Invest
Tom, Jerry and Scooby-Doo: A new recipe for long-tail returns?
As the likes of Netflix and Apple disrupt the entertainment industry, investing in children’s entertainment could be a new alternative.
Tom, Jerry and Scooby-Doo: A new recipe for long-tail returns?
As the likes of Netflix and Apple disrupt the entertainment industry, investing in children’s entertainment could be a new alternative.
That’s according to investment manager Global Merces, which is launching a Media Ventures Fund investing in children’s animation assets, gaming companies and developers of virtual reality content.
Speaking at a media roundtable in Sydney on Thursday, former president of Warner Bros Animation and Global Merces advisory committee member Sander Schwartz said, “In the US a decade or so ago, there were 40 or 50 new drama shows that were produced every year. This year, I read a figure that it was 263.”
He continued, arguing that the value of content lies in its quality and this comes from good storylines, scripts, actors and production values.
“What attracts me to the kids business is that kids’ properties can become evergreen. They can carry on for generations,” Mr Schwartz said.
“I've produced seven seasons of Scooby-Doo and five seasons of Batman and four seasons of Tom and Jerry.
“And … those intellectual properties will continue to play for the next 100 years or more, now that it's digital and it can be accessed on your phone or television or movie screen or on a plane.”
Global Merces chief investment officer Adam Schoff reiterated the perpetual value of quality content, adding that the fund will be focusing on a broader spectrum than just Apple and Amazon, pointing to Crunchyroll, a streaming app dedicated to Japanese anime with more than 2 million followers.
“For us it's about investing in those businesses that are beginning to understand what the new revenue models might be and how you could capture that revenue,” he said.
The fund will be open to both wholesale and retail investors, with retail investors able to invest through the Global Merces Access Fund.
Managing director and CEO Holly Grofski said the decision to open the fund to retail investors was the result of a post-GFC landscape in which ‘mum and dad’ investors were constantly searching for alternatives and ways to boost their yield, while also pulling away from financial planners.
“What this has created is a lot of genuine attempts to look for alternative investments,” she said.
RELATED ARTICLES
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
