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From YouTube to Cinemas: The Moonbug Playbook · Kids Media Club Podcast

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  This episode of the Kids Media Club podcast is sponsored by Moonbug.
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  We're grateful to have them chatting to us to keep conversations moving productively forward in the kids media industry.
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  Well, hello and welcome to another episode of the Kids Media Club podcast.
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  I'm Andy Williams.
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  Welcome along.
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  I'm Jo Redfern and we have got a very special episode today.
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  Emily, tell us.
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  Yes, this is a special pre mipcon pre MIP Junior episode with Moonbook Entertainment.
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  So we are really happy to have Nicholas Ziegle with us, Managing director of EMEA APAC and global distribution for Moonbug.
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  Nice to have you Nicholas.
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  Thanks for joining us.
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  Hi, thanks for having me.
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  We are really happy to be chatting to you.
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  One of the things when we were prepping this I found really interesting is that you come from the grown up world of television and now you are in the kids world very much so for the past number of
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  years.
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  What brought you to Moonbug and how does selling Digital first differ from selling traditional tv?
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  I'd love to hear how this journey has been for you.
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  Yes, I came from the linear world as you said.
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  So I worked at RTL A&E Networks Prozeben in Germany.
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  But obviously the last few years of that kind of area was kind of managing decline and not seeing growth.
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  And when I met Rene Reckman, our CEO and founder, he told me about his vision about Kids content being super important for streamers.
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  And so I really felt intrigued.
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  I saw the opportunity and that's what we made.
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  Move to Mumbai.
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  Great.
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  And do you find a difference selling Digital First Kids?
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  Obviously there's got to be some.
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  What are the key differences for Digital First Kids content versus you know, this more traditional content from your past?
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  I think everybody has accepted the fact that we are distributing YouTube content.
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  And the good thing about YouTube content is we have, we can prove that the audience is there and you know, a lot.
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  Most brands we have acquired have had a huge audience around the world and when we go to our partners, we can tell them exactly in their markets how much the audience is.
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  So I think it's a real privilege to have this data and to have this about how many people are actually watching our content.
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  And this has been a great help for us and a really important part of the growth of Moonbark.
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  Brilliant.
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  And can you set up Moonbug a little bit for us?
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  Obviously people are.
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  It's one of those companies that I think everyone thinks they know, but when you hear it from the horse's mouth, I think it's Helpful to hear exactly how you guys see it.
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  I think one of the key things of Moonbug always has been that we own our iPad.
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  That means we have acquired those brands.
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  They already had massive audiences on YouTube and owning the IP, which means you own all the rights.
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  You don't have to go back to anyone else to ask, can I do this deal?
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  Can I do this?
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  And that means we had complete freedom to do what we want.
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  And we have basically brought all these brands to more than 150 partners around the world for from China to Brazil to Australia to everywhere in Europe.
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  And this has been a great privilege.
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  And I thought that owning the IP is a really key factor, especially in a world which is moving so much different business model.
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  Being completely agnostic is a real privilege and it helps us a lot to grow.
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  It feels like you were doing that when people were really.
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  They'd settle on this kind of.
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  This model where they sold all the rights to a streamer and they just kind of reconciled themselves to that as a reality.
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  And now I think people are really feeling the kind of the challenge of that environment and moving much closer to kind of to the model that you've been doing for years.
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  Yes.
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  We have never really worked exclusive with a platform.
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  So our approach has always been we want to be where our viewers, the kids and families, like to watch content, whether it's on YouTube, whether it's on premium streamers, whether it's on linear channels, whether it's on airplanes, in
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  trains.
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  So I believe that it's not on us to decide how people should watch our content.
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  It's, I think, on them to find us.
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  And that has really been always the kind of big factor for us.
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  So currently we don't really work with exclusive models.
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  We believe that everybody should have access to Mumbai content.
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  Did you find that a bit of a change from your previous life in a more traditional distribution role?
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  Because it used to be that exclusivity was where the value lie.
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  And then obviously, you've moved into a business like Moonbug that basically flipped how everything was done.
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  Not exclusive.
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  Let data inform how things are made and evolved and iterated.
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  And because you owned all of your ip, you could do it at the pace that you dictated.
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  Was that a bit of a mind shift?
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  Yes, totally.
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  I'll just give you one example.
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  When I worked in AE Networks, we were distributing History Channel, and in every contract we had with a platform, there was a certain number of first run on History Channel before it would go to ITV or another channel.
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  The first run Percentage of Mumbai channel is zero.
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  Every piece of content has been aired before on YouTube and other streamers and obviously it has taken a little bit of convincing those partners around the world.
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  And by the way, the Mumbai channel we created four years ago is now more than 100 markets.
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  But I think everybody has accepted this now because I think our brands are part of every family's life and if they want to watch us, you know, they actually don't mind whether it's the first run or the second
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  run.
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  I think this is something between like platforms and producers.
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  But the audience doesn't really care.
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  They want to watch what they like to watch.
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  And a lot of the moonbag shows are a part of these shows.
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  I love.
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  That's great because I would say a lot and it is my observation from my time at Disney, my time with other clients is that all boats rise with the distribution tides.
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  But you guys can see it in the data, right?
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  Like that new platforms, additional distribution in market is all adding up to strength for the franchise, strength for the revenue, et cetera.
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  Yes, I would say that in most cases it's not either or.
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  I mean when you add a platform, you always add more viewers because there are people who just watch on one platform.
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  I mean it just takes some of, I don't know, an Indonesian player partner of ours, video, part of amtech Group.
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  There are people there only watch video.
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  They're not watching Netflix, they're not watching YouTube for whatever reasons.
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  But we brought those brands on video in Indonesia and now they can watch us in Indonesia.
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  And the same applies for every bit streamer.
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  Take sky.
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  They are one of our closest partners since 2020 when we started Mumbai, we have started with a couple of brands.
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  We have more than 10 brands now on sky and I think there are people who really love to watch Sky Kids because they trust the brand.
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  So it's important for us to be part of that or part of that portfolio of brands that they have and not just rely, oh, sooner or later watch on YouTube or they're going to watch on Netflix.
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  I think there are die hard sky viewers and they can watch more content.
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  That's interesting.
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  Do you think that those more traditional studios and channels, do you think there's less resistance to that model than there was a couple of years ago?
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  Have they kind of come round to your way of thinking?
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  Obviously I can't speak too much about our, let's say competitors or partly partners.
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  I do see that some of the studios are, even though they have their own apps, are giving their content to other competitive apps, because I think that meant that kind of mantra of exclusivity probably has disappeared a little
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  bit.
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  Maybe Mumbach has contributed a little bit to this because we've never had this concept and people might have seen that this works.
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  And again, for the same reason I mentioned before, if you want that people watch your shows and franchises, don't try to limit yourself.
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  And we always, you know, people have come to us and asked for exclusivity, but we've always been very strict and saying, no, no, we don't want this.
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  We want everyone to have a chance to watch Crockerman and M.
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  Blippi and the Little angel and you name it.
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  It's kind of like the reverse model, right?
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  Because back in the day it would be create a show, put it in premium pay tv, then you might go to basic pay, then free tv.
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  And free TV is where the franchise opportunity would kick in.
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  Whereas you guys are kind of the reverse.
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  If we think of YouTube as the free TV of today, which I think is fair comparison, you know, you guys are pushing these shows on YouTube first and then taking bites of more exclusive platforms afterwards, but it still
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  pays off.
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  Yes, the traditional model is you start with, let's say, free to ear or a movie, and then you extend it to pay, and then you go to streaming and at the end maybe YouTube.
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  A lot of studios are trying YouTube.
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  We started obviously on YouTube.
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  We brought these brands through streamers.
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  We launched our own free to air channel, pay TV channels.
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  And then eventually, now we're going to launch a movie next year, the Cocomelon movie.
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  So I think we reversed the model.
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  I think coming back to my previous point about IP ownership, the fact we owned all the IPs really helped us in this because normally, if you don't own the ip, but you want to grow these steps, you have
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  to go to someone who owns the rights and ask for permission.
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  In this case, we created our own universe and kind of model and that worked.
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  And we didn't have to go to anyone to ask for this and speak.
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  A little bit as well.
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  While we're talking about this region, about the linear channel, because you mentioned that earlier and you're seeing like, people might say that, you know, Zinnia is dead, but, you know, I definitely think for preschool, it has a place
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  in terms of everyday viewing and habit.
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  Is that like, you guys are seeing good success with that, right?
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  Yeah, I agree that I think for certain age groups, linear channels might not be anymore, let's say the main destination.
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  I think for young Families with kids, especially in the preschool age.
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  Our channel tries to reflect the routine of a family.
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  So I think there is this kind of help we can give them in their routine.
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  You know, they get some certain shows when people, kids wake up and they'll come back to school there with more activity.
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  And then in the evening they obviously have mealtime and lullabies for sleep.
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  So what we're trying to do is reflecting a typical day of a family and we know that this really helps.
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  And you know, we launched this four years ago when a lot of the studios have left the space.
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  We took that place because there's still a lot of platforms out there who are selling a bundle with a mix of channels, sports, news, entertainment, but also kids.
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  And those kids slots have to be filled and we have enough hours to fill.
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  And we have now 10 different feeds across the world.
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  We have more than 100 markets and it works extremely well and we get a lot of positive feedback.
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  What's interesting is that you don't have those constraints.
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  You don't have to wait for permission or seek someone's nod to go ahead and do something new.
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  What that means is, as you said, you've been able to distribute on 150 plus different platforms.
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  But what that does, and you hinted at it there is in certain of your channels, you try and reflect what a preschooler's day is.
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  That means that it almost puts pressure on you to then keep creating content.
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  And as you've said, you own your ip, which means that you've had to keep evolving content, create spin offs.
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  You don't go back to the drawing board and create a new IP every time you've got a new partner.
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  So tell us a little bit about how you shaped the business around keeping that pipeline going.
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  It's a hungry beast.
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  I imagine.
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  It's a really important point that when we acquired those brands, these were successful shows, but they were not necessarily franchises.
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  And what we're trying to do, we want to extend the experience and different touch points with the brands that could be spinoffs, that can be experiences, that can be consumer products, that can be music.
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  And obviously the moonbag experience is that we have acquired all these brands.
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  We work very closely with the creatives who have built those brands and then developed it further to make them like 360 degrees franchises.
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  So for us it's a great responsibility to, to, you know, to integrate a brand that has been built by someone else into our, under our Mumbach umbrella.
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  But we take it serious and we want to continue that.
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  What has been built because don't forget, those brands had really built amazing audiences before.
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  And our role was just to help continue that path and create even more experiences around the brand, more touch points and that, yeah, that's been what we've been doing over the past.
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  In my case, seven years and Moonbug eight years.
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  Amazing.
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  And do you think is YouTube still as effective, a kind of discovery and a proving ground for that IP that Moonbug is looking to acquire as it was five years ago?
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  Yes, I still believe YouTube is the ultimate destination to test and grow audiences for certain brands.
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  All the brands we, we acquired have been born on YouTube and it's a free platform around the world.
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  That's why we have also, you know, the success of Moonbag audience is not just limited to one region.
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  It's.
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  It's a global thing.
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  And I think YouTube as a global player and platform has been, let's say, the foundation of, of all the audiences we created and fan base.
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  So I think it hasn't lost anything of the importance for building audiences and affinity.
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  Yeah, it's definitely, I mean, I kind of call it the front page of the kids Internet.
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  Like it's.
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  You have to be on YouTube today as a kids brand.
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  It's where awareness is there in spades.
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  Obviously it's a lot.
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  It's a bit more challenging in terms of revenue, but I guess you guys are monetizing in other ways.
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  And it's about feeding a franchise machine.
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  It's not just about one platform.
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  Yeah, I mean, within the distribution area, we have more than 150 platforms.
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  So we are not, you know, our success is not based on one platform.
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  And apart from that, obviously distribution is only one part of our value chain.
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  You know, we have music, we have live events, consumer products, gaming.
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  So in the meantime, Moonbach has built like a full portfolio of activities, touch points with the brand and also revenue sources.
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  So our dependency on one platform is very limited.
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  And you guys, because your demo, like the target is preschool for, for your brands.
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  Right.
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  How much are you trying to.
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  Feed,.
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  How much focus you have to give to feeding the audience?
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  Conveyor belt.
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  Because right.
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  There's a natural, obviously with preschool there's a natural aging in and aging out.
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  Or are you seeing that kind of families pick up your brands and keep them for longer?
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  Yeah, that's obviously we love the preschool group because it's a very loyal, loyal audience, but obviously they are.
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  There are different chords every two years.
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  So I would say like the viewers in three years, have they not been born yet?
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  But it also means that parents are very important in this.
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  So when parents feel comfortable for their children to watch our show and they see their kids loving our shows, they will obviously also then let the siblings watch it.
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  They will recommend to other parents.
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  So I think these are very.
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  Parents are very important and caregivers are very important people in this whole kind of, you know, spreading the word, feeling comfortable with the show and like being happy about their kids being happy watching our shows in the platforms,
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  obviously, who offer our shows in a very dominant and very prominent, I would say, spaces.
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  You know, they also have the experience, they get good feedback.
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  Wherever Moonberg shows are launching, we create a lot of engagement and positive feedback.
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  So they, they obviously also have played a role in making sure that across generations Mumbard shows are watched.
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  So it's a very interesting group.
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  It's a lot of loyalty there and we've been doing, I think a great job in gaining those new cohorts of toddlers every two years.
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  And you can't really sit back and rest on your laurels even though Moonbug owns a lot of IP and a lot of content because as you've said, the platforms and so does the audience and their tastes change.
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  I mean, Moonbug's only a few years away from having a cohort of parents of kids that they also grew up watching Cocomelon, which changes dynamics.
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  But tell us about the portfolio now within the Moonbug stable because I would imagine it's a lot broader than people recall.
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  Yeah, we have around 30 brands nowadays.
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  Obviously we have the ones that everybody knows like Cocomelon, Blippi, Little Angel, Baby Bum Morphle, Oddbots.
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  So we think we have a good mix of music based shows, but we also have live action shows like Blippi and Mika, which are very important for us as they also address a slightly older and different audience group.
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  All of these brands work together well.
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  So you can see this on our linear channels how, you know, where we basically use all our brands to create this experience, curator experience for children.
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  But we obviously focusing a lot on our key brands because we feel that also a lot of our partners really want to expect us to further develop and that's what we do every day.
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  So we're trading spin offs for Cocomelon, for Little angel, for Blippi to extend the franchises to extend also the lifespan within the pre stroll age.
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  And we can talk about some examples like Melon Patch or, or Emmy's Magic wardrobe.
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  Yeah, Emmy's Wonder wardrobe is.
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  It's super cute.
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  We were looking at that yesterday, Joe.
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  It's like it's Little Angel's older sister and she, she's going glam.
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  It's fabulous.
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  What made you decide to go that direction with that ip?
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  Little angel is a super popular brand around the world and it's, it's, it's one of our strongest brands now.
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  Also Netflix, but also a lot of other platforms is also on Disney.
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  And we know that a lot of the viewers love the bitch sister Emmy.
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  And we know there's also an under representation of Girls Jude kids shows.
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  And so we decided to spin a new character, a new show around her Emmy's wonder wardrobe, which is amazing because we launched it this year.
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  And it's really based on the insight we have that how much kids love her in the show.
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  And that's why we kind of extended the franchise by building a new show around that character.
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  And how rapidly can you activate on that?
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  Sorry, Andy.
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  The two creatives are like, tell us more.
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  I know.
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  I'm intrigued because it occurs to me that those things could happen quite quickly in Moonbog given the access that you have to data and how.
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  I mean literally finger on the pulse of what works.
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  So how quickly when you start seeing that, that there's a demand for a character like Emmy, the older sister, do you say, okay, we're going for it again?
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  I come back to our the beauty of owning IP that we can be super quick again.
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  We don't have to go back to anyone.
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  When we see and we get feedback, whether it's data or people come to us on social media and how much they like one character and we see the gap in the market, then we also very quickly executing and
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  creating a new show.
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  That's always been, I think Mumbad's strength, which also made me always very excited the moment I joined the company, how quickly we were in executing.
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  And I dreamt the example of launching a linear channel.
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  I think from the idea of launching a linear channel to launch of the channel itself, it took us five months back then.
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  And I think the first March was the Philippines.
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  So we still have that kind of mindset of acting quickly once we have taken a decision.
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  And obviously we are in a position to act quickly because, you know, we have the rights, we have the experience of doing this.
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  It's not the first time we have created a spin off.
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  And for us it's something which is in our DNA and to further develop franchises and create more touch points with our brands.
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  Interesting.
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  And my question was going to be, how does the data give you Any sense of how much a new spin off show inherits the audience from the other show, or it potentially extends or expands that audience.
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  We can definitely see when people crosswatch, let's put it this way, when they, you know, they love one show and then they watch the other show, we obviously using this as well.
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  We're using our existing viewership and want to recommend something new.
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  And they love this in the same way our partners do this.
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  You know, when they have Little angel, it's very likely they will also take Amy because for them, it's also important they know how big engagement is for Little Angel.
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  And given the gap that Emmy is filling, there's also very easy to kind of anticipate that this will be the same.
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  So it's not just us, but also our partners who basically will help to kind of stimulate that cross viewership.
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  Interesting.
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  And you guys extended for the Melon Patch as well.
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  So that's Coco Melon going live action, right?
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  Yes, it's a spin off we launched end of last year.
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  There's Ms.
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  Appleberry, which is a very, very popular character in the Coco Meloncourt show.
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  And we also saw the trend obviously of live action on YouTube.
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  And basically putting those trends together, we created a live action show around her called the Melon Patch.
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  And it's been very successful on YouTube.
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  It's also already launched on Disney and Netflix, which I think is a great recognition of the creative work we've done.
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  And it's based on the insight we had, what our viewers love, what the Trend is on YouTube currently.
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  You know, you see a lot of creator work, live action.
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  So creating that show around her was for us a logical step.
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  And having it already on Disney and Netflix is a great, great recognition of the work that we've done.
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  It all happened in a very short time, which is, I think, another great example how Mumbai works.
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  Interesting.
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  And there wasn't, was there any, there was no trepidation about moving into live action for the first time?
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  No.
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  I think people recognize that this is a nice way to also extend the life that spam of kids watching our show.
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  I think the kids are slightly older than the core nursery rhymes.
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  So for us, we want to give kids more time and longer time to enjoy our, our show.
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  It's still a lot about the values of the show, songs and learning the values we want to stimulate and promote.
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  There's a lot of these kind of core things.
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  So it's very important when we create spinoffs, we have to stay very loyal to the brand values that we have defined.
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  Otherwise it would feel a little bit odd and very distant.
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  I think this case, even though it's live action, even though the episodes are longer and slightly older, it's still very much close to the core brand and values of Coco Mann.
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  And tell us about Big Feelings music, because that was a recent announcement and I mean is that really the culmination of all that experience that you've had over the years in music?
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  Like you've said, everything from nursery rhymes to now more sophisticated songs and melon patch.
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  Tell us a little bit about that.
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  We announced Big Feelings last week and it's basically a music company we created which includes activities of a label but also has much more.
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  So there are obviously lots of creators and artists who create amazing music, but they maybe don't have the infrastructure and the experience and the network to monetize their words.
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  And I think that they should deserve this.
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  So we have obviously as mumbard, lots of shows who are based music based over the past few years and we have built this infrastructure, network, relationships, distribution, to monetize our music shows by tracking the titles, by making sure
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  they're on every important streamer, especially on YouTube but also off YouTube.
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  We also have the distribution, whether it's audio or video capabilities and network.
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  So basically we have all the flywheel we can basically offer not just to our own shows, but also to third parties.
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  And there are so many great artists and singers and talent out there who might not have that kind of infrastructure and network.
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  So we have launched a company called Big Feelings that is basically offering this and we have partnered with big names already like Snoop Dogg, Dordiland, for which we basically generate these services.
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  We managed YouTube, we also offer distribution services.
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  So we just launched last week on Sky.
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  Another example how quickly we are, I think we started distributing the show, I think six, six, eight weeks ago and it already launched on sky last week in the UK and they had a massive social campaign and Snoop
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  Dogg was involved.
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  So I think it's a good example how we actually use and leverage our existing music know how expertise and network for third parties.
• 26:54
  And we will definitely partner with more music based shows and artists and we also want to help them to increase the audience.
• 27:03
  It's not just about, you know, managing the audience they already have.
• 27:07
  This would be like just the word of a music label is much more than this.
• 27:10
  We can, because we know how YouTube works, we know what our partners want.
• 27:14
  We can also help them creatively how they can create more content, whether music, audio or video and then together basically go the Next step.
• 27:25
  So that is something which is we called Big Feeling.
• 27:28
  And I have a very good feeling about Big Feeling.
• 27:31
  I love the way you call him Snoop Dogg.
• 27:34
  So you're not on first name terms with him yet.
• 27:35
  You have to use his full name.
• 27:36
  When you're speaking about him.
• 27:37
  You ask me, you'll get there.
• 27:39
  But I think, you know, that was something from my trip down to Australia, that was something that struck me, speaking with a lot of the YouTube talent down there, that music is a real revenue opportunity and kind of
• 27:50
  a maybe a revenue bright spot in kids media right now.
• 27:52
  Right.
• 27:53
  Like with some.
• 27:54
  With the challenges of monetization on YouTube, the challenge and the challenge of monetization with ad revenue anywhere in the kids media environment, music is something that has some opportunity and that's one of the, like, you guys have seen
• 28:05
  that for yourselves and it's one of the reasons why you want to open up your systems to other folks to help open up revenue and opportunities and reinvest.
• 28:13
  Like you said, right.
• 28:15
  Music has always been a key part of Mumbach.
• 28:18
  Every key show we have is based on music.
• 28:21
  So for us, it's never been an afterthought.
• 28:25
  But I think we definitely have seen the opportunity to open up for this.
• 28:30
  And by the way, it's obviously nice also for our distribution folks to go to sky and say, you know, we not only have Cocomelon and Blippi, we also have Doggyland now.
• 28:39
  So it's also great for us.
• 28:41
  We have more brands we can distribute and those brands feel very comfortable with us.
• 28:48
  And obviously it helps if you're able to close a deal within four weeks and they already see the benefit.
• 28:53
  So music is a very important part of our Mumbai portfolio, similar to distribution, similar to gaming, similar to experiences, consumer products.
• 29:05
  So in this case, we simply do it for other people too.
• 29:09
  Yeah, that makes sense.
• 29:10
  And presumably, I mean, aside from your experience in that music field, I mean, music on YouTube, it's.
• 29:21
  It's one of the first places that parents and kids go to find their music.
• 29:25
  Even audio, as you've said, not just video, it's audio and video.
• 29:30
  Do you see this as a real sea change now going forward?
• 29:34
  Do you think music discovery for kids and families is actually going YouTube first?
• 29:39
  Totally.
• 29:40
  I think, especially for kids, I think a lot of parents using YouTube to discover music, in a way it competes with Spotify in the same way.
• 29:50
  But then it's up to the parents what they prefer.
• 29:53
  It's obviously also free, so it has the same benefit than video.
• 29:58
  And I think.
• 29:59
  But Then the monetization beyond YouTube I think is very often the tricky part because you need all these kind of connections to the other streamers.
• 30:06
  You also maybe don't know exactly what audiences want in the future.
• 30:12
  So you can also really help those creators and give input for, for the next thing they're doing.
• 30:19
  So I think it's, it's a great space.
• 30:21
  YouTube in the, in monetization, but also in discovery and then also thinking about the next step.
• 30:29
  Speaking of the next step is a nice segue.
• 30:32
  You've referenced it a few times in the conversation.
• 30:35
  But we need to talk about Cocomelon going to the movies, right?
• 30:39
  Yes.
• 30:39
  This is a big, a big deal.
• 30:41
  A big deal for the, for the franchise.
• 30:43
  A big, a big jump.
• 30:46
  I mean people could think you, you might say I'm wrong but you know, from the outside you go this is a YouTube native IP and now it's going to be in the cineman, like I guess a probably 70
• 30:56
  to 90 minute version version, piece of content, piece of, piece of art, of course.
• 31:04
  What are you, are you guys excited?
• 31:06
  Are you scared at all?
• 31:08
  Like how are you feeling about how you're not feeling, you're not scared at all?
• 31:12
  Nicholas just super excited.
• 31:13
  I don't think he's scared.
• 31:14
  I don't think he scares easy, you guys.
• 31:16
  No, I think it's a massive moment for us.
• 31:21
  We are all super excited that the whole company is working toward that moment.
• 31:24
  The movie is launching in February next year and for us it's just an amazing opportunity to create more universe, to have more, deeper relationships, more stories.
• 31:37
  Drone Theatrical has so many opportunities for kids and families to experience the brand.
• 31:43
  And you know, I already see my, in my head I see a family of four parents, two three year old boys or the daughter and then the sibling who also loves it.
• 31:53
  They're going to be amazing music and so yeah, I can't wait to see this.
• 31:58
  Is it big?
• 31:59
  Is it epic?
• 32:00
  Like what?
• 32:00
  Can you give us some?
• 32:01
  I think it's, it's going to be amazing.
• 32:04
  It's going to be amazing music.
• 32:05
  I think the talent there speaks for itself.
• 32:08
  I think the story is super nice.
• 32:11
  I think kids, whether the turned like people who, the kids who love Krugerman but also their older siblings will love it and also the parents will enjoy it because it's just a great experience and I think it's just
• 32:24
  a good way to extend the touch point and experience with the franchise and we are just extending it in this way.
• 32:34
  And I'm more than excited.
• 32:36
  I'm very intrigued how has the process changed?
• 32:41
  How have you kind of adapted that Coco Melon world for kind of a big screen?
• 32:47
  And as Emily was saying, a kind of a longer duration.
• 32:51
  How's that changed, kind of your attitude to the story you want to tell?
• 32:55
  It's obviously so different from what we normally do.
• 32:59
  Obviously, the DNA is the same, the values are the same.
• 33:01
  But if you think about our core episodes of Kodoman, three minutes, mad and patch is 25 minutes.
• 33:08
  But, like, going to a full theatrical experience offers so many exciting things that you cannot do in three minutes.
• 33:16
  So it offers much more time to create new characters, universe, relationships, and that, you know, so weird.
• 33:28
  I only see exciting things about that.
• 33:30
  Because you're not limited in any way.
• 33:33
  You have the big screen experience, so you can also go wild in.
• 33:37
  In the music and in the.
• 33:39
  In those things, while always, you know, keep very loyal and focused on your.
• 33:43
  On your.
• 33:44
  What you stand for.
• 33:45
  That's very important.
• 33:45
  Especially if you age up a little bit, then, you know, it's.
• 33:49
  It's just another version of Cucru Melon for a wider audience.
• 33:55
  Feels like a key moment, doesn't it, in the sense that it gives you.
• 33:59
  It's a huge celebration of what's gone before you've made it into theaters.
• 34:05
  But as you've said, it gives you that bigger canvas on which to go bigger with the music and more characters, and then that in turn gives a bit of a boost to what comes after.
• 34:16
  So, I mean, it's going to be a huge thing, I imagine.
• 34:20
  I would say it's like the climax of the model that Mumba created.
• 34:24
  Like, we talked about the reverse model.
• 34:26
  Right.
• 34:27
  You know, the one thing that was missing was a theatrical experience.
• 34:30
  And now we go there.
• 34:32
  You know, we started, like, on YouTube only, and all the steps we've done in between, creating whole channels, creating, like, you know, whole experiences around the brand, all this happened in between.
• 34:44
  But now, ultimately, we have our own theatrical experience, which makes me super excited.
• 34:49
  So, yeah, it is a climate of a great development.
• 34:53
  And do you think that journey to the big screen.
• 34:55
  So from YouTube, from its origins on YouTube, through distribution partners and Disney and Netflix, do you think that has helped build an audience that can then be kind of crystallized in terms of box office at the cinema?
• 35:10
  I think so, yes.
• 35:11
  And I'm actually quite convinced because we know that we already have lots of kids and family who love our shows.
• 35:18
  I think having aged up the plot and, you know, makes it even more likely that, like, the whole family will grow.
• 35:27
  I think that no one in the world.
• 35:30
  You know, we call it Cocomella in the movie.
• 35:32
  So people know about Cocomelon and they know what they will get maybe now in an even broader and wider way and a better experience and wider experience.
• 35:44
  So I think from a we don't surprise a lot of people positively who know Kurt Roman and already love it as it is, they will even love it more.
• 35:54
  Well, I think the movie is a really great place to end, to end on a high.
• 35:58
  So thank you so much, Nicholas, for joining us.
• 36:01
  Thank you so much.
• 36:01
  And we will see you in Cannes.
• 36:03
  Okay.
• 36:03
  Yes, we will.
• 36:05
  Awesome.
• 36:06
  Do the sign off, Andy.
• 36:07
  Go on.
• 36:08
  Okay.
• 36:08
  Thanks, Nicholas.
• 36:09
  I hope you guys enjoyed that.
• 36:11
  Please like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will catch you all next week.