Katelynn Heil transformed Blippi from YouTube star to global franchise

Katelynn Heil was tasked with transforming a popular YouTube children's channel into a global franchise when she became general manager of Blippi at Moonbug Entertainment in 2021. The Blippi channel, which posts live-action kids’ content starring a chipper man dressed in bright blues and oranges, was acquired by Moonbug about a year before Heil took the reins. Through its main and spinoff YouTube channels, Blippi now boasts over 70 million subscribers. See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here Blippi is currently distributed across 40 platforms in more than 20 languages worldwide. Heil has transformed the edutainment brand by adding additional characters, such as Blippi’s first female co-star, Meekah, and regional sidekicks including Juca in Brazil. The franchise has spun out into an animated series, a film that ran in theaters and a sold-out stage show in London’s West End. Heil, 36, said one of her superpowers behind the scenes is maintaining a close connection with the brand’s grassroots fan community, which has grown since Blippi was founded in 2014 by Stevin John to a franchise now generating over 1 billion views per month. Her secret is “talking to our fans and parents and listening to them in a way they see their ideas and feedback play out in content almost immediately,” she said. A highlight for Heil was a contest that she started last year called Blippi in My Hometown. Thousands of kids submitted videos of their favorite local spot to win a visit from Blippi the character. Last year brought Blippi to Clarksville, Tennessee, where a crowd of over 5,500 attended with only days notice. This year, Blippi visited Wildwood, Missouri. If you could have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why? My late fairy godmother Jackie. She taught me so many important life lessons that seemed just like “things” when I was younger, like skiing, public speaking, throwing a party, sewing a button. If I could have dinner with her again, I’d love to tell her how much those “things” as a child have inspired me to chase what I love and live with passion. What are the top two social media sites you use on a regular basis? Instagram for “mom” me and LinkedIn for “work” me. For Blippi, it’s all about TikTok and Instagram. @blippi The never-ending battle😮💨🌽🍅🥦 #blippi #blippiofficial #blippifan #blippitok #moonbugentertainment #parents ♬ Be a Chef! - Blippi What’s currently on your bedside reading list? “Tom Lake,” by Ann Patchett, Hello Sunshine’s August book club pick—I try to read them all. What was the last show you binge-watched? “The Night Agent” on Netflix. My husband and I finished it in a week! At what age do you hope to retire? I don’t know if I will! I hope I always have some kind of work that I love and can keep doing, even if it's just a few hours a week. See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here

Katelynn Heil transformed Blippi from YouTube star to global franchise

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