ITV

Category: Kids

  • Cartoon Network’s family fun time with Best Summer Ever campaign

    Cartoon Network’s family fun time with Best Summer Ever campaign

    NEW DELHI: Kids’ entertainment channel Cartoon Network has rolled out the Best Summer Ever campaign for kids and parents, which aims to transform homes into the ultimate destinations for exciting adventures that could be enjoyed with the entire family. 

    As a part of the Best Summer Ever campaign running from May to 27 June, the channel will telecast popular shows including Grizzy and the Lemmings, Tom and Jerry, and BandbudhAurBudbak every day between 8 AM and 10 AM. 

    The channel has also launched its microsite, which will bring over 150 home-based activities across five themes that will entertain and regale kids, within the comfort and safety of their homes. With a little bit of imagination and some help from their parents, kids will watch every corner of their homes turn into the playful spaces they see on their favorite shows.

    Powered by Rasna, Best Summer Ever will offer a volley of activities designed around the best-loved franchises including We Bare Bears, Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Teen Titans Go! and Ben10. The engaging activities will be spread across multiple ‘pillars’ while corresponding to special corners of the home, on the microsite. Kids can enjoy the greatest musical performance of all time in the shower Toon Tunes Valley or get inspired by the most fabulous dance routine in the living room Gymsville. 

    The super fun themes include:

    ●        Play: Craft Creek with Looney Tunes – Nothing spells more satisfaction than indulging in your own creation! From show-themed food recipes to DIY craft activities, there’s no time to chill or even go ‘What’s Up Doc?’

    ●        Music: Toon Tunes Valley with We Bare Bears – Grab your hairbrush and be confident like Ice Bear as you hone your vocals with notable Cartoon Network tunes.

    ●        Movement: Gymsville with Tom and Jerry – Ever wonder how Tom never gets tired of a mouse hunt? We’re spilling the cheese on Tom’s secret set of Cartoon Network workout videos so you can start training for the home adventures ahead!

    ●        Explore: Toonsplorer Island with Teen Titans Go! — From drawing, coloring, solving, decorating, even upgrading your mobile devices with wallpapers of your favorite toons, let’s add some fizzle to your virtual life.

    ●        Games: ArcadeTown with Ben10 – Have an intergalactic time playing different games with your fave toons online.

    “With the current challenging times, we understand the worry and the unease that comes with it for homebound kids. Cartoon Network has developed Best Summer Ever, a regional campaign for kids to enjoy their summer holidays in a unique way, keeping them engaged and entertained within the safety and comfort of their homes, with their families,” said Cartoon Network and WarnerMedia companion channel POGO South Asia Network Head Abhishek Dutta. 

    Cartoon Network will also introduce digital contests and challenges. The most actively participating kids will stand to win exciting goodies from the brand. Add that to chock full of summer-themed recipes, crafts, sing-alongs, watch parties, and much, much more.

  • Our aim is to always create screen agnostic content: Viacom18’s Anu Sikka

    Our aim is to always create screen agnostic content: Viacom18’s Anu Sikka

    KOLKATA: The pandemic has been an epoch changing event for most adults, but it has also had a significant impact on children, too. A year of being confined to their homes later, the world is no longer their oyster, but has shrunk to the small screen – their window to the unseen and unknown domain outside. No wonder that kids are consuming more content across all mediums, be it traditional modes or new age platforms. With summer vacation set to start amid partial lockdowns across the country, young viewers will tune in to TV more than ever.

    To tap into the increased demand in April-June quarter, Nickelodeon recently unveiled a robust summer slate for kids. “This is a crucial time for the audience as well as the broadcasters because the viewership usually tends to be highest during this particular period. We have come up with the biggest ammunition that we can think of to roll out in this particular quarter,” said Viacom18 kids cluster content programming and strategy head Anu Sikka.

    The network has come up with new episodes of all the series that have been doing exceptionally well on both Nick and Sonic. Hence, the new line-up includes new episodes of old favourites like Motu Patlu, Rudra, Golmal Jr., Pinaki and Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus, and Ninja Hatori. Though it relaunched Zig & Sharko on Sonic in the last quarter of 2020, it is not ruling out fresh episodes for this show as well. The summer line-up also includes mini movies around popular cartoon characters.

    Last year, viewership for kids channels hit the roof when lockdown kicked in. While the ratings started returning to normal as things opened up, they are rising again now and are on course to reach the usual summer peak. 

    “In this era of uncertainty, we are trying to ensure when a child comes to watch Nick or Sonic, they should get that feeling of continuity that nothing has changed for them. So, there’s at least one aspect of life that remains unchanged for them,” Sikka added.

    There has been marked shift in content consumption trends too in recent times. Earlier, children were not willing to accept new characters or it could take a substantial amount of time for them to do so. But Sikka highlighted that this behaviour has changed over the last two years. Today, audiences are keenly on the look-out for new series and characters. However, the success of new shows lies in effective storytelling and good animation, she remarked.

    For instance, Pinaki and Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus was produced without following tried and tested methods; but on the back of unique content, it has done well and has climbed to the top five shows in the category within the past six months, mentioned Sikka.

    Over the past ten years, another major change that has taken place in the industry is the emergence of indigenous content. “I don’t think there is any broadcaster who can think of success without creating Indian characters, and local Indian shows. Every channel which had success has been on the back of locally produced content,” stated the content programming head, adding, “Indian animation industry, the broadcasters in the kids’ category have adapted to this change extremely fast.”

    Given the success of the genre, major OTT platforms have also started investing in the kids segment. Many industry experts have predicted that this trend would increase pressure on broadcasters. But Sikka is not worried about competition from OTTs. First, kids are not particularly interested in OTT exclusive content, said she; second, the network ensures that its popular characters, shows are present in all the spaces that draw young viewers.

    “Our aim is to always create screen agnostic content. It does not matter where the child is consuming the content. I truly believe as a content maker, if your story is strong, if your content is strong, if the children like the characters you have developed, they will watch it no matter the platform. Nick-Sonic shows do well across all the platforms, whether they’re watched on Nick or Sonic or Voot Kids, or YouTube channel of Nick,” Sikka signed off.

  • Nickelodeon reveals its engaging summer content line-up

    Nickelodeon reveals its engaging summer content line-up

    KOLKATA: Nickelodeon is set to amuse kids in the summer with #NicktoonsKaSummerDose – a content line-up of all new episodes, movies, host of fun activities and innovative engagements that will keep kids happy and engaged while they stay safe at home.

    Summer-time fun has commenced on a high note with Nick welcoming the kids’ favourite prank gang Golmaal Jr. on the channel.  The prank gang now entertains kids with all new episodes of their mischievous escapades every Monday to Friday at 12.30 PM with the message #NickPeSabGolmaalHai. The comic capers of the prank gang will be made the talk of the town through a high decibel multi-screen campaign- with TV spots on the franchise and cross promotions on lead GEC channels, on YouTube, gaming portals and on social media. Adding to the euphoria will be a one-of-a-kind partnership with Mad Over Donuts through a fun and delectable summer special box of donuts presented by the Golmaal Jr Prank Gang.

    While the prank gang entertains and creates a laugh riot on Nick, summer celebrations get an unexpected twist with Pinaki and Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus on Sonic. The fun & entertaining family of ghosts will add to the entertainment quotient on Sonic through all new stories every Monday to Friday at 11:30am.  The campaign promoting the fun buddies will be done taking a multiscreen approach that includes a TV campaign and promotions on digital mediums. The Bhoot Bandhus will be further brought to life on social mediums through engagements wherein kids will be seen taking the fun Bhoot Bandhus Tongue Twister challenge (#BBTT Challenge) along with a host of Innovative digital engagements to make sure kids are engaged in the comfort of their homes.

    The mischievous Golmaal Gang, adorable Motu Patlu and magical Rudra will entertain kids through all new episodes on Nick. The super cool Pinaki & Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus, Shiva, Ninja Hatori and Zig and Sharko will amp up the fun with fresh stories on Sonic, giving kids a reason to celebrate. Additionally, all new episodes of Loud House on Nick HD+ and Peppa Pig on NickJr will drive up the entertainment decibel, making sure that kids have a fabulous time indoors. 

    There will also be movies galore as Rudra infuses magic into summer with his superhit movie The Land of No Where while Motu Patlu’s comic capers will entertain kids through the mini movie- The Secret Mission of Motu Patlu set to premiere on Nick in May. This apart, all the new episodes and movies of  favourite toons will also be available to stream on our fun-learn kids entertainment app, Voot Kids.

     “At Nickelodeon our focus is on keeping kids entertained in these challenging times. Summer is a special time for children, and we have created a very robust content pipeline of some fun and exciting stories to make sure that they have a great time and stay motivated amidst the current scenario. We are here to make kids happy and are sure that the vast and immersive stories of our Nicktoons will transport them into a world of imagination and fun, giving them a reason to celebrate while lifting up their spirits,” Viacom18 kids cluster content programming and strategy head Anu Sikka commented.

     Summer started with World Creativity and Innovation Week that saw Nick Jr. along with Play Date encouraging kids to unleash their creativity indoors through a curated program of various activities such as music and movement, coding adventure, clay dough, mystery parties, chocolate making amongst others. There will be interesting virtual activations on special occasions like Mother’s Day and Yoga Day that will create many memorable and happy moments for kids and families. Each interactivity would be brought to life digitally by the adorable Nicktoons that will surely add a dash of cheer to each day.

  • Cosmos-Maya partners with Disney India for Dr. Tenali Rama HMKD

    Cosmos-Maya partners with Disney India for Dr. Tenali Rama HMKD

    Mumbai: Indian animation studio Cosmos-Maya is preparing to launch its brand-new IP, Dr Tenali Rama HMKD, and has partnered with Disney India  to air the show on pay TV soon in mid-2021.

    The show commenced production in 2020 as part of an extensive launch plan of new shows for 2021, where the studio will see four to five new IPs coming out in both the TV and OTT space.

    DTR is a new show by Cosmos-Maya’s creative team behind Titoo. It is an ode to the doctors and medical professionals, chronicling the life and daily shenanigans of Tenali, a nine-year-old child genius and qualified doctor running his family’s hospital started by his Hindi-loving grandfather Dr Murlidharan. Just like his namesake, he meets people and provides them solutions to their unique ailments and problems with his sharp wit and problem-solving abilities.

    Providing familiarity with novelty in Cosmos-Maya style, DTR takes us on a journey with this medical avatar of the age-old brainiac Tenali Rama, who uses his extraordinary intelligence and wit to help people with their problems. This is captured in his medical title, HMKD – Har Marz Ki Dawa.

    His uncle and adversary, Dr Murgan wants to own the hospital and tries to constantly prove that he is a better doctor than Tenali, but never succeeds.

    DTR is another offering from Cosmos-Maya’s mission statement to provide meaningful entertainment for young kids aged four to 11 years old, that also promotes in them industriousness, social values and purpose, in a fun and engaging way. The show’s relatable storylines are fun and entertaining, and children will be able to easily decode medical concepts. The show celebrates unity in diversity with an array of characters from different cultures of the world.

    Cosmos-Maya  CEO Anish Mehta said, “DTR is an amalgamation of multiple types that define us Indians – he is a quick-witted, capable, jugaadu nine-year old kid and an NRI doctor in London, who lives and works with his extended family. We aim to inspire kids to make the best use of their wits and skills to give back and help people and inspire them to look up to the people of the medical industry. The show holds relatability for other family members as well who’ll laugh along to the cultural idiosyncrasies of an Indian family residing abroad. This is the USP of the show as this is a plot point which no Indian animated series has explored in the past. We have quite a few new shows lined up for a 2021 release with Disney India, and we will see DTR obtain the perfect reach on their network. We have the next seasons of Bapu, Gadget Guru Ganesha and Selfie With Bajrangi undergoing production simultaneously and we see a chunk of business with our partners at Disney India.”

  • Original homegrown comedy ‘Lambu-G Tingu-G’ sets the ball rolling for ‘All New POGO’

    Original homegrown comedy ‘Lambu-G Tingu-G’ sets the ball rolling for ‘All New POGO’

    MUMBAI, INDIA (April 26, 2021): WarnerMedia’s POGO, India’s leading Kids TV channel, has announced the premiere date for its latest local original series, Lambu-G Tingu-G. The comedy series, produced by Cosmos Maya, is set to air on May 3 and then weekdays at 12.35pm. Home to the most beloved kids’ shows and memorable characters, POGO is set to delight its young viewers with more action and masti, with this new comedy.

    The addition of Lambu-G Tingu-G to the formidable line-up follows other recent homegrown hits Titoo – Har Jawaab Ka Sawaal Hu and Smashing Simmba. It is also timed with the launch of a new look and feel for the channel. “All New POGO” is a three-month programming stunt that comprises fresh on-air packaging and a new programming slate including new specials, movies and episodes.

    Abhishek Dutta, South Asia Network Head for POGO and companion channel Cartoon Network, said, “Lambu-G Tingu-G is a great mix of slapstick comedy and adventure, with an overarching message of friendship and an amazing theme song. We are positive POGO’s young fans will relate to this new and distinctive animated world!”

    He added: “At the same time, we are excited to introduce ‘All New POGO’. This summer, the channel will be power-packed with new characters, new episodes, shows and movies including more Titoo and Smashing Simmba, plus Bheem In The City 2 and Super Bheem. Fans can expect awesome curated content with local, authentic stories and, above all, non-stop fun.”

    Ahead of the premiere and to celebrate International Dance Day, POGO has collaborated with ABCD Dance Factory to present a dance challenge set to the show’s peppy theme song. In the safety of their own home, kids can groove to the catchy title track created by the super-talented Bollywood trio – award-winning lyricist Gulzar Saab, music composer Simaab Sen, and playback singer Sukhwinder Singh.

    A Lambu-G Tingu-G game called Food Fight, will be available on the POGO website to keep kids entertained indoors, as will the All New POGO YouTube account. On the channel, the show will be presented by Perfetti – Chocoliebe Eclairs Plus, along with associate sponsor Rasna.

    More about Lambu-G Tingu-G

    Lambu-G Tingu-G follows the quirks and capers of the titular characters, a zany and unique duo. Their rapport see-saws between inseparable friendship and rib-tickling rivalry. Lambu-G, a tall, skilled fighter with an elastic body, can nab the villains with ease. His only weakness? His best buddy Tingu-G, who can roll like a rapid and powerful ball to chase the bad guys. While stark opposites in every sense, they come together perfectly to conquer any problem befalling their town, ultimately proving that #FriendshipBoleTohLambuGTinguG!

    Get a peek into the comical world of Lambu-G Tingu-G on Facebook here. Log on to POGO’s website and POGO’s YouTube channel here for more details.

  • Cartoon Network greenlights ‘Lamput’ season 4 & ‘Lamput Meets Tuzki’ special

    Cartoon Network greenlights ‘Lamput’ season 4 & ‘Lamput Meets Tuzki’ special

    Cartoon Network has announced three new originals which are currently under various stages of development and production. These new originals will feature four animated icons, and it includes the development of a short-form Tom and Jerry pilot, which sees for the first time the classic cat-and-mouse duo transplanted to the Asia-Pacific region. 

    The production of Lamput Meets Tuzki, a special starring two well-known characters hailing from India and China, has also commenced, while the network has confirmed that work will soon begin on the fourth season of Lamput.

    "Audiences have been laughing at Tom and Jerry’s chase antics for over 80 years. But this is the first time we’re looking at transporting the frenemies to our region, and reimagining their antics in an authentic and distinctly local context. We are working closely with Warner Bros Animation and Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank to bring these new adventures to life," said WarnerMedia head of kids APAC Leslie Lee. 

    In 2020, the legendary tales of the cat-and-mouse duo were launched in India with a first ever “thought-over” commentary in regional languages of Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The local-language narration track added another layer of immersive, localised storytelling and was met with a great response from fans.

    Lamput Meets Tuzki is a seven-minute special that brings together for the first time two legendary WarnerMedia IP created in India and China. Tuzki, a Chinese rabbit, is a hit with young adults and has found a wide following on instant messaging apps, consumer products and through an animated series. In 2018, celebrated Indian fashion designer Manish Arora created a Tuzki-inspired lifestyle collection that premiered at the prestigious Paris Fashion Week. The collection was available in China and India, expanding Tuzki’s popularity well beyond its homeland.

    Lamput, a gooey orange blob, and master of disguise, is an Emmy-nominated Cartoon Network original property born in India. This non-dialogue, slapstick chase comedy by Mumbai-based Vaibhav Studios won the Best Children’s Programme at Asian Academy Creative Awards 2020, for the third time in a row. It was also nominated for an International Kids Emmy award, a first for any Indian production.

    “Guided by Carlene Tan, who heads up our original productions for kids APAC, these two milestone projects are testament to our commitment to authentic storytelling. We look forward to continuing to champion Cartoon Network’s mission to unify our fans through more laughter, and even bigger and bolder adventures,” added Lee. 

    The Lamput Meets Tuzki special is scheduled for mid-2021, with more Lamput adventures to come. Cartoon Network Asia Pacific has also greenlit a brand new fourth season of Lamput, which will go into production in the second half of 2021.

  • With Taarak Mehta Ka Chhota Chashmah, Sony Yay! wants to get parents & kids co-watching

    With Taarak Mehta Ka Chhota Chashmah, Sony Yay! wants to get parents & kids co-watching

    MUMBAI: Four years after it made its foray into the kids’ genre with Sony Yay!, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) is all set to launch an animated version of one of its most popular TV shows- Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (TMKCC).

    The animated show titled Taarak Mehta KKa Chhota Chashmah (TMKCC) will hit the airwaves on 19 April. Set against the backdrop of Gokuldham, the show will witness iconic characters – Jethalal, Bapuji, Dayaben, and Tapu in their animated avatar.

    However, this time, the entire show has been created from the lens of kids’ favourite characters, Tappu and Daya, who will be the protagonists. "The characters will remain true to their original role, but we have moulded the entire show from the lens of Tappu and Daya, as Tappu is immensely popular among young kids. The situations will revolve more around children's issues," said SPNI kids EVP and business head Leena Lele Dutta.

    Animated show that appeals to parents and kids alike

    Produced by Asit Kumarr Modi under the banner of Neela Telefilms, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma remains one of the longest-running shows on Indian television after it crossed the 3,000-episode mark in October last year. It reached out to 22.7 per cent of the children's population in India and has recorded a higher viewership than any other show.

    The channel mainly caters to kids in the age group of 6-10 years. However, this time, the idea was to create a show which caters to both parents and kids even in the animated avatar,” said Dutta.

    The property will be jointly executed by Neela Telefilms and SPNI, where SPNI will manage the production, while Modi handles the creative storytelling. The show will be launched with around 40 episodes; the makers are already creating a bank for season two and have hired multiple scriptwriters to take it ahead. The animation production has been done by Hitech studio based out of Kolkata and Green Gold Animation.

    According to the channel, TMKCC will mainly target the Hindi-speaking markets of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The channel has also planned a Gujarati market feed three months before the actual launch to enable the state residents to watch it in their native language. Colgate has associated with the show as the title sponsor, Play House is the co-powered sponsor.

    Journey of Sony Yay!

    The kids' channel category has evolved ever since Cartoon Network, the first channel exclusively dedicated to kids’ content, was launched in 2014. The category has grown by eight percent during FY2018-2020 and according to BARC data, five channels –Nick, Sonic, Hungama, Pogo, and Disney – dominate the top share.

    However, according to Dutta, the growth of Sony Yay! has been three to four times more than the category, with some popular shows like Shinchan, Doraemon, Chhota Bheem, and its most successful homegrown series Motu Patlu.

    “We are the fastest-growing channel in the category. Sony Yay! has exponentially grown at the rate of 42 per cent since 2018. We have faced many challenges in these four years. In 2020, we were exposed to Covid2019 pandemic, the year before that was NTO implementation, but we managed to sail through all this,” she shared.

    According to the latest data, the Indian Kids entertainment industry reaches over 73.2 million kids and counting (India U+R, TG: 2-14 All NCCS, Universe 183 million). Due to the current situation and curbs, kids are expected to spend more time indoors which will further broaden their interest in all things new.

    “Overall, the kids’ entertainment category occupies eight per cent of the viewership pie of television but receives only 3.5 per cent of the revenue share of advertising, making it a highly under-indexed category. That said, incremental growth will also be led by licensing and merchandising followed by character/brand integrations,” said Dutta.

    New shows to bolster the summer slate

    The channel is also planning to tap into the ever-increasing demand for fresh content this summer and will offer viewers a wide range of choices of new characters and fresh narratives this year. This includes new characters and narratives with shows like Kikoumba, Chimpoo Simpoo, Bhaalu Yeh Bindaas Hai, Chorr Police, Obocchama-Kun, new movies, and episodes of its existing properties Honey Bunny ka Jholmaal and Paap-O-Meter.

    “In an average Indian family, the non-prime time is when kids gain control of the TV sets and we have always conceptualised our strategy around these time bands. It has also led us to constantly evolve and enhance our content strategy into a wide array of 16 shows to match the demand of fresh and differentiated content,” detailed Dutta.

    This summer, the channel will also curate special content for its audience which includes episodic snippets, interactive games, contests, a gamut of entertaining content in seven different languages along a barrage of exciting virtual summer workshops. The makers will also have a 100-city canter activation followed by nine-city mall activation covering key markets in Gujarat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh with some engagement touchpoints incorporated.

  • Cosmos-Maya’s Wow Kidz partners with publishing house Twinkl

    Cosmos-Maya’s Wow Kidz partners with publishing house Twinkl

    MUMBAI: Cosmos-Maya kids’ animation brand Wow Kidz has partnered with educational publisher Twinkl to create a range of educational materials and resources based on Vir: The Robot Boy.

    The new jointly-created teaching resources aim to inspire children and engage them in learning by featuring one of India’s favourite cartoon robots, Vir The Robot Boy. The animated superhero character, owned by Cosmos-Maya, is also much-loved around the world, with the series of the same name now streaming on over 50 digital video platforms worldwide.

    Twinkl is one of the world’s largest educational providers, offering over 710,000 resources to over 10 million teachers, parents and carers around the world. The UK-based company provides a wide range of materials from assessments and activity sheets to educational games and crafts, with resources available to use in the classroom and at home.

    Wow Kidz is a market leader in the Indian animation sector and is part of the India and Singapore based cartoon studio, Cosmos-Maya. Its YouTube multi-channel network has content from over 17 of its own titles in addition to nearly 15 acquired titles in 18 languages over 34 channels. The brand has over 60 million subscribers on YouTube with Vir The Robot Boy as its best performing IP, with 13 billion views of its own and contributing nearly 40 per cent of the multi-channel network’s gross viewership.

    Children can indulge in their love of Vir: The Robot Boy whilst developing skills in a wide range of topics that are suitable for children aged three to eleven years old. Covering subjects including literacy and art, the resources on Twinkl include activities such as sentence formations, creative writing prompts and colouring sheets. The educational materials are free to use and accessible to everyone through the Twinkl website.

    Wow Kidz’s parent company Cosmos-Maya CEO Anish Mehta said: “With schools closing down at the start of the lockdowns around the world in April 2020, the EdTech sector saw an unprecedented boost with online coaching modules that provided immense business opportunities for animation studios beyond the standard entertainment space. Entering this collaboration with Twinkl, we get to marry two booming segments of our company – merchandising and EdTech – while entering a mutually beneficial partnership from multiple standpoints: customer retention, brand and revenue potential.”

    Cosmos-Maya has been making strides in all possible avenues of the animation spectrum, and EdTech is the company’s youngest and fastest-growing division and is expected to account for 20 per cent+ of production revenues for FY 2022E.

    Cosmos-Maya edtech & gaming SVP of L&M Priti Karandikar added: “The key advantage of mixing entertainment in education is that it leads to creating genuine interest in the students towards acquiring knowledge. Well-known animated characters are extremely popular and can act as ‘Study Buddies’ – entertaining and cheerful contact points for learning without taking away the primary learning objective. These ‘Study Buddies’ make topics easy to memorize, by making them into stories with multiple perspectives.”

    Twinkl International Head Neil Cleverly said: “At Twinkl, we’re always asking ourselves how we can pique the interest of children and use this to engage them in learning. Through our partnership with Wow Kidz and Cosmos-Maya, we have been able to do exactly that.

    “The vibrant and imaginative animations that they are renowned for have enabled us to bring learning to life, all while providing valuable teaching tools for teachers, parents and carers. We know that these Vir: The Robot Boy resources are going to be a big hit with children right across India, as well as around the world.”

    Services and resources from Twinkl with the Wow Kidz brand will go live in India in the last week of March 2021.

  • Disney Channel readies for summer fun with new season of ‘Imagine That’

    Disney Channel readies for summer fun with new season of ‘Imagine That’

    MUMBAI: Disney Channel is all set to kick off a new season of Imagine That, returning in a brand new avatar on 18 April. This second instalment is ringing in a fresh new format led by talented DIY artist Simran Puri and actor Vishal Malhotra.

    Cello ColourUP has come onboard as the presenting sponsor, Byju’s is the powered by sponsor along with ITC Savlon as associate sponsor, while The Lego Group has taken up the role of creativity partner.

    The first season of Imagine That inspired a growing generation of young minds and garnered an unprecedented viewership; reaching out to 12.6 million kids across all its airing. The debut episode of season one was among the top five highest launches in the category in 2020; and the show was sampled by more than 36 million viewers across 2+ YRS TG and 14.1 million across 22-50 YRS TG across all its airings.

    In a similar vein, the new season will showcase different themes of art and DIY activities that will instil the importance of upcycling and utility in kids. The two hosts – Vishal and Simran will bring in a lot of energy, liveliness and fun to the show while helping shape the natural creativity and imagination in a child.

    From megatastic art installations made from recycled materials to two-minute DIY challenges and a magical mystery box that will pop up every episode, the show’s second edition promises a whole bunch of fresh new activities and challenges; reaching out to kids in a wholesome, fulfilling manner. This season will also give an opportunity to DIY experts from across India who will get to showcase their talent on the show as supermakers.

    “With our first season, we concentrated on encouraging kids to imagine, experiment and repurpose everyday items through the imaginative world of DIY and the response was truly overwhelming. This inspired us to explore a whole new format and bring in two new hosts in Vishal and Simran to make the property more engaging for kids while pushing the boundaries of their imagination and creativity,” said Star & Disney India infotainment, kids & regional entertainment channels president & head Kevin Vaz.  

  • Nickelodeon urges kids to share & care with ‘Give More, Grow More’

    Nickelodeon urges kids to share & care with ‘Give More, Grow More’

    MUMBAI: While the pandemic showed us the flip side of life and divided nations more than ever, it also enabled us to realise the importance of resilience and humanity. Leveraging this opportune time to educate kids about sharing, Nickelodeon has returned with the latest edition of the India leg of the global pro-socio campaign Together for Good. This year, Nickelodeon along with NGO partner Goonj is inspiring kids to share with those in need and spread happiness, with the message of “Give More & Grow More.”

    The campaign will see Nicktoons bring the message of fostering kindness through two engaging, fun and lighthearted on-air films that show kids the difference that they can bring in the lives of others by sharing and learning to give more. Link https://www.nickindia.com/together-for-good/.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment & kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “As a responsible broadcaster for kids, their well-being and growth is at the center of all our initiatives at Nickelodeon. Over the years we have introduced several social initiatives themed under ‘Together For Good’ to inspire positive behavioral change amongst kids. We believe that kids are the change agents of society and teaching them the importance of sharing is a key step towards helping instill a sense of empathy and high EQ.”

    As part of the campaign, Nickelodeon will be using several creative outreach methods to drive the message of Give More & Grow More amongst kids. The highly engaging digital campaign will see promotions on high reach platform like Youtube which will be further supported by a social media plan on Facebook and Instagram.

    Apart from this, the campaign will also come to life through engaging with mommy networks and influencers across cities who will help amplify the reach and ensure the message reaches far and wide.

    Together for Good is Nickelodeon's worldwide initiative that believes anyone, anywhere, anytime, can help make the world a better place. The previous editions of the campaign highlighted hard hitting topics including the academic pressure faced by young kids, child safety, sexual abuse among kids and more.  This edition will once again take a step towards fostering a sense of community and care, most relevant in the current global scenario of nations coming out of a global health crisis.