Malaysia-based entertainment and experience company Monsta has forged a global distribution partnership with London’s kids’ entertainment specialist, Cake Distribution, for their intellectual properties, Mechamato and BoBoiBoy at MIPCOM 2024, unlocking exciting new opportunities. This strategic partnership marks a new chapter in Monsta’s efforts to expand global reach of its content.
Previously, Monsta partnered with Jetpack Distribution as the worldwide distributor for Mechamato outside of Asia-Pacific territory. However, after Cake acquired the Jetpack brand, Monsta transitioned to a new partnership with Cake, ensuring a seamless continuation of its global distribution efforts.
Under the leadership of distribution managing director Dominic Gardiner, who formerly worked with Jetpack Distribution, Cake has already demonstrated impressive success in expanding Mechamato’s global presence. The series has found a home in key markets including Minika Cucuk in Türkiye, SIC Kids in Portugal, TVJOJ in Slovakia, Cartoon Network India, and MBC in the Middle East and North Africa.
At Mipcom 2024, AnimationXpress got an opportunity to speak to Gardiner and Monsta Media director Faiz Zainal Aabidin about their collaboration and future plans for these IPs.
“When we first met Monsta, we were really impressed with the quality of the animation they are producing. We were looking for something with a lot of action, adventure, and comedy. Then we fell in love with the relationship between the boy (Amato) and his robot friend (MechaBot), which made Mechamato stand out for me,” said Gardiner.
Mechamato revolves around the adventures of a young boy named Amato who inadvertently becomes the master of MechaBot, a Power Sphera with the power to mechanise any daily life object into high-tech devices. BoBoiBoy tells the story of a young superhero from Earth with the power to control seven different elements. Together with his friends, BoBoiBoy travels across the galaxy to protect it from evil aliens.
“We are thrilled to have Cake Distribution as our global agent for content sales,” said Faiz. “Their expertise and proven track record in will undoubtedly help us penetrate new markets and further establish Mechamato and BoBoiBoy as favourites among kids worldwide. We share the vision of delivering quality, safe content that resonates with families.”
Cake aims to reach the widest audience across multiple platforms. Initially, they plan to collaborate with well-known brands and familiar names, followed by exploring opportunities to distribute shows across digital, AVOD, and SVOD spaces.
Faiz shared that Mechamato‘s YouTube channel recorded a 700 per cent increase in overall subscribers within the last 12 months—not just in Malaysia but globally. Their focus now is on strengthening their digital presence, as broadcasters are increasingly looking for content that already has a substantial fan base.
Gardiner agreed, noting, “I think there’s a change in the market today. Earlier, YouTube was seen as a competitor, and it was thought that building an audience would be difficult if the content was on YouTube. Now people have realised that it is complementary. Children are discovering content on YouTube and then watching it on other platforms and devices.”
Faiz also highlighted that they recently launched a Mechamato game on Roblox, tapping into a platform where today’s global kids’ community is highly active. “For brands to be future-proof, you have to be on as many platforms as possible,” Gardiner emphasised. Cake Distribution aims to stay fresh and engaging by working with new creators, emerging voices, and studios.
Monsta is looking forward to elevate Mechamato and BoBoiBoy to the next level with licensing and other brand-building activities, and they continue to receive strong support from their home country.
Since its inception, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has been instrumental in Monsta’s growth, particularly during the early development stages. By providing workspace at MAC3 Cyberjaya, essential animation software, content grants, and market access support, MDEC facilitated the launch of the BoBoiBoy series and its first movie. Later, MDEC continued its support with the CREED grant, helping Monsta bring its second IP, Mechamato, to life.
This invaluable backing has propelled Malaysia’s animation industry forward, enabling it to thrive locally and globally.