Ridley Jones) and Michelle Obama (Waffles + Mochi). These efforts didn’t go unnoticed by the industry. Netflix secured the number-one ranking on the Hot50 broadcasting list for the eighth consecutive year, and the SVOD’s multiple projects with Nee—including Ada Twist, Scientist and We the People—were also instrumental in its third-place ranking in the production category this year. Disney+, however, joined Netflix at the top of the broadcasting list, following a second-place finish in 2020. Its accomplishments included amassing more than 118 million subscriptions worldwide, 14 Creative Arts Emmys trophies, and a promise to inject US$9

billion into local and regional content by 2024. With so much demand for toons, many production companies expanded their slates in 2021. Top-ranked in the Hot50 production category, 9 Story secured a record 18 greenlights, including Karma’s World for Netflix and Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show for Apple TV+. Production runner-up Moonbug, meanwhile, had 24 series on the go this year (up from 16 series in 2020), including both linear and SVOD spinoffs of its popular CoComelon, Blippi, Little Baby Bum and Morphle YouTube brands. On the distribution front, the UK’s Jetpack claimed its first-ever Hot50 crown on the strength of a 16% yearover-year revenue spike. And on the licensing list, The LEGO Group defended its number-one spot by expanding its product offerings for evergreen brands including Nintendo’s Super Mario and Disney’s Marvel. Rounding out the categories, PBS KIDS took top spot on the Hot50 digital media list for a third consecutive year. Among its achievements, new at-home learning resources drove a 22% increase in streaming and a 24% lift in gaming for the US pubcaster, compared to the previous year. Congratulations to all of the 2021 number-ones, to Hot50 newcomers such as Daily Madness Productions and HBO Max, and to the rest of our finalists as well. Keep up the great work!

—Jeremy Dickson

HOT50 2021 • VOLUME 25 • ISSUE 5 SVP & PUBLISHER Jocelyn Christie jchristie@brunico.com

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February/March 2022 • Street Date: February 14 kidscreen.com

BROADCASTING

Streamers share the spotlight On the strength of stellar subscriber growth and local investment, Disney+ joins Netflix—which also saw huge gains—on top of the Hot50 broadcasting list.

Disney+ bets on local African animation with new anthology Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire

The Mitchells vs. The Machines broke Netflix records when it launched earlier this year

After seven consecutive solo wins, Netflix is sharing the glory this year, tying with 2020 runner-up Disney+ for the number-one ranking. Rapid growth has been key for Disney’s streamer, which has amassed 118 million subscriptions worldwide since launching in 2019, with new users up 60% year over year in 2021. Its growth slowed a bit in Q4 (just 2.1 million members were added, down from 12.6 million in the previous quarter), but the service still expects to reach between 230 million and 260 million total paid subscribers by September 2024, according to Disney’s latest earnings call. By comparison, Netflix is currently sitting at 213 million global subscribers. Disney plans to spend a projected US$9 billion on local and regional content by 2024, said CEO Bob Chapek on the call. The media giant currently has more than 340 local originals in various stages of development and production across its D2C platforms. This past year, Disney+ got a jump on commissioning local content through a partnership with creators from across Africa for a 10-part original film anthology called Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire. It also acquired exclusive streaming rights in Latin America to Somos Productions’ musical series @ Ginayei (24 x 60 minutes), and held a second round of Launchpad, its shorts incubator for underrepresented directors. In other accomplishments, Disney+ won 14 Creative Arts Emmys, including three for Marvel’s WandaVision and seven for Lucasfilm’s Star Wars series The Mandalorian. For its part, Netflix had another record-breaking year in kids and family content, getting 56 Daytime Emmy nominations in kids programming and walking away with 12 awards—the most won by any broadcaster or platform in the kids space. Among its wins, animated series Go! Go! Cory Carson took home three trophies, with two more for Hilda. Animated features have also been performing well for the streamer; Sony’s The Mitchells vs. The Machines became the platform’s most-watched animated film to date this year, with 53 million household views in the month it launched. As Netflix looks to stay ahead of the House of Mouse in the streaming wars (and in the battle for the Hot50’s top broadcasting spot), its recent decision to be more transparent with data and measure viewership statistics by total hours watched rather than number of households could go a long way towards making it happen.

BROADCASTING

PBS KIDS invests in SEL and inclusion The US pubcaster dug deeper into social issues this year with the premiere of its latest installment of Emmy-winning series PBS KIDS Talk About, which featured authentic, age-appropriate conversations about race and racial justice-related topics between real children and their parents. The channel also bowed Fred Rogers Productions’ new puppet series Donkey Hodie, which targets a

preschool audience and focuses on problem-solving, as well as STEM-themed series Elinor Wonders Why from scientist creators Daniel Whiteson and Jorge Cham. In other achievements, PBS KIDS put out a call for original literacy-themed pitches from creators in underrepresented communities, with funding from a US Department of Education grant.

BBC Children’s & Education Landing once again in fourth spot on this year’s list, BBC Children’s & Education pivoted its programming significantly over the last year, putting a focus on lockdown learning and unveiling Black History month shows such as Black History Heroes and Magic Hands. And in order to find the UK’s next animated hit, it launched an Ignite fund for indie creators and producers.

BROADCASTING

Cartoon Network and HBO Max WarnerMedia Kids & Family isn’t just making shows for six- to 11-year-old boys anymore. The content group expanded its focus with the new Cartoonito preschool block, as well as programming for preschoolers, girls ages six to 11 and families. This year, it also gave the Cartoon Network brand a facelift with a new slogan, “Redraw Your World.”

Nickelodeon

Getting its head in the game, Nickelodeon moved up three spots on this year’s broadcasting list, following a partnership with CBS Sports and the National Football League to bring the sport to its channel with NFL Wild Card Game and new weekly football series NFL Slimetime. Nick also leaned into popular brands with the reboot of iCarly for Paramount+ and the launch Baby Shark’s Big Show!

ABC After a one-year hiatus from the Hot50 list, Australia’s pubcaster is back. Driving its return were flagship show Play School, which turned 55; hit show Bluey’s global domination (it also became the most downloaded ABC show in Australia), and the debut of brand-new series Kangaroo Beach to teach preschoolers about water safety.

BROADCASTING

TVOKids Despite COVID-19 causing production disruptions, TVOKids kept the cameras rolling for several pandemic-centric shows, including My Stay-At-Home Diary and Big Top Academy: School’s Out Edition. The small Canadian pubcaster also turned its attention to mental health with How do you Feel?, and amplified Indigenous voices by commissioning Wolf Joe and renewing Raven’s Quest.

CBC Kids New programming flooded the Canadian pubcaster this year, with the launches of acquisitions such as Paddington, Remy and Boo, Love Monster and Mighty Express, as well as originals Dino Ranch and Glowbies. CBC Kids also found innovative ways to keep production going on puppet show Gary’s Magic Fort, shifting to shooting at the puppeteers’ homes within a week of local shutdowns, and using the platform to reflect kids’ lives at the time.

Apple TV+ The tech giant is all about big names and recently partnered with Malala Yousafzai and Jane Goodall for new kid-focused content. It also inked a multiyear overall deal with Skydance Animation for both features and series, and went in big with WildBrain on a slew of new Peanuts projects.

BROADCASTING

PRODUCTION

9 Story/Brown Bag Films find a common purpose The media company and its production arm return to the top of the Hot50 production list. Despite spending months on end working from bedrooms and kitchen tables during the pandemic. 9 Story Media Group—and its production arm Brown Bag Films—secured a record 18 greenlights in 2021, including series pickups for CG-animated Karma’s World (Netflix) and hybrid preschool show Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show (Apple TV+.) “Even during the lockdowns, we delivered the best work we’ve ever produced as a company,” says Cathal Gaffney, 9 Story COO and Brown Bag managing director. “Across our studios in Dublin, Toronto, New York and Bali, we went to great lengths to ensure everybody felt connected and had a common purpose.” 9 Story also upped its commitment to inclusive storytelling this year, with Brown Bag animating Chris Nee’s Ridley Jones (featuring

the first-ever non-binary character in a Netflix preschool show); the debut of autistic character Max on PBS KIDS’ Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood; its work on Ada Twist, Scientist from Nee and the Obama’s Higher Ground; and long-running series Doc McStuffins winning a pair of NAACP Image Awards. In other accomplishments, Brown Bag launched a 3D pipeline at its Toronto studio and implemented a return-to-work model that allows its animators to work partly from home. This year’s Hot50 win marks a return to the top of the list for 9 Story, which last landed in the number-one spot in 2018. “To be voted into this shortlist by our respected industry peers is an epic endorsement of all the hard work that everyone’s put in,” Gaffney says.

PRODUCTION

Moonbug Entertainment ramps up Making its debut on the production shortlist, Moonbug Entertainment generated significant growth in 2021 that culminated in its November acquisition by a yet-to-be-named media company backed by former Disney execs Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs. The prodco expanded its production slate to 24 series—up from 16 in 2020—including linear and SVOD spinoffs

of its popular CoComelon, Blippi, Little Baby Bum and Morphle YouTube brands. It also launched MyGo, a YouTube channel featuring American Sign Language videos of top Moonbug IPs. And it produced 164 episodes for MyGo, which is averaging more than 96 million monthly views and upwards of 100 million minutes of watch time.

Netflix booms

On the strength of several series backed by some marquee talent, the SVOD jumps back onto the top 10 after ranking seventh two years ago. The projects include Ada Twist, Scientist and We the People from Chris Nee and the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions; animated fantasy series Wings of Fire from Ava Duvernay and Warner Bros. Animation; and Pearl, the first animated series from Archewell Productions, a prodco founded in 2020 by Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

PRODUCTION

Daily Madness Productions Dropping into the top 10 for the first time— and punching above its weight—is Irish indie prodco Daily Madness Productions. Its year was punctuated with Goat Girl claiming Cartoon Forum’s most-viewed pitch honor in 2020, and the 2D-animated series’ subsequent move into production in partnership with French producer/ distributor MIAM! Animation. The studio also secured service work on a second season of Turnip and Duck’s hybrid comedy series Critters TV for Irish pubcaster RTÉjr, and has new toons including Big Tuna and Ray of Sunshine in development.

Sinking Ship Entertainment

Last year’s top company in the production category may have dropped a few spots on the 2021 list, but the Canadian studio still had plenty to celebrate—including the launch of a Black Lives Matter-focused season of YouTube Original series Lockdown, which featured an all-BIPOC writing and directing team; three Daytime Emmy wins (two for Odd Squad, one for Endlings); and a pickup by Apple TV+ for its Dr. Jane Goodallinspired hybrid series Jane.

Blue Zoo Animation Studio

The UK prodco collected even more accolades for its 3D-animated series The Adventures of Paddington this year, garnering an Annie Award and two Daytime Emmys. It more than doubled its staff, giving the studio plenty of capacity to work on the seven projects it currently has in production, including YouTube Original forest-and-folklore animated series Millie and Lou and an unnamed 2D-animated preschool show in partnership with Plug-In Media.

PRODUCTION

Atomic Cartoons Thunderbird Entertainment’s kids and family division Atomic Cartoons is back in the top 10 after a strong year that saw the Canadian company deliver a third season of The Last Kids on Earth to Netflix, as well as producing new content for the streamer (Dogs in Space) and Disney+ (LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special). It also shared a 2021 Best Inclusivity Kidscreen Award with co-producing partners PBS KIDS and GBH Kids for animated series Molly of Denali.

WildBrain Hopping back into the top 10 for the first time since 2017 is Canada’s WildBrain. As part of its exclusive Peanuts deal with Apple TV+, the company delivered a number of new original projects this year, including animated kids series The Snoopy Show and a second season of Snoopy in Space. It also sent first seasons of its new shows Johnny Test and Go, Dog Go! to Netflix.

Guru Studio Guru expanded its production slate this year after Chris Nee and her production company Laughing Wild chose the Toronto studio to help make the new 3D-animated preschool series Dino Daycare for Netflix. Guru also delivered first episodes of its new underwater comedy-adventure Big Blue to CBC Kids, and is in pre-production on a ninth season of hit series PAW Patrol.

DreamWorks Animation DreamWorks Animation racked up a number of firsts in 2021—particularly with its work for Netflix. The division launched its first original film for the SVOD with Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans; received a GLAAD Award for She-Ra & The Princesses of Power; and scored an NAACP Image Award nom for Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.

PRODUCTION

DISTRIBUTION

Jetpack Distribution shoots to the top

A bigger catalogue, more development and a new YouTube channel drove the company’s success. London-based Jetpack Distribution rose above the rest this year, taking the top spot in distribution for the first time ever. CEO Dominic Gardiner says this recognition gives his team a sense of confidence and satisfaction because industry feedback isn’t always instantly received. “We can always measure company performance financially, in terms of revenue and profit,” says Gardiner. “But the [peer] recognition gives us one of the best measures of how well we are doing. It lets us know what people think of us and our work.” In terms of financial performance over the last year, Jetpack saw an uptick in sales for its content library (more than 1,400 half

hours and counting), which contributed to 16% year-over-year revenue growth and an 18% profit increase. As for the company’s catalogue—which includes YouTube hit Spookiz, Welcome to Cardboard City and Claymotions, in addition to development projects like Florida, Stella & The Starlets and Flora—it has grown by 12% since 2020. In other accomplishments, Jetpack launched new YouTube channel Jetpack Kids; revamped its website with a dedicated buyers screening zone; and expanded its team with two new hires for Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa—regions that will be a focus moving forward.

DISTRIBUTION

9 Story Distribution International rocks AVOD deals Despite missing the top spot for a third year running, Ireland’s 9 Story Distribution International still had very a strong year. In particular, it bolstered its AVOD business by a whopping 174% year over year, licensing more than 4,300 half hours of content to top platforms, with new clients Peacock, Xumo and FilmRise among them. It also acquired five new series—Circle Square, Bad Nature, Andy and the Band, Donkey Hodie and Weird Waters—and sold 9 Story/Brown Bag’s upcoming original preschool shows Ladybird Lu and Dylan to WarnerMedia for its new Cartoonito preschool block.

WildBrain wows

Third-place finisher WildBrain continued to broaden its distribution strategies for linear, VOD and electronic sell-through with new content initiatives and rights partnerships. Using an audience-led approach, it saw non-YouTube AVOD growth on free ad-supported streaming TV channels such as Samsung TV Plus, Amazon, Roku, Pluto, Tubi, XUMO, Sensical, Prende and Rakuten. WildBrain also inked new deals for kids series including The Snoopy Show (Apple TV+), Sonic Prime (SEGA, Netflix), The Brilliant World of Tom Gates (TG Entertainment) and Denis and Me (Headspinner).

DISTRIBUTION

Moonbug Entertainment The London-based media company gained momentum through deals with the BBC for YouTube-first series CoComelon, Go Buster and Little Baby Bum. Original spinoffs CoComelon Lane and Little Baby Bum: Music Time, meanwhile, headed to Netflix. And Moonbug also partnered with Chinese platforms iQiyi, ByteDance and Tencent Video to launch CoComelon regionally in both Mandarin and English.

Sinking Ship Entertainment

This year, Toronto’s Sinking Ship expanded Odd Squad’s global audience through deals with Tencent (China), Showmax (Africa) and Nickelodeon (Benelux). It also secured the distribution rights to Lopii Productions’ Fay & Fluffy and BBC Productions’ Demon Headmaster, and is co-developing Dance Spies with Australia’s Northern Pictures. And the company’s Dino Dana The Movie live experience found a home at Florida’s Museum of Discovery and Science.

Sesame Workshop The non-profit expanded its international footprint, with new partners Netflix (Australia and New Zealand), Tencent (China) and Coupang (Korea) all picking up Sesame Street. It also struck a deal with 12 broadcasters operating in 22 countries across the MENA region for its Arabic Sesame Street co-pro Ahlan Simsim.

DISTRIBUTION

CAKE Entertainment This year, CAKE partnered with Kickstart Entertainment on joint-venture CakeStart, which is developing and producing live-action films and TV series for kids and families. The Londonbased distributor also sold more than 244 half hours from series including Total Drama Island, Dodo and Mush-Mush & the Mushables to WarnerMedia in the US, while the BBC picked up Total Drama Island, Tish Tash and Kiri and Lou for the UK.

Boat Rocker Boat Rocker closed 100-plus distribution deals this year for shows including Dino Ranch, Kingdom Force, Remy & Boo, Love Monster, The Next Step and The Strange Chores. Dino Ranch, in particular, was snapped up by the likes of Disney+ and French broadcaster Gulli, while WarnerMedia bought Love Monster for its Cartoonito preschool block and HBO Max in the US.

Australian Children’s Television Foundation ACTF continued to run a healthy export business in 2021, with sales of First Day to Hulu (US), NHK (Japan), France Télévisions (France), DR TV (Denmark), RTÉ (Ireland), Canal Futura (Brazil) and CBC (Canada). It also sold the first two seasons of Hardball to KiKA (Germany) and season two to RTÉ and Canadian pubcaster TVOKids, as well as dishing out US$362,000 in seed capital to Australian producers to develop new shows.

Aardman Animations Aadman signed an impressive number of presales for its new Shaun the Sheep Christmas special, The Flight Before Christmas, which flocked to Netflix worldwide, the BBC and an additional 22 broadcasters. The company also partnered with WarmerMedia EMEA to distribute preschool series Interstella Ella, and sold Brave Bunnies from Glowberry and Anima Kitchent into 64 territories.

DISTRIBUTION

LICENSING

Franchises win for LEGO

Familiar brands with a fresh twist helped the brickmaker keep its top spot on the Hot50 list. While many lockdown measures eased, a host of new obstacles—including ongoing supply chain disruption—rose up to challenge toy companies in 2021. But thanks to expanded product ranges for evergreen brands, LEGO overcame these hurdles to take top spot on the Hot50 licensing list for the second year in a row. “[Industry recognition] is always a big honor,” says Jill Wilfert, VP of global licensing and entertainment. “It’s important to us to create partnerships that build value for all—licensors, retail partners and, most of all, fans and consumers.”

Emphasis in 2021 was on expanding existing IPs. LEGO Super Mario, for example, takes advantage of the gaming property’s continued popularity, while combining physical play with Nintendo gaming. And LEGO’s Marvel-inspired range used collectibility to spotlight the franchise’s multitude of fan-favorite characters in products like the Daily Bugle playset (which includes 25 mini-figures and is the toyco’s largest Marvel set to date). “The team has done a great job developing products and marketing that are true to our brand, while at the same time being totally authentic to the IPs we’re bringing to life,” Wilfert says.

LICENSING

WildBrain finds balance

As the pandemic continued to evolve and affect children in new ways, WildBrain focused on wellness and community in 2021 through its pro-social initiative “Take Care with Peanuts.” In addition to encouraging kids to learn about mental health and personal wellness, the program also launched efforts to build community and maintain connections during lockdowns. And even though so many children were stuck at home for much of the past year, Peanuts’ new Apple TV+ content and Space Act Agreement with NASA encouraged little ones to escape to the stars through their imaginations.

Mattel’s hot streak

Mattel celebrated a major milestone this year, commemorating Malibu Barbie’s 50th anniversary through brand collabs with the likes of Funboy (pool floats), ColourPop (cosmetics) and Loungefly (backpacks). Beyond the beach, Hot Wheels unveiled a limited-edition model of the MEGA Tesla Cybertruck radio-controlled car via Mattel Creations, and Matchbox launched the first-ever carbon-neutral Tesla Roadster.

LICENSING

Spin Master Spin Master made magic this year by expanding its partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products for new dolls, playsets, games and roleplay items inspired by the Harry Potter films. Beyond the Wizarding World, the company inked a multi-year agreement to become the global master licensee for Riot Games’ League of Legends. It also continued to take advantage of the popularity of puzzles during the pandemic with the launch of a Calm Puzzles range that sold more than 200,000 units in its first three months at market.

BBC Studios This year marks BBC Studios’ first time making the Hot50 licensing list. The team landed in fifth spot on the strength of its full-scale consumer products program for hit series Bluey in Australia, the US, the UK and Canada. Categories of focus included toys, apparel, publishing, stationery and craft items.

Moonbug Entertainment Another first-timer on the top-10 licensing list, Moonbug Entertainment made big moves this year with consumer products programs inspired by hit preschool properties Blippi and CoComelon (master toy partner Jazwares reported 100% sellthrough for its CoComelon range). Moonbug also focused on growing its portfolio this year through partnerships with toymakers like Jazwares, WowWee and MGA Entertainment.

LICENSING

Sinking Ship Entertainment Dino Dana was anything but extinct for Sinking Ship Entertainment this year. In addition to launching a product line with toymaker Safari, the company expanded this partnership with a global distribution deal. And its program with Mango Publishing also grew with the launch of the Dino Dana Field Guide.

Aardman Efforts around evergreen IP Wallace & Gromit saw Aardman return to the Hot50 licensing list for the first time since 2016. Products spanned a wide range of categories, including the brand’s first-ever AR experience (The Big Fix Up)—which sees families participate in the story through an app as it unfolds in real time—and a range of biscuits from Aberdeenshire bakery Dean’s.

Jazwares Beloved brands were the name of the game for the Florida toyco this year. Following its acquisition of Kellytoy in 2020, Jazwares expanded Squishmallows with co-branded Squish Squads featuring franchises from the likes of Disney, Star Wars and Sanrio. And speaking of the House of Mouse, Disney and Marvel were a big part of the team’s new costume division.

Sesame Workshop Sesame Street combined consumer products with campaigns focused on giving back in 2021. Accessory brand Moschino launched a high-fashion range inspired by Sesame Street Muppets, PAIR Eyewear introduced fun frames and a “buy one, give one” program, and the Workshop partnered with Australian retailer Big W for a book giveaway.

LICENSING

DIGITAL MEDIA

PBS KIDS spotlights accessibility Free at-home learning resources, more adaptive online content and digital-first stories helped the pubcaster retain its crown.

After working hard to make it easier for kids to access content over the past year, PBS KIDS has achieved its third consecutive number-one ranking in the Hot50 digital media category. The pubcaster rolled out downloadable videos through its PBS KIDS Video app so audiences could watch content offline, expanded its adaptive and accessible online lineup, and launched digital-first series Team Hamster and a second season of Scribbles and Ink. “Our aim throughout another challenging year was to listen to what families needed, and provide a safe place for kids to access free, high-quality content,” says SVP and GM Sara DeWitt. “We’re

so proud that we were ready to deliver, and that we could be accessible to so many—even to kids who don’t have great broadband access or the latest technology.” The kidcaster also provided free at-home learning resources, which drove a 22% increase in streaming and a 24% lift in gaming, compared to the previous year. And PBS KIDS racked up 750,000 more monthly downloads for its PBS KIDS Games and Video apps this year than it did in 2020. “The connection to our audience has always been critical to success,” says DeWitt. “Our hope is to continue building on this mission in new and exciting ways in the months ahead.”

DIGITAL MEDIA

Moonbug Entertainment rises up The London-based digital media company climbed up two spots this year to land in the runner-up position by building its catalogue to encompass more than 550 hours of content and growing its broadcast reach. Collectively, Moonbug brands—including CoComelon, Arpo, My Magic Pet Morphle and Blippi—have more than 235 million subscribers on YouTube, netting more than two billion views per month, according to the company. It also launched music on Spotify and inked a number of new broadcast deals for its IPs with linear and streaming partners in EMEA, MENA, the UK and APAC.

WildBrain Spark sparks

Jumping up three spots since last year, WildBrain’s digital media company expanded its slate with a number of digital-first co-productions, including teen comedy series emojitown with the emoji brand, and action-focused Akedo, which it produced in partnership with Moose Toys. Spark also built an online audience for everyone’s favorite bald four-year-old with the release of new episodes of Caillou’s New Adventures on YouTube, and grew its third-party business with companies such as Cosmos-Maya and Mattel.

DIGITAL MEDIA

BBC Studios To drum up interest for Bluey’s music market debut with Bluey: The Album, the pubcaster’s commercial arm created six album covers and an original short. On YouTube, the blue heeler puppy’s watch time and subscriber base grew by 500% this year, while its Spanish-language channel Bluey Español attracted 100,000 subscribers in just eight weeks.

CBC Kids Digital

CBC Kids launched a back-to-school event in Minecraft—simulcast on Twitch and YouTube—and ran kidhosted explainers on timely topics such as reconciliation and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. To support its audience’s at-home schooling during the pandemic, the pubcaster’s kid hosts and puppet character Gary the Unicorn held a second Facebook Live kindergarten grad ceremony, Kindie Class of 2021.

9 Story Media Group

The Canadian company has been busy growing its presence on YouTube this year, and now manages more than 100 brands on the AVOD platform—including the recent addition of 15 Scholastic brands, with The Magic School Bus and Clifford among them. It also expanded its interactive portfolio with online game Let’s Go Luna: Postcards Around the World, and completed a significant update to its 2021 Webby Award-nominated online game Xavier Riddle Hero Maker.

DIGITAL MEDIA

Amazon A first-timer to the Hot50 digital media list, Amazon rebranded its digital subscription service for six to 12s as Amazon Kids+, stocking it with new content from big brands including Marvel and Star Wars. Additionally, it rolled out an Alexa experience called Reading Sidekick in June to help children develop their literacy skills.

Sesame Workshop The Workshop tackled timely issues in 2021, with its Coming Together content package addressing racism, and a new series of PSAs with the Ad Council encouraging kids to get vaccinated. To keep them entertained and moving, Sesame also teamed up with popular Aussie children’s music group The Wiggles to release several new YouTube videos.

Sinking Ship Entertainment The Toronto-based prodco dove into AR with its Fossil Hunt and Dino Player games, both inspired by Dino Dana. It also launched new digital exclusives based on flagship series Odd Squad that drove more than 35 million gameplays and 184 million online video views.

Cartoon Network After a year away from the digital media top 10, Cartoon Network is back, thanks to a series of anti-racism PSAs. Throughout 2021, it rolled out episodes of Drawn To, featuring stories about community from kids. It also partnered with the National Black Justice Coalition to create a digital comic about the importance of respecting gender identity.

DIGITAL MEDIA