During the Kidscreen Summit 2025, Smilehood and Krakatoa reaffirmed their commitment to the international expansion of the “Plim Plim” brand. During the event, Prensario had the opportunity to talk with Guillermo Pino, president of Smilehood, and Cindy Fernández, licensing & consumer products manager of Krakatoa, who shared recent successes and future plans for the franchise.
Guillermo Pino highlighted the unstoppable growth of “Plim Plim” in the children’s market. ‘We finished an spectacular 2024. We are the number one Spanish-language property for children’s audiences and we are reaching historic milestones. Our song “Abejita Chiquitita” has already surpassed 700 million views on YouTube and we expect to reach one billion in a few months, which would make us the first Spanish-language children’s song to achieve this in just two years’.
Smilehood’s president also highlighted the growth of its television channel, which has already reached more than 17 million homes in Latin America and has managed to consolidate its position as a benchmark for children’s content in the region. ‘Our Youtube channels have reached more than 12.8 billion views and an impressive 32% growth compared to the previous year, the brand continues to captivate audiences across the U.S. and Latin America, while also experiencing significant growth in Spain, Italy, and Indonesia. According to Tubular data, Plim Plim is now the seventh-largest preschool channel globally and ranks 32nd among all YouTube channels worldwide, out of a total of 45.3 million’, said Pino.
Meanwhile, Cindy Fernandez announced a key agreement with Bandai to develop a line of Plim Plim’s toys. “We are starting with plushies, figures and a playset, with a launch plan that includes strong marketing and exhibition support. We are starting in Spain and Mexico, with plans to expand to other markets.”
Fernández also revealed that the franchise is working on new episodes and a distribution strategy for original content to reach more platforms. ‘We want our songs and series to go beyond traditional TV and digital platforms. We are consolidating a 360 strategy for the franchise’.
As for live expansion, Pino recalled that last year they debuted in New York and Puerto Rico, and now they are preparing for a U.S. and Latin American tour. ‘Our goal is to continue bringing the magic of “Plim Plim” to different countries and to strengthen our presence in key markets.’
Another key aspect is the adaptation of content to different languages. ‘We are strengthening our English Channel and we have a specific strategy for the U.S. Latino market, including content designed for English-speaking audiences,’ Fernandez added. Currently, “Plim Plim” is also available in Portuguese, Russian, Italian and Indonesian, with plans to expand.
The franchise continues to achieve success, and recently Flow announced that Plim Plim is the most-watched content in the children’s category. In addition, the channel has experienced an audience growth of 40% in the last year, consolidating its position as one of the favorite options for children’s audiences. ‘This type of recognition motivates us to continue growing and exploring new opportunities,’ said Pino.
Upcoming events in which Smilehood and Krakatoa will participate include Mipcom, MipJunior, Annecy and the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, seeking to further expand their presence in the consumer products industry.
‘Our difference is the originality of our songs and content. While many focus on public domain versions, we focus on our own creations that connect with children and parents globally,’ concluded Pino.
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