Where Will the Next Global Children’s Franchise Be Born?

For decades, the path to a global kids’ hit was largely built around television, cinema, publishing, and traditional broadcast media. Now, those old routes are no longer the only way. Increasingly, children’s franchises are finding their first audiences on YouTube, building communities through creator-led content, or emerging from a mix of digital platforms, gaming, and consumer brands. In fact, one of the industry’s most striking observations came from Nickelodeon executive, Ashley Kaplan, who said that, except Bluey, “every new big kids’ franchise has been born on YouTube.” The evidence backs the statement. CoComelon and Ryan’s World prove the pattern: both built huge audiences on YouTube first, then turned that into Netflix deals, broadcast spin-offs, and toy lines. Nickelodeon is now testing the same approach on purpose with Kid Cowboy, releasing it on YouTube before TV rather than after.

So, what does this mean for the next kids’ franchise? Is YouTube becoming the new launchpad, does television still have an edge, or are the biggest opportunities emerging somewhere beyond both?

The Traditional Path to Building a Franchise for Kids

For decades, the traditional model was relatively straightforward. A studio developed a series, secured a broadcaster or network, launched it on television, and then expanded the property through international distribution, licensing, publishing, toys, and other extensions. Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and other major children’s broadcasters played a central role in this children’s entertainment franchise model. Getting a commissioning deal was often one of the biggest steps between an idea and a global audience. The digital era has changed that sequence. Creators can now publish directly to audiences, test characters and formats, measure engagement, and build communities before approaching traditional buyers. As a result, children’s franchise development is increasingly influenced by audience behaviour before a broadcaster ever becomes involved.

From YouTube to Global Brand: A New Path for Kids’ Content 

YouTube has become one of the most important discovery engines in children’s entertainment. Nielsen, a global audience measurement and data analytics company, reported that YouTube accounted for 13.4% of all TV viewing in July 2025, maintaining its position as the leading media distributor for the sixth consecutive month. Its influence is particularly significant among younger audiences. In June 2025, streaming represented the largest share of children’s TV consumption in the US, with viewing among children aged 6 to 17 increasing 25% from May. For creators, this creates an attractive opportunity. YouTube can provide a direct route to an audience while offering insights into what viewers watch, engage with, and return to. CoComelon is a clear example of this model. What began as a YouTube channel grew into a global children’s entertainment brand, with Netflix and Moonbug Entertainment later expanding the property through new series and specials.

Nickelodeon is also exploring this approach. In 2025, it launched Kid Cowboy, its first original animated series for YouTube. The show was designed specifically for the platform, allowing Nickelodeon to build on an existing YouTube audience while exploring opportunities for the character and story to grow beyond the channel. Another example is Super Sema, Africa’s first animated superhero series, which launched as a YouTube Originals series in 2021. Produced by Nairobi-based studio Kukua and executive-produced by Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, the series also brought together international animation teams, with Prayan Animation Studio in India handling the 2D animation production for Seasons 2 and 3.

The key lesson from the YouTube-first kids content model is that YouTube can serve as a starting point for testing audience interest, building a following, and understanding whether children connect with a character before taking the IP to other platforms and markets.

Beyond YouTube and TV: Where Franchises Are Emerging Next

The most interesting development may be that the industry is moving beyond the idea of choosing one launch platform at all. Experts say the next generation of kids’ franchises will originate on the platforms where children already spend time, including YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, and Roblox. Its approach is explicitly digital-first but multiplatform by design. That points towards a broader global kids’ IP model. A character might begin with short videos on YouTube, develop an interactive experience on Roblox, build a music audience through Spotify, appear in vertical content on TikTok, and eventually move into long-form episodes, FAST channels, books, toys, or theatrical projects. The same IP can therefore have different entry points for different audiences.

Brands can also move in the opposite direction. IvyBears, for instance, began as a consumer brand before expanding into kids’ entertainment through YouTube. The company describes this as reversing the traditional entertainment flywheel, using existing brand awareness to build a new entertainment IP. This suggests that the next franchise may not even begin as a television show or entertainment property. It could start as a product, game, creator community, music experience, or digital character.

What This Change Means for Animation Studios and IP Owners

For creators developing a new property, the goal is not simply to start on YouTube but to build an IP that can grow across formats. A strong character should remain recognisable in episodes, social videos, games, books, and licensed products, while the story should have enough flexibility to support both short-form and longer narratives. Consistent character design and visual language can help an IP expand across animation, publishing, games, and merchandise. At Prayan Animation Studio, this can include 2D and 3D animation, character-focused illustration, and other production support for children’s entertainment. The strongest IP is not necessarily tied to the biggest platform, but one that can move between platforms without losing what makes audiences care about it.

This conversation becomes particularly relevant as the industry heads to Cannes for MIPCOM 2026 and MIPJunior. MIPJunior will take place on October 10 and 11, 2026, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, followed by MIPCOM from October 12 to 15. With the 2026 programme examining the changing business of kids’, tweens and family entertainment, including the shift from legacy media to digital-first brands, the market reflects a broader change in how children’s IP is evaluated. For today’s buyers, the question is not simply where a series can launch, but whether its characters and stories have the potential to build an audience across platforms and markets. Audience traction, format flexibility, international appeal, and wider licensing or commercial opportunities can all shape that potential. The market is therefore no longer only about finding the next television series. It is about identifying children’s properties that can develop into enduring entertainment businesses.

Key Takeaways

The real debate is not YouTube versus TV versus something else. The next global Children’s Franchise may begin on YouTube, emerge from television, grow inside Roblox, start with a consumer brand, or develop across several of these spaces at once. What matters is whether the idea is strong enough to travel. For studios and creators, that means thinking beyond the first episode or first platform. A franchise-ready character needs a world, a visual identity, and stories that can continue evolving as audiences move between screens and experiences. As MIPCOM and MIPJunior bring the global kids entertainment business together in Cannes, the properties attracting attention will likely be those that show more than promising content. They will show the potential to become lasting IP. If you are developing a franchise-ready character, story world, or children’s property, Prayan’s animation and illustration capabilities can help turn the creative foundation into production-ready assets built for growth.

Explore Prayan’s animation services for your next kids’ content.