What MIP BrandWorks Means for Children’s IP

MIP BrandWorks is a new flagship initiative at MIPCOM 2026, with a dedicated focus on bringing brands, creators, studios and other entertainment businesses closer together. For years, children’s IP has existed alongside brands through licensing, merchandising, sponsorships and consumer products. This new initiative signals a more structured approach, where brands can become involved in entertainment development much earlier, potentially influencing how original ideas are funded, shaped and brought to audiences.

This article explores what this new programme is, why its 2026 launch is relevant to children’s IP, how branded entertainment is changing, and what animation studios should consider as this model develops.

What Is MIP BrandWorks?

It is a new 2026 initiative from MIPCOM organiser RX that connects brands and agencies with studios, production companies, creators, streamers, commissioners and IP owners. Building on MIPCOM’s focus on brand entertainment in 2025, it provides a dedicated space for developing and financing brand-funded content and IP.

Running across three days of the MIPCOM 2026, the initiative is co-produced with Doug Scott, co-founder of UNXNOWN and founder of Ogilvy Entertainment.

Its key formats include:

• Brand Showcase: Connecting brands with producers and creators as potential commissioners. 

• Curated Matchmaking: Focused meetings across scripted, unscripted, microdrama and vertical content. 

• Brand x Creator Pitch Fest: Pairing brands with production companies and creators for development opportunities. 

• CXO Summit: An invitation-only forum for senior industry decision-makers. 

The annual Cannes content market has also announced dentsu as the first MIP BrandWorks Headline Partner, with Meta participating across key parts of the programme.

At its core, this programme brings brands, creators and entertainment companies together earlier in the content development process.

Why This Matters for Children’s IP Specifically

The timing makes the event relevant to children’s entertainment. MIPJUNIOR 2026 takes place in Cannes on 10 and 11 October, just before the Cannes market, bringing together professionals from across youth and family entertainment. Children’s IP has long worked alongside brands through toy licensing, merchandise, educational products, retail partnerships and sponsorships. The emerging brand-funded model differs mainly in when the relationship begins. Traditionally, brands often become involved after a children’s property has been developed and gained an audience. This industry programme creates a space for brands to engage while an idea is still in development, potentially becoming part of the project’s funding or development process. This aligns with MIPJUNIOR 2026’s broader focus on how children’s IP can be developed, financed, and expanded through co-production, broadcasters, brands, platforms and other investment models. For creators, this makes brand participation another potential development route rather than simply a post-launch licensing opportunity.

Branded Entertainment and Kids Content: Then and Now

Brand involvement in children’s content is not new. For decades, children’s IP has expanded through licensing, merchandise, books, games, educational products and other brand partnerships. Traditionally, these relationships often developed after a property was created and gained an audience. Branded entertainment introduces another approach, with brands potentially becoming involved much earlier in the creative and development process.

This can include discussions around audience, storytelling, format, distribution, character design, commercial extensions, and marketing objectives before production begins. For children’s IP creators, early brand involvement can provide another way to approach development while allowing commercial requirements to be considered alongside creative decisions. The platform provides a dedicated space for these conversations, giving creators another potential route to explore brand partnerships from the early stages of an IP.

Opportunities for Kid’s IP Owners and Creators

This platform could open new possibilities for creators developing original children’s IP.

1. Another Route to Development

Brand partnerships could provide an additional funding and development route alongside broadcasters, streamers, distributors, co-production partners and investors.

2. Earlier Budget Conversations

Brand involvement at the concept stage can allow creators to discuss budgets, production scale, formats and delivery requirements earlier in the process.

3. Earlier Licensing Opportunities

When brands are involved from the beginning, discussions around merchandise, products, and other IP extensions can potentially become part of the development strategy.

4. Greater Marketing Reach

Depending on the partnership, brands may provide additional promotional reach and access to audiences that independent creators may not have on their own.

5. Cross-Platform Development

With children engaging across TV, streaming, social video, games, and books, brand partnerships may encourage creators to consider multiple formats and audience touchpoints from the start.

These opportunities are not guaranteed. Each project will depend on factors such as creative alignment, financing, rights, commercial terms, and execution.

Production Considerations and Risks for Brand-Funded Children’s IP

When a brand becomes involved in developing or financing children’s IP, creative and production decisions may need to be considered collaboratively from an earlier stage. This can influence visual style, character design, storytelling, episode length, distribution format, and the overall production process. The choice between 2D animation and 3D animation, for example, should depend on the project’s creative and commercial requirements. Similarly, a social-first vertical series may require different framing, pacing, and workflows than a traditional 22-minute children’s programme.

Brand involvement can also introduce additional review and approval stages. Studios need to consider creative control, IP ownership, brand safety, age appropriateness and advertising requirements while ensuring that commercial objectives do not compromise the entertainment value of the content. Since this initiative is new for 2026, the industry is still learning how these partnerships will work in practice. For studios, early discussions should therefore cover funding, rights, responsibilities, creative boundaries, audience expectations, and long-term IP ownership. The goal is to find a balance where creative vision and commercial requirements can work together without losing sight of the needs of young audiences.

How Studios Can Prepare for this Initiative

For children’s animation studios, preparation begins before the first meeting. A strong portfolio should demonstrate production expertise, original IP development, character design, visual storytelling and an understanding of children’s audiences.

Studios should consider:

• Flexible production: Experience across 2D and 3D animation for different creative needs and formats. 

• Original IP experience: A proven ability to develop characters, worlds and stories. 

• Children’s content expertise: Understanding age-appropriate storytelling and responsible brand integration. 

• Format flexibility: The ability to develop content for television, streaming, short-form, and vertical formats. 

• Strong pitch materials: Clear concepts, character designs, visual references, and production plans. 

Prayan Animation Studio will be part of the MIPCOM and MIPJUNIOR 2026 conversations in Cannes, continuing its engagement with the international animation and children’s entertainment community.

With experience in 2D and 3D animation, original IP development and children’s storytelling, Prayan can help creators and brands turn early concepts into production-ready animated content.

Final Thoughts

MIP BrandWorks signals a shift in how brands can approach children’s IP, bringing commercial partnerships closer to the creative and development process. As this model takes shape, creators have an opportunity to think about brand collaboration alongside storytelling, visual identity, format and audience from the early stages of an IP. For studios developing children’s content, this also places greater value on strong creative direction, production expertise and the ability to translate an original idea into engaging animated experiences across formats. Prayan Animation Studio brings this combination of creative thinking and animation production expertise to children’s IP. From character development and visual storytelling to production-ready 2D and 3D animation, the studio supports creators and brands in developing professional animated content built around their creative vision and audience.

If you are developing a children’s IP and looking for experienced animation services to bring your concept to life, connect with Prayan Animation Studio to discuss your project.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is MIP BrandWorks?

It is a new MIPCOM 2026 initiative designed to connect brands and agencies with studios, creators, production companies, commissioners and IP owners to develop, finance and scale entertainment content and partnerships.

2. When is MIP BrandWorks taking place?

It will take place as part of MIPCOM 2026 in Cannes. MIPCOM runs from 12 to 15 October 2026, while the BrandWorks programme is scheduled across three days of the market.

3. Who is involved in MIP BrandWorks?

The programme is being co-produced with Doug Scott of UNXNOWN. Its CXO Summit is co-produced with David Freeman of Kynetic Media Ventures. MIPCOM has also announced dentsu as the first Headline Partner for 2026, with Meta participating across key elements of the programme.