Licensing Magazine discussed the latest digital trends in children’s content with David Kleeman, SVP Global Trends at Dubit Limited, and one of the most relevant experts in this field.
How are children’s content consumption trends evolving across traditional TV, YouTube, and gaming?
Specific platforms and brand strategies are deeply influenced by how kids spend their time. Media are embedded in their life, and YouTube has become the go-to platform for kids’ content. As proof
of this, major broadcasters such as Nickelodeon have started developing YouTube First projects. They’re producing a complete series on YouTube, testing the audience’s response to that content, and that will inevitably inform their strategy when it expands into other channels.
Another outstanding example of a shift in control toward the independent creator is The Amazing Digital Circus. After the show went viral on YouTube and merchandise was launched, Netflix acquired it. However, producers required that new episodes air on YouTube first, setting creative parameters and controlling merchandise.
Could the traditional TV format soon be phased out?
I believe that kids will always need stories. Right now, they are getting them through multiple channels—traditional TV, YouTube video, audio, or podcasts. These need never change, and even if shorter formats may be more popular than longer ones, I think some stories inherently require more time. The benefit of streaming is that it doesn’t fit a time slot: you can tell the story as it’s meant to be.
What advice would you offer to a producer facing the decline of traditional broadcasting and budget tightening? Are there alternative ways to finance an audiovisual project?
I am not a financing expert, but I would suggest creating a proof of concept – maybe a short episode you can share on YouTube or another platform – to find your core fans. That proof of concept could even be a small game. Platforms like Roblox offer low-cost ways to test ideas, such as partnering with existing popular games, reskinning them with your IP, and gathering real behavioral insights without a heavy investment.
The concept of fandom is becoming increasingly important. How much is it influencing the way content is built today?
It used to be said that content is king, but now I argue that the fan is king. As media has fragmented across more platforms and formats, it is the most devoted fans who help grow your audience and understand what resonates with them. The more a brand allows its fans to co-develop, through feedback, fan fiction, fan art, and user-generated games on platforms like Roblox or Fortnite, the stronger it becomes. IP owners need to show they are listening because if fans feel ignored, they quickly disengage. It is all about balancing IP protection with empowering fan creativity.
Why has Roblox become such an essential platform?
Roblox is the YouTube of gaming: it is highly flexible and allows for both exploration and user creation. A great example of this is the Coolabi production of Warrior Cats. Before investing in development, they explored Roblox fan-made games and found one that perfectly matched their goals. They partnered with its teenage creator, and today, Warrior Cats is one of the top games on the platform.
From the user’s perspective, Roblox delivers content accessible anywhere, anytime. For content producers, it is faster, cheaper, and enables a cautious approach to deciding which platform is the right fit. Moreover, Roblox’s audience is broadening, with growing engagement among teens and young adults. Almost any brand, story, or character can find a way to connect with its audience. Recently, at Dubit, we created a game for Differin, an acne treatment brand, that engages teenagers playfully and more lightly. We also partnered with nonprofits and NGOs to create experiences that provide safe spaces for children to process their feelings. Other projects have involved science, nature, and environmental exploration.
You are part of Dubit, a company that helps companies and brands access the Roblox world. Can you tell us more about Dubit’s goals?
Our company is dedicated to guiding IP owners and brands through today’s media landscape. On the research side, we publish a quarterly trend study to map the consumption habits of children in the UK and the US, and we are expanding into five more markets. On the creative side, our studio specializes in Roblox, but we also work on other platforms. We help clients understand their market, beginning with a creative summit for each brand to assess the ideal platform, choose between in-house development or partnership, and align scope, budget, and objectives.
What do you think will be the next big trend the industry has to follow?
I think the very next trend will be a deeper focus on what has always mattered: play and storytelling, enabled by modern tools. Kids will always crave imaginative play and rich narratives, and we have unprecedented ways to respond to them in real time. The future lies in building experiences that adapt to the child, not forcing them into a fixed format. Brands and IP owners who genuinely understand and co-create with their fans will lead the next wave of children’s media.
Curated by Cristina Angelucci
