Moonbug Entertainment, the kids’ entertainment powerhouse behind the hit “CoComelon” franchise, is bringing on board its first chief marketing officer: Peter Stone, a nine-year veteran of Netflix.
In the new role, Stone will be responsible for Moonbug’s global marketing strategy, as well as the evolution and growth of its brands. He will be based in Moonbug’s London office and starts Dec. 6, reporting to co-founder and CEO René Rechtman.
Stone joins Moonbug as the company says its brands “continue to see significant expansion.” Among recent developments, it called out Blippi’s debut on Roblox, “Morphle” soon launching on Disney+ and Disney Junior, and the new CoComelon show “CoComelon Lane” launching exclusively on Netflix.
Moonbug is part of Candle Media, the next-gen rollup play headed by ex-Disney execs Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, backed by private-equity firm Blackstone Group. Candle acquired Moonbug in 2021 in a deal worth about $3 billion.
Stone, who first joined Netflix in 2014, was most recently head of international and U.K. film marketing at the streamer. Previously, he held various marketing leadership positions at Netflix in L.A., Tokyo and Amsterdam before relocating to London. Prior to Netflix, he led theatrical marketing at Legendary Entertainment, where he worked with filmmakers and the studio teams at Warner Bros. and Universal. Earlier in his career, Stone worked for Walt Disney Animation Studios and Monitor Deloitte.
“Peter’s experience and knowledge of the entertainment industry both in the US and internationally will be a great asset to our company,” Rechtman said in announcing Stone’s hire. “We continue to invest in our talent and brands as our business grows into new spinoffs, original productions, a wider music library, innovative live experiences, and engaging consumer products and gaming.”
Stone, in a statement provided by Moonbug, said, “Moonbug Entertainment has rocketed to pop-culture consciousness with stories and characters that captivate children and parents worldwide.”
Stone holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor of arts degree in political science and Spanish from Brigham Young University. He is a member of BAFTA and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He’s the author of YA thriller “The Perfect Candidate,” published in 2019 by Simon & Schuster.