WildBrain to bring the original Pokémon animated series to major FAST platforms and lead advertising sales
Toronto, ON – August 21, 2024 – WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, has struck an agreement with The Pokémon Company International to become the only distributor of the single-IP Pokémon FAST (free ad-supported television) channel, starting in the United States, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
The partnership will see WildBrain secure and launch new single-IP FAST channels with leading platforms across these regions for 22 seasons of the iconic original animated Pokémon series, featuring Ash Ketchum and his partner Pokémon, Pikachu. Fans will be able to follow the duo’s adventures as they aim to achieve Ash’s goal of becoming the world’s top Pokémon Trainer across multiple story arcs, including The Beginning (112 x 22’), Gold and Silver (157 x 22’), Ruby and Sapphire (191 x 22’), Diamond and Pearl (189 x 22’), Black and White (142 x 22’), XY (141 x 22’), and Sun and Moon (145 x 22’). WildBrain will also be selling select direct advertising inventory for the Pokémon channels through its Media Solutions team.
Lara Ilie, VP AVOD and FAST at WildBrain, said, “We’re thrilled to be bringing Pokémon to FAST audiences as a single-IP channel for the first time ever. FAST is an important component of an omni-channel strategy to grow brands and reach fans everywhere they’re watching. As a leader in audience engagement for kids and families, we’re looking forward to leveraging our FAST expertise to reach the ever-growing Pokémon community.”
Melissa Pearce, senior director of media licensing at The Pokémon Company International, said, “We always strive to deliver the joy of Pokémon to more fans around the world, and WildBrain is the perfect partner to help us introduce a new generation of Trainers to the beloved Pokémon animation. FAST provides an ideal platform for the Pokémon brand to connect with wider audiences, offering accessible and curated content in a family-friendly environment.”
This partnership with Pokémon underscores WildBrain’s position as the frontrunner in FAST channels for kids. With more than 100 FAST channels for multiple brands now launched across major platforms worldwide, WildBrain is the world’s leading expert in harnessing FAST for kids’ content. Since launching its FAST strategy, WildBrain has driven growth on its channels to 7.5 billion minutes watched in 2023, up from 502 million in 2019.
Through direct partnerships with all major platforms, including Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels, The Roku Channels, Tubi, and Pluto TV and using the three biggest integrators, Wurl, Xumo, and Amagi, WildBrain operates FAST channels for more than 20 brands, including Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, Degrassi, Slugterra, Sonic, Super Mario, and more. Additionally, WildBrain’s in-house Media Solutions team provides strategies for advertisers and brands to reach kids and family audiences across FAST, AVOD, and gaming. WildBrain offers partners the expertise, operational infrastructure, and insights needed to leverage and optimize the FAST and non-YouTube AVOD opportunity for their brands.
For more information, please contact:
Aimée Norman at Liberi Consulting, external PR for WildBrain
+44 (0) 7957 564 050
About WildBrain
At WildBrain we inspire imaginations through the wonder of storytelling. As a leader in 360° franchise management, we are experts in content creation, audience engagement and global licensing, cultivating and growing love for our own and partner brands with kids and families around the world. With approximately 13,000 half-hours of filmed entertainment in our library—one of the world’s most extensive—we are home to such treasured franchises as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Caillou, Inspector Gadget and Degrassi. WildBrain’s mission is to create exceptional entertainment experiences that captivate and delight fans both young and young at heart.
Our studios produce such award-winning series as The Snoopy Show; Snoopy in Space; Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City; Sonic Prime; Chip and Potato; Teletubbies Let's Go! and many more. Enjoyed in more than 150 countries on over 500 platforms, our content is everywhere kids and families view entertainment, including YouTube, where our network has garnered over 1 trillion minutes of watch time. Our television group owns and operates some of Canada’s most-viewed family entertainment channels. WildBrain CPLG, our leading consumer-products and location-based entertainment agency, represents our owned and partner properties in every major territory worldwide.
WildBrain is headquartered in Canada with offices worldwide and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Visit us at wildbrain.com.
About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com