YouTube and Disney announced on Monday that they are partnering for a co-branded YouTube channel devoted to family-friendly original series.
While the New York Times reported that the deal between Disney Interactive Media and YouTube is relatively small from a dollars perspective — in the range of $10-$15 million — this adds another major collaborator to YouTube’s new original content plan.
YouTube announced Oct. 29 it is going to create dozens of online channels with original content with the help of high-profile names like Jay-Z and Amy Poehler.
"Disney has established itself as one of the world's most loved brands," Robert Kyncl, Global Head of Content Partnerships at YouTube, said in a statement. "We are thrilled to work with them to bring amazing new, family-friendly entertainment to YouTube's audience of 800 million users worldwide."
As that number of users indicates, the benefit for Disney is the opportunity to court younger viewers on one of the largest video platforms around.
Content, which will air on a co-branded YouTube channel, will include “video drawn from relevant family-friendly content currently available across YouTube, original video produced by Disney, as well as a blend of current Disney Interactive original series, select Disney Channel programming and Disney user created content.”
The first series will be based on Disney’s mobile game “Where’s My Water” and its main character, Swampy. It will launch in February.
"With online video consumption exploding and YouTube at the center of that trend, we see an opportunity for Disney Interactive and YouTube to bring Disney's legacy of storytelling to a new generation of families and Disney enthusiasts on the platforms they prefer," Jimmy Pitaro, Co-President of Disney Interactive, said in a statement. "As we prepare to re-launch Disney.com in fall 2012, the Disney/YouTube destination will play a critical part in our next generation platform."
