Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Sept 15, 2014 19:32:19 GMT -6
variety.com/2014/digital/news/digital-studio-jibjab-acquires-startup-behind-hello-santa-video-service-1201305939/
JibJab Bros. Studios, the company whose backers include Sony Pictures Entertainment best known for its political satires, announced that it has acquired Make Believe Studios, creators of the “Hello Santa” pay service that lets kids have live video chats with Kris Kringle.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Deal marks the first major acquisition for JibJab, founded in 1999 by brothers Evan and Gregg Spiridellis.
JibJab garners more than 50 million unique monthly visitors over the holidays; as such, the studio said, the deal represents a significant new revenue opportunity. Under the deal, Make Believe Studios and “Hello Santa” will continue to be led by co-founders Dorian Collier, Jordan Lyall and Sam Dassanayake, and will operate out of JibJab’s headquarters in Venice, Calif.
“Building a distributed network of Santas to deliver one-on-one performances to families globally fits perfectly with our mission,” JibJab CEO and co-founder Gregg Spiridellis said in a statement.
The “Hello Santa” service in 2013 was priced at $24.99 per call, although most live calls were sold at a discounted rate of $14.99 (distributed Santas, evidently, taking what they can get). JibJab said it is still finalizing pricing for “Hello Santa” this year but expects a live call will “likely be under $30″ and that pre-recorded calls will be around $10 each.
The service promises to bring “the real-live Santa Claus directly into the living rooms of families everywhere, via the magic of video-chat technology.” Parents can optionally share facts about their kids, schedule a call and at the appointed time, “Santa” appears to deliver a personalized meeting.
This year the Hello Santa app will be live in Apple’s App Store and at HelloSanta.com on Nov. 1, 2014. Video calls with Santa will start on Nov. 28 (Black Friday) and will continue through Dec. 24.
Investors in JibJab, which has 75 employees, include Polaris Venture Partners, Overbrook Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment. In 2012, JibJab launched StoryBots, a line of learning and entertainment apps for kids aged 3-6.
JibJab Bros. Studios, the company whose backers include Sony Pictures Entertainment best known for its political satires, announced that it has acquired Make Believe Studios, creators of the “Hello Santa” pay service that lets kids have live video chats with Kris Kringle.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Deal marks the first major acquisition for JibJab, founded in 1999 by brothers Evan and Gregg Spiridellis.
JibJab garners more than 50 million unique monthly visitors over the holidays; as such, the studio said, the deal represents a significant new revenue opportunity. Under the deal, Make Believe Studios and “Hello Santa” will continue to be led by co-founders Dorian Collier, Jordan Lyall and Sam Dassanayake, and will operate out of JibJab’s headquarters in Venice, Calif.
“Building a distributed network of Santas to deliver one-on-one performances to families globally fits perfectly with our mission,” JibJab CEO and co-founder Gregg Spiridellis said in a statement.
The “Hello Santa” service in 2013 was priced at $24.99 per call, although most live calls were sold at a discounted rate of $14.99 (distributed Santas, evidently, taking what they can get). JibJab said it is still finalizing pricing for “Hello Santa” this year but expects a live call will “likely be under $30″ and that pre-recorded calls will be around $10 each.
The service promises to bring “the real-live Santa Claus directly into the living rooms of families everywhere, via the magic of video-chat technology.” Parents can optionally share facts about their kids, schedule a call and at the appointed time, “Santa” appears to deliver a personalized meeting.
This year the Hello Santa app will be live in Apple’s App Store and at HelloSanta.com on Nov. 1, 2014. Video calls with Santa will start on Nov. 28 (Black Friday) and will continue through Dec. 24.
Investors in JibJab, which has 75 employees, include Polaris Venture Partners, Overbrook Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment. In 2012, JibJab launched StoryBots, a line of learning and entertainment apps for kids aged 3-6.