Candle Media’s Moonbug Entertainment reshapes its team

Moonbug Entertainment, a part of Candle Media, announced the promotions of Katelynn Heil to the newly created position of Head of Brand Marketing and Franchise Strategy, and Mike Katzman to Blippi General Manager. Juliette Premmereur joins Moonbug in the newly created role of Senior Director, Social Media. Each will report to Peter Stone, Chief Marketing Officer of Moonbug Entertainment.

Peter Stone, Chief Marketing Officer, Moonbug Entertainment praised the team: “From CoComelon to Blippi and more, Moonbug's brands are delighting audiences worldwide - and growing.  It’s crucial that our leadership team grows in kind.  For over three years, Katelynn has driven strong growth for the Blippi franchise.  In this newly expanded role, I'm excited for her to flex the same passion and ingenuity across our portfolio of Moonbug brands. Mike’s wide range of experiences and strong relationships across the industry puts him in a great position to further build Blippi's unique brand of igniting curiosity in kids globally," stated.

For over three years, Heil has grown the Blippi brand and fandom around the world as Blippi General Manager. She will now plan and  prioritize across the company’s brands, ensuring Moonbug maximizes cross-brand and cross-functional opportunities. The existing Brand Marketing team will report to Heil in her new role. Prior to Moonbug, Heil served as the Director of Macro Strategy at WarnerMedia, where she drove plans for HBO Max’s AVOD and Live Initiative. Heil previously served as the Director of Strategy & Business Operations for Otter Media, where she grew the portfolio through strategic equity investments in companies like Hello Sunshine, Crunchyroll and Fullscreen. She was also Senior Manager of Strategy and Business Development at DIRECTV/AT&T. Heil was recently named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the 50 Most Powerful Players in Kids Entertainment and AdAge’s 40 Under 40. 

Katelynn Heil mentioned her personal connection with Blippi: “I put a lot of my passion as a mom and superfan of Blippi into my role as general manager. It was a privilege to help transform the brand into what is today – a truly global franchise available across 40 video platforms worldwide. I can’t wait to take those learnings to supercharge growth across all of Moonbug brands to reach their full potential," she commented.

Katzman, the new Blippi General Manager, previously served as interim Blippi General Manager and Director of Originals for Moonbug, managing the growth of the company’s premium content slate, which includes CoComelon Lane on Netflix and content partnerships with major studios. Katzman also led Blippi's expansion into Roblox. Before Moonbug, he was Senior Associate at CAA Evolution, the investment advisory arm of Creative Artists Agency. At CAA, Mike played a key role in advising celebrity talent and media companies on capital raises, including Kevin Hart's Hartbeat. Prior to CAA, Mike worked in corporate strategy for Production Resource Group, the live events production technology company, and Strategic Offsites Group, a management consultancy. 

Katzman commented on the brand's great potential: “Blippi is a truly special brand that brings joy to millions of preschoolers and their families by celebrating how to learn through play. I’ve been amazed by the passion of our global fanbase, who know every episode, attend our live shows, and listen to our songs on repeat. I’m honored to lead such a beloved brand and excited to delight our fans with all new content, experiences and products.," noted.

Juliette Premmereur has been appointed to the newly created position of Senior Director, Social Media. She will focus on maximizing Moonbug’s creative and commercial potential on social media and will be based out of Moonbug’s London office. Prior to Moonbug, Premmereur ran Brand Marketing & Social across EMEA at Prime Video for 5 years, served as Managing Director of the influencer-led shoppable magazine Semaine.com, and worked for venture capital firms in London, Tokyo, and Berlin.

Finally,  Premmereur praised the fandom: “Families all over the world connect on social media about their love for Blippi, CoComelon and many of the Moonbug brands. This passionate fandom is what brought me to the world of children’s media, said Premmereur.“I look forward to bringing my experience running social accounts including the complexities of editorial & brand content, influencer & talent management, and always innovating in a fast-changing space!", expressed.