One of the biggest kids YouTube brands has inked a wide-ranging content and development deal with Disney.
Disney has cut a deal with Like Nastya, which has garnered more than 450 billion views across its 25 YouTube channels, with more than 450 million current subscribers.
The deal will add a curated selection of Like Nastya library content to Disney+ but will also include a new animated preschool series for Disney Jr. and Disney+, as well as new and original live action content for kids, tweens, teens and families.
It’s the first deal with a major entertainment company for the Nastya brand.
“I’m incredibly proud of Anastasiia and how ‘Like Nastya’ has grown into a global brand loved by millions of families worldwide,” said Anna Radzinskaia, Nastya’s mother and founder of the “Like Nastya” brand. “Bringing together the worlds of ‘Like Nastya’ and Disney is an exciting opportunity to create something truly special for a new generation.”
Disney has been on a deal streak with some top creators from YouTube, Instagram and other video platforms. It struck an original content deal with Dhar Mann Studios last month, and has also cut deals with “Toddler Raves” and “Toddler Techno” creator Lenny Pearce, as well as the “Gracie’s Corner” YouTube channel.
The deals underscore the changing dynamics of kids and family TV, with legacy entertainment brands competing directly with kids-focused creators for time and attention, and with free platforms like YouTube often stealing share from those legacy players.
Streaming platforms like Disney+ and Netflix have responded by cutting deals with creators, bringing both library content and original programming to their platforms, often with meaningful success, as Ms. Rachel and Mark Rober have shown at Netflix.