Millimages, one of Europe’s oldest independent animation studios and IP developers, and world-renowned brand licensing company The Smiley Company have joined forces on a new venture to create a range of products for adults and kids.
As a first for both brands, the Millimages flagship property and global phenomenon Molang will feature as part of an iconic Smileys brand collaboration with SmileyWorld and S.W.Smiley, as part of the 30 Years of Smileys anniversary, with the creation of an extensive range of apparel, fashion accessories, home decoration, gifts and much more, for adults and kids. Millimages will also develop exclusive content for social networks and YouTube to support the collaboration in time for the release.
Roll-out of the new range of products will commence circa Q1 2027, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Smileys.
With more than 10 million followers across digital platforms — the Molang YouTuber series alone attracting 433,251 subscribers since its launch in 2023, 256k+ views on both TikTok (3,516.086 followers) and Instagram reels (852,668 followers) since 2022, as well as 40.7+ billion GIF views on Giphy, plus 2,213.719 Molang Cartoon channel subscribers — the future roll-out of Molang/Smileys products will be supported by exclusive content for these specific social media platforms and many more.
From early discussions, both companies were aligned on creative opportunities and shared values, making this alliance an organic convergence. Since 2015, Molang, a.k.a. The Ambassador of Kindness, has become an international TV, social media, licensing and merchandising phenomena, touching the hearts of young children and ‘kidults’ across the globe.
“At TSC we view IP mash-ups as a real opportunity to develop content that is in line with our company values, and especially creativity and storytelling,” said The Smiley Company CEO Nicolas Loufrani. “I am really excited to see the Millimages and Smiley teams bring the best of their talent to bring unique stories and beautiful products to our global fans.”
Alexandra Algard-Mikanowski, Commercial Director for Millimages, added, “This partnership has emerged as a result of two companies that share the same vision to promote core values of kindness and joy. With Molang’s appeal proving transgenerational — attracting kids, teens, kidults and of course, cool parents, now more than ever, it is important to shower consumers with positivity and uplifting energy, so that there is a ripple effect in the world. Both brands share that capacity and we trust that collaborating will only make that power stronger.”
Kind and affectionate Molang has a unique, instantly recognizable style. Molang is all about empathy, softness, tenderness and joy. With no nationality, ageless and gender-neutral Molang cares for everyone and everything. Everybody loves Molang and Molang loves everybody. The iconic character of Millimages’ studios, Molang celebrates 10 years of success in 2025! Born from the encounter of two very different women, Marie Caroline Villand and Hye Ji Yoon, the Franco-Korean character is the star of an animated TV series that now has six seasons, a digital first spin-off and an international licensing brand. Molang has over 10 million fans on social networks, enjoying the character’s pop culture parodies on Instagram, dances on TikTok and gaming videos on YouTube.
S.W.Smiley is the bold, adult-oriented streetwear brand from The Smiley Company, created for a new generation of self-expression and cultural edge that sits under the Smileys brand. Building on an iconic heritage, S.W.Smiley transforms underground influences into modern, geometric graphics and unapologetic style. Designed for young adults, the brand bridges raw attitude with refined design, delivering trend-led apparel, collaborations and visuals rooted in authentic identity. Through S.W.Smiley, partners and licensees connect to a powerful platform of creative freedom and cultural relevance — anchored by Smiley’s global legacy of positivity.
A brand owned by The Smiley Company, SmileyWorld is a market leader and the first lifestyle brand dedicated to emotional expression. The Original Smileys is a creative universe filled with thousands of unique icons that make emotional expression easy and fun. Smileys provide a shortcut to understanding complex emotions and kickstarting meaningful conversations. With a comprehensive library of over 3,000 icons, SmileyWorld is a treasure trove of emotional expression that embodies the spirit of the digital revolution.
