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Candle Media gives Hello Sunshine, Moonbug a boost

Kerry Flynn
Jun 24, 2022
Illustration of a collage featuring headphones and pieces of money.

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Candle Media's brands have big plans to use the larger organization's funding and support to invest in new areas, executives said yesterday at VidCon.

Why it matters: The new media rollup company, backed by Blackstone and led by former Disney executives Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer, has become one of the most fascinating companies to watch as it buys up and supports the growth of popular brands.

Driving the news: Speaking Thursday at VidCon, Hello Sunshine COO Liz Jenkins said her company's next big push is podcasting.

  • "We dabbled in podcasts in the past, and even more so, it's become a strategic imperative for our business to launch in a really meaningful way," she said.
  • Hello Sunshine is hiring a vice president of audio to run that business.

Yes, and: Moonbug Entertainment is looking for more acquisitions, particularly in gaming.

  • "We're sniffing around the gaming space, which is a big area in terms of engagement that we're not playing in in a major way, and I think by this time next year, we will be," said Andy Yeatman, managing director at Moonbug Entertainment.
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