Changing the Game: Navigating Industry Shifts

From refining co-production skills to adapting existing IP and driving digital-first content rollouts, a cross-section of producers and distributors weigh in on navigating a business in transition.

Announcing its landmark deal to become the new home of Sesame Street globally (sharing U.S. rights with PBS KIDS), Netflix included a data point that, while unlikely to comfort those still recovering from the drastic reduction in investments by the global streamers, is, at the very least, a sign that all is not lost.

“Kids and family viewing represents 15 percent of Netflix’s total viewing,” the streamer said. “Whether it’s laughing alongside their favorite characters with Ms. Rachel, Gabby’s Dollhouse, CoComelon Lane, Blippi and Hot Wheels Let’s Race or diving into exciting new adventures with The Sea Beast and Leo, we’ve built a space where kids can watch, play and learn.”

Many of the titles referenced were born from YouTube, a theme that we’ll return to later in this piece, but Netflix and other SVOD platforms, while not investing in kids’ fare at the level they were at the height of the pandemic boom, still see the segment as key to their ability to maintain subscribers.

“Children are not a major motivating factor for consumers when deciding to subscribe to a service,” said Olivia Deane, research manager at Ampere Analysis, at the TV Kids Festival earlier this year. “However, they still play an important role in subscriber behavior. Households with children are not only more likely to have more viewing devices, but they also make up a large proportion of Netflix viewing activity. While children’s content isn’t enticing people to sign up, it is stopping them from leaving. Across the board, households with children were less likely to churn. While streamers are limiting their budget for new, original and exclusive children’s content, they are also acquiring large volumes of existing children’s content to appease this important consumer group.”

While SVOD commissions have plummeted, Ampere’s data did show one bright spot; the “crown jewels” of the sector, Deane said, are public broadcasters, mainly in Western Europe and North America.

“Between the first half of 2023 and 2024, not only did public broadcasters announce the highest volume of children’s commissions, but they were also one of only three commissioner types to show growth in the volume of children’s commissions announced,” Deane explained.

Pubcasters, themselves facing funding challenges (including in the U.S., where President Donald Trump has left the fate of public broadcasting in doubt), are increasingly pooling their limited resources to maintain their commitments to high-quality kids’ fare. Indeed, partnerships are very much back in vogue now that global deals are rare.

Among the numerous studios and distributors attending Mifa to explore potential partnerships for new projects is Dandelooo. The boutique independent has weathered the storm facing the French animation sector, which has seen a string of high-profile casualties in the last year.

Gennarino Romano, international sales manager and head of acquisitions, describes the European animation sector as being “relatively resilient” amid the broader challenges facing the ecosystem.

“Its strength lies in robust public funding systems, creative talent and a strong tradition of international co-productions,” Romano says. “Our series The Upside Down River and Billy the Cowboy Hamster are good examples of European cooperation,” he notes, referencing partners in Germany, Portugal and Belgium. “These co-productions help to share financial risk and keep the industry dynamic and adaptable, even in the face of ongoing market difficulties. We are fortunate to be in production simultaneously with two French broadcasters: CANAL+ for Max & Bunny and TF1 for Hold on Gaston!”

Both are based on known IP, a theme that remains paramount in a business where discovery continues to confound everyone.

“A published book is proof that someone has already said yes,” Jeremy Colfer, the director of development at Lion Forge Entertainment, told delegates at the TV Kids Festival. “When you’re bringing it into someone, the risk is lower because someone already put their neck out. You’re not taking a flier on something completely original, which we all would love to see more of, but it’s just not done a ton right now.”

“Book adaptations have always been a proven and successful model for us,” said Oliver Grundel, Director Junior at ZDF Studios, at that same session, highlighting shows like Sam & Julia. Based on the Dutch book series The Mouse Mansion created by Karina Schaapman, the series attracted several partners, including ZDF and France Télévisions.

Kristofer Updike, senior VP of creative at Hidden Pigeon Company, which was created to adapt the work of beloved author Mo Willems, expects known IP to remain prominent for the foreseeable future.

“I thought this year would be the year of new original content,” Updike said, “but we’re not quite there yet. I think we have another year or so of this kind of content being in high demand. 2025 is a year of IP, brands and so forth. We’re on the cusp of an AI-driven creator model, where creators can use AI to animate their own content, and therefore, there’ll be a lot of fun, new original ideas coming out, and we’ll be able to see them visually.”

Even amid the known IP mantra, new brands are emerging from the digital-first economy, with the likes of CoComelon and Booba sitting alongside Bluey and SpongeBob SquarePants on retail shelves. You can build a hit with a digital-first model (digital-only, less so), and understanding how to do so involves a fair bit of trial and error.

“Booba started life on YouTube as a 3-minute short, quickly becoming a firm audience favorite,” says Olivier Bernard, COO of Kedoo Entertainment, which created the show. “We could see the fan base growing exponentially, with each episode achieving huge numbers. Keen to build on this success, the logical next step was to extend the 3-minute format. While the appetite for Booba was huge, we learned from linear TV habits that extending the length of a non-dialogue show was risky. Being on YouTube enabled us to be flexible and nimble, delivering what the audience wanted and learning from it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But we knew it was a risk we had to take. We gradually crept up to 5 minutes in season three, and the audience continued to grow. We are now at 7 minutes from season four onward, and Booba is loved more than he ever has been.”

Several IP owners are also using YouTube and other digital ecosystems to reintroduce properties, as Ánima Kitchent has done with Cleo & Cuquín, its flagship IP. Indeed, a successful digital strategy has led the show back into a premium streaming environment.

“It was originally launched as a television-first IP,” says Miguel Aldasoro, international sales and co-production director at the Spanish production and distribution outfit. “After completing the first season, we began shifting toward a digital strategy, developing content specifically for YouTube, including songs and short episodes focused on the character Cuquín. The new Cuquín: Discover & Explore episodes performed well digitally, which led us to expand production and move to an always-on content model. These strong results also caught the attention of Max, and we’re now producing the second season of the Cuquín original for the platform.”

Reiterating the importance of trial and error, Aldasoro says Ánima Kitchent used a similar model with Tippi T-Rex, resulting in “a new co-production for additional episodes and a new deal in China. We are now preparing to apply the same model to our newest IP, Howly & Wooly, with a first digital test planned for Q4 2026.”

El Reino Infantil, meanwhile, is a YouTube channel that evolved from a series of DVDs, serving Spanish-language audiences with music videos, educational fare, games and more. “We currently produce over 40 new weekly content pieces across various platforms,” says Ylka Tapia, acquisition and partnership manager at the channel, which logs more than 250 million views a day.

While Ánima, El Reino Infantil and Kedoo are all operating in slightly different digital-first spheres, pursuing revenue opportunities outside of the YouTube ecosystem is a common priority.

“While YouTube was instrumental in building Booba’s initial audience, with over 22 billion views accumulated now, we always envisioned the character as a cross-platform brand,” Kedoo’s Bernard says. “Our distribution strategy focused first on global streaming platforms, but since season three, we have also formed partnerships with regional and local TV broadcasters. Booba launched on Netflix and is now established as a top ten kids’ animated series. The show is also available on Prime Video.”

ITVX and Nine Network have also acquired the show, which has a successful licensing and merchandising program managed by IMG. “In 2024 alone, more than 40,000 plush toys—produced in-house by 3D Sparrow—were sold via Amazon and other e-commerce channels, reflecting strong consumer momentum,” Bernard continues.

“Monetization on YouTube depends on many variables—seasonality, trends, events and territories all play a role,” says Aldasoro at Ánima. “The main objective is to generate strong viewership, ideally in regions with higher CPMs. With the introduction of new formats like YouTube Shorts, monetization dynamics have shifted significantly. CPMs tend to be lower compared to traditional content. Success comes down to building strong engagement with the audience and continuously expanding the reach into new markets and demographics.”

Aldasoro adds, “Outside the YouTube and AVOD window, we see monetization opportunities through licensing and merchandising. While securing deals in this space is not always easy, given the competitive landscape and the need for brand recognition, it remains a crucial avenue for consolidating the value of an IP. Licensing partnerships help extend a property’s reach beyond the screen, strengthening brand engagement and opening up additional revenue streams.”

Tapia says that El Reino Infantil has been able to fund its content thanks to its multiple revenue streams.

“Our large audience allows us to generate revenue across multiple areas such as YouTube, strategic partnerships, consumer product licensing, live shows and agreements with streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Max and ViX. The development of FAST channels and distribution via platforms like The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus and Tubi has also opened up new monetization streams. We only move forward with theatrical releases or licensing deals once digital metrics confirm that a property is mature and scalable.”

Data is paramount, whether you’re developing for a digital-first rollout or pursuing a traditional commissioning route. You need to have a sense, early, of how your IP is connecting with viewers.

“Data is a fundamental part of our day-to-day operations,” Aldasoro notes. “It allows us to understand not only whether an IP is performing well, but also why it’s resonating or not with audiences, and how we can evolve it strategically. We have a dedicated team of data analysts and mathematicians who monitor a wide range of metrics, including performance trends, audience behavior and competitive benchmarks. This approach goes beyond basic KPIs; we use tools like YouTube Analytics and Tubular Labs to gain deep, actionable insights that inform everything from creative development to release strategies. Thanks to this data-driven mindset, we have been able to refine our IPs to better meet audience demand, identify new market opportunities and support commercial deals such as licensing and co-productions.”

“Data is a core pillar of our content strategy,” says Tapia at El Reino Infantil. “We combine native analytics with proprietary systems built in-house to measure performance, reach and engagement at every level—video, channel, playlist. We leverage a dedicated content analysis and trends team that meticulously analyzes content performance, including viewership, engagement and retention across all our SVOD and AVOD platforms. We also monitor global consumption trends, understand cross-platform viewing habits and benchmark our performance against competitors across different countries. This data-driven approach allows us to make informed decisions on content acquisition, licensing and development, ultimately maximizing the reach and value of our content for young audiences worldwide. Every expansion is data-validated. We pivot based on this information to make informed decisions about production and publishing. This allows us to scale efficiently, minimize risk and deliver measurable impact across audiences and partners.”

For Bernard at Kedoo, data has been utilized to make creative and strategic decisions. “We track performance across platforms to understand which formats, characters, episode structures, publishing schedules and even thumbnail designs appeal to our audiences the most, helping us grow viewership globally. On the distribution side, performance insights guide our go-to-market strategy, highlighting where Booba is gaining traction and helping us prioritize broadcast and licensing deals in specific regions. We also use real-time feedback constantly to test new concepts in short-form content before scaling them into longer formats or spin-offs.”

“Most of the shows we’ve produced since Cleo & Cuquín have followed a digital-first testing approach, allowing us to validate concepts early and adapt them based on performance,” Aldasoro says. “Some of these projects have also been developed as co-productions, enabling us to share costs and resources. With others fully financed by Ánima with our production hub located in the Canary Islands, we benefit from highly attractive tax incentives, which make our production costs significantly more competitive and sustainable.”

And we return to the value of Europe’s funding ecosystems, which are helping to deliver content to a broad range of platforms.

“Government funding programs like France’s CNC and the EU’s Creative Europe MEDIA play a central role in funding development, production and, of course, distribution,” Dandelooo’s Romano says. “These mechanisms allow studios, especially independents, to stay competitive. Without them, many productions simply wouldn’t happen. Due to these subsidies, we are fortunate to be self-funding on projects such as Max & Bunny.”

And new co-pro opportunities are still emerging, Romano adds, referencing increased activity in Ireland and great potential in Portugal. “It’s also worth mentioning the significant tax credits available in certain regions. The Canary Islands, for example, offer particularly advantageous tax credits, which have played a key role in making projects such as Jasmine & Jambo and Under the Sofa possible.”

While becoming more selective about which projects to board amid budgetary concerns, commissioning broadcasters are also eager for content that can live in their linear, on-demand and digital ecosystems, Romano says.

“At first, we used to separate content by platform, developing different formats for digital and for broadcasters,” adds Ánima’s Aldasoro. “Our goal now is to create content that can travel seamlessly across platforms, which is why production quality needs to be consistently high. Traditionally, broadcast content required longer durations, while digital favored shorter formats. Today, we often adapt by combining multiple short episodes or songs to meet broadcasters’ time slots.”

Kedoo is applying the lessons learned from its Booba journey to a show for the 6- to 9-year-old set, Sonya From Toastville. A co-production with Lakeside Animation and Studio Metrafilms, the series launched on YouTube last year and, after logging more than 200 million views, has now been greenlit “exclusively for broadcasters and streamers,” Bernard says.

Monkeys vs Robots, meanwhile, is a non-dialogue animated comedy designed for co-viewing that is starting with four to six 2- to 3-minute pilot episodes. These are “designed specifically for YouTube and digital-first platforms as a trial to gauge market and audience response ahead of a potential full season,” Bernard says.