Designed for mobile-first consumption and delivered in ultra-short episodes, micro-dramas have rapidly moved beyond niche status. Once seen as experimental, they are now emerging as a high-potential content format, capturing highly engaged audiences and opening up new monetisation and commissioning opportunities.

In this exclusive whitepaper produced by Ampere Analysis for MIPCOM, the data tells a compelling story. Adoption levels are already strong in key territories, micro-drama viewers are proven super-consumers of video content, and clear patterns are emerging around audience age, genre preferences and platform usage

 Download the full white paper to access in-depth market insights, audience data and strategic takeaways shaping the future of micro-dramas.

Behind Brand Entertainment is a series of interviews with producers, studios, distributors and brand leaders exploring how brands and the entertainment industry are collaborating to develop, fund and scale premium content.

This week, we feature Adam Puchalsky, President of the Brand Studio at Blink49 Studios.

“Entertainment can solve business challenges in ways traditional advertising often can’t.”

For Adam Puchalsky, President of the Brand Studio at Blink49 Studios, that’s where much of the industry still gets Branded Entertainment wrong.

As producers, broadcasters and streamers increasingly turn to brands as potential funding partners, the conversation often centres on integration – where a product fits within a show, or how visible a brand can be on screen. But according to Puchalsky, that approach misses the point.

“What I’ve often seen is that brand integrations increase awareness but don’t necessarily address the brand’s underlying business challenge,” he says. “People think about adjacency rather than asking what message needs to be communicated and what outcome they are trying to achieve.”

From Visibility to Value

While Branded Entertainment is often framed as a new opportunity, Puchalsky argues it is better understood as an evolution.

“Brands have been funding entertainment since the beginning of entertainment itself,” he says. “The difference today is that brands are looking for ways to communicate in a fragmented media landscape where audiences have more choice than ever.”

In that environment, visibility alone is no longer enough. Instead, brands are looking for content that can shift perception, change behaviour or address a specific communication challenge.

For producers, that requires a fundamental shift in thinking – from pitching formats to solving problems.

The Difference a Strategy Makes

Puchalsky points to a project developed during his agency years to illustrate the gap between traditional campaigns and strategic storytelling.

At the height of the pandemic, research suggested a significant rise in mental health issues. The challenge was not simply to raise awareness, but to encourage people to talk more openly.

“The communication problem was that people understand how long it takes to heal a physical injury,” he explains. “But when it comes to your brain, people don’t know how long recovery might take, so they often stay silent.”

Instead of launching a conventional campaign, the team created a comedy documentary called Group Therapy featuring comedians sharing their experiences in a group therapy setting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBerCAf751o

The result was both critically and commercially successful, winning two Gold Lions and a Silver Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

“The film moved the conversation forward,” Puchalsky says. “And because it was real entertainment, it could also live across marketing and social channels.”

A Gap between Producers and Brands

Despite the growing interest in brand-funded content, Puchalsky believes there is still a disconnect between how producers approach projects and how brands think.

“Producers often call brands, but they don’t necessarily understand how those organisations operate,” he says. “You need people who understand both the language of marketing and the language of entertainment.”

That gap can lead to missed opportunities – particularly in a market where traditional commissioning is under pressure and alternative funding models are becoming more important.

For producers, the implication is clear: Success in Branded Entertainment depends less on the format itself and more on understanding the strategic objectives behind it.

Rethinking the Role of Brands

At Blink49 Studios, this thinking shapes how projects are developed. Some originate from the studio’s slate, while others begin with a brand challenge – but in both cases, the goal is the same.

“We start by creating entertainment that audiences want to seek out,” Puchalsky says. “If a brand’s objective fits naturally within that, then we explore how it can add value.”

As the role of brands in the industry continues to evolve, Puchalsky believes the ambition should go far beyond funding.

“I want the work we do to win the biggest awards in entertainment,” he says. “Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Tonys – and for the brand involved to be proud to stand behind them.”

Behind Brand Entertainment is a series of interviews with producers, studios, distributors and brand leaders exploring how brands and the entertainment industry are collaborating to develop, fund and scale premium content.

This week, we feature Carlotta Rossi-Spencer, Global Head of Branded Entertainment Business Development at Banijay Entertainment.

“If it looks like a long ad, it won’t travel.”

That’s how Carlotta Rossi Spencer, Global Head of Branded Entertainment Business Development at Banijay Entertainment, describes the biggest challenge facing brand-funded shows with international ambitions.

In a market where tightening commissioning budgets are pushing producers and broadcasters toward alternative financing models, the real question is no longer whether brands can fund content, but whether that content can become genuine, travelable IP. For Rossi Spencer, the answer is yes. But only if Branded Entertainment is developed with the same format discipline as any other global franchise.

Travel Starts with Format DNA

At Banijay Entertainment, branded projects are assessed through the same lens as any other non-scripted format. “We are entertainers, we’re not in the advertising business,” Rossi Spencer says. “Regardless of the fact it’s in collaboration with a brand; the format still needs to work.”

One example is Hairstyle – The Talent Show with Alfaparf – a hairstyling competition originating in Spain that expanded into five territories. Its scalability had less to do with sponsorship and everything to do with clear competition beats and repeatable structure.

The same logic applies to branded extensions of established IP. In Germany, a Twitch-streamed, creator edition of Big Brother – Big Brother Knossi Edition – worked because the underlying format mechanics were already globally proven.

In Italy, Maître Chocolatier, a chocolate-creation competition developed with Lindt follows familiar talent show rhythms, as does Mistura Beirão – a mixology competition format created in partnership with premium Portuguese liqueur Licor Beirão.

And in the UK, the revival of Secret Life of 5 Year Olds demonstrated how a catalogue format can re-emerge with brand-backing without losing its format integrity.

“These are the ones that work best,” Rossi Spencer explains, pointing to factual entertainment, cooking competitions, and transformation formats. Universal skills. Clear jeopardy. Repeatable beats. Her advice is simple: “Stick to the format. Stick to very recognisable beats.”

What Stops a Branded Format from Travelling?

If scalability starts with format DNA, it can just as easily be undermined by integration choices. “If it’s too much brand, too much product placement, if it looks like a long ad, then it won’t travel,” Rossi Spencer says. International buyers need flexibility. If a format cannot be reversioned without a specific sponsor, its export value drops dramatically.

Over-localisation presents another barrier. “If it’s a documentary about a very local story, then you can’t really push it to other territories.” Travelable IP requires modularity – the ability to adapt casting, tone and cultural nuance while preserving core mechanics. “This is something we have unrivalled success in, with 30 formats produced in 3+ territories – from MasterChef to Big Brother”, Rossi Spencer adds. In short, the show must survive without the original brand attached. If removing the sponsor breaks the format, it was never true IP.

Rights and Catalogue Strategy

From a protection standpoint, branded formats are treated like any other format within Banijay Entertainment’s ecosystem. “For us, it’s the same as the protection of a format,” Rossi Spencer notes. Once aired, the show enters the IP and catalogue structure.

While brands may negotiate certain rights, Banijay Entertainment does not relinquish 100% of the IP. Retaining catalogue inclusion strengthens long-term value, especially when looking at secondary territories and windowing strategies.

For distributors, that alignment is key: a branded show that sits comfortably within a broader format portfolio is far easier to position internationally.

The Strategic Shift

Perhaps the most significant evolution is strategic rather than creative. Brands increasingly understand that long-form entertainment functions differently from a 30-second campaign.

“The complete impact will be visible after a year”, Rossi Spencer says, describing the long-tail impact of series-based collaborations. That longevity makes repeatable formats more attractive than one-off branded specials.

For the industry, the implication is clear: Branded Entertainment becomes travelable IP when it is developed with format logic first, sponsor logic second. As Rossi Spencer puts it: “It’s always about the format at the end of the day.” And in a global market built on adaptable ideas, that principle remains unchanged – regardless of who is funding the show.

At MIPCOM, Jasmine Dawson, Senior Vice President, Digital at BBC Studios, highlighted during the YouTube keynote that they now have social-first sales teams. That may sound operational. In reality, it signals a structural shift: social distribution is no longer just marketing. It is becoming a revenue stream.

And companies operating in this space are already adjusting to that reality. “The boundaries between TV and digital no longer exist,” says Yiğit Doğan Çelik, CEO of Merzigo, which manages and monetises TV IP on YouTube and AVOD platforms.

He argues that platforms such as YouTube and Facebook now dominate the global media ecosystem, particularly on the TV screen, creating new distribution opportunities for premium content owners.

For producers and distributors, that is not a philosophical statement. It is a commercial one. If audiences are consuming premium content on connected TVs via YouTube, then AVOD becomes part of the formal windowing conversation.

Discoverability Is the New Battleground

The scale of competition is unprecedented, though. “The biggest challenge today is discoverability with millions of videos uploaded every hour,” Çelik notes. “In order to be successful in building reach, awareness and ultimately revenue, a smart optimisation and monetisation strategy is required.”

In other words, just uploading your content is no longer enough.

Historically, many broadcasters treated YouTube as a promotional outlet – clips, short-form highlights, occasional catch-up episodes. But managing full libraries at scale requires something closer to broadcast discipline.

Merzigo describes its approach as treating YouTube “as a true broadcaster.” That means planning weekly programming schedules, optimising for watch time and adapting formats across multiple languages.

“We upload over 6000 unique videos a day from our library of partner content totalling over 400,000 hours,” Çelik says. “We want to make the complex simple and predictable for our partners.”, pointing to a combination of proprietary technology and a 24/7 global team managing over 5,000 channels across territories.

For broadcasters and distributors, the relevance lies less in the volume itself and more in what that scale enables: consistent programming, data-led optimisation and structured monetisation. If AVOD is now a defined revenue window, it requires editorial, commercial and technical specialisation.

Originals Signal a Primary Window

That logic is no longer limited to library exploitation. Increasingly, premium content is being developed with YouTube as the primary distribution environment rather than a secondary outlet.

Merzigo’s report on Qesma W Naseeb – a popular Arabic Reality TV show and social experiment focused on dating, produced exclusively for YouTube – illustrates how premium episodic content is being commissioned specifically for YouTube, with roll-out strategy and monetisation designed for the platform from day one.

For producers and Branded Entertainment teams, that shift affects how projects are commissioned, financed and integrated with sponsors. Structured publishing models, audience data and built-in monetisation allow brand integrations to sit within long-form series rather than as one-off activations.

The Market Is Moving

Recent developments across the industry reinforce this trend. For example, ITV has expanded its YouTube sales roster with Banijay Rights and Banijay UK, adding titles including Peaky Blinders, MasterChef and Would I Lie to You? to its commercial offering.

Meanwhile, Amazon made the first season of Fallout available for free on YouTube ahead of its next instalment, using AVOD as a sampling window to expand audience reach. These are structured commercial decisions, not experiments.

Çelik argues that rights holders who embrace a structured approach can unlock additional value from their libraries. “Our end-to-end service ecosystem, from channel management and content production to localisation, and rights protection gives a full service to broadcasters and distributors wanting to embrace AVOD,” he says. “We optimise every piece of content to unlock its full revenue potential delivering measurable results for our partners as the fight for attention increases.”

The Strategic Question for the Market

As broadcasters formalise social-first sales teams and integrate YouTube inventory into premium advertising conversations, AVOD is becoming embedded in the revenue infrastructure of TV IP.

For producers, distributors and Branded Entertainment teams, the question is no longer whether YouTube matters. It is whether AVOD is being treated with the same strategic discipline as linear and streaming – and whether the capability to operate it at scale exists internally or needs to be built through specialist partners.

The regulatory wave is coming, and it’s picking up speed. Australia has banned social media for under-16s. France is eyeing September 2026 for enforcement. Denmark is watching closely. The US state of Virginia proposed a one-hour social media limit for minors. And last month, Disney was slapped with fines for violating children’s privacy laws on YouTube in the US.

If you make or manage kids content, you’d be forgiven for reading that list and feeling the walls close in.

It’s difficult to argue against regulation when discussing kids’ safety online. Many will imply that your motivation is somehow nefarious, too commercial or that you simply don’t care enough about children. But in regulating bad content and access to it out of the way of kids, we’re creating conditions that could drive producers, creators and investors out of the kids market altogether. And when that happens, we won’t get a safer internet for children. We get a content void. Market failure.

It’s not just governmental policy bringing disincentives to the industry. Platform pressure, however overdue, carries its own risks. YouTube’s recent test illustrates a tension. They rolled out AI moderation software that is intended for child protection, but it can morph into creator punishment.

YouTube’s AI determines whether users are under 18 based on their activity. Sounds reasonable, right? Protect kids even if they lie about their age?  Except there’s a problem: if YouTube’s AI decides your audience skews young (even if you never tagged your content as Made for Kids) your revenue gets throttled automatically. Non-personalised ads. Algorithmic restriction. The MFK treatment, whether you opted in or not.

For creators already navigating the world’s most opaque algorithm, this is existential. You can’t strategise against criteria you can’t see and you’re essentially playing roulette with your livelihood, and creators will increasingly avoid making anything that could even unintentionally appeal to kids. When creators can’t understand the rules, they can’t adapt. And making a living on YouTube was already hard before AI started making revenue decisions for them.

The Economics are breaking further.

Let’s be crystal clear about the business reality. Kids content on YouTube operates under COPPA restrictions that slash ad revenue by up to 95%. CPMs are so low as to be largely immaterial unless at significant scale. Now layer on platform bans. Add AI systems that can effectively recategorise your content and the question is obvious, why would anyone rational still be making kids content?

The unintended consequence is that independent creators decide kids content is too high-risk for too little reward.

We saw this with COPPA’s initial impact. The creators who could pivot did. The ones who couldn’t either accepted poverty-level returns or quit. What remained were the scaled operations like Moonbug, who could weather low CPMs through sheer volume, and even then investors get twitchy.

So who’s left? The legacy players who are already in defensive mode. Paramount, laying off Nickelodeon staff. Sky Kids, which ceased commissioning originals in 2025. They aren’t positioned to fill the gap; they’re already trying to survive their own structural challenges.

Same goes for public broadcasters: The BBC, the ABC, PBS are commissioning less kids content whilst arguing their own value proposition with their respective governments. Most of them are broke, and the idea that regulation will naturally create opportunities for legacy or public media assumes resources and mandates that largely no longer exist.

A Market Failure scenario – we must consider it.

Regulation tightens. Platforms de-risk by restricting kids content. Independent creators exit because the economics don’t work. Legacy players are cutting budgets. Public broadcasters aren’t able to scale to meet demand.

What fills the void?

The best case is a handful of well-funded producers make content that satisfies the regulatory checkboxes but at the cost of creative. We get content that nobody loves but nobody gets sued over.

If we’re more realistic: a fragmented landscape of VPN’s, age-verification workarounds, kids hiding in internet corners, content sharing on closed social platforms. The exact opposite of what regulation intended to achieve.

None of this is an argument against protecting children online. The exploitative content, the attention-hacking tricks, the data harvesting – all of it needs addressing. But there’s a difference between smart regulation that creates guardrails and blunt regulation that burns down the ecosystem.

Right now I believe that we’re heading toward the latter. We’re creating a regulatory environment where the safest business decision is simply not to make kids content at all. The low barriers to entry that had democratised content creation will be rebuilt, higher than ever.

What happens next?

We’re at an inflection point. The permissive era of YouTube-first strategies and low-barrier content creation is ending. That’s probably inevitable and not entirely bad. But if we’re not careful, we’ll regulate ourselves into a market failure where kids content becomes economically unviable for everyone except the organisations least equipped to innovate.

The regulatory reckoning is here and there’s no doubt we need it. But are we protecting children by improving content, or protecting them by ensuring there’s barely any content left to consume?

Welcome to 2026, where the challenge isn’t creating great kids media. It’s whether anyone will still find it worth creating at all.

FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) is rapidly becoming a core part of Europe’s streaming landscape, reshaping content distribution, monetisation models and audience reach. As platforms scale and strategies evolve, understanding the FAST ecosystem is now essential for content owners, buyers and distributors.

Produced by the FAST4EU consortium, the FAST in Europe white paper provides a clear overview of the European FAST market, exploring growth drivers, platform strategies, monetisation approaches and territory-specific dynamics. Designed as a practical industry resource, it offers data-led insights to support decision-making in an increasingly competitive ad-supported environment.

 Download the white paper to explore the FAST opportunity in Europe.

Designed for mobile-first consumption and delivered in ultra-short episodes, micro-dramas have rapidly moved beyond niche status. Once seen as experimental, they are now emerging as a high-potential content format, capturing highly engaged audiences and opening up new monetisation and commissioning opportunities.

In this exclusive whitepaper produced by Ampere Analysis for MIP LONDON, the data tells a compelling story. Adoption levels are already strong in key territories, micro-drama viewers are proven super-consumers of video content, and clear patterns are emerging around audience age, genre preferences and platform usage

 Download the full white paper to access in-depth market insights, audience data and strategic takeaways shaping the future of micro-dramas.

MIPCOM’s director Lucy Smith called 2025’s event “the biggest shift in a generation” and she wasn’t wrong. At MIPCOM and MIPJUNIOR you could feel it, the air had changed. YouTube wasn’t just on the Croisette, it WAS the Croisette and the name was heard in almost every panel, keynote and conversation.

Media markets have entered their Creator Economy era

Those of us who’ve spent much of our careers in kids media quietly savoured our ‘we’ve-been-living-this-for-years’ moment with our salads at Caffe Roma, and we sipped our rosé with wry smiles that the rest of the media industry is acknowledging creator-led content. Something that the kids audience has been embracing for over a decade.

You see kids (as hard to predict and monetise as they are), give us HUGE clues as to where media is heading. I’ve said it on too many podcasts to count; that kids are a bellwether. A bellwether for fandom, for distribution and for how content will be produced and commercialised. If you can figure out what they want, where they want it, how they want it and how much they value it – then you have a blueprint for your future business.

And that blueprint is becoming increasingly pressing, because the numbers tell a sad story. Commissioning continues to slide and broadcasters are scrambling for relevance with social-first audiences – the very ones on which their businesses will depend within a few years. And yet, here’s YouTube celebrating its 20th birthday with its FIRST major presence at MIPCOM, announcing partnerships with Banijay (an initiative called “Creators Lab”) and a celebration alongside BBC Studios of their partnership on BBC Earth.

Meanwhile, delegates at MIPJUNIOR saw the debut of a show written by Kevin Tran, a creator with six million YouTube subscribers who published his first manga in 2017, sold a million books, and only then landed a commission for ‘Ki & Hi in the Panda Kingdom’ from Canal Plus in France and RTBF in Belgium.

If MIPCOM typified general entertainment embracing out how to ‘think like a creator’, kids media has been building around them for years. OG disruptors like Jay Jeon showed the way with what eventually became CoComelon. In 2006 he set up a YouTube channel to entertain his kids, and by 2020 it was generating $120 million annually in revenue for Moonbug. They saw what traditional media missed, YouTube was more than distribution, it was data-powered R&D. Moonbug took creator IP and scaled them; they were figuring this stuff out in kids media while legacy media was debating whether YouTube mattered.

And Ms. Rachel? She filmed Songs for Littles in her apartment in 2019 without fancy animation. She had almost no budget, just research-backed speech and language techniques and genuine care for kids’ development – a creator driven by purpose and passion. Today she has 17+ million subscribers, a Netflix deal and has disintermediated TV’s relationship with parents. She doesn’t need a commissioner, she speaks directly to families, and many trust her more than they trust broadcasters.

Kids media was forced to adapt, because they have been hit hardest by ever-trickier economics. The shift towards ad-supported platforms highlighted a lack of incentive to invest in kids content because kids and their habits cannot easily be tracked – which is a problem when your advertisers demand data. COPPA restrictions cratered revenue for those that were publishing on YouTube to the point where some question whether the regulation does more harm than good.

The MIPJUNIOR sessions also made the foresight in the kids space clear (we like to think in the future in kids media). Greg Dray from Animaj stated that he is convinced that the next big children’s IP will come from a platform like Roblox. That is something I too have predicted for years and about which I have spoken many times. It won’t be Netflix, nor Disney, it will be Roblox.

Why?

Because we see where kids are spending increasing amounts of time (millions of years’ worth per quarter) and creators on Roblox are as famous, as powerful as Miss Rachel or MrBeast. As Chris M. Williams from pocket.watch also reminded; kids creators have long been incubators for IP and their ecosystem has produced hits that traditional commissioning would never dream of.

There’s no doubt the creator economy is an opportunity, as kids sector shows. Creators of IP like Claynosaurz and Silly Crocodile carved a hybrid model of free content for reach and then derived revenue elsewhere. They watched where kids watch, they learned and built multi-platform businesses that monetise without reliance on a single platform. It’s not easy, but if creators are disrupting general entertainment now, kids creators are on version 2.0 of the playbook.

In short, if you want to know where media transformation is heading go and talk to someone creating in the kids sector. Or better still, join us at the Kids Summit at MIPLONDON on Tuesday 24 February 2026 at the IET LONDON. You may hear from attendees about squeezed CPMs, fractured attention, platform dependence and audience relationships – and that’s fine, we need to have the tough conversations – but you will DEFINITELY hear about how to build cohesive IP across YouTube, Roblox, streaming, merchandise and more, as well as hear practical strategies on how control costs and monetise content using insight, flexible distribution and innovative production – which is pretty transformative in itself.

For more information visit the MIP LONDON website here.

Why Latin America’s Streamers Are Turning to Existing IP

In streaming’s early boom, originality was the holy grail. Platforms competed to deliver the next Squid Game, Money Heist, or The Queen’s Gambit – series that could define their brands and fuel subscriber growth. But as competition has intensified and budgets have tightened, the industry’s mindset is shifting. Today, revisiting and reimagining proven IP is emerging as one of the most effective strategies for sustainable growth.

Few understand this better than Edward Allen, the former Chief Operating Officer of Pantelion Films – the joint venture between Lionsgate and Televisa – and one of the key figures behind Pantaya, the first U.S. streaming service dedicated to Spanish-language audiences. Pantaya, later acquired by TelevisaUnivision and folded into its global platform ViX, became a blueprint for how strong IP foundations can drive both audience engagement and acquisition strategy.

“It’s not necessarily smarter to acquire existing IP,” Allen explains, “it just has many benefits, including a quicker path to production, it’s been tested with an audience, it’s cost-effective, and it’s a more flexible model if you need to pivot to find stories or genres that the market suddenly wants.”

Faster Paths, Lower Risk

 For producers and streamers alike, that logic resonates. Working with existing IP means shorter development cycles, less creative uncertainty, and an audience that already knows the world being built.

“Proven IP has a built-in audience,” he continues. “From a marketing point of view, things today are very competitive and noisy. Having known IP allows you to cut through some of that noise because you don’t have to educate the audience on the brand, characters or world. With strong IP, there’s an existing fan base that already wants more of that content.”

In a marketplace where customer acquisition costs continue to rise, that familiarity isn’t just creative convenience – it’s a commercial advantage.

Reinventing Local Stories

 Latin America’s long tradition of telenovelas and local drama gives streamers a vast landscape of recognizable titles and characters to work with.

“Local IP in LatAm is being well exploited by the streamers today,” Allen notes. “The local media companies have an advantage because they’ve spent decades creating IP and building fan bases. The key for any success going forward is creating a fresh take on old IP.”

At Pantaya, that principle guided programming decisions. Remakes such as Overboard, No Manches Frida 1 & 2, Mi Tío, Montecristo, and Volver a Caer combined familiarity with new creative energy – illustrating how audiences respond to stories they already love, updated for today’s tone and sensibility.

Creative Renewal, Not Limitation

 Refreshing known properties doesn’t mean playing it safe, though. “Attaching writers, showrunners or directors who are themselves fans of the IP but who also have a fresh creative voice – that’s how you modernize without losing the DNA of the original,” he says.

He points to Barbie as a global case in point: “It did a great job of honoring the IP while modernizing the characters and story in a way that appealed to today’s audiences.”

The Balanced Slate

 For producers, the message is clear. Proven IP offers efficiency and recognition, while originals bring discovery and innovation. As Allen puts it, both are essential parts of a healthy content slate.

In an era defined by consolidation and competition, Latin America’s greatest streaming advantage may lie in its storytelling legacy – familiar worlds made new for the next generation of viewers.

A hundred years in television is an eternity – and a masterclass in reinvention. Globo has lived through it all: radio, broadcast, streaming, and now the attention economy. But what’s remarkable isn’t just its survival, it’s how the Brazilian network has managed to keep its storytelling relevant, emotional, and exportable.

As Angela Colla, Globo’s Head of International Business & Co-Productions, puts it: “The essence of Globo is grounded in the pursuit of quality, innovation, appreciation of talent, passion for communication, and an unwavering commitment to ethics and Brazilianess.”

That last word – Brazilianess – might just be the key. In a world of global formats and algorithmic sameness, Globo’s strength lies in the specificity of its culture and the universality of its emotions. It’s not nostalgia that keeps its stories alive; it’s adaptability built on identity.

Authenticity Travels Further Than Format

When asked what makes Brazilian storytelling distinctive, Colla doesn’t hesitate: “Authenticity, diversity, and a strong emotional connection with the audience.” Globo’s stories – from decades of telenovelas to today’s streaming dramas – tap into universal themes like family, optimism, and resilience, but always through a Brazilian lens. And that’s exactly what makes them resonate.

It’s a good reminder for producers and broadcasters everywhere: cultural truth beats trend-chasing. The content that lasts isn’t designed for an algorithm – it’s designed for connection. And the deeper the emotional link, the easier it becomes to travel across borders.

Reinventing, Not Repeating

Telenovelas built Globo’s empire, but they’re not relics of the past – they’re evolving IP. “The telenovela was the product that projected Globo onto the international stage,” Colla says. “For 50 years, we’ve been licensing our content, reinforcing the potential of the telenovela as a global IP that can be adapted into different formats and languages.”

Now, the next wave comes in Microdramas. With one launch planned in Brazil later this year (Cinderela e o Segredo do Pobre Milionário), Globo is expanding the telenovela format into short, vertical, and multiplatform content designed for different audience profiles. “Microdramas maintain the narrative excellence that has made us a benchmark, now with a language tailored for digital platforms,” she explains.

In other words, the format changes, the emotion doesn’t. Globo’s approach is a blueprint for modern IP owners: take what works emotionally and reframe it structurally. That’s how you protect legacy without getting stuck in it.

“In addition to expanding touchpoints with the audience, Microdramas open up new commercial opportunities, including licensing, co-productions, and brand integration in native, highly shareable formats.”, Colla continues.

Think Ecosystem, Not Episode

She describes today’s Globo as “an integrated media ecosystem” – a network that connects broadcast TV, streaming (Globoplay), and the largest out-of-home media network (Eletromídia). This allows Globo to create multiplatform experiences for both audiences and advertisers, offering a complete journey inside and outside the home. But this isn’t just about distribution; it’s about designing stories to live beyond one screen.

Globo is increasingly investing in building an ecosystem to expand its narratives. A recent example is the telenovela “Anything Goes”, in which Globo, through a new commercial model that integrates fiction and reality, brought the character Maria de Fátima into the influencer marketing market to carry out advertising campaigns with real brands. This kind of commercial initiative reaffirms how the telenovela remains present in people’s lives, with the power to generate business opportunities and spark conversations.

“Expanding our narrative universes into new formats strengthens the emotional bond with our stories and extends the lifecycle of our IPs,” she says. That could mean podcasts, live events, or interactive social spin-offs – all ways of turning passive viewers into active participants.

For producers, the takeaway is clear: think in worlds, not windows. The future of IP lies in building ecosystems that audiences want to live inside, not just watch.

Local Stories, Global Reach

For Colla, the international success of K-dramas proves a universal point: authenticity travels. “Local narratives, when told with authenticity and produced to global standards, have enormous potential to connect internationally,” she says.

Globo’s century-long story is a testament to that belief. The network has evolved from national storyteller to global IP factory – not by chasing trends, but by trusting its roots and continuously reinventing how those roots grow.

As Colla sums it up: “Our vision is to continue telling relevant stories that move and connect people, anywhere in the world. Celebrating 100 years is a recognition of our capacity for continuous reinvention. We are committed to innovation, to actively listening to society, and to the boldness of exploring new paths.”

And perhaps that’s the real takeaway for the next hundred years of content:
The future of global IP begins with stories that stay true to where they come from – and brave enough to imagine where they can go.

Research specialists The Wit picked 3 inspiring shows from their Fresh Database that reflect the various ways a scripted series can become an international hit. Successful series come from anywhere!

 Here’s the proof with 3 big international trends:

• “Micro-drama” with a format that originated in the US and was adapted in Brazil delivering million views on multiple broadcasters
• “Turkish drama” with the latest primetime hit that premiered this fall in Turkey and which is programmed to quickly travel around the world
• “Scripted formats” with a successful French format adapted in more than 10 territories

De Volta ao Jogo (Back in the game), Brazil, Reelshort

Pitch: Micro-telenovela shot in vertical format, a local adaptation of the scripted format “Breaking the Ice” launched by ReelShort in the USA, which follows Luis, a young footballer on the rise who discovers, years after the end of a relationship, that he has a six-year-old daughter with Mariana, his former love. This reunion forces them both to confront the ghosts of the past and the impact of the decisions they made.

Social media buzz: The Reelshort application counted more than 60 million views for the Brazilian version of the series (and more than 336 million views for the original US series). The series is available from launch in its entirety on ReelShort, with the first 5 episodes free of charge, with short extracts published daily on TikTok and Instagram.

Premiere: Saturday, July 26, 2025

Distributor:   Reelshort

69 2-minute episodes

TRAILER : https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IRHCeC1Ol9s

Halef: Köklerin Çağrısı (Halef), Turkey, NOW

Pitch: Turkish relationship drama series telling the story of Serhat, a man who, despite his family’s expectations, thrives as a surgeon in Istanbul. After secretly marrying Melek, the woman he loves, Serhat is forced to return to his hometown of Urfa, where an old blood feud between two powerful families forces him to marry Yıldız, a woman from one of the rival families. This situation jeopardizes not only his love for Melek, but also his social and personal rise.

Social media buzz: The Turkish drama series have delivered excellent ratings on Disney-owned channel Now, leading the slot. The first episode of the series reached 12 million views on official YouTube channel in two weeks of streaming. On social media, the show has gathered more than 238,000 Instagram followers since its premiere.

Premiere: Thursday, September 18, 2025

Distributor: Inter Medya

150-minute weekly episodes

TRAILER : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8An13l7RXU

Call My Agent Berlin, Germany, Disney+

Pitch: German dramedy series, local adaptation of the format “Call My Agent” which follows the daily goings-on at a talent agency which reps famous actors. The fictional Stern agency is on the verge of bankruptcy and has to attract new talent and retain and place existing stars in a very short space of time. While famous actors and actresses roam the halls and real stars appear in every episode, the agents are battling it out behind the scenes.

Social media buzz: The German adaptation of the hit scripted format has gathered a positive following on IMDb with a good 7.0/10 rating. The format has also been adapted in Spain on linear channel Telecinco with a good debut: the first episode averaged a 10.9% audience share in the 4+ and 909,000 viewers (Source: Mediaset España / Kantar Media).

Premiere: Friday, September 12, 2025 (for the German version)

Distributor:   France tv distribution

6 52-minute weekly episodes

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01jsD3B0b8w

These three recent drama series are good examples of how diverse the international market is:

• A low production costs series gathering million views
• A locally produced drama series that will travel around the world
• A successful scripted format adapted in many countries on linear channels and streamers alike

Sport has been transformed by creator-led and fan-first content

Sport and live events took centre stage in the MIP Creative Hub on day three of MIPCOM CANNES, with pioneers in digital-first sports entertainment discussing how creators and fan content have rewritten the rules of the sector in Sports And Live Events: Creators Changing The Game.

Joshua Barnett, CEO, After Party Studios talked about how creator collective The Sidemen managed to pack out Wembley Stadium for their 2025 charity match. “The Sidemen have their own highly engaged audience and they have the ability to bring YouTube royalty into live events like this. Ahead of the match, they put out daily content right up until the match which helped drive huge expectation,” he said.

Also on the panel was Soroya Hidalgo, head of programmes and partnerships EMEA TikTok, who talked about the platform’s partnerships with events like the Summer Olympics and Tour de France. She explained how the platform can extend the cycle of fan engagement beyond the live event itself – and provide a platform for interaction between fans. “Traditionally, fans have been spectators but with platforms like TikTok they can react in real time and become co-creators,” she said.

French content creator Antoine Tourneux, AKA Totoche, from Radja Creators talked about his journey from being a comedy creator to becoming a key voice in the world of NBA basketball, even participating in a creator game during the half-time break of an official NBA match.

Robbie Lyle, CEO of GFN, has enjoyed a lot of success with a fan channel for Arsenal fans. Echoing his peers, he said there never used to be a voice for fans before social came along: “I’m a massive Arsenal fan, and I know we’re talking about the club before the game, during the game, after the game. So I created a platform that could find out who fans really were and what they were talking about. Now sports rights holders recognise the power of the approach and are doing it themselves.”

Melissa Fleming, UN under-secretary-general for global communications: “The media industry has a major role in raising awareness, showing impact and countering misinformation. You have the creativity and reach to drive change”

2025 SDG Award goes to deserving recipient Secuoya Studios

The winner of the MIPCOM CANNES 2025 SDG Award is Secuoya Studios, a future-facing production studio based 35km from Madrid Spain. CEO Brendan Fitzgerald was in Cannes to collect the award, presented in association with the SDG Media Compact.

Fitzgerald shared insights into Secuoya’s approach, which centres on the existence of a regularly updated tool called the Green Book. He talked about the many ways in which Secuoya has made a difference to the environmental footprint of its productions, ranging from the use of single locations to the reuse and recycling of sets. Reduced plastic use and increased reliance on sustainable energy also typify its productions.

The Secuoya boss also said that efforts to go green are helped by an industry-wide WhatsApp group where production teams collaborate on sustainability initiatives. “We are competitors but we share a desire to reuse and recycle.”

The award presentation was preceded by a few words from Melissa Fleming, the UN under-secretary-general for global communications. She congratulated Secuoya and said the media industry has a major role in “raising awareness, showing impact and countering misinformation. You have the creativity and reach to drive change.”

Caroline Petit, deputy director, UN global communications for Europe, echoed that sentiment, urging producers in the audience to tell stories that amplify sustainability goals as well as embrace the kind of practices demonstrated by Secuoya. “And maybe next year you could consider entering the MIPCOM CANNES SDG Awards,” she said.

The Wit’s co-founder Virginia Mouseler provided her signature analysis of the global fiction market, with micro-drama, scripted formats, real-event dramas and true crime among the hot topics at MIPCOM CANNES 2025

The Wit’s Fresh TV Fiction opened with micro-drama Breaking The Ice

FRESH TV Fiction, curated by The Wit, packed out the Grand Auditorium as always, with MIPCOM CANNES delegates introduced to new shows and brought up to speed on current trends by The Wit’s co-founder Virginia Mouseler.

In tune with one of this week’s big themes, Mouseler started by showcasing ReelShort micro-drama Breaking The Ice, a hit in the US, Canada and Brazil, among others. Based on the novel Shutout, the 70 x 1.5-minute drama tells the story of Caroline, whose first love, now a hockey star, rehires her after eight years. In a classic micro-drama twist, she has never told him he fathered her child.

Mouseler said the current wave of micro-dramas is exploring a diverse range of subjects. She cited Maria Madre De Dios, a Telemundo Studios/VIP 2000 production which explores the biblical story of the birth of Jesus.

Mouseler provided details of the current top performing scripted formats, which include Japan’s Mother, France’s Call My Agent and Spain’s Machos Alfa. She also provided details on Secuoya Studios’ Crossroad, adapted from Turkey’s Brave & Beautiful.

As at previous markets, Mouseler said book or article adaptations are by far the leading source material for original dramas, with dramas based on true events coming next. Among the latter is Keshet International’s Red Alert, which tells the story of people directly impacted by the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.

True crime remains a top genre for broadcasters and buyers, with Mouseler picking out Estado De Fuga 1986 (Colombia) and Golden Boys (Sweden) as examples.

Online talent are not just creators, they are “storytellers, producers, entrepreneurs” said Webedia CEO Christian Bombrun

YouTubers Inoxtag and Nil Ojeda shared insights from their journeys

Wednesday morning saw French YouTuber Inoxtag join Webedia CEO Christian Bombrun on the Grand Audi stage to discuss the remarkable growth of the creator economy. Joining them live from LA was Spain’s number one YouTuber Nil Ojeda.

Under the theme Reshaping Entertainment In A Creator-Led Future, the session explored the expanding influence of content creators within the broader entertainment ecosystem. It also looked at how Webedia has established itself as a leading player in digital entertainment. Among its core activities, the company partners with leading creators like Inoxtag and Ojeda, providing them with the support and the means to produce, distribute, monetise and build their global networks.

The session began with Bombrun explaining how Webedia had embraced the digital-first opportunity to become one of the world’s leading players in the sector. He said the company “creates platforms and experiences that connect communities”.

Bombrun said there is no question that creators are “shaping the future of modern culture” — but he also stressed that the word creator doesn’t really capture their expertise: “They are storytellers, producers, entrepreneurs”.

Inoxtag (aka Inès Benazzouz) has a community of 27 million fans across all platforms. He caught the wider media industry’s attention when he decided to climb Mount Everest. The documentary about this achievement, Kaizen, was shown in cinemas and then released a day later on his YouTube channel.

He has since crossed the Atlantic in 10 days by sailboat and written a best-selling book. Discussing how his work has evolved, he said his team spends a lot of time exploring “the why” behind their choice of projects.

Ojeda, began his professional YouTube journey in Spain in 2016 at the age of 18, and now has a global community reaching more than 15 million fans. Today he is known for digital formats like 21 days and his breakout brand extension MILFSHAKES.

Asked about career landmarks, he said the first was the awareness that he could make a living out of social-media content. The second was the need for authenticity: “I realised that I didn’t have to follow all the trends on the internet. I just had to be myself, because that was what my community expected from me.”

“AI is streamlining workflows in ways we would have never imagined,” said Vimeo’s Sebastian Wegner, “saving time and money”

Vimeo is embracing AI as it seeks to partner content owners

VIMEO executive streaming EMEA Sebastian Wegner took Innovation Lab attendees on a 6,000-year history of storytelling as he attempted to persuade them that the rapid rollout of AI is not something to fear but to be harnessed.

In the same way that the arrival of photography unleashed a new paradigm in painting, he advocated that “AI, when used correctly, will unlock new pathways for creativity”.

Vimeo is one of the largest private distribution platforms in the world, generating 100 billion views a year. Wegner said the company is embracing AI as it seeks to position itself as an intelligent distribution platform for content creators, allowing them to upload anything and share it anywhere — securely and at scale.

Wegner said one of the key challenges with AI-powered content is regulatory, with inconsistent rules across national jurisdictions. He said that Vimeo had a role to play in helping IP owners navigate cross-border transactions where AI is involved.

In terms of use cases, Wegner said AI is already proving its worth in volume production, where producers work with VFX-generated sets. “The ability to use AI to change things around quickly is an absolute game changer — particularly when you are working to a tight schedule, which producers almost always are.”

While a lot of the debate is about how AI will impact storytelling, Wegner said the new tech is “streamlining workflows in ways we would have never imagined before. If you can save time and money, imagine how much more focus you can put on creativity.”

MédiaClub’Elles’ Laura Lemens Boy: “the perfect setting to bring together women from across the industry to have honest, supportive and inspiring conversations”

 Mentoring across generations and borders

MÉDIACLUB’ELLES and MIPCOM CANNES hosted the 13^th edition of the International Mentoring Breakfast for Women In Entertainment on Wednesday.   A much-loved feature of the market, it has helped successive generations of female talent navigate their way to successful careers in the media business.

MédiaClub’Elles co-founder Laura Lemens Boy has been enjoying coffee, croissants and good company since the first edition in 2012. She said: “At that time, our ambition was to create a genuine space for women to meet, share experiences and build meaningful professional relationships. The goal from the beginning was to foster empowerment through exchange.”

Explaining why MIPCOM CANNES is the right place for the event, she said: “It is the perfect setting to bring together women from across the industry, not just to network, but to have honest, supportive and inspiring conversations.”

“We invite a group of mentors, accomplished leaders, producers or creatives to join participants from all over the world around tables. What makes it unique is that it’s an open discussion,” Lemens Boy said. “Many attendees describe it as a safe, positive space where women share, support and uplift each other.”

Over the years, the format has evolved, she added: “The conversations have become more fluid and collaborative, less about top-down advice and more about exchange. Today, we’re welcoming more creators, digital innovators and entrepreneurs.”

Lemens Boy has no doubt that is has helped women forge successful careers. “Some participants have gone on to take on leadership roles or launch new ventures after connections made that morning. Others have developed partnerships that were sparked at the event,” she said.

This year the key theme was “mentoring across generations and borders”, she said. “We also want to recognise how new technologies are transforming the entertainment industry. Our hope is to inspire women to step confidently into these evolving spaces.”

Day two of this year’s MIPCOM CANNES was as bustling as day one, with an array of sessions exploring current trends and future innovations across the media landscape. From creators’ expanded ambitions to YouTube monetisation tips, via the evolution of brand storytelling, and trends in sports streaming – not to mention zombies! – it was a thought-provoking day. Here’s our day two wrap.

The Walking Dead: ‘It’s human connection. It always has been’

AMC Networks celebrated the enduring zombie franchise’s 15^th anniversary

Attendees of this afternoon’s session about The Walking Dead got more than they bargained for: a group of zombies shambling, growling and (on request) posing for selfies with the Grand Audi crowd. The session itself saw AMC Networks executives and talent talking about why its humans are the emotional core of the franchise.

“The very first script I ever read for this show, I didn’t even read zombies into it… It’s always been about the human connection,” said Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon. “This is your chance to figure out who you want to be in a situation. You’re safer in numbers. Who do you align with? Who can you tell has your worst interests in mind? That is the core of the show. Who are you gonna be? It’s human connection. It always has been since day one for me.”

AMC Networks CEO Kristin Dolan struck a similar note in her introduction to the session, while nodding towards the grisly fate that has met some of those humans.

“The secret to the success of The Walking Dead was never the zombies. It was the very human characters at the heart of the stories, and watching them adapt, struggle and survive,” said Dolan. “Or not.”

Creators can thrive on streaming platforms – if their talent is respected

They may start on TikTok and YouTube, but they can go all the way to AVOD and scripted commissions

One of the trends of this year’s MIPCOM CANNES is the awareness that creators are no longer restricted to making short-form content for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and other video/social platforms.

A growing number are developing formats fit for AVOD services and FAST channels, for example. Some are even bagging scripted commissions. MIP Innovation Lab’s ‘The Rise of Independent Creators on Streaming Platforms’ session today dug into this trend.

Samsung TV Plus head of talent and creators Tamara Rothenberg said that the key to making creators a success on streaming platforms is focusing on their unique qualities. “It all goes back to the talent,” she said. “As producers it really goes back to ‘What is this person’s superpower as a creative?’ – and is the content authentic to that talent?”

Colin Petrie-Norris, CEO of Fairground Entertainment, said that it is key for creators to “know themselves, have an idea of their audience, and really speak to that audience. Really staying true to your audience is key.” He added that great stories are just as crucial. “If you want to hold attention for 45 minutes, you’ve got to have a story that resonates on a human level. That’s what distinguishes the very best from the others.”

Making money on YouTube: catch-up, shoulder content, fandoms and more

Your media library can be turned into a global revenue powerhouse on YouTube

Reaching tens or even hundreds of millions of eyeballs on YouTube is nice, but turning that into sustainable revenues is the real challenge. A workshop in the MIP Innovation Lab today saw YouTube’s strategic partnerships manager Bora Basman and country manager Benelux Sam Vergauwen offer tips.

Basman, who works across Turkey and emerging markets, talked about some of the trends he has spotted there.

“In Turkey, YouTube is used as catch-up TV. Everything is uploaded there directly after transmission,” he said. Dubbing that content into different languages can then help it to reach new audiences. “Production companies can also create shoulder content around their Ips, while broadcasters can extend the shelf life of the IP and explore international monetisation.”

Vergauwen’s advice for channel owners was to explore partner integrations, putting their existing advertisers into sponsored segments. He also talked up “fandom monetisation” where paywalls, channel memberships, live events and ticketing can increase revenues.

Basman and Vergauwen were joined during the session by Ceyda Sila Cetinkaya, COO, global at Merzigo, which focuses on YouTube and Facebook monetisation, including managing more than 5,000 YouTube channels.

“Traditional media and broadcast is not the final destination; it’s just the starting point,” she said. “We believe that the future of broadcasting isn’t replacing TV – it’s extending it.”

Lea Karam: ‘The walls between different media sectors have collapsed’

But behavioural science tells us how companies in those sectors can react positively

Understanding human behaviours is the key to navigating the complex new media landscape, according to Mindscope CEO Lea Karam. She used her MIPCOM CANNES keynote this afternoon to explain how behavioural science can help content creators of all stripes.

“The walls between different media sectors have collapsed. Companies need to remove media siloes because audiences don’t differentiate between them, and neither should we,” she said. “Different media formats are just vessels of delivery, and integration happens in the human mind.”

Karam’s point was that media companies need to understand how the human mind moves through different formats; how audiences want to participate; and what motivates them.

She also warned the industry off another much-used buzzphrase: attention spans. “Our research has shown that it is not attention spans that have got shorter, but filter spans. There is so much content overload now that we are just much better at filtering out information,” Karam said.

Using AI for your content? The key will be how you prompt it…

Doug Scott encourages Brand Storytelling audience to be confident in their humanity

Serial media entrepreneur Doug Scott was one of the stars of the MIPCOM CANNES Brand Storytelling Summit, delivering a keynote in which he challenged delegates to “forget the past: everything you think you know, throw it out.”

Why? AI is one reason, although Scott told his audience that “I don’t like the term AI, because there is nothing artificial about intelligence. I prefer to think of it as data-led intelligence, because it is data that is enabling us to make decisions and deliver content to the target audience at the right time.”

Scott was also relaxed about AI’s emergence as a creative tool, suggesting that how humans prompt AI models will be the big differentiator.

“If you give two directors the same budget and the same script, you’ll get two different end results,” he said, suggesting that the same rule will apply to use of GenAI tools. “How you prompt AI will ultimately determine your final product.”

11.45 – 12.20 Sports on FAST + DAZN (Ben)

Sports television has entered the streaming age. DAZN and Xumo outlined the opportunities

DAZN has been one of the prime movers in the latest evolution of sports broadcasting. This afternoon its senior vice president media Central Europe, Haruka Gruber, and its vice president advertising Lisa Eller offered their vision for sports streaming across SVOD, AVOD and FAST.

Eller said that providers have to be conscious of the new ways modern audiences are engaging with sports, and “the expectations that come along with the audience”. Those include “additional services, additional channels that they can interact with… For us as a rights holder and as a platform, that means we have to create a whole ecosystem to make sure that we reach the audience in whichever context they want to use our services.”

Gruber also used the session to call for sports rights holders to do more to fight piracy, which reportedly costs the industry some $28bn per year: for example when people use VPNs [virtual private networks]to watch illegally. “Nobody’s ashamed to say that they use VPNs but they really should be, because they are really threatening the whole business model,” he said. “That’s something that we all need to focus on.”

DAZN’s session was preceded by a presentation from Xumo, Comcast and Charter’s streaming platform joint venture. VP, content partnership, acquisition, distribution and experience Stefan VanEngen talked about how sports programming is enjoying a new lease of life on FAST.

“The highlight-driven, information-driven sports channels that are available for free to users are engaging and are increasing their stickiness amongst fans,” said VanEngen. He pointed to the success of Xumo’s NFL-focused American football channel as an example.

“We don’t have live NFL games on FAST, and that channel is widely distributed across multiple platforms, but they do live informational sessions all Sunday afternoon, and the engagement has grown month-over-month as the season continues,” he said. “They’re not leaving. They’re sticking around for 45 to 60 minutes just to get their information, their highlights.”

Succession star Matthew Macfadyen’s new dramedy, BBC Studios explaining the secrets of success on YouTube, and a warning to the TV industry to embrace GenAI or lose out were among the highlights from day one of MIPCOM CANNES. The opportunities in micro-dramas and a joyous Women in Global Entertainment lunch were also standout moments as this year’s market swung into gear.

Macfadyen’s next move: ‘I was talking to lots of little crosses on the carpet…’

Dramedy series The Miniature Wife is no shrinking violet at this year’s market

MIPCOM CANNES attendees are being treated this week to an exclusive preview screening of The Miniature Wife, Sony Pictures Television’s new dramedy series starring Matthew Macfadyen, Elizabeth Banks, O-T Fagbenle and Sian Clifford.

The high-concept series sees Macfadyen’s character Les accidentally (or not) miniaturising his wife Lindy to the size of a coffee cup. As the story unfolds, she takes her revenge in various ways.

“When I read the script, Elizabeth was already attached, which was huge draw. And I thought it was just a fabulous thing to read. It’s just a brilliant idea and it was instantly exciting and interesting,” Macfadyen told MIPCOM Daily News ahead of the screening.

Sadly for him, he did not get to spend as much time on set with Banks as he had hoped, due to the miniaturisation storyline. “I was just talking to lots of little crosses on the carpet, or whispering manically to tiny little things, and Elizabeth was in a green screen studio, shouting,” he said.

The show is likely to have global appeal, particularly for anyone who has ever been in a testing relationship, as Fagbenle explained. “It’s about couples who are trying to navigate their love through time, through their ambition, through infidelity, through lies and betrayal,” he said. “Anybody who’s experienced anything like that will probably love the show.”

The Miniature Wife will premiere in the US on Peacock in 2026, with Sony Pictures Television distributing the Media Res production internationally. It’s certainly making a big splash at MIPCOM CANNES.

BBC Studios hails YouTube as the platform ‘where the fandom grows’

And hiring creators may be the path to platform success for traditional TV companies

Did you think YouTubers were just individual creators building their audiences on the world’s biggest online-video platform? Think again.

““Everyone could be a YouTuber. BBC Studios is one of our best YouTubers!” said Pedro Pina, vice-president, head of YouTube EMEA during his MIPCOM CANNES Headliners ‘Studios, Broadcasters & YouTube’ session.

YouTube is a big presence at this year’s market, with Pina saying that the company’s goal is “to reach out to everyone. Our platform is open to collaborate with you… We would like to do much, much more.”

Pina’s mention of BBC Studios was no accident: its senior vice president, digital Jasmine Dawson was also part of the session, talking about how her company has grown its YouTube audience while also reaching more people through traditional channels.

“It’s not a mutually exclusive game. We’re not sacrificing anything. It is incremental, and that is a really powerful conversation to have with some of our distribution partners,” Dawson said. “They understand that this [YouTube] is where the fandom grows, and it drives that incrementality.”

How can companies from the legacy TV industry make the most of YouTube? Pina and Dawson offered one striking piece of advice: hire more YouTubers to bring their expertise in-house.

The session was moderated by Evan Shapiro, who suggested that the dominance of YouTube by individual creators may be seeing its own disruption in the coming years.

“I believe that the biggest part of growth in the creator economy over the next five years is going to come from big studios and brands leaning in, bringing the wave – the tsunami – of content that they’ve been holding back,” he said.

Lahens’ warning to delegates: ‘embrace GenAI or lose out’

And Infinite Studios CEO thinks AI is redefining what it means to be a studio

A fully AI-generated short-form drama series called Nine-Tail Fox Demon Falls For Me may sound like niche entertainment. Not in China though. The micro-drama generated more than 200m views in the first month after its release this year.

It was one of the examples cited by Adrienne Lahens, CEO of Infinite Studios, in her MIPCOM CANNES talk about how GenAI is shaking up the television industry already.

“The micro-drama market in China pulls in $7bn annually. It’s already bigger than their domestic box office,” Lahens said. “Some of the most outrageous, over-the-top, low-production-value concepts can generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue.”

Lahens’ talk was a call to arms for the legacy media industries, but also a warning about the disruption they face.

“AI isn’t replacing creativity. It’s not replacing creators. It’s expanding what’s possible. You can try to resist it, and get left behind, or you can lean in and really think about how to make these tools work for you,” she said.

Lahens also took aim at criticism of “AI slop”, pointing out that while Hollywood produces 15,000 hours of content every year, 300m hours of content are uploaded to YouTube annually.

“But this is all just AI slop, right? Let’s say you’re right and 99.99% is AI slop. Let’s say 0.01% is approaching Hollywood-level quality. That’s still two times Hollywood’s annual output. This wave is coming.”

Fox invests in Holywater with plans for a slate of 200 micro-dramas

Ukrainian startup tells MIPCOM CANNES how its subscription apps reach 60 million viewers

Micro-dramas were also a hot talking point in an intriguing panel involving executives from Fox Entertainment and Ukrainian tech startup Holywater in the MIP Creative Hub.

Fox recently made an equity investment in Holywater, and will be creating a slate of more than 200 micro-dramas over the next two years, starting with titles including Billionaire Blackmail and Bound By Obsession.

Julian Franco, president of operations and strategy, Fox Entertainment said that his company was impressed by what Holywater’s co-founders Bogdan Nesvit and Anatolii Kasianov have achieved since launching in 2020. He added that micro-dramas are “not directly competitive to the forms of content we already work with. I would say it’s an alternative to social media doomscrolling.”

During the session, Nesvit explained that Holywater has four apps which collectively reach 60 million users. These include My Drama, an app streaming micro-dramas, and My Muse, a platform for series produced using GenAI technologies. The primary way these apps make money is through subscriptions, although viewers can also access shows for free by watching ads.

Holywater’s founders said that the Fox partnership will help them to explore a wider range of genres, and also to create micro-dramas that tap into the US studio’s rich array of talent relationships.

Women in Global Entertainment lunch: friendships, priorities and resilience

And takeaway advice that had nothing to do with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle…

Day one of MIPCOM CANNES also saw the annual Women in Global Entertainment lunch return for its 14^th year, co-sponsored by A+E Global Media and The Hollywood Reporter.

A panel of industry veterans offered anecdotes and advice to the packed room, starting with Kate Philips, who was appointed as BBC chief content officer this summer. Her tip was to “value your friendships” in a year that she admitted had been a tough one personally.

“I’ve been working in telly for over thirty years now and the friendships and power of these women and they just drop everything at a moment’s notice to be with you. I could not have got through the last year without them,” she said.

Justine Ryst, managing director of France and Southern Europe for YouTube, talked about when to prioritise things outside work. “Listen to me. I just took a three month break to accompany my kids in an important moment in each of their lives. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made,” she said.

Lauren Tempest, general manager of Hulu, said that success is “not about making all the moments right and perfect and avoiding the hard, but it’s about the resilience. How quickly can you respond to the hard and move on? That’s a big challenge: to not constantly search for perfection, and how quickly can you pull yourself back up?”

Moderator Cally Beaton, a comedian, author and former ITV director, would up the panel with a famous quote from Michaelangelo – not the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, as she joked, but the Italian artist. “The greatest danger for most of us is not our aim is too high and miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”

Excitement about digital platforms and the creator economy; the importance of tapping into kids’ own creative talents; the looming disruption of GenAI technologies, and one famous giraffe were among the hot topics at MIPJUNIOR this weekend. Two days of thoughtful debate about the kids industry’s future also saw some new and inventive formats put through their paces at the MIPJUNIOR Pitch.

‘Content co-prods are us’ declares Toys”R”Us global CMO

And Geoffrey The Giraffe will be at the heart of its storytelling ambitions

Iconic kids retail brand Toys”R”Us is open to forging new content, having been through a major restructuring since WHP Global took control of the company in 2021.

“We’d love to talk to anybody about any ideas. We are definitely looking to co-produce and have some fun with partners,” was the message from Kim Miller Olko, global CMO of Toys”R”Us and president of its Toys”R”Us studios in her MIPJUNIOR keynote.

A familiar face is at the heart of the brand’s rejuvenated content strategy: mascot Geoffrey The Giraffe, who has already been featured in content promotions with YouTube star MrBeast and Broadway veterans the Blue Man Group.

The long-necked herbivore also appears briefly in the movie Kinda Pregnant, but is now lined up to star in his own feature film, with casting to be announced soon.

Miller Olko also enthused about two YouTube series, Geoffrey Vision and Geoffrey’s World Tour, which appear on the Toys”R”Us YouTube channel.

The first of those is already up to 48 episodes, which the brand is hoping to distribute internationally. Meanwhile, segments of Geoffrey’s World Tour, which sees the mascot meeting kids across the world, have been used as part of Nickelodeon series WhAM: What a Mess!

Toys”R”Us is also exploring how AI technologies can help its branded storytelling. Miller Olko explained that last year it created a branded video using OpenAI’s Sora GenAI video tool in partnership with prodco Native Foreign.

“We’re not changing into an AI studio, but it is definitely great to have it in our toolbox,” she said.

Multiplatform miracle workers explain the success of a kids megabrand

Miraculous Corp and YouTube talk windowing, formats and digital innovation

Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir may be a global TV sensation on TF1 France and Disney platforms around the world, but YouTube has also helped to make it a multiplatform megabrand. Miraculous Corp CEO Andy Yeatman and YouTube’s global youth partnerships lead Alexis Rice explained how in a MIPJUNIOR headline session celebrating the IP’s first decade.

“The show, which is now in production on season seven, would not have existed without our broadcaster commissioning partners. But today we think of our strategy as multiplatform,” said Yeatman. “Miraculous is one of the most watched kids shows on TF1, Disney, Netflix, YouTube, Roblox, and many other platforms.”

Now the show is expanding, with plans including a movie, podcast and content for fans who have aged up. YouTube is also growing in prominence as a partner, with Miraculous recently starting to upload full episodes of the show to the platform – but only in a way that complements windowing arrangements with existing partners.

2D animation spin-off Miraculous Chibi will be on YouTube, TFI and Disney platforms, with plans for a crafting/makeover spin-off series, and a project called Malicious Secrets that Yeatman described as “Ladybug’s answer to Bridgerton or Gossip Girl”.

For her part, Rice said that TV “has been a big part of YouTube’s message this year”, including longer-form content. “The full-length episode, whole-family experience is something I’m seeing in a way I haven’t in past years,” she said.

YouTube stars The McCartys make their move into animation

Kooky and spooky creators are ‘like the Addams Family meets Beetlejuice’

Some of YouTube’s biggest family-friendly stars were at MIPJUNIOR this weekend too. Stephanie and Kevin McCarty are a husband-and-wife team who make spooky live-action videos filled with Kevin’s monster characters – helped by their children Audriana and Braxton.

Now they are working with production company Wind Sun Sky Entertainment on an animated series brokered by Viral Nation head of programming Paul Telner, who joined the couple on their panel.

“I was looking through my roster of creators when I came across the McCartys. They were making some of the quirkiest, funniest, weirdest stuff I have seen on YouTube in years, so I got on a video call with them, and instantly fell in love,” he said. “Not only were they funny, they were interesting, and so hardworking.”

Wind Sun Sky CEO Catherine Winder took up the tale. “They had this amazing storytelling foundation. It was kooky, it was spooky, like the Addams Family meets Beetlejuice.”

There are ambitious plans to take the Camp McCarty concept beyond animation. Already, the partners have developed an event competition series concept called Camp McCarty: Escape If You Can. Stephanie McCarty said that audience feedback will remain a big driver for their creative ambitions.

“One of the great things about social media is you get all of this data in real-time,” she said. “We don’t have to sit around trying to figure out how something is going, because of the channel’s immediate feedback.”

Where’s the next breakout for kids coming from? Try Roblox

But YouTube is still a powerful launchpad for new children’s IP too…

Will the next runaway children’s hit come from the traditional TV industry? Animaj co-founder Gregory Dray thinks not.

“I’m absolutely convinced that the next big children’s IP will come from a platform like Roblox,” said Dray during MIPJUNIOR’s ‘Knowing The Digital Youth’ session.

“This is the place where kids are spending an increasing amount of time. What I see today in Roblox is exactly what I was seeing when I was working for YouTube in 2014 and 2015… we are seeing some numbers that are absolutely astonishing.”

However, YouTube is still a powerful launchpad for new children’s IP and creators, suggested Chris M. Williams, CEO of pocket.watch.

“When channels grow on YouTube, they are coming through the most competitive environment in the history of time for content and IP. They are competing with 20m videos uploaded every single day, and 4.2bn videos on that library,” he said.

“When they come through the other side as creators, with millions of fans globally who love them, it is not luck. It’s not timing. It’s not because they gamed an algorithm. It’s magic.”

The session was led by Lea Karam (pictured above), founder of behavioural science consultancy Mindscope, who talked about the creative instincts of Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha kids.

“They watch content, but then they edit, they mash up, they transform the content. They create new narratives and new formats, they push into your IP, and they distribute the content across their communities,” she said.

Why kids need imaginative content – including flights of fancy

Tapping into kids’ imagination is the key to making engaging, healthy content

The emphasis on kids’ creativity continued in a session from Fundamentally Children CEO Amanda Gummer on Saturday at MIPJUNIOR. She encouraged attendees to tap into the power of imagination in their shows, games and content.

“What is it that you can give them that empowers them? Things like building and storytelling, daydreaming and drawing,” she said. “That imaginative angle is how kids make sense of the world. It’s about giving them the opportunity to go on flights of fancy.”

Gummer’s session aimed to tackle “the elephant in the room” for the kids industry: the fact that children are spending ever more time on social-media apps and platforms where algorithms are aggressively driving their consumption.

“65% of eight-to-11 year-olds have their own social media accounts,” she noted. “The average screen time for a three-to-eight year-old is over five and a half hours a day. It is a scary place, but we can do something about it.”

What can be done? Gummer said that re-establishing the links between digital activity and physical play should be a high priority for the industry.

““TV content can encourage play. We’ve seen it with Bluey. It can help children thrive in a digital world, but also in the physical world,” she said. “Children today move fluidly between physical and digital play. You can learn a lot on the screen, but there are times when you need to be off the screen to learn other things.”

The Retrievers wins the 2025 MIPJUNIOR Pitch Kids/Tweens

Crime-fighting animal capers showcased alongside a diverse international field

Finally, this year’s MIPJUNIOR Pitch Kids/Tweens showcased some of the newest and most creative original formats aimed at 6-12 year-olds. The international competition saw a panel of top commissioners and licensing experts judging pitches for early-stage and in-development projects.

The winner was The Retrievers, a mystery comedy-adventure produced by Sixteen South in Northern Ireland. The 26 x 22 mins CGI-animated show stars a messy and impatient 11-year-old called Molly who discovers she can talk to animals – including police dog Otis. The pair form a crime-solving squad that also includes a rat, a seagull, a stray cat and a maggot, each with their own special abilities.

Development producer Stephen Coulter described it as “Scooby Doo meets Oceans 11, all set in a beautiful CGI world like Ratatouille”, and that certainly impressed the judges. It beat a distinguished and international slate of finalists to the prize.

Fox Fairy from China’s Buddha Studio is a beautiful, painterly animation following the fortunes of mythological fox demons. Meanwhile Izzi’s Super Fan Club from Brazilian firm Birdo tells the story of a young girl who works in the headquarters of her local superheroes. Mishaps ensue.

Ubuntu – Les Ambassadeurs de la Paix, from Armada Studio in the Côte d’Ivoire, aims to break sterotypes and educate viewers in a modern African setting. Last but not least, Yugi Bao from Spain’s Digitoonz Entertainment is a show set in the ‘Baoverse’ – home to tasty bao buns. The IP began with NFTs, but is expanding to encompass a cartoon, trading cards and other brand extensions.