Recap To The Year: Moonbug Kids To Fold Under The Moonbug Brand, Dumps Kids From The Name

Moonbug Kids (DStv 314) is a preschool channel owned by Moonbug Entertainment (a subsidiary of Candle Media). It supplies shows such as CoComelon (also seen on Cartoonito), Oddbods, Blippi, Little Baby Bum and Supa Strikas (also seen on Cartoon Network).

During the year, Moonbug Entertainment had unveiled their first ever refresh of the brand in 5 years following the increased popularity of their content which they've managed to licence to various broadcasters (as mentioned) alongside the Moonbug Kids channels.

As stated by Moonbug prior to the rebrand:

Moonbug was created on the basis of acquiring IPs and growing them into fully established franchises. This rebrand marks a shift that will see everything move under a cohesive Moonbug umbrella, elevating its brand positioning and encouraging industry recognition as the company behind the most beloved shows in kids’ entertainment.

DixonBaxi created a new strategy and creative platform which is says are inspired by Moonbug’s bold attitude.

At the heart of the new identity sits a bespoke animated logotype that ‘fizzes and pops with a playful personality’, hinting at the entertainment that makes Moonbug content unmissable. A flexible brand system with a fresh colour palette, super-sized art direction and activity-focused icons fill every space with the same bright, playful personality.

“It has been a unique challenge to create a new brand that captures the magic of the shows that billions of kids tune in to over and over again, but still feeling distinctly Moonbug,” said Harry Ead, creative director, DixonBaxi. “We feel that we have created a brand that will match Moonbug’s ambitious plans without losing what makes them so special.”

MultiChoice on top of providing various material acknowledging the rebrand they recently updated their EPG to commemorate the long-awaited rebrand of the Moonbug channel.

Moonbug Channel joins other existing brands Da Vinci, History, eNCA, Nickelodeon, Cartoonito (formerly Boomerang), Max and PBS Kids that have or are expected to rollout on air look later in the year.

Moonbug Entertainment Enters A New Era With A Vibrant And Dynamic Rebrand

Moonbug Entertainment, a subsidiary of Candle Media, unveiled a fresh new look, featuring a new corporate style and logo that will be recognized by families around the world. Moonbug worked with brand agency DixonBaxi to refresh its corporate identity to convey the same energy and fun as its colourful shows and characters, including hits CoComelon and Blippi.

Since Moonbug’s launch nearly five years ago, the company has become a trusted brand for families around the world, known for delivering great entertainment for young kids that is rich in learning benefits and healthy values. While its shows have always had high brand recognition, Moonbug itself is now increasingly growing more audience-facing, such as through its hugely successful and global “Moonbug KIDS” channels. There are 20 SVOD or linear “Moonbug KIDS” channels in different parts of the world and a number of global YouTube channels, which combined have over 79 million subscribers.

“As consumer interaction with the Moonbug brand grows, this is the ideal time for a refresh,” said René Rechtman, CEO and founder of Moonbug. “Our aesthetic will now be as bold and vibrant as our shows and characters, instantly recognizable for children and parents around the globe.”

“We created the Moonbug identity to be bursting with energy, and synonymous with dynamism, excitement, and fun,” said Ditte Marie Lucas, Vice President of Brand and Communications at Moonbug. “This rebrand perfectly captures the spirit and energy of childhood while still maintaining the authority to live naturally amongst the leaders in the entertainment industry.”

Moonbug was created on the basis of acquiring IPs and growing them into fully established franchises. This rebrand marks a shift to move everything under a cohesive Moonbug umbrella, elevating its brand positioning and encouraging industry recognition as the company behind the most beloved shows in kids’ entertainment.

DixonBaxi created a new strategy and creative platform inspired by Moonbug’s bold attitude.

At the heart of the new identity sits a bespoke animated logotype that fizzes and pops with a playful personality, hinting at the all-out entertainment that makes Moonbug content unmissable. A flexible brand system with a fresh colour palette, super-sized art direction and activity-focused icons fill every space with the same bright playful personality.

"It has been a unique challenge to create a new brand that captures the magic of the shows that billions of kids tune in to over and over again, but still feeling distinctly Moonbug.

We feel that we have created a brand that will match Moonbug's ambitious plans without losing what makes them so special," said Harry Ead, Creative Director, DixonBaxi.

Roundups #139: Hello Sunshine Another Division From Moonbug Kids' Candle Media Closes Down, Idols SA Cancelled After 19 Seasons On M-Net And Mzansi Magic, And Paramount+ Set To Merge With Showtime Network

Another division ceases to exist

Hello Sunshine is shuttering its kids and animation business as part of a strategic decision to focus Candle Media’s kids and animation efforts under Moonbug, the family production studio the corp snapped up for a near $3 billion in November 2021. 

Hello Sunshine will collaborate with Moonbug on future kids and animation projects.

As a result, a few individuals will be departing Hello Sunshine over the coming weeks.

The Blackstone-backed Candle Media, which is also co-run and co-founded by Tom Staggs, acquired Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine in August 2021 for $900M.

Regular Nick:
- Cartoonito to get a dedicated channel in France
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries
- Disney renews 3 adult animated series through 2025

Another show bites the dust

M-Net has cancelled the long-running Idols with the upcoming 19th season on its Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel which will be the last for the [SIC] Entertainment-produced reality singing competition show following viewership fatigue and a massive plunge in ratings.

The cancellation of the South African version of the Fremantle format follows after a dramatic ratings plunge for Idols in season 17 that coincided with a relationship scandal involving Idols judge Somizi Mhlongo after his ex Mohale Motaung made serious allegations of emotional and physical abuse.

While Idols started off its 17th season in South Africa in July 2021 with 1 018 607 viewers as the 4th most-watched show on all of DStv for the month, it suddenly plunged to 10th place on DStv's most-watched list with 693 760 viewers at most in August 2021, shedding 32% of its viewers.

After the very large drop in viewers and in an effort to revitalise Idols, M-Net's general entertainment channels division and [SIC] Entertainment decided to retain Somizi Mhlongo for 2022's18th season and axed judges Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi whose contracts were not renewed and were replaced with artists Thembi Seete and rapper-producer JR Bogopa.

DStv Flex:
- The River cancelled after 6 seasons on 1Magic
- Virtual Reality offers a new opportunity for African filmmakers
- Ratings for DStv from December 2022
- Big Cat Sunday this February on National Geographic Wild

Another merger is on the horizon

Paramount’s merging its Paramount Plus streaming service and premium Showtime channel, as first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. In an internal memo, CEO Bob Bakish announced the company’s rebranding its Showtime channel as Paramount Plus with Showtime.

Paramount confirmed the change in a post on Twitter, noting that the merger is “the natural next step in our evolution.” The company’s also planning to carry over “select” original content from Paramount Plus to the TV network, which could include shows like Halo and Yellowstone spinoff 1923.

Bakish says the move “brings uncertainty for the teams working on these brands and businesses” and that he’ll share more details in “the coming weeks.”

In addition to the possibility of layoffs, Deadline reports that some shows like Three Women (which was never aired), Let the Right One In, and American Gigolo could get axed as part of the consolidation. The specifics of what will happen to existing episodes of each series are unclear, but the report says that titles pulled from Showtime will be made available to take elsewhere.

Moonbug’s Revenues Grew 148% In 2021

Moonbug Entertainment has become one of the biggest players in children’s music and YouTube videos, having rolled up brands including CoComelon, Little Baby Bum and Blippi.

Newly-published financial results reveal that its business grew strongly in 2021, with revenues growing 148% to £110.2m (which would have been around $149.2m at the end of that year). Moonbug’s gross profit grew even faster, by 159% to £81.4m.

Regular Nick:
- Here are other ways to view PBS Kids
- The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy And Raj coming soon to Nickelodeon
- Predictions: Nicktoons and Boomerang's untimely demise
- Avatar to return with new animated series on Nickelodeon

However, the company actually recorded a net loss for 2021 of £78.1m, which is explained by one-off exceptional costs of £93.2m related to its acquisition by Candle Media in November 2021.

Who’s that? A company co-founded by Kevin Mayer, formerly of Disney and a short stint as TikTok CEO, and backed by investment firm Blackstone Group. It paid $3bn for Moonbug in 2021.

Moonbug has a mixed history with the music industry, striking a deal with Universal Music Group in August 2021, but arousing the wrath of bodies representing songwriters in March 2022 over its approach to performing rights royalties.

Insidus Games:
- Tom And Jerry: Infurnal Escape
- Tom And Jerry: The Magic Ring
- The Wild Thornberrys Movie
- The Wild Thornberrys: Chimp Chase

Roundups #118: Moonbug Kids Now Has A Dedicated Cameo Account, SpongeBob SquarePants To Rollout New Mobile Game In Nordic Region And Pet Rescuers And How To Do Stuff Good Return For New Episodes On Da Vinci Kids Africa This January

Moonbug found more ways to keep the little ones entertained

Cameo, the marketplace that connects global talent with fans and brands, has launched Cameo Kids — offering personalized videos for children from their family entertainment favorites. The product launched in partnership with Candle Media, which last year acquired Moonbug Entertainment. At launch, Cameo Kids features a host of animated characters including the stars of Moonbug’s most popular global kids’ franchises, Blippi and CoComelon.

Cameo Kids allows consumers to book personalized videos built around key moments — from birthdays and the holidays to daily routines like bedtime and general messages of love and encouragement. In the coming months, the product experience will expand to add even more seasonal holidays, daily routines and new milestones.

“We’ve seen jaw-dropping fan reactions to Cameo videos over the last few years including truly wowed children, so we’re excited to spread even more of that joy with this new offering,” said Steven Galanis, Cameo Co-Founder and CEO. “Candle Media and Moonbug helped bring this to life by partnering with us to launch some of the biggest names in children’s entertainment and create endless possibilities for new characters and creative product use cases. We’re building a platform where families can get their kid’s favorite star to not just know their name, but share support for every important moment in their child’s life – big and small.”

New mobile game for SpongeBob launching in 2023

It's that time of year where video game companies are hosting showcases, and the latest one was from THQ Nordic.

For Switch fans, THQ shared new trailers of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake and AEW: Fight Forever. The new SpongeBob game was originally revealed to the world last year. And AEW was more recently confirmed at the start of this month after a retailer leak.

THQ Nordic and All Elite Wrestling have joined forces with prolific wrestling-game developers YUKE's Co. Ltd. of Japan to bring you AEW: Fight Forever! The game combines nostalgic arcade wrestling with All Elite Wrestling finishers and moves. Featuring a big roster of AEW talent, multiple match types, a robust career mode, tons of customization options, more than 40 weapons, and so much more! Coming soon to PS4™, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and the Xbox Series S/X, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Regular Nick:
- Craig Of The Creek has been cancelled on Cartoon Network
- Barbie: It Takes Two and Thomas And Friends: All Engines Go! coming soon to eToonz
- 35 facts you didn't know about these Dragonball instalments
- A list of scrapped spinoffs for The Simpsons
- The concept of Cartoonito and Boomerang (review)
- Tom And Jerry In New York cancelled on HBO Max after one season

Da Vinci starts off the new year with these two lovable guys

NEW EPISODES
How to Do Stuff Good S3
Fridays 16:05
Ready to amaze your friends and baffle your parents with amazing tricks? Or do you prefer keeping your hands busy cooking or making fun things? How To Do Stuff Good has it all! Join the wacky kids as they demonstrate some amazing life hacks – printing your own t-shirt design, bird spotting, cooking a batch of yummy burger pancakes – you’ll love their crazy ideas.

The Pet Rescuers S2
Weekends 18:00
Each new day at Second Chance Animal Rescue brings new opportunities for our brave heroes to save and rehabilitate abandoned pets. And with a whole new season heading your way, expect to fall in love with even more adorable animals on The Pet Rescuers, as the team searches for their forever homes.