Licensing Magazine meets Alexandra Algard-Mikanowski, Commercial Director at Millimages, to talk about the remarkable success and ambitious next plans for the Molang brand.
What new products are you currently working on?
On the licensing side, we remain very focused on Molang, which is the largest IP in our portfolio. We have around 100 licensees, over 3,000 products on the market, and a global launch programme across regions at different development stages. For example, in France, we have products available in stores, supported by retail activations with our partners in toys, textiles, and other categories.
We have opened new categories. Collectible plush toys are central to our strategy, as the core Molang audience skews toward young adults. Our master toy partner, Heathside Trading (a UK company), develops a range of concepts: blind boxes, figurines, and plush toys. Each regional launch — from Pepco in Poland to Five Below in the US — has been a genuine success. We sold over one million plush toys globally this year.
The textiles category has also developed strongly. We now work with many licensees, from Fashion UK to Sahinler, and we are awaiting confirmations for the US, where we have a growing in-store presence and significant interest from retailers such as Primark and Bershka. In Italy, meanwhile, we have just launched a direct-to-retail collaboration with OVS.
More recently, we have also signed several major publishing deals, including a global contract with Penguin Random House. The aim is to develop our publishing offering while maintaining our focus on the young adult market, particularly through colouring books — a format that performs extremely well with that audience — as well as activity books, DIY products, and similar content. Alongside Penguin, we also work with publishers such as Larousse on projects in that vein.
Thinking specifically about Las Vegas, where you will be present with a booth and a display area, what is your focus for the US market?
Our focus in the US is to reach as many retailers as possible, specifically by launching key product categories and targeting strategic retail partnerships. To achieve this, we are employing a multi-phase approach: first, identifying retailers that align with Molang’s brand and target audience; second, organizing impactful retail activations to maximize product visibility; and third, collaborating closely with our licensees to tailor promotions and in-store experiences. Our approach in the US mirrors successful tactics from other regions but is customized for American retail dynamics to increase both brand presence and sales.
We have already signed our first contracts in the US market and secured coverage across the primary product categories. Our strategy now is to expand the brand’s footprint further by leveraging lessons from European markets, focusing on building relationships with major retailers, increasing shelf presence through coordinated activations, and rolling out targeted marketing campaigns. Our goal is to adapt Molang’s successful European expansion model to the unique opportunities and challenges of the US market.
What are the characteristics of Molang that make it so well-suited to the Kidult target audience?
First of all, what makes Molang strong is that it is a genuine kawaii character, and today the trend across the world is a deep recognition that everything kawaii — with its Asian, Japanese, or Korean connotations — along with K-pop culture, is a theme of great interest to licensees, retailers, and end consumers alike.
The fandom and community we have built around Molang are absolutely central, because it is that community that carries the character’s values forward. From very early on, Millimages’ mission has been to take a character that began in a preschool animation series — broadcast on Canal+, TF1, RAI, Netflix, and many others — and transform it into a viral brand rooted in pop culture, with an active presence on social media. Today, we have over 10 million followers, and in the world of animated GIFs, the numbers reach into the billions. Staying relevant means following trends closely, not hesitating to engage with memes and parody, and being genuinely part of pop culture.
One of our real strengths has been building a new type of original content on YouTube. Over the past three years, we have created content specifically for the platform: first Molang YouTuber, where Molang appeared in a studio making videos, doing cooking challenges, and playing games; then video podcasts with Molang Kindness Club, focused on mental health and wellbeing. This year, we are developing new concepts for both children and young adults. Our goal every year is to feed YouTube and social media with fresh ideas while continuing to grow the brand’s identity.
Real-world initiatives matter just as much. Last summer in France, we partnered with Maison Bulle to create safe spaces at music festivals, including the GP Explorer, offering young adults a place to decompress in crowded, stressful environments. It is exactly the kind of action that embodies Molang’s values.
What is the secret behind the success of the Molang brand?
Molang’s strength in the kawaii universe lies above all in the values behind the character, because Molang is designed to be universal — and it truly is. Molang is gender neutral, ageless and inclusive. Its core mission is to promote and spread positive values, starting with kindness, and that universality is a key source of its power.
To convey that message, Molang doesn’t need words — the character doesn’t speak. Instead, we let actions speak through partnerships with organizations, through campaigns against cyberbullying that we have run in France, through the bubble house initiative at festivals as safe spaces, and through campaigns being prepared for other regions. That is Molang’s primary mission, and it gives the brand a depth that goes well beyond typical entertainment licensing.
Can you tell us about the collaboration with Smiley for 2027?
This is a collaboration of pure joy. When Molang’s kindness meets Smiley’s positivity, the result is a kind of superhero of happiness and well-being. We have quite a few products coming to market in 2027, particularly tied to Smiley’s anniversary, and we are very excited about what this partnership will bring to both brands.
Are there other plans you can share for the second half of the year?
Absolutely. Our goal is to continue developing content and reach an ever-broader set of target audiences —from children to Gen Z and parent influencers —with social media content tailored specifically to each group—whether that’s Molang Cartoon for younger viewers or Molang YouTuber for adults. Each year, releasing new content is a core objective.
We are also working on spin-offs from the animated TV series, aimed more traditionally at children. And visibility initiatives will roll out at various points throughout the year. Among the things we can already announce: there will be retail activations in Europe for the end of the year. There will also be an initial capsule collection and launches in France at E. Leclerc, focusing on the back-to-school period, with products appearing in catalogues. There is a great deal coming that we will reveal progressively — we can’t share everything at once.
Which are Molang’s primary markets, and which are next on your development roadmap?
Not all markets are at the same stage, and we take a truly global approach to the brand. Today, Europe is our largest market, with a strong base of licensees throughout the continent. Our second-largest market is the UK — even though it is no longer part of the European Union, it is becoming an increasingly significant territory for us. The US market follows closely behind.
The markets we are investing in most actively right now are across Latin America, particularly Mexico, through our agent IMC. Molang has a substantial following in these territories on YouTube and social media, so the foundation is already in place. We are also developing our presence in Turkey and the MENA region, where we recently appointed two new agents, Fauna and Brand Hub, who have taken over those territories and are beginning to build the programme.
And then there is Asia, which remains hugely important, but where we still have significant work to do. Molang is an IP with Korean roots that is now 100% owned by Millimages — a French company — and our ambition is to bring it back into Asian markets where kawaii culture is already deeply established. In Korea, Molang is already a very well-known brand. The real challenge now is figuring out how this brand, which is rooted in Asian culture and performing well across many countries worldwide, can re-enter Asian licensing markets with full force.
In Asia, our primary focus right now is China, where we are finalizing a deal with an agent that we will announce shortly. We are also developing activity in India, and if you look at Molang’s YouTube performance, Indonesia is delivering remarkably strong results. The licensing programme there is not yet fully developed, but we will be unlocking these markets progressively, drawing on the credibility and track record we have built in Europe and the US to demonstrate why Molang is also a compelling opportunity for Asian partners.
This strategy of tailored, market-specific adaptation is central to Molang’s long-term global success. By working with regional specialists, we can honour and reflect each culture’s dynamics, ensuring that Molang remains relevant, beloved, and continuously evolving in every territory. This commitment to cultural connection and adaptability drives the brand forward, positioning Molang for sustainable growth across both established and emerging markets.
