A new licensing strategy, strategic partnerships, and the reinforcement of the talent team are the basis on which Banijay Kids & Family seeks to ensure the success of its content in 2024.
At a time of contraction and tight budgets within the industry, animation are now viewed as a safer alternative, Delphine Dumont, commercial director of Banijay Kids & Family, told ttvnews as part of the preparations to present its content at the annual edition of Kidscreen Summit, to be held from February 4 to 7 in the US.
A new licensing strategy, strategic partnerships, and a strengthened talent team are the foundation from which Banijay Kids & Family is building to ensure the success of its content in 2024. “We want to attract the best talent in the industry to ensure that our stories are diverse and authentically told and produced,” Dumont said.
Last year, they entered the Kidscreen Hot 50 ranking for the first time in the distribution category. This year both Kidscreen and Miptv have original live-action and animated series, such as the CGI comedy Shasha & Milo, and two seasons of the acclaimed sci-fi series Silverpoint, Dumont mentioned.
She said they love to keep up with their customers and present them with the latest programming, and this year, their shoppers will have plenty to choose from. “We also have well-known brands, such as Totally Spies and Moominvalley. Plus, we have exciting new programs, such as the adventure comedy Super Happy Magic Forest, and more to be announced soon!” she noted.
In an interview with ttvnews, Dumont talked about the balance of the year 2023 and the bets they bring to achieve success in 2024.
As we start with 2024 and before we forget about 2023, how was last year for Banijay Kids & Family regarding business and growth? What deals or productions would you highlight?
We began last year with a bang, announcing Super Happy Magic Forest at last year’s Kidscreen Summit. It’s a brilliant show and a collaborative effort across the Banijay Kids & Family footprint, as it is co-produced by a number of our labels – Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, with Movimenti Production, Zodiak Kids & Family France, and Monello. With the BBC, Rai, ZDF, and Canal+ all on board as commissioning broadcasters, it is an international project that we can’t wait for audiences to see.
2023 was also a great year for Totally Spies!, with activity ramping up for its launch later this year. It’s such a strong brand, and alongside the roll-out of the show, we are cultivating the brand beyond the screen. Last year began the first wave of our licensing strategy, securing a number of local deals in France and appointing licensing agents in key markets. Last year, we bolstered our licensing, brand, and marketing teams with brilliant talent, driving significant growth for us in this space.
On the distribution side, despite a challenging market, we have secured major sales for our portfolio of shows, including Silverpoint, Topo Gigio, Shasha & Milo, and Mumfie, just to name a few. We also welcomed top-notch additions to our catalog, such as Charlie and Lola, Moominvalley, Horrid Henry, and The Game Catchers.
We also made it onto the Kidscreen Hot 50 rankings in the distribution category for the first time last year.
Always a must-have in terms of entertainment for families worldwide, kids’ content has seen a special increase in demand ever since the pandemic. What would you say have been the biggest trends this past year regarding genres and titles, and which of Banijay’s productions were demanded most?
There is more choice for kids than ever, creating huge competition for eyeballs. As a result, we have seen demand soaring for known IP. Whether it’s a publishing brand or a heritage TV property, bringing an existing fandom with your content is hugely appealing to potential broadcasters and platform partners. We are fortunate to have titles such as Mr Bean and Totally Spies! under the Banijay Kids & Family umbrella, but we also want to be making the next bit hit. We have immense creative talent within the group, which is also able to launch successful new IPs, such as Shasha & Milo, which has sold widely and is performing incredibly well around the world.
With tight budgets and a risk-averse climate, animation can often be seen as the safer bet. I think overall, we are seeing fewer live-action shows, particularly scripted dramas. These can be big hits for broadcasters, so when they do come about, they often need to hit a wider demographic. Shows which can reach a broad family audience are very desirable.
Another big change that came from the pandemic and reshaped the industry today has been the explosion of SVOD platforms and services, most of which have kids’ content as part of their offer. How has Banijay adapted to this wave of new OTT launches, and which deals would you highlight?
As IP owners and distributors, there are challenges navigating the new landscape of platforms. Each property is different, and we finance and distribute accordingly, but on the whole, our model is based on initially securing broadcaster financing. The balancing act is getting a show financed, incorporating commissioning partners’ exclusivity and OTT needs, all whilst retaining maximum control over the rights for additional exploitation.
The explosion of platforms also offers new opportunities for our extensive archive catalog, and we have been securing strategic partnerships with the likes of The Polar Bears and TheSoul Publishing to grow and unlock new revenue streams across our digital channel network and introduce our titles to new FAST, AVOD and social outlets.
Banijay Kids & Family is extremely agile, and we have very talented teams that find solutions to the ever-changing industry shifts. With world-class production, distribution, marketing, digital, licensing, and merchandising capabilities, we have a strong reputation for building brands and amplifying IP across multi-platforms.
Banijay has closed several deals in 2023 for content with Latin American platforms and screens. What role does our region play in the company’s global strategy?
Latin America is a hugely important market for us, and our catalog is extremely popular. With so much activity here, last year we appointed an agent to manage the local, free TV deals. Meanwhile, Cecile in the distribution team remains heavily focused on the market for all pan-regional deals and financing.
What’s in store for Banijay Kids & Family for 2024? What are the company’s main goals for the year ahead?
We will continue nurturing our world-class IP and are focused on bringing fresh, original, and exciting shows to market. In 2024, we will further cement our position as a global leader in children’s entertainment by executing our 360 brand strategies. And we want to retain and attract the best talent in the industry to ensure our stories are diverse and authentically told and produced.
