Kevin Mayer Talks Creator Economy Content

Kevin Mayer, co-founder and co-CEO of Candle Media, broke news of a CoComelon collaboration with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and weighed in on building YouTube-originated brands at APOS in Bali today.

Mayer talked about the latest developments at Moonbug Entertainment and reflected on trends in the media business in his keynote conversation with Media Partners Asia’s Vivek Couto on day one of APOS.

Harnessing the power of social media content was baked into the Candle Media origin story, Mayer noted. The company launched in 2021 and quickly acquired Moonbug Entertainment, home to the powerhouse CoComelon IP. Born on YouTube, the series was repackaged for Netflix and is soon moving to a new home: Disney+.

“Some parents are comfortable with YouTube, some are comfortable with a more curated environment that Netflix represents. Disney is a natural home for kids and family. We strategically deploy our properties across all the streaming platforms.”

Mayer also discussed the acquisition of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, referring to it as a “powerful brand that speaks to women in a very deep way.”

Reflecting on the state of the global media business, Mayer said he expects to see some consolidation in the streaming landscape and weighed in on the shifting power dynamics toward creator content, with younger audiences spending more time on social media content and gaming than on “traditional” programming. “I think that’s a permanent fixture of the landscape. That doesn’t mean traditional storytelling goes away. Both will exist, but there’s been a definite shift.”

Couto asked Mayer about AI. “I firmly believe it’s a tool. It creates a lot of efficiencies. It can be used to generate stories, but it doesn’t replace creativity.”

On the road ahead for Candle Media, Mayer noted, “High-quality entertainment is always going to be in demand. We don’t create shows, we create brands and franchises.”