Digital & Media Based on the age group and the nature of the content, Bayard addresses both the family as a whole, and the child as an individual. Group Bayard addresses children wherever they are…starting from print (magazines and books) to screen (TV, e-books, videos-games, audio-books), and even real-life events. Can you explain how you moved from a format first company to a brand/IP first company? Firstly, we have worked to reduce time between the release of our content and the feedback from our audience (thanks to our direct links in particular) and rolling it out into new formats. A lot of it has to do with changes in the internal organization of the company. Until quite recently each department worked alongside each other with quite a linear time scale. If a character or editorial concept did well in a magazine, it could become a book, and if the print audience was good than maybe there would be a TV show and digital content. Now, although most of our IPs are still bookbased properties, we are keen to think of IP first. This is only possible because of an internal organisation that allows a cross-media decision-making both in terms of editorial strategy (360° IP plan) and distribution: handling direct BtoC or indirect BtoB distribution channels on an international scale. It means working across departments in a much more flexible way to identify strong IPs and
different roll-out formats, which are more appropriate to the IP’s DNA. Then, we are open to new formats. Models are not finite and necessarily frozen in time. We must be creative all the time. At Bayard, new formats such as web-radios (radio Pomme d’api), podcasts, audio-books, and Box subscriptions, are only recent examples of what we have been experimenting with, as well as reallife events. It is important to highlight the fact that this strategy is only possible because Bayard has built a very strong relationship with its authors, illustrators and rights owners over time.
Can you explain to us in more detail the success of the SAM SAM case history? SamSam is a great example of the way Bayard has rolled out its IP internationally. SamSam debuted in the magazine Pomme d’api where it was very popular amongst kids and parents. A large publishing program was rolled out with one editor working on both dedicated SamSam magazines and books. Rights were sold
in many countries and a two season TV series was produced with France TV and distributed in many territories, in both linear and non-linear channels. Digital games, apps and e-books have also become very popular and a movie is currently being produced. More and more, print IPs with a strong audience and strong narrative qualities are of great interest to TV and OTT producers. 75