ITV

Category: Kids

  • Peppa Pig named Save The Children child ambassador

    Peppa Pig named Save The Children child ambassador

    MUMBAI: Child rights organisation Save the Children is emphasising on Right to Play as fundamental to the health and well-being of children and has announced Peppa Pig as their child ambassador to promote the importance of leisure time.

    Peppa Pig has been one of the most celebrated characters amongst kids and has a strong influence to instil positive behavioural change. In 2019, Viacom18 (also the official merchandising and licensing partner to Peppa) in association with Save The Children had come together for the ‘Peppa Plays Cricket’ campaign to unlock the potential of young cricketers. This year’s edition also saw eOne and Viacom18 Consumer Products engage kids to unleash their creativity by designing Peppa’s cricket jersey as kids were quarantined at home.

    This partnership will see several activities in the next one year, beginning with a collaboration with Hasbro’s Play-Doh brand through the ‘Cans of Kindness’ initiative. Over 1,000 children from underprivileged communities will receive cans of colourful and reusable Play-Doh for endless hours of fun and learning. With Play-Doh, children can make and create anything they imagine. The aim is to spark creativity, encourage the practice of fine motor skills and hand eye coordination. This first-of-its-kind collaboration between Peppa Pig and Play-Doh will encourage learning, creativity and most importantly – fun!

    With early childhood services, playgrounds, schools, and other public spaces for children still closed in India, there is limited access for play in the physical spaces. Save the Children and Peppa Pig will amplify and urge authorities to provide suitable conditions for children to play and #ProtectAGeneration at a time when children are locked up in their houses.

    While Peppa has become a global phenomenon, Viacom18 has been instrumental in building a stronger affinity towards the character in India by creating multiple touchpoints through its on-air, digital, merchandise and events verticals. Currently, Peppa Pig On Nick Jr India is amongst the top three properties in the pre-school genre, India and amongst Voot Kids pre-school properties as well. Viacom18 Consumer Products also recently announced a range of Peppa merchandise to delight kids while they continue to stay home.

    Save the Children CEO Sudarshan Suchi said, “Play is essential for children as it helps in developing their imagination, dexterity, physical, cognitive and emotional strength. It allows children to conquer their fears and master the world. Undirected play allows children to learn social behaviours, to share, to negotiate and to resolve conflicts. More than anything, play allows a child to experience happiness and joy, which is a fundamental building block to any other right.”

    “There has been a groundswell of affection for Peppa Pig after we first launched in India in June 2016 on Voot Kids before making its debut on Nick Jr India in January 2017. We are excited to spread happiness and joy at such a time when kids need it most. We will have Peppa engage in something that is extremely meaningful to kids and, with each activity meticulously planned for every child’s palate, we are looking forward to yet another great campaign,” said  global brand & marketing, family brands executive vice president Rebecca Harvey.

    Mahesh Shetty, head – network sales, Viacom18 said, “While the perils of the pandemic continue to exist, Right to Play is pertinent, especially in today’s times where kids continue to stay confined and are unable to engage, interact with the world around them. We are extremely delighted that Peppa has been chosen by Save The Children to be the child ambassador to promote Right to Play. We believe that Peppa has a strong influence on the minds of young kids and will play a key role in changing mindsets and reinforcing the value of play. Since 2016, Viacom18 has created a strong ecosystem for Peppa Pig with forays into broadcast, digital, merchandise and events. We look forward to partnering with eOne and Save The Children on the exciting initiatives planned in the coming months.”

    Hasbro South Asia country manager Bhavesh Somaya said, “At the heart of everything we do, lies our commitment to make the world a better place for all families and children. With concerted efforts, the Cans of Kindness campaign is a step towards building the Value of Play in India through creative, imaginative and fun play sessions using Play-Doh.”

  • Cartoon Network India serves up ‘The Tom and Jerry Show’ with an Indian tadka!

    Cartoon Network India serves up ‘The Tom and Jerry Show’ with an Indian tadka!

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network’s long-running, classic chase comedy, The Tom and Jerry Show, is now available in India with ‘Badle tevar aur flavour’! For the first time ever, the iconic show has been dubbed with Hindi, Tamil and Telugu commentary, bringing the duo’s legendary tales to Indian kids in a more relatable way. Adding another layer of immersive storytelling, Cartoon Network is airing this brand-new adaptation daily at 1.30pm and 6pm.

    The quirky commentary version of the most-loved slapstick comedy The Tom and Jerry Show stems from Cartoon Network’s approach to creating kids’ entertainment content that is fun, diverse, inclusive and relatable for all its fans. Cartoon Network and Pogo have exemplified this approach with tremendous success in India, with shows like Grizzy and the Lemmings, rib-tickling international silent-comedy animation.

    Cartoon  Network and Pogo South Asia network head Abhishek Dutta said, “We have been betting big in recent years on ‘glocal’ content that is relevant and relatable. The addition of commentary to enhance a slapstick silent comedy is a delicate task, one that we have successfully accomplished in the past. In our experience, this works brilliantly in India and the larger South Asian market. It was only a matter of time that we broke new frontiers with a ‘glocalized’ rendition of international fan-favourite, The Tom and Jerry Show, that is an inseparable part of Cartoon Network’s legacy. We are confident that our younger, newer audiences will definitely love the cat and mouse duo more than ever before, in the all-new Hindi, Tamil and Telugu commentary versions.”

    A quintessential slapstick animation comedy, The Tom and Jerry Show follows the misadventures of Tom, a house cat, in his never-ending quest to nab a feisty and notoriously clever mouse Jerry. The iconic rivalry between the titular characters and their unrelenting capers have garnered a global audience base. Already well-received in India, the dubbed edition of The Tom and Jerry Show is set to consolidate Cartoon Network’s leadership position in the Indian kids’ entertainment space.   

    Watch Tom & Jerry’s new ‘Badle tevar aur flavour’ promo here

  • Walt Disney Co witnesses slow recovery in Q4

    Walt Disney Co witnesses slow recovery in Q4

    NEW DELHI: The Walt Disney Company reported total revenue of $14,707 million in Q4, witnessing a decline of 23 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y). While parks, entertainment, products, studio entertainment business continued to register a dip, direct-to-consumer & international and media revenue saw an upsurge.

    The media revenues for the quarter stood at $7213 million, up 11 per cent year on year. The d2c & international revenue stood at $4853 million for the quarter and witnessed an upsurge of 41 per cent y-o-y. 

    Diluted earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations for the fourth quarter was a loss of $0.39 compared to income of $0.43 in the prior-year quarter. Excluding  certain items affecting comparability, diluted EPS for the quarter was a loss of $0.20 compared to  income of $1.07 in the prior-year quarter. EPS from continuing operations for the year was a loss of $1.57 compared to income of $6.26 in the prior year. Excluding certain items affecting comparability, EPS for  the year decreased to $2.02 from $5.76 in the prior year. 

    The most significant adverse impact in the current quarter and year from Covid2019 was approximately $2.4 billion and $6.9 billion, respectively, on operating income at parks, experiences and products segment due to revenue lost as a result of the closures or reduced operating capacities. 

    Media Networks revenues for the quarter increased 11 per cent to $7.2 billion, and segment operating  income increased 5 per cent to $1.9 billion. 

    Cable Networks revenues for the quarter increased 11 per cent to $4.7 billion and operating income  decreased 7 per cent to $1.2 billion. The decrease in operating income was due to lower results at ESPN,  partially offset by increases at FX Networks and the domestic Disney channels. 

    Broadcasting revenues for the quarter increased 10 per cent to $2.5 billion and operating income increased  47 per cent to $553 million. The increase in operating income was due to affiliate revenue growth and lower  network programming and production costs and decreased marketing expenses, partially offset by a timing  impact from new accounting guidance. 

    Advertising revenues were comparable to the prior-year quarter as lower average network viewership was offset by the benefit of an additional week in the current quarter, higher network rates and an increase  in political advertising at the owned television stations. 

    Parks, Experiences and Products revenues for the quarter decreased 61 per cent to $2.6 billion, and segment  operating results decreased $2.5 billion to a loss of $1.1 billion. Lower operating results for the quarter  were due to decreases at both the domestic and international parks and experiences businesses. 

    Studio Entertainment revenues for the quarter decreased 52 per cent to $1.6 billion and segment operating  income decreased 61 per cent to $419 million. The decrease in operating income was due to lower theatrical and  home entertainment results. 

    Direct-to-Consumer & international revenues for the quarter increased 41 per cent to $4.9 billion and  segment operating loss decreased from $751 million to $580 million. The decrease in operating loss was  primarily due to improved results at Hulu and ESPN+, partially offset by higher costs at Disney+, driven  by the ongoing rollout and a decrease at our international channels. 

    The improvement at Hulu was due to subscriber growth and increased advertising revenues driven by  higher impressions, partially offset by an increase in programming and production costs due to higher  subscriber-based fees for programming the live television service. 

    Higher results at ESPN+ were driven by subscriber growth and higher income from Ultimate Fighting  Championship pay-per-view events. 

    The Walt Disney Co CEO Bob Chapek said, “Even with the disruption caused by Covid2019, we’ve been able to effectively manage our  businesses while also taking bold, deliberate steps to position our company for greater long-term growth. The real bright spot has been our  direct-to-consumer business, which is key to the future of our company, and on this anniversary of the  launch of Disney+ we’re pleased to report that, as of the end of the fourth quarter, the service had more  than 73 million paid subscribers – far surpassing our expectations in just its first year.” 

  • IN10 Media ventures into kids entertainment with ‘Gubbare’

    IN10 Media ventures into kids entertainment with ‘Gubbare’

    MUMBAI: In honour of Children’s Day, IN10 Media Network is venturing into the kids’ entertainment space with the launch of new premium Hindi channel ‘Gubbare’.

    Gubbare aims to deliver non-stop entertainment and fun-learning for young viewers between the age of 2-14 through exciting animation series and movies. With Masti Ke Phuwarre as its brand tagline, the programming celebrates magic, mischief and merrymaking – elements that promise endless joy and cheer in the lives of kids.

    As per recent BARC data, kids’ entertainment continues to be one of the leading genres in terms of viewership in the urban Hindi speaking markets.

    IN10 Media Network MD Aditya Pittie said: “At IN10 Media Network, we are focused on building scalable businesses and strategically expanding our footprint in the industry. In our country, television continues to be a primary viewing platform for kids’ entertainment among most households. We are excited to launch Gubbare on Children’s day and build an affinity with kids through the channel’s distinctive and exciting programming.”

    Gubbare offers wholesome entertainment for kids and provides a platform for brands to associate with and reach out to their target audience. The content line up along with engagement synergies through marketing initiatives such as the ‘Gubbare Kids Club’, provides innovative ways for brands to engage with kids and create a level of interactivity. Fresh approach to content gives advertisers an opportunity to align with new characters and shows.

    A 24-hour kids channel, Gubbare’s library offers an eclectic mix of innovatively-told stories and fascinating characters, spinning tales of adventure, thrill, comedy, learning, etc. Transcending cultures and countries, the current programming includes a mix of Indian animation like Appu – The Yogic Elephant, Love U Ganesha, Chhota Hatim and Seven Monsters, as well as introduces Billa Jasoos, Marcus Khiladi, My Bhoot Friends, Leo & Tig, The Dabangg Girls, Atchoo to the Indian audience on the channel. Apart from cartoon shows, the channel will also telecast animated movies on weekends.

    Gubbare is a pay channel and will be a part of the ‘Apna Epic Value Pack’. It would also be available on all major DTH and cable operators across India. Viewers can tune into Gubbare on Airtel Digital DTH at Channel Number 465, on Fastway Transformers Private Ltd. at channel number 386, on GTPL Hathway at channel number 371, on GTPL KCBPL at channel number 312, on Indian Cable Net at channel number 717, on SITI Network at channel number 453, on UCN at channel number 195, on SITI Maurya Cable at channel number 716 and on Digiana at channel number 570.

    IN10 Media Network’s channel catalogue comprises: EPIC TV – India Ka Apna Infotainment, ShowBox – Apna Music, Apna Swag and Filamchi – Filman Ka Laalchi.

  • Disney restructures general entertainment division

    Disney restructures general entertainment division

    MUMBAI: Disney has unveiled the next leg of its company-wide restructuring, as general entertainment content chairman Peter Rice outlined key changes to the division under his charge.

    The move comes a month after Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek announced a strategic reorganization of its media and entertainment businesses.

    Rice is ditching the company's long-time legacy structure in order to create centralized groups that will be purely focused on content. It means that departments including marketing, publicity, scheduling and media planning are being consolidated into three distinct groups overseen by Shannon Ryan (Hulu and linear networks), former Twitter head of global creative Jayanta Jenkins (Disney+) and Stephanie Gibbons (FX/FX on Hulu).

    Rice has also vastly expanded Disney Channel president Gary Marsh's responsibilities. He will now serve as Disney Branded Television president and chief creative officer. Marsh will now look after all non-theatrical Disney-branded TV content made for tweens, teens and families, live-action, animation and even specials. He will also oversee the Disney+ unscripted content and production teams. Marsh will continue to report to Rice.

    National Geographic Content president Courteney Monroe has similarly been given an expanded role. She will add oversight of NatGeo content on Disney+ as well as linear networks. (NatGeo is a one of the centralized channels on Disney+.) Monroe will join Rice's senior leadership team and continue to report to NatGeo partners chairman Gary Knell (who also reports to Rice).

    Dana Walden has also been given a new role, she will serve as Walt Disney TV entertainment chairman. Her responsibilities remain largely the same, after the TV stations unit moved over to the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution Group overseen by the recently promoted Kareem Daniel. It is believed that Walden is expected to announce her own restructuring in the coming weeks. Walden looks after Hulu, ABC, Freeform and Disney Television Studios. The latter division includes 20th Television, ABC Signature and Touchstone Television (formerly Fox 21).

    "This is a big change to our legacy television structure which was built around linear networks," Rice said in a memo to staff on Tuesday. "But as we look to the future and how consumers choose to watch their programming, this reorganization is an opportunity for us to fully focus on what we do best, making great programming for viewers wherever they choose to watch their favourite shows,” he added.

    The restructuring also includes the consolidation of marketing, publicity and media planning. One agency, led by Hulu and general entertainment content marketing president Shannon Ryan will market DGE content distributed to Hulu and the linear networks, which covers content produced by Disney Television Studios, Hulu Originals, ABC Entertainment, Freeform and ABC News.

    Jayanta Jenkins, who last worked with Samsung, is joining as Disney+ and general entertainment content marketing head and will oversee a second internal agency that covers marketing, publicity and media planning for DGE-created content for Disney+ and linear networks including Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD and National Geographic.

    Ryan will answer to Walden, while Jenkins will report to Marsh and Monroe.

    FX’s marketing and publicity team, led by Stephanie Gibbons, will continue to market all FX programming for Hulu and linear.

  • ‘Smashing Simmba’: Bollywood supercop gets an animated avatar

    ‘Smashing Simmba’: Bollywood supercop gets an animated avatar

    MUMBAI: Rohit Shetty’s Simmba, the most recent blockbuster of his sensational supercop brand, has been transformed into an animated series for young fans. The Bollywood-inspired Pogo original production Smashing Simmba will premiere on Saturday, 14 November at 1 pm and will be aired regularly in the same time slot. The series is produced by Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Reliance Animation, a part of Reliance Entertainment.

    Film director and producer Rohit Shetty said he was onboard with a cartoon avatar for his cop character the moment the concept was pitched to him.  “It is amazing to see how the series has shaped up. The blend of comedy and nail-biting action, with young Simmba’s cool quotient, and funny traits, is sure to appeal to the young audience. I am eager for kids to experience the animated rendition of their favourite big-screen hero Simmba on Pogo.”

    Cartoon Network and Pogo South Asia network head Abhishek Dutta believed the time was ripe for a fresh entrant in the Indian cartoon animation scene. “Within the diverse genres of homegrown animation, Bollywood has emerged as a theme widely appreciated by young fans. When Indian cinema’s most popular characters are presented in animated universes with relatable stories, kids absolutely love it. We are excited to associate with industry stalwarts Rohit Shetty and Reliance Entertainment for this unique venture, and Diwali is the perfect time to celebrate this partnership.”

    Following the recent launch of Titoo, Pogo has been strengthening its offerings of popular and premium homegrown kids’ entertainment content, shared Dutta. “Smashing Simmba is exactly the kind of locally-made and relatable show that will delight our young viewers. I’m sure kids will extend the same love to our new hero, Simmba, that they have for all our shows and characters over the years.”

    Reliance Entertainment group CEO Shibasish Sarkar said, “We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting new show with a pioneering channel Pogo which has championed the evolution of kids’ entertainment in India. Given the channel’s vast and growing viewership comprising kids across the length and breadth of the country, there could be no better partner for Simmba’s foray into the kids’ entertainment space.”

    The Indian animation space for kids is evolving rapidly along with its viewers, and content creators are eager to experiment with stories, characters, and backdrops, explained Reliance Animation COO Tejonidhi Bhandare. “Cinema-inspired IPs, featuring characters who are loved for their memorable personalities and nuances, have massive potential to become popular properties. ‘Smashing Simmba’ is an excellent example of how creatively Bollywood and animation can come together, opening avenues for endless possibilities.”

    Pogo’s has adopted a high-octane promotional campaign for the nationwide launch of Smashing Simmba. This includes extensive digital marketing, PR, influencer engagement, brand integrations along with on-air activation. To amp up the buzz and excitement, the channel will unveil an Simmba-themed game ahead of the show’s launch. The programme will also be available in Hindi and Tamil.

    Smashing Simmba follows the hilarious cavorts of the quick-witted and fearless teenager Simmba, who aspires to be a police officer. A fun-loving prankster with endless tricks up his sleeve, Simmba spends the better part of his days nabbing villains and miscreants. Thick as thieves with his friends Ricky and Kittu Khabari, Simmba finds himself on exciting adventures which perfectly represent his catchphrase, “mind is blowing.” With his signature move – the infallible ‘jumpy chumpy’ – the villains don’t stand a chance.

    Watch the mind-blowing Smashing Simmba promo here.

  • What’s exciting Nickelodeon India’s Nina Jaipuria this festive season

    What’s exciting Nickelodeon India’s Nina Jaipuria this festive season

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon has been the undisputed leader in kid's TV space in India for several years now. It has created several iconic characters such as Motu-Patlu, Gattu Battu, Rudra, and Dadduji that have been immensely loved by children as well as the brands. With over 700 hours of content, the franchise today has the largest, immersive, and most versatile local content library in the category. The channel is aiming to increase 100 hours of content by the next fiscal year. 

    In its quest to continue its leadership position, the kids’ entertainment franchise announced the launch of its tenth indigenous IP Pinaki & Happy- The Bhoot Bandhus on Sonic. Produced by Delhi based Tavrohi Animations, the new 3D animated show is fast paced, entertaining, spooky – perfect to take the young viewers on an adventurous joy ride starting 9 November, Monday at 11:30 am on Sonic. The show will have three slots on the channel for the whole day. It is a ghost story mixed with comedy.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and the kids TV Network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria highlighted that this project started 20 months ago and ever since that time, it was in the pipeline. Said she: “Any kids content requires a lot of time because it needs much planning in advance, animation and then you start producing episodes. In the middle of all this is the characterization, scripting and then eight language dubbing.”   

    In the meantime, Jaipuria along with the team actively looked at the market research, emerging trends in the kid's section and deep dived into their own portfolio. The channel is looking at white spaces that are untapped and have not been catered to the Indian animation industry. 

    New Storyline

    For Pinaki & Happy- The Bhoot Bandhus, the channel wrote down an entire hypothesis, worked on the characters, and in fact tested the show. The new property will portray an unusual family of ghosts, who adopt a boy, the titular character – Pinaki, and raise him as one of their own. Fun and chaos ensues when both the worlds collide. The show will illustrate daily adventures, familial love, the friendship of Pinaki and Happy as the fun unfolds when the ‘bhoot world meets the real world’. Directed by Ankur Chauhan, the lyrics of the title track have been penned by the legendary Gulzar, and the music composed by Simaab Sen.

    Elaborating more on the number of episodes and the overall plan for the show, Jaipuria shared that the number completely depends upon the viewership, ratings and ROI. Nickelodeon aims to expand the library for every single IP. –this is not what we are supposed to do…

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and the kids TV Network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria highlighted that work on the show  started 20 months ago, which is what animation projects normally take in India.

    Jaipuria along with the team undertook market research, emerging trends in the kid's section and deep dived into their own portfolio. The channel is looking at white spaces that are untapped and have not been catered to by the Indian animation industry.

    Nickelodeon enjoys strong viewership from rural areas as there are no FTA (Free to air) channels in the kid's category.

    Read more news on Nickelodeon

    Marketing Strategy

    The show launch will be supported by a robust promotion plan across all platforms, which will include an aggressive TV plan within the Viacom18 network and outside the network. In addition to the high blitz television promotions, the launch will be promoted on cable channels, DTH, OTT platforms, music streaming apps amongst others. There are various innovations lined up on the digital front, including tons of quirky communication on YouTube. There would be a high decibel influencer campaign reaching out to the digital audiences. The promotions will also extend to schools through an expansive virtual school contact program. Further adding to the experience will be fun Bhoot Bandhus inspired digital games, contests, AR filters, virtual dance face-offs, and a series of engaging and interesting on-line interactivity.

    Leadership Position

    Jaipuria shared that the channels’ prime focus has been to create a local IP that it could own and sweat it across platforms and revenue streams. She mentioned, “It was about creating a local IP in a manner where we created a portfolio and content library which expands in width and depth. It means we don’t only have the number of IPs we kept launching over the last 10 years but also the number of episodes we created for every IP. I think that has helped us to keep the pole position for Nickelodeon. The thing that keeps us on the rating front is also the fact that how we focus on our characters. So, story writing and scriptwriting is extremely important.”

    According to Jaipuria, it is extremely important for Nickelodeon to have a franchise and own IPs. Firstly from the ROI perspective, it helps to manifest it on various other platforms. The Nickelodeon IP exists in many avatars that include television, Voot kids, mobile games, product licensing, promotion licensing and consumer products. She pointed out that all the IPs have a long shelf life and start giving profits over a period of time. It keeps the channel ahead of the curve. Jaipuria mentioned, “Kids are early screen adapters and our strategy was to be present on every screen the kids want us to be. Owning the IP and having it for ourselves was very important. It is only then you can put your IP on any screen that the kid demands.”

    Brands Play

    Jaipuria didn’t hesitate to admit that the pandemic was brutal for the overall broadcast industry and the channel. Nickelodeon witnessed a dip in the adex by 20 per cent. The months from April to June were slow, but as the normalcy returns and products are back on the shelves, advertising has started to grow. Now, adex has gone back to the 2019 level. Starting October the ad volumes have been slightly more. She shared, “Market sentiment has improved, and advertisers are back. Several new categories have also come onboard like e-commerce, automobiles, Edutech, and e-wallet. These include brands like – Vedantu, Byjus, PhonePe, Amazon Pay and others. Some of the advertisers are also new like Lego and Mars. Currently, November and December look overfull. In fact, even during the lockdown, we did not give discounts on ad rates. We are operating on zero discount and I am hoping that the rates will go up.”

    The channel has both kid and non-kid advertisers. Kid advertisers are normally FMCG brands like Nestle, Britannia and likewise. But there are non-kid clients also that are targeting the gatekeepers or the co-viewers of the channel. These include e-commerce, automobile, insurance etc. Jaipuria thinks that kids are very good negotiators and have a lot of decision-making power and they are taken into consideration for a lot of household decisions. Brands that are advertising are also aware of the fact that there will be a lot of pester power. Kids now are so tech-savvy that they dominate the discussion on buying decisions – be it household items, groceries, electronics, which paint to apply or which car to buy. Jaipuria opined that this is one of the main reasons why so many advertisers choose Nickelodeon to reach out to these influencers and induce them to buy popular brands.

    She concluded, “We have grown on the top line by 12 to 15 per cent last year. We have grown our ad-rates by that much because 12 minutes is all we have to sell. So, all the increase that we get every year comes from value and rates. We are looking at growing and having a fair share in the ad-rate and considering that we are so under indexed at three per cent and considering the genre share at 7 per cent, we do want to take our ad-rates up every year."

  • Nick announces 10th indigenous IP, ‘Pinaki & Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus’

    Nick announces 10th indigenous IP, ‘Pinaki & Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus’

    MUMBAI: Continuing the rich legacy of being India’s leading kids’ entertainment franchise in the category, Nickelodeon has sustained the number one rank for the sixth year in a row. After achieving immense success with other home-grown IPs like Motu Patlu, Pakdam Pakdai, Shiva, Rudra, amongst others, Nickelodeon is all set to venture into yet another untapped space. Post the resounding success of nine IPs, the franchise is now set to introduce the first ever spooky-comic series in the category with the launch of their tenth Indigenous IP -Lego presents Pinaki & Happy- The Bhoot Bandhus on Sonic.

    Produced by Tavrohi Animation, the show is fast paced, entertaining, spooky, combined with comedy which will take the young viewers on an adventurous joy ride starting 9 November at 11:30 am.

    Taking the kids into a new world of fun, the show will portray an unusual family of ghosts, who adopt the central character of the show – Pinaki and raise him as one of their own. The high-octane comedy combined with some “Bhootbaazi” will take the viewers on a laughter ride with mysterious and hilarious stories of Pinaki & Happy- The Bhoot Bandhus. The show will illustrate daily adventurous of Pinaki & Happy as the fun unfolds when the bhoot world meets the real world. The show is directed by Ankur Chauhan. Legendary lyricist Gulzaar has once again scripted lyrics for the title track of the show and the music is created by Simaab Sen. The unique spooky-comic, home-grown animated show from the house of Nickelodeon will further strengthen the franchise’s diverse content portfolio. With over 700 hours of content the franchise today has the largest, immersive and the most versatile local content library in the category. The coming year will see further scaling of the content library with over 100 + hours of content, expected to be added through new episodes and made for television movies.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV Network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Kids are at the center of our universe and understanding their evolving preferences and catering to their diverse entertainment needs is at the core of all our initiatives. With each passing year, we have identified white spaces and brought alive clutter breaking and pioneering series that have gone on to be category game changers and favorites amongst all our stakeholders -kids, parents and advertisers ensuring that we are the most loved No1 kids entertainment brand in the country. With the launch of our new show Pinaki & Happy- The Bhoot Bandhus on Sonic, we are set to once again enthrall our young viewers with an immersive and unmatched entertainment experience.”

    Viacom18 Kids TV Network content head Anu Sikka said, “With the launch of our new show Pinaki & Happy- The Bhoot Bandhus, we are expanding our already popular programming catalogue to keep our young audience entertained. Each character and their traits are so carefully crafted that I’m confident that the Bhoot Bandhus will be thoroughly loved by the kids. The show promises to take kids into a new world of fun bringing to them first of it’s spooky-comedy series which takes them on a laughter ride when the bhoot world meets the real world. Over the years our adorable toons have formed an unbreakable bond with kids through the stories they tell and we are confident that our young viewers will surely embrace the new characters  and make them a part of their daily lives.”

    Pivoting the media mix to the new normal, the marketing campaign will leave no stone unturned in reaching out to kids through all possible screens. The show launch will be supported by a robust promotion plan across all platforms, which will include an aggressive TV plan within the Viacom18 network and outside the network.In addition to the high blitz television promotions, the launch will be promoted on cable channels, DTH, OTT platforms, music streaming apps amongst others. There are various innovations lined up on the digital front, including tons of quirky communication on YouTube. There would be a high decibel influencer campaign reaching out to the digital audience. The promotions will also extend to schools through an expansive virtual school contact programme.  Further adding to the experience will be fun Bhoot Bandhus inspired digital games, contests, AR filters, virtual dance face offs and series of engaging and interesting on-line interactivity that will transport kids into a world of escape.

    With a perpetual spirit to innovate, Nickelodeon has always identified white spaces and launched characters that are kid’s favourite today. With the launch of Pinaki & Happy- The Bhoot Bandhus, the Nickelodeon franchise has been true to its repute of being a pioneer and has plugged another entertainment white space in the spooky-comic genre.

  • Motu Patlu wins big at the Asian Academy Creative Awards ‘20

    Motu Patlu wins big at the Asian Academy Creative Awards ‘20

    MUMBAI: It has been nearly eight years since Motu Patlu started entertaining children and the programme continues to remain in the top slot among kids’ animated shows on TV and digital platforms. At the annual Asian Academy Creative Awards held in Singapore, the immensely popular kids’ show by Cosmos-Maya has been declared the national winner from India in the best animated programme or series (2D or 3D) category.

    Cosmos-Maya CEO Anish Mehta shared, “We are absolutely elated to witness the manner in which our Motu and Patlu have slowly gained pop icon status in India, from comic book characters to one of the top-viewed cartoons by Indians globally. This recognition by AACA goes to show how the world is our oyster and how our industry is gearing up for a global culture-agnostic media market.”

    Motu Patlu recently celebrated its 1000-episode milestone, a record it’s managed to set in the short span of eight years since the show’s launch in 2012, and the show has commanded a viewership of 7 billion globally by nearly 55 million subscribers on Cosmos-Maya’s YouTube multichannel network WowKidz.

    Cosmos-Maya CCO and Motu Patlu director Suhas Kadav said, “Watching our creations grow from familiar characters to one of the most viewed and loved shows is a journey few content creators get to undertake. Motu, Patlu, Dr Jhatka, Ghasitaram and the townspeople of Furfuri Nagar have been nurtured by our team like family and will always hold a special place in my heart. There’s no better feeling than seeing our beloved characters win such huge laurels at such prestigious events.”

    Motu Patlu will compete with national winners from ten other countries for the final round of the AACA, which will be held virtually from Singapore in December this year.

    One of the prime viewership drivers for kids’ channel Nickelodeon, Motu Patlu has consistently commanded the top four slot in viewership, watch time and ratings as per BARC statistics, and it’s been declared the most popular animation show in the world by Google, two years in a row. Moreover, Motu and Patlu are the only animated characters from India to have their wax statues at the famous Madame Tussaud’s Museum. The success of the series has resulted in 21 telemovies, a full-length 3D stereoscopic feature film and a spin-off show with one of its characters, Inspector Chingum, is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

  • ViacomCBS launches new kids division

    ViacomCBS launches new kids division

    MUMBAI: ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS), part of ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), is all set to launch a new kids content division and has appointed Nickelodeon executive Nina Hahn to head the operations.

    Viacom said that VIS Kids will allow for the expansion of the studio’s global kids content pipeline, further broadening its offering to include short and long form content that will be produced and sold to third parties, in addition to ViacomCBS brands and platforms.

    From London, Hahn will hold her current role as SVP of production & development at Nickelodeon International. In the meantime she will be taking on the additional responsibilities as head of VIS Kids.

    Hahn will closely work with ViacomCBS International Studios and ViacomCBS Networks Americas president Juan Acosta. She will continue to report to VCNI kids and family EVP Jules Borkent.

    “VIS has an existing footprint in the kids arena with successful series like Club 57 and Noobees, so we felt it’s time to launch our own kids division of ViacomCBS International Studios. Nina has been a driving force behind many of Nickelodeon’s ground-breaking and award-winning series across the globe, and I am confident she will build on VIS’ momentum at the helm of VIS Kids,” said Acosta.

    Hahn added, “I’m honoured to be heading up VIS Kids and plan to establish deep, diverse and inclusive roots in kids content.”