Earlier this month NBCUniversal flipped the switch on Universal Kids, effectively rebranding Sprout in a move to expand the network’s preschool base by reaching out to kids ages 2-12-years-old.

“We created Universal Kids to be a brand that creates content and experiences that will widen eyes and open minds, and reflect all that is ‘universal’ about being a kid,” Jennifer Giddens, SVP marketing and digital, Universal Kids, said in an email. “To us, it’s all about this time [when] kids are experiencing firsts, fun, sometimes fear, but ultimately they are also finding out who they are or what they want to be in the world.”

The September 9 debut follows NBCU-owner Comcast’s acquisition of DreamWorks Animation in August 2016 for $3.8 billion. Universal Kids will incorporate content from the franchise, such as the series Kody Kapow that premiered in July.

The network also will retain Sprout as a destination for preschoolers, with 15 hours of programming daily from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by series targeting older kids and families from 6 p.m. onward.

“Our programming mix doesn’t look like anything else currently out there and provides a sense of variety and choice that resonates with our audience,” Giddens said.

A promo for Universal Kids features older kids excited about the new content such as “cooking shows,” “competition shows” and “shows about spies,” and as they explain the changes: “My little bro can still watch his shows while I’m at school …. And there will be cool, new shows for my friends and I to watch at night.”

Content on Universal Kids includes international hits and new unscripted series, and is anchored by the October 13 series premiere of Top Chef Jr. The show features host Vanessa Lachey and head judge Curtis Stone, and is produced by Magical Elves, the team behind Bravo’s Top Chef.

“Universal Kids will continue to grow, just like our audience, and we will strive to be a place kids seek when they want to be bold, creative and entertained,” Giddens said.

Universal Kids teamed up with ad agency Anomaly to define the network’s brand positioning, architecture and general expression, worked with MoStrategy throughout the development process, and brought on Argentine design firm Eloise to execute the creative elements.

“Anomaly was a key partner in determining how our brand could carve out a differentiated space in the kids’ entertainment industry and led efforts to take multiple territories into brand testing with the MoStrategy team,” Giddens said.

The new logo was designed to look familiar to viewers, with a simple, clean and modern interpretation of the recognizable marks of Universal, Giddens said.

The goal of Universal Kids was to create a kids-first brand that serves as the entry point for all of NBCUniversal, she added, and the network will continue to build its digital offerings to reach 2-to-12-year-olds across multiple platforms, including its Universal Kids app.

“We know that for kids, growing doesn’t stop at five or six,” Giddens said. “There is a pretty special time where kids have the opportunity to enjoy being a kid, and with Universal Kids we wanted to be a part of that time with them and their families for a little longer.”

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