A newly launched company has its eyes trained on the world of animated YouTube content, and it is announcing its intentions with a major transaction. Former YouTube exec Ben Grubbs is the Director of Visional Pop, which has kicked off with an acquisition of the Indian family media company YoBoHo.
According to a press release shared by Visional Pop, the new entertainment company will work with top YouTube content creators to turn animated shows into multimedia franchises, unlocking fresh monetization opportunities along the way.
That business model makes Visional Pop sound a lot like Moonbug and pocket.watch, two firms that have helped some of YouTube’s biggest kid-friendly channels expand into new territory. Those companies have brought their partner channels to movie theaters, big-box retailers, and holiday parades, among many other initiatives.
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Visional Pop’s foray into that industry will begin with YoBoHo, a Mumbai-based company that reaches 200 million monthly viewers across more than 150 owned and operated YouTube channels. One of the crown jewels in the YoBoHo catalog is HooplaKidz, which has amassed nearly six billion lifetime YouTube views through a broad selection of nursery rhyme content.
“We’re thrilled to introduce Visional Pop to the world and to welcome YoBoHo into the fold,” Grubbs said in a statement. “Our vision is to build animated franchises that start with creators and grow into beloved global brands. With YoBoHo’s reach and capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to accelerate this mission from day one.”
Grubbs is an experienced YouTube operative who spent two-and-a-half years as the platform’s Global Head of Top Creator Partnerships. His previous role at YouTube – Head of YouTube Kids & Learning Content Partnerships for Asia Pacific – will be highly relevant to his work at Visional Pop.
After departing YouTube, Grubbs invested in the creator economy through firms like Next 10 Ventures and Creator Plus. In one recent move, Grubbs teamed up with notables like Peyton Manning to back the YouTube golf hub Good Good with a $45 million investment.With his latest venture, Grubbs will bring his acumen, resources, and industry connections to the world of animated family content. Visional Pop is a bold new play in a booming business, but I still have one question about YoBoHo: Is the accent on the yo?
