@Evan and I have some big personal and professional news… Netflix is acquiring StoryBots!
When Evan and I started JibJab 20 years ago in a Brooklyn garage, we believed that the Internet was going to turn the entertainment industry upside down. We wanted to be at the forefront of figuring out what kinds of stories got told in this new medium, and how they got produced, distributed, and monetized. Since those 56.6K dial-up days, we have survived and thrived through every major technology cycle, reinventing ourselves countless times along the way.
One of the times we reinvented ourselves was in 2012. Both of us had young kids at the time and lamented the fact that there was nothing that we wanted to sit on the couch and watch with them. So we decided to create something ourselves. What started as a series of ABCs videos on YouTube starring the StoryBots grew into a channel that now boasts over one billion minutes viewed. It was that early success online that gave us the confidence to do what you are never supposed to do in this business — invest your own money in financing your own television show.
Fortunately, Netflix picked up Ask the StoryBots and put it on their service as a ‘Netflix Original’ series in August 2016. In 2017, we launched a Christmas special and then, in 2018, we premiered season two. I vividly remember that when Evan and I decided to take the leap and produce the show, we dreamed that someday it would win an Emmy. To date, the show has received 17 Emmy nominations and brought home five statues, along with an Annie Award and Peabody and BAFTA nominations. We’re still pinching ourselves.
So why, after 20 years of independence, would we sell now? And why Netflix?
We believe there is an opportunity to make StoryBots a global force for learning and laughter for generations to come. For the past seven years, we have pushed that boulder uphill as an independent studio — and we have had a lot of fun doing it. But we realize that for StoryBots to live up to its full potential to entertain, educate, and inspire, it needs to be a part of something bigger. Netflix, more than any other company, can help us make that vision a reality.
As a part of Netflix, we will have a pipeline into the living rooms of 148 million subscriber households in 190 countries around the world. And it’s not just Beep, Bing, Bang, Bo, and Boop who are going to Netflix. Evan and I are going as well! Netflix is assembling some of the greatest animation talent in the world at their Animation Hub and we are thrilled and honored to have been invited to be a part of it. With our creative leadership and Netflix’s world-class production team and distribution reach, we’re going to make StoryBots huge. Full stop.
While there are literally hundreds of people to thank for supporting us on our journey, Jon Flint, our lead investor and the co-founder of Polaris Venture Partners, stands apart. Investing in the original content on the Internet is not for the faint-hearted, but Jon’s commitment never wavered. He supported us when we needed to be supported, and challenged us when we needed to be challenged. He’s been a mentor, advocate, customer, and friend. The fact that our paths crossed is unquestionably the greatest blessing of mine and Evan’s professional lives.
While it’s always hard to leave behind the familiar for the new, Evan and I couldn’t be more excited about this next chapter in our creative lives. If we execute well (which we will!), kids from Argentina to Zambia will grow up laughing and learning with StoryBots that feel truly native to their cultures, connecting kids across borders in a way that’s never been done before. In other words, combining StoryBots and Netflix doesn’t just make good business sense; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring something epically good into the world.
Thank you to our talented team, dedicated partners, and most importantly, all the moms and dads out there who have invited the StoryBots into their homes. We’ll be working harder than ever to deliver you even more StoryBots fun.
Outerworld, here we come!
