In a behemoth alliance, Banijay Kids & Family, part of Banijay Entertainment, and social media giant TheSoul Publishing have unveiled Banijay Kids & Family’s first self-funded digital-first original series “Ava & Digger.”
A 2D animated family title, “Ava & Digger” is co-produced by Banijay Kids & Family and The Soul Publishing, one of the world’s leading creator business platforms which is behind vastly popular IPs such as “5-Minute Crafts.” and “Bright Side,” and boasts two billion-plus social media followers across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Snapchat.
Renowned for big brand hits such as “Totally Spies!” and “Mr Bean: The Animated Series,” Banijay Kids & Family is unlikely to give up its traditional business model of pre-selling a property to anchor buyers in order to get a project off the ground. Banijay Kids & Family has been highly successful driving into digital distribution as brand building and amplifying IP.
Self-funded and digital-first destined to be first released as a priority platform on YouTube, “Ava & Digger” does, however, see Banijay Kids & Family broadening its production models and looking of another way of building IP while acknowledging key shifts in audience demand.
Made up of 52 11-minute episodes, “Ava & Digger” will debut on YouTube later this year, Banijay Kids & Family and TheSoul Publishing announced Thursday.
It follows the adventures of two animal friends, cat Ava and dog Digger, living with their psychologist owner. “Beneath the surface of their cozy domestic life lies a vibrant, secret social world, where animals navigate emotional challenges, friendships, and self-discovery,” a synopsis reads.
The show was born at a Mipcom dinner a couple of years back where Jonathan Shrank, TheSoul Publishing VP, Streaming & Content Partnerships, and Julia Rowlands, SVP Co-Productions, Sales and Acquisitions, Banijay Kids & Family, were talking abut their pets. It turned out that both own yellow labradors, which they adore. “We were talking about, ‘You know, what? Our one does this and our one does that, and isn’t it funny.’ And then we kind of looked at each other and said, ‘This would make a great show,” Shrank recalled.
Inspired by Rowlands’ and Shrank’s real-life animals – though Ava has become a cat in the series – “‘Ava & Digger’is a fresh, funny, and emotionally resonant series that really showcases the best of what our teams can do. Co-developed by Banijay Kids & Family and TheSoul Publishing, both teams have put an incredible amount of heart, creativity, and effort into shaping the show,” said Dan Lewsey, Global Head of Digital, Banijay Kids & Family.
Shaping the Series as It Plays
Production timelines will be crucial, however, and in another league to traditional production of a broadcast show, allowing “Ava & Digger” to be shaped during its production. In contrast, traditional animation storylines have to be locked before production kicks in, or reworked at large cost.
“What TheSoul has real expertise is in producing high-quality, really engaging popular content at scale and in a really efficient manner, making one-to-two new episodes of every show every week,” Shrank told Variety.
YouTube distribution will also allow “real-time immediate feedback date on territory, device type, watch-time, age, demographic and gender splits, plus comments and likes,” Lewsey added.
Given the production turnaround capacity, Banijay Kids & Family and TheSoul will then be able to shape storylines according to audience reactions, “building ‘Ava & Digger’ into the most popular content proposition for them,” said Shrank. “Because it’s social media, we have the ability to slice and dice content in different ways and disseminate it across other social media platforms,” he added.
Said Lewsey: “A self-funded, digital-first IP is a strategic first for us, and we’re excited by the opportunity to react in real-time to audience feedback, refine the direction of the show, and build a strong brand with a vibrant community around it.”
Aided by audience reaction being known in deep detail and factored into the show, the partners are looking to build a large fanbase and then take “Ava & Digger” to streaming services. “We will be able to take the information we have and use it as an argument for why a show would work well on X or Y,” Lewsey noted.
The Target Audience
Debuting on YouTube, “Ava & Digger” will play on one of the destinations of audiences who have deserted traditional broadcast outlets.
“The series is built to thrive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape and the opportunity to take it to market with deep audience insights an already engaged and growing community behind it gives us a real advantage. It’s a fresh approach to IP development, and one that opens up exciting new possibilities for distribution and audience connection,” said Rowlands.
“We also wanted the show to resonate with a family audience and encourage co-viewing, where everyone can sit together and enjoy content together,” said Rowlands. “So the stories are supposed to work on that level: for families, while also appealing to teen and adult audiences who can enjoy on their own.”
In terms of digital-first productions, to date, Tiger Aspect Kids and Family, part of Banijay Kids & Family, has made chat show “Corpse Talk” for Cartoons for Kids YouTube channel and YouTube Kids.
Banijay Kids & Family and The Soul Publishing also announced last month a “Totally Spies! x 5-Minute Crafts”crossover as part of an expanding global partnership.