Moonscoop, and its affiliated companies Taffy Ent. and Mike Young Productions will unify under the common global brand name Moonscoop for worldwide operations. This move reflects, and is intended to capitalize on, the synergy between its television production, sales, licensing and merchandising and new media departments worldwide.
The "Taffy Entertainment" brand, which handles distribution, licensing and consumer products, and production brand "Mike Young Productions" will now all use "Moonscoop" as a common brand.
Additionally, in a move which reflects the importance of the U.S. market to Moonscoop, CEO Nicolas Atlan will move from Paris to the U.S. office in September this year, taking the position of executive chairman for Moonscoop's U.S. business, where he will work alongside L.A.-based principals and Co-CEOs Mike Young and Bill Schultz and President Liz Young.
Atlan will work to extend the presence of the company's current slate of programming as well as develop new series and forging new partnerships. He will also be charged with building the profile of Moonscoop's programming that originated in France within the U.S.
CEO Axel Dauchez will remain in the Paris office overseeing operations across the group with Executive Chairmen and Founders Benoit di Sabatino and Christophe di Sabatino. Laurent Billion, COO, Europe and Lionel Marty, president, worldwide distribution will also remain based in Paris.
In further news, Moonscoop has made a senior appointment with Brigitte Legendre Benloulou joining from TF1 to take the position of director, consumer products for French-speaking markets. Legendre Benloulou has a wealth of experience in the field having been instrumental in building brands such as USHUAIA, POKEMON, STAR ACADEMY, FRANKLIN and BARBAPAPA during her 18-year stint at the French broadcaster.
She will report to Cynthia Money, president, worldwide consumer products and marketing at Moonscoop and work with Sebastien Fillion, licensing manager, France in the Paris-based office on brands including GERONIMO STILTON, TARA DUNCAN, DIVE OLLY DIVE! and TWISTED WHISKERS.
Schultz and Young commented in a statement, "We have been in partnership with Moonscoop for nearly six years, first as a co-producers, then for the past three years, as 51% majority shareholders, and our compatibility couldn't be stronger, on both a personal and professional level. We have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and believe that concentrating the brand names under the singular Moonscoop label will allow us to strengthen our position in this challenging time in the business through more effective and focused marketing of our unique company. It is the same great company and management -- just fewer logos!"
