Nelvana is leveraging its expansive content library as ad-based platforms continue to rise in prominence.

Aliy Brown, digital sales and partnerships manager, tells Playback Daily that the emergence of new and expanding AVOD and free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels has allowed Nelvana to “breathe secondary life” into older kid-friendly brands, including Franklin, Babar (pictured) and The Berenstain Bears.

“It gives us a bit of a different space to play in, to enhance revenues, enhance eyeballs and keep these classics alive,” she says.

The Corus Entertainment-owned prodco and distributor is currently attending content market MIPCOM in Cannes, France with newer programs such as Leela’s Island (Nelvana, Time Studios), Agent Binky: Pets of the Universe (redknot) and Builder Brothers’ Dream Factory (Sinking Ship Entertainment, Scott Brothers Entertainment) leading its sales slate.

However, Aliy Brown says these markets are also a critical place to build their relationships with new and existing AVOD and FAST channel platforms, most of which are looking for higher volumes of content. Among their core existing partners are Pluto TV, which will launch in the Canadian market on Dec. 1, as well as Tubi and Roku.

She adds that Nelvana is well-placed as a content provider for FAST channels in particular, where parents are looking for a “safe, curated space” for linear TV watching.

Julia Dodge, director of global strategy and distribution, says one advantage Nelvana has as a distributor is the longevity of its brands, having a content library that spans 50 years.

“The size of our catalogue gives us the ability to do licences for FAST that we probably wouldn’t have otherwise done on linear,” she says. “They program based on genres, so if they’re doing a whole week on friendship, we can look through our library and pick out six different shows that have individual episodes on friendship and offer that to support their programming needs.”

The logic applies to seasonal content, where they can source special Halloween or Christmas episodes of their kids titles for holiday-focused FAST channels.

Brown says Nelvana has also been able to tap into a “great scope of analytics and data” to see what programming is resonating most with audiences. It’s also helped platforms fine-tune their programming needs based on genre or age groups, which in turn allows Nelvana to narrow their distribution strategy to “make sure we’re placing purposeful content with these clients.”

Image courtesy of Nelvana