European entertainment and media companies enter long-term partnership.

German brand management company m4e and Spanish-Italian firm Planeta Junior (a joint venture between DeAgostini and Grupo Planeta) have formed a long-term co-production, distribution, licensing and merchandising partnership.

As part of the partnership, to two companies will now co-produce projects featuring some of Planeta's existing IP and a number of new developments from m4e. Both companies will also distribute each other’s audiovisual rights catalog.

Planeta Junior will focus primarily on France and Southern Europe, while m4e will cover Central and Northern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, North America, Africa and the Middle East. Both companies will jointly handle Eastern Europe.

“This alliance is a perfect match for both companies, since m4e and Planeta Junior share the same concept of the entertainment business, and we are naturally complementary in reaching the European marketplace through our local terms,” says Ignacio Segura de Lassaletta, general manager, Planeta Junior. “This joint venture establishes the ideal framework for our creative teams to develop new and exciting properties.”

Additionally, to continue building a worldwide business, m4e and Planeta Junior will combine several of their teams into an international network, which will be able to offer a broad distribution and presence via offices in eight European countries (including Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Poland and Benelux) and will expand into other major territories in the medium term.

Both partners will also acquire rights and make their services available to third-party rights owners. For a common market appearance, the two companies are currently developing joint branding.