ITV

Tag: Kids

  • Chhota Bheem’s store takes kids for a roller coaster ride

    Chhota Bheem’s store takes kids for a roller coaster ride

    MUMBAI: Chhota Bheem, the Indian toon phenomenon launched its brand new Green Gold store in Chembur, Mumbai on 14 September. This merchandising arm of Green Gold Animation, creators of Chhota Bheem is the third Green Gold store in Mumbai and 27th in India. The opening of this store aims to bring this toon character even closer to his young admirers and give them an opportunity to endorse him.

    The event also gave kids the chance to meet and play with their super-hero in person. “Chhota Bheem today is an iconic character in the arena of Indian animation. A phenomenon in India with a viewership of over 40 million, the character has begun to enjoy a cult status. Bringing him closer to his audiences was an obvious extension. At our store, our young customers can buy a variety of Chhota Bheem merchandises. And the experience is uniform and seamless across all our stores”, says Green Gold stores head Sudeesh Varma.
    Kids have a gala time with their favourite toon character

    Of the numerous activities lined up to entertain the young guests, the ‘Meet & Greet’ activity evoked tremendous response with children clamoring for more of the toon character. Also the store was stocked with Chhota Bheem merchandises and goodies that kept the kids enthralled for hours.

    “From clothing to comics, bedroom decor to accessories, movies to apparel, board-games to puzzles the store is a one stop destination for every Chhota Bheem fan. Green Gold store houses all essential Chhota Bheem merchandises and offers a unique experience to his young fans. The store will introduce an exciting range of merchandise for the upcoming festive season soon.  The new line will include school stationery, toys games, apparel and many more,” adds Varma.

    With a country wide distribution network of merchandises, Green Gold stores showcase and sell a wide variety of branded apparels, comics, DVDs, watches, mugs, photo-frames, key chains, magnets, school bags, labels, stickers, tattoos, masks, toys, board games and other gift items. “All products sold at the stores go through rigorous quality inspection and are sourced from the best vendors in India.
    The merchandise price range starts from Rs 20 to Rs 1699 covering various kids’ product categories.

  • Sun shines on kids

    Sun shines on kids

    The Sun TV Network – with its repertoire of 33 channels across genres including entertainment, music, movies, comedy, news and kids – is arguably a very big name in television (media), both in India and Asia.

    While the group debuted with its entertainment channel, Sun TV, back in 1993, children got their very own space on the network not before 2007. The Kids Cluster, as it came to be called, kick-started with Chutti TV (Tamil), followed soon by Kochu TV (Malayalam), Chintu TV (Kannada) and Kushi TV (Telugu).

    Of the four kids channels, Chutti and Kochu are extremely popular with a nearly 80 per cent reach in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, respectively.

    Kavitha Jaubin knows that maintaining a kids channel is difficult but for Sun Network it has proved to be a good market

    The mainstay of the cluster, whose core target is kids in the age group of four to fourteen years, is cartoon acquisitions from numerous distributors and production houses like Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, Viacom18 and Scholastic. 80 per cent of the content is similar on all four channels while the remaining 20 per cent varies based on cultural preferences of the state in question.

    Says Sun TV Network Kids Cluster of Channels Head Kavitha Jaubin: “Till now, we’ve only been airing acquired content but we hope to own a few titles soon, considering how well we’ve understood our little audience’s interest patterns and what content they view the most.”

    The acquired content has to be dubbed by a skilled team in each state, which develops a script in the respective language. “The USP of our channel content is the nature of dubbing. It is extremely witty and is thoroughly enjoyed by our audience,” says Jaubin, adding that nearly a week goes into scripting and dubbing an episode.

    Yes, there is some amount of in-house content produced by the network’s 20-strong programming team, which includes game shows, chat shows, news segments, cookery shows and arts and crafts shows. For the purpose, they have studios in Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

    While a major portion of the content is international, the network is looking to change this trend by including more local content. Some of the popular shows include Geronimo Stilton from Moonscoop, Penguins of Madagascar, Avatar from Viacom18, Jackie Chan Adventures from Sony Pictures and Little Prince from DQ Entertainment. Recently, the network acquired Little Krishna from Viacom 18 for Janmashtami, and is looking to acquire more such as Barney and Friends.

    Since the cluster caters to kids, the channels take care to handpick the content and also censor it to suit the tiny tots.

    “There are a few things that we particularly avoid – violence, content that hurts the sentiments of any section of the population or forces parents to scrutinise it,” says Jaubin.

     

    The other thing the network does in terms of cartoons is placing them as per the time band and the age of the audience viewing them.

    The morning audience mainly comprises kids between eight and 10 years of age, which changes to pre-schoolers by afternoon. Whereas, evenings are when kids in the age group of 9-14 years watch these channels, often accompanied by parents. At this hour, the channel claims to focus on edutainment type of cartoons more than action.

    Speaking of cartoons, those among the Kids Cluster of Channels airing them seem to be doing well.

    Mudra Max Media south head Anil Sathiraju says that a channel which talks regional does better than the one which does not. “Chutti TV is doing very well and for a kids’ TG, it delivers fantastically,” he says.

    According to Sathiraju, the cartoon genre doesn’t face competition from regional channels, with only Chithiram TV from the Kalaignar Group doing fairly well in Tamil Nadu and none in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

    It’s mainly national channels like Pogo, Cartoon Network and Disney that are capable of giving the cluster channels a run for their money. “The effect Pogo gives is pan-India while a Chutti TV or a Chintu TV is only restricted to the state,” says Sathiraju.

    Advertising-wise, the ads aired on these channels are directed straight at the kids who’re watching. The prime time of 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm on weekdays and also weekends is when advertisers make the most out of their products. ITC, Surf Excel and Horlicks are some of the brands that advertise with these channels.

    Sun TV sources revealed all four channels in the cluster would be generating advertising revenue in the region of Rs 80 crore with Chutti and Kochu contributing a lion’s share.

    The channels are hardly visible on the digital front. The website has a game section which includes colouring and puzzles. A small section allows users to upload their childrens’ photos on their birthdays that will be displayed on the site. Show timings for the day can also be found out.

    Children dressed up for an event organised by Chintu TV

    Most of the marketing they do is for their shows through outdoor events. There are regular events and contests, the most recent one being on Janmashtami when kids were made to dress up as Lord Krishna and his consort Radha and click photographs.

    Other events include Chutti Premiere League on the lines of IPL, where a cartoon character heads a team and children vote for their favourite team; theme-based carnivals and so on. “This has definitely helped us gain visibility and intensify the already existing popularity,” says Jaubin.

    Is there room for more channels in the kids’ space? “It is a challenge to tailor programs that suit kids’ interests, and at the same time, sustain it,” says Jaubin.

    As things stand, the Kids Cluster seems to have made a place for itself in kids’ hearts although it continues to face stiff competition not from regional but national children’s channels.

  • Warner Bros launches Kids’ WB stores

    Warner Bros launches Kids’ WB stores

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros Consumer Products (WBCP) has forayed into the stand-alone store space with the launch of its latest retail concept – Kids’ WB. As part of this concept, all Warner Bros licensed merchandise across categories and properties, will be showcased and be on sale under the brand Kids’ WB.

    “The launch of the Kids’ WB Stores is a unique and important initiative for Warner Bros brands in India. We are pleased with the consumer response and look forward to more consumers and fans of our brands being able to experience the stores opening in their cities,” said Warner Bros Consumer Products MD – Australia, New Zealand and India Preston Kevin Lewis, commenting on the launch of the concept in India.

    Consumers will now be able to purchase apparel, accessories, footwear, toys, stationery, home décor, books, infant hardlines, food, personal care and other merchandise featuring world famous Warner Bros properties such as Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Tweety, Scooby-Doo, as well as DC Comics Super Heroes, including Superman and Batman.

    Kids’ WB is a first of its kind initiative by Warner Bros Consumer Products in India. Following a successful launch in Coimbatore, Warner Bros Consumer Products is taking the concept to several other cities across the country – Chandigarh, being the next city to unveil a store launch, soon to be followed by Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai subsequently.

    “By keeping diverse categories under one roof, the Kids’ WB retail concept is a fun, engaging destination for parents and kids,” said En theos consulting managing partner Nagarajan Subramanian. En theos is the licensing product and retail representatives in India for Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

  • Join this fun ride for the family

    What does Disney stand for?

    Devika: The core value that Disney stands for is celebration of the family. Expressing yourself, following your dream – these are universal themes. When we create content, we try to locally recreate it. Best of Luck Nikki is one of the best examples of a show that‘s able to balance a very strong track that focuses on both parents and children. As it‘s a large family, there‘s something for every age group to connect with.

    Your content has evolved and today, you have various channels under the Disney umbrella. Please elaborate.

    Devika: Disney is a kid-centric family-inclusive entertainment channel. That‘s something we‘ve been very mindful of and committed to.

    Devika Prabhu says that for Disney UTV having shows that are kids-centric and family inclusive is important

    In terms of content, we started off with Disney Animation, which has sound heritage value, then adding Disney Live Action. Initially, we had a lot of the original series used by Disney USA but over the years, we felt the need to make our content more relevant to viewers in India. So, we created local series such asBest of Luck Nikki, Karan and Kabir and Shake it Up, which we are proud to have pioneered in this space.

    While there have been many attempts to create live action in the past, there hasn‘t been anything created so family-focused and family-inclusive and we are happy to be the ones to initiate such programming and keep it going. In 2011, live action was only six per cent of our schedule but this year, it is nearly 18 per cent. We are committed to growing that because we want Disney to be enjoyed by all.

    As for the different channels, Disney XD is all about humour, action and passion and is also the home of our Marvel Comics content.

    Hungama celebrates the fun and mischief of childhood – something anyone of any age can relate to and appreciate.

    Disney Junior, which targets pre-school children between two and seven years of age, is literally our baby. It is the home of pre-school content and popular shows like Micky Mouse Clubhouse and The Lion King.

    While you say you are committed to growing live action at Disney, will these live action shows be originals or remakes?

    Indrajit: Great stories are great stories. So whether it‘s a version of a show written in the US or an original, we focus on great stories with great characters as wholesome entertainment for kids.

    Great stories are what catches Disney UTV‘s eye says Indrajit Ray

    Many of our shows are re-versions but at the end of the day, it‘s about great stories that are universal.

    How easy or difficult is it to adapt from an original?

    Indrajit: We contextualise it in terms of the setting such as the kind of family, which part of India will they be from and what are the characters.

    For instance, in one of the upcoming shows, there is this character of a governess which doesn‘t really fit into the Indian milieu. So, it‘s about adapting to the closest Indian character – in this case, a ‘daima‘ – who fits in. Then you go on to the dialogue – will it be in Gujarati, Punjabi, et al.

    How do you package shows to suit different age groups?

    Devika: Being in the kids‘ space, our demographic is four to 14 years. In this country, school timings are varied, so we make sure we have quality entertainment all day. We do schedule our live action post 8:00 pm so that the family can sit together and enjoy. There‘s special focus on the weekend, especially the mornings. On Sunday mornings, we have show premieres while Saturday mornings are for movies.

    What‘s the kind of response you get?

    Devika: It is important for us to understand family demographics and reflect that. For instance, we understand that kids are becoming more democratic than ever before, parents are looking to be closer to their children, and children are having a greater say in things that influence their lives.

    So we choose to keep the dialogue open, and do that through syndicated research, focus groups and facebook pages. There are many avenues for us to interact with them.

    Indrajit: In terms of structure, we are very focused and undertake research to understand the viewer better. One of the things that came out was that kids are very techno-savvy these days. They enjoy a lot of their entertainment on screens other than television as well. This kind of feedback that we get on a regular basis is worked back into the setting to make the content even more relevant to viewers.

    What is it that sets Disney apart?

    Devika: For instance, we have the magical world of Disney movies on Saturday mornings and these are what the parents have grown up with as well – The Lion King, Cinderella, Peter Pan,101 Dalmatians. These stories take you down memory lane and you enjoy sharing them with your kids. The kind of content we have on Disney, keeping these aspects in mind, sets it apart.

    Neel and Yash from Shake It Up

    Indrajit: There‘s a huge thing about trust. Adults trust us with our content, and that is very important to us. Yes, there‘s always going to be competition and pressure, but these things make us what we are and what differentiate us from the rest.

    With so many GECs in the race, how does Disney UTV manage to stay on top in the minds of its audience? Vishaka Chakrapani spoke to Disney UTV Digital COO Sameer Ganapathy to understand the channel‘s social media strategy.

    How is Disney making its presence felt online?

    Disney is a family entertainment brand with content present across television, cinema, consumer products and digital.

    With the evolution of the digital space, especially social media, we believe it‘s a great way to engage fans and have a two-way communication with them. A strong online presence across YouTube, Facebook and Twitter is a significant step in that direction.

    Some statistics about the Disney App for feature phones:

    Disney App – Feature phones (Since launch)

    · 1.4 million+ downloads

    · 465 GB data streamed every month

    · 12.95 minutes streamed per user per day

    · More than 20,000 minutes of content streamed every day
    Sameer Ganapathy says that their effort is to make sure content is available on multiple platforms

    Our strategy is to provide our web users with constant updates on our programming and also create a platform for Disney fans to get together and enjoy content on their favourite franchises. Our efforts are to ensure that our content is available to viewers and fans whenever and wherever they want it.

    Of the three platforms Disney India is operating on, which one is getting the most traction? Why and how are you maintaining this?

    Currently, the Facebook page is garnering maximum engagement among fans. With Facebook, we have an average of 13 per cent engagement over the past six months.

    The Disney India Facebook page is home to all things Disney including daily contests and interactive content for our fans. In the past, we‘ve had multiple activities on the page, ranging from Disney Consumer Product franchises to show promotions and awareness. Activities like Disney Back2School, DisneyQ and Art Attack received a very positive response and we hope to continue the momentum with the release of Disney‘s Planes that is just round the corner.

    How important are mobile devices? What is the split between these and desktop viewing? Are apps big for you?

    At Disney Media Networks, our efforts are to ensure that our content is available to viewers and fans whenever and wherever they want it.

    An important part of our strategy is to ensure content availability across multiple screens including mobiles. On YouTube, we have 6.3 million views for Disney India; of which, over 1.2 million views come from mobile phones.

    Ours is a generation of screen-agers and mobile phones have emerged a personal source of entertainment to access games, videos and more. We aim to provide our users with content that can travel with them across screens, from television to computers to mobile phones. Just last year, we launched the Disney App for feature phones, which has short format videos for fans. The beauty of this app is that fans get seamless video viewing experience even on data connectivity like Edge and GPRS.

    With its niche content and programming, who are the advertisers on Disney UTV? Vishaka Chakrapani spoke to Disney UTV Media Networks ad sales executive director Nikhil Gandhi to get a feel of the kind of advertising the channel attracts.

    Who are the advertisers you have on board?

    Currently, we have several long-term advertisers on our channels like ITC Foods, Nestle, Cadbury and Hindustan Unilever to name some.

    Nikhil Gandhi says the focus on mothers gives a better prospect for media plans

    Which shows get the best/highest number of advertisements?

    There are no specific shows that are the key drivers. Advertisers are driven by two types of content – Performance driven shows or shows and movies based on saliency. We are very excited about our original productions and live action is definitely the way forward for us.

    Which categories/companies spend the most on advertising on your channels? Are there any emerging spenders?

    We have a significant number of FMCG (Fast Manufacturing Consumer Goods) advertisers on our channels. However, with our content reaching out to family audiences, there is a new genre and categories of advertisers who target families, especially mothers looking to explore our channels.

    What does advertising on such channels offer to these advertisers? Any trends and insights you can share with us?

    Families are becoming far more democratic in nature and kids today have become key influencers and more involved in the decision making process. With kids at the centre, our channels engage families, especially mothers, and therefore, offer a greater efficiency to any media plan.

    Which time band is most preferred and why?

    In the kids‘ genre, we cater to a broad segment of children across our channels. During weekdays, the afternoons become a significant band for us. Sunday mornings have already been established as an exciting band with our live action shows such as Best of Luck Nikki,Shake It Up and more. We already have the Magical World of Disney block on Saturdays, and we are focusing on building Saturday mornings as a key slot for advertisers as well.

    The Singh family from Best of Luck Nikki

    So what is the primetime for advertising?

    Like mentioned before, afternoons on weekdays since kids are generally in schools. However, with our live action shows – Sunday mornings become extremely important for us, and we are building on Saturday mornings as well.

     

    Do advertisers differ for weekends and weekdays?

    No. We see the same traction on weekdays as well as weekends.
  • Netflix loads up on kids shows yet again with Scholastic deal

    Netflix loads up on kids shows yet again with Scholastic deal

    MUMBAI: Netflix has been positioning itself as an online babysitter of sorts with a slew of deals for children’s content, thus it has sanctioned even more episodes of the kids’ genre.

     

    The streaming-video service said it has expanded an agreement with Scholastic Media, an arm of publisher Scholastic, to offer more of its TV series and video content, such as the shows based on the tween babysitting series, The Magic School Bus and Goosebumps. Most of the new content is available to Netflix members in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland and Latin America.

     

    Both Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service have been buying content for children. The idea is twofold: Go after a type of programming that – after sports – can be the most decisive sway factor when a consumer is choosing what entertainment to pay for. Then get children cozy with the format and style of internet-delivered content to create a new generation of subscribers.

     

    Netflix’s Scholastic deal marks the first time many of the episodes have been available in the streaming format, and Netflix has an exclusive hold on select programs like The Magic School Bus. However, most of the content is years old.

     

    “When we first added ‘The Magic School Bus’ and ‘Goosebumps’ for our members in the US and Canada earlier this summer we knew they would perform well, but after seeing just how popular they were we decided to expand our relationship with Scholastic and bring these great shows to more of our markets,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a release.

     

    Three of the first five programs Amazon will produce as part of its original content push are children’s programs, and last month the company ordered up kids’ content solely for its next round of five pilots.

     

    Netflix is also working to fill a kids’ content void. The site declined high-demand Nickelodeon content earlier this year because parent Viacom wanted to bundle it together with less popular programs in a hulking deal. Amazon later snatched up the forsaken Viacom content.

     

    The latest deal with Scholastic however doesn’t include video content related to Scholastic’s most blockbuster brand, the Harry Potter series.

  • POGO to take kids on a new adventure with Peter Pan

    POGO to take kids on a new adventure with Peter Pan

    National, August, 2013: This season, POGO, kids leading entertainment channel, is all set to take kids on an exciting new quest to the famous land of Neverland with Peter Pan and his friends. Reprising the popular story, POGO will be launching The New Adventures of PeterPan animated series from 03 August 2013 and will air the show every Saturday and Sunday at 5pm henceforth.

    The New Adventures of Peter Pan (4)A mischievous boy who can fly and who never ages, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland with his best friend Tinker Bell and his gang called the Lost Boys, interacting with mermaids, fairies, and constantly engaging in tiffs with the notorious pirate, Captain Hook. Right from saving his friends from dangers, to organizing fun treasure hunts, to exciting Christmas celebrations, to sketching out ways of over-coming Global warming, The New Adventures of Peter Pan promises to take its viewers on an entertaining journey that will display a perfect combination of friendship, trust, adventure, thrill and humour.

    By constantly enhancing its portfolio with shows such as Chhota Bheem, Mighty Raju, Mr. Bean, Pokémon, M.A.D. and, now, The New Adventures of Peter Pan, POGO aims to provide its viewers with funand engaging entertainment.


    The New Adventures of Peter Pan premieres on 03 August 2013and airs every Saturday and Sunday at 5pm only POGO.

  • “Kids’ is the number 3 priority genre in Indian television today”

    “Kids’ is the number 3 priority genre in Indian television today”

    How big is the market for Kids and how Discovery Kids is matching the pace with its competitors? / What is the competitive landscape like? Who are the main viewers (age, urban, non-urban, etc.)?

    Kids’ genre is a mature genre. Over 370 million kids under the age of 14-years are discerning viewers They demand variety, new concepts and characters. It, therefore, becomes our duty to react and respond to the need of kids with exciting and engaging content 24 hours a day in the language they relate to and understand. Discovery Kids offers programming that appeals to different age groups from pre-school, tweens to teens.

    The emphasis is on stimulating learning and imagination, and providing a safe environment that parents can trust is what
    Discovery Kids‘ Rahul Johri believes in

    After championing non-fiction and lifestyle genres, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific introduced Indian kids with its razor strong and endearing programming in 2012. Discovery Kids lets children explore their amazing world and ignite their natural curiosity by providing content that is enjoyable and enriching. The channel stimulates learning and imagination, and provides a safe environment that parents can trust.

    Viewership and target audience
    Kids today are very sharp, focused and skilled as compared to kids of last decade and they are interested in learning a lot of new things. Be it rural or urban, there is curiosity amongst kids to know more. Schools cover a particular aspect of learning. Discovery Kids offers learning embedded with entertainment; it does not impart classroom training but offers the right environment. Discovery Kids is the only network of its kind targeting elementary/primary school children and kids in the age group of 4-14 years.

    Differentiation from other channels in kids’ television space
    In India almost all the leading channels in the kids’ genre have similar programming with very little variation and learning. We analysed that there was a gap within the kids’ genre for a channel that has appeal for both kids and parents. Discovery Kids offers a robust combination of entertainment embedded with learning thereby making an exciting and one of its kind network for children.

    What is the local strategy adapted by the channel to attract viewers and more so encourage co-viewing (kids & parents together)?

    Discovery Kids offers an eclectic mix of programming across concepts, topics, stories, mythologies and much more. We have series that explore adventure, nature, science, wildlife, history and technology. The content is a mix of India acquisitions and international series. The programming comprises of fun, enriching and entertaining shows such as Tintin, Maya The Bee, popular franchises like Transformers Prime, animated series like Adiboo Adventures, The Amazing Spiez, Sally Bollywood, Tales of Tatonka, Dex Hamilton, Papyrus and many more.

    The channel has a balance of both India and international shows. Discovery Kids bring in the best of formats and shows from across the world along with showcasing some home-grown productions like Mystery Hunters India.

    We are currently airing various India themed productions such as Sally Bollywood and Howzzatt. Sally Bollywood takes you through the adventures of a bright girl – Sally, who runs a detective agency and solves cases with a distinct Bollywood flair.Howzzatt brings cricket in its classic avatar – gully cricket.

    What will be the content strategy of Discovery Kids for the next one year?

    Discovery Network presents content that is high quality and credible. We will continue to maintain the similar standard for Discovery Kids and focus on encouraging learning based on fun, amongst kids of India.

    Discovery Kids will continue to bring programmes that explore adventure, nature, science, wildlife, history and technology. We have an exciting and entertaining line-up of shows coming up which includes Mister Maker – an arts & craft show, Dinofroz – an animated series set in pre-historic world of dinosaurs and dragons. We also have new editions of Transformers Primeseries and a bagful of Tintin & KIM movies in Sunday Movie Dhamaka.

    Discovery Kids is currently available 24 hours in English, Hindi and Tamil and we will aim to increase its popularity and reach amongst kids.

    How are you faring as far as advertising is concerned?

    Kids’ is number three priority genre in Indian television and has high viewership not only amongst kids but parents as well. Though it is a highly populated television genre with a few major players, there is demand for differentiated content offering a balanced mix of learning and entertainment.

    Discovery Kids has gained traction of advertisers due to its differentiated content and unique value offering. The channel has attracted both national advertisers and kids’ consumer brands like Glaxo, Hamdard, HUL, ITC Foods, Nestle, Piramal, Kellogs to name a few.

    Which categories spend the most on advertising on your channel? Which companies spend the most money? Are there any new emerging spenders? What does advertising on such channels offer to these advertisers? Any trends and insights you can share for the same? 

    In today’s fast changing scenario, especially in nuclear families, children exhibit major influencing power. Kids channels not only offer dedicated viewership, but a strong brand recall amongst young viewers. Majority of advertising campaigns in categories as diverse as automobiles to FMCG, beverages to stationery and gadgets such as cellphones and laptops have been adverting on kids’ television to reach parents through their kids.

    Discovery Kids has all major brands (stated above) advertising on the channel.

    How is Discovery Kids making its presence felt in social media?

    Discovery Kids has its dedicated website dkids.co.in. The website offers interactivity, gaming and programme information to children.

  • worldoo.com partners with Universal Picture International for Despicable Me 2

    worldoo.com partners with Universal Picture International for Despicable Me 2

    MUMBAI: This monsoon, Gru‘s faithful Minions will land themselves in another sticky situation and this time not only with the super-villain. worldoo.com has announced their partnership with Universal Picture International to create Despicable Me 2 inspired themes and avataars in the first of its kind ever-evolving online ecosystem for kids featuring the unpredictably hilarious Minions.

    The users of worldoo.com can watch the trailer of Despicable Me 2 in the DOO TV, users can choose Despicable Me 2 avatars and design their homes with specially designed themes based on the animation flick on the Doo Store.

    “We‘re excited to introduce Despicable Me 2 avatars, themes and contest on worldoo.com as it will add a bit of playful flair to any home. As audiences gear up for the release on July 5th, new Despicable Me 2 avatars and themes will make it easy and fun for fans everywhere to use their creativity. It also gives consumers a simple, convenient way to access and enjoy the trailor of the film through India‘s first online ecosystem for Kids,” said worldoo.com head experience & brand Harsh Wardhan Dave.

    Commenting on this partnership, Universal Picture International marketing head Jacinto Fernandes said, “India is a priority market for us so our partnership is a win-win for both Universal and worldoo.com. The alliance expands the distribution of the movie and this association will leverage worldoo.com‘s enviable network of promotional channels of the movie. I am sure that we will enjoy some of the highest game-plays and web traffic in the region coming from India through worldoo.com and we look forward to welcoming even more players to meet the characters of Despicable Me 2 on the worldoo.com which is the innovative way to reach out to kids.”

    worldoo.com got a tremendous response from kids on the digital platform, within the launch of two months the website attracted 19,500 plus kids. worldoo.com has got around 113,000 unique visitors and over 2.5 million page views till now. Kids are loving worldoo.com – as a result, average time spent is close to nine minutes and 11 page views are happening per visit, which is very encouraging for the platform.

  • Kids TV channels seek to service adults too

    Kids TV channels seek to service adults too

    Krishna Desai speaks on the business, content and digital sides of Turner International India‘s kids forays.

    What is the local content strategy adapted by the channel to attract viewers and more so encourage co-viewing (kids & parents together)?
    Way back at the turn of the century, realised that there was a growing preference of local content in the kids‘ space, resulting in development of our Desi Toons strategy that emphasises on showcasing locally relevant content that resonates with kids. We will continue to deliver local content be it more of international shows in local languages, acquiring and producing content conceived locally and delivering a platter full of hit shows in different formats.

    Although, traditionally, kids‘ channels are perceived to cater to only to children, the latest findings of Cartoon Network New Generations , our proprietary research, shows that a majority of parents (three out of every five parents) watch television with their kids; morevover, cartoons are their most preferred genre after serials. Our strong portfolio of shows such as Tom and Jerry, Ben 10, Oggy and the Cockroaches, Chhota Bheem, etc. cross age limits and appeal to parents as well.

    What kind of numbers are you generating in terms of viewership and what kind of audiences and from where?
    Turner‘s kids‘ network is clearly leading the genre on-air as well as online. Key findings are highlighted below:
    POGO at No. 1 (151 GRPs) and Cartoon Network at No. 2 (119 GRPs) – YTD
    Cartoon Network at No. 1 (159 GRPs) and POGO at No. 2 (151 GRPs) – Week 23
    Cartoon Network, at 159 GRPs, is the maximum in last 5 years – Week 23
    At 188 GRPs, Pogo created a new industry record in the genre of the highest GRPs ever for any kids channel in last 7 years – Week 19
    (Source: TAM | All India | YTD: wk 1-23 | 4-14 years | All SEC)

    www.cartoonnetworkindia.com and www.pogo.tv are the top two kids‘ websites in the country with a million unique viewers.

    What is the competitive landscape like? Who are the main viewers (age, urban, non-urban, etc)?
    * Currently, there are 16 national channels in the kids‘ genre. 
    * Cartoon Network and POGO broadly target kids across the country between the age group of 4-14 years, across all SECs.

    What are the initiatives and plans you have to promote merchandise along with highlighting the scope for partnering with a retailer? 
    The advantage for us is that we are part of a media conglomerate with presence across all platforms such as TV, online, on ground and digital. Apart from leveraging the two channels – Cartoon Network and POGO, we also leverage our predominant position in the market in the digital space. With over 375 unique games on CartoonNetworkIndia.com & POGO.tv, we reach out to 500,000 unique visitors monthly. We also have tie-ups with all the major retail chains to provide children with memorable on-ground experience through character meet and greet events and trade activities.

    Cartoon Network Enterprises has licensee partnerships across all key merchandising categories such as toys, games, apparel and accessories, publishing, back to school, gifts and novelties, sporting goods, confectionary and home video amongst others. We also have significant business coming in from promotional licensing where we partner with large FMCG companies to offer free character branded give aways on purchased goods. Today, Ben 10 franchise is the number one boys action property in India that has sold over 950,000 units of toys and counting.

    Apart from these traditional categories, we have successfully leveraged our business by launching innovative products to keep up with the trends in the market. Some of these include, digital video-ebooks based on the popular Ben 10 series and M.A.D. Let‘s Doodle! School graded art and craft books and M.A.D Live classes based on the successful show M.A.D. (Music Art Dance).

    Taking this engagement to a new level, we recently brought an international stage show called ‘Ben 10 Live: Time Machine‘ to India. The show gave kids the opportunity to see their favourite superhero and his aliens live on stage and the audience response was phenomenal.

    As far as partnering with retailers is concerned, currently our products are sold across traditional, modern retail channels as well as through school clubs and fairs. We have excellent relationship with individual retail chains built on a solid win-win philosophy. While the retail chains are able to provide the requisite infrastructure, we have the unique ability to create branded experiences and environments to engage with our consumers. We actively do in-shop promotions, retail activations, and meet and greet events.

    Juhi Ravindranath speaks on brands that advertise on kids channels, emerging spenders and advertising solutions that Turner International India offers.

    How big is the broadcast advertising market and what is the share of the kids‘ genre?
    The advertising spends of the broadcast industry were approximately Rs 125 Billion in 2012 (Source: Ficci-KPMG Report 2013) and the kids‘ genre contributed Rs 3 Billion to this revenue.

    Which categories spend the most on advertising on your channel? Which companies spend the most money? 
    For the kids channels, categories such as chocolates, noodles/pasta and confectionary that primary target kids, are critical for our business. Advertisers such as GSK, HUL, Cadbury, Mattel, Kellogs, Perfetti, ITC are amongst our top spenders.

    Are there any new emerging spenders?
    For kids‘ brands, we expect to see a rise in advertising by non-traditional categories, as more and more advertisers realise the impact kids have on purchase decisions. We expect to see consumer electronics, mobile handsets and automobiles to show increasing interest.

    What does advertising on such channels offer to these advertisers? Any trends and insights you can share for the same?
    Our audience comprises of kids as well as their parents. ‘Cartoon Network New Generations 2012‘ shows a majority of parents watch television with their kids. After serials, cartoons are their most preferred genre. Even amongst adults, Pogo and Cartoon Network would be within the top 15 most watched channels (All India, TAM).

    Kids are the primary decision-makers when it comes to certain categories, like chewing gum, candies etc. Kids form key influencers on other categories. They have a say on almost all household purchase decisions be it televisions, computers, mobiles, automobiles etc. This is apart from regular household consumption items like oral care, ketchup, ready to eat snacks etc.

    As a result, advertisers come to the channel to target kids, both as primary consumers as well as key influencers. Apart from this they can reach the parents. A large number of advertisers like FMCG, durables are coming in to target the parent – FMCG for the mothers, durables for the fathers. This is the area of new growth for the kids genre.

    At Turner, we believe in selling solutions to customers that can be leveraged across multiple media. Our properties work extremely well for clients on TV as well as beyond TV, and clients increasingly see the benefit of the same. For example:

    *With Johnson & Johnson BandAid, we offered a promo licensing deal of Chhota Bheem, the most popular kids‘ character. This deal offered the brand online presence on our websites, sponsorships and was topped off with a school contact program across six cities tapping over 500,000 students.
     
    *HP printers partnered with Rob, the iconic host of POGO‘s M.A.D. show, to conduct customised workshops and an event that was promoted on both kids channel through attractive vignettes.
     
    *GlaxoSmithkline‘s Horlicks continues to partner with Cartoon Network, to create customised exam videos giving children tips on studying for exams. This is the third year in a row that we have been working with them.
  • worldoo.com launches doo Comics

    worldoo.com launches doo Comics

    MUMBAI: worldoo.com, India’s first online ecosystem for kids, have announced the launch of doo Comics. The comic will be exclusively available on worldoo.com.

    worldoo.com will create 8 parts of the series “The Discovery of worldoo” and the first edition of the same is named as “The Last Mission”. worldoo.com will release one edition of these series each month and will also add some new titles over the course of the next year.

    The first comic talks about worldoo’s peace-loving character – Nakamota, a topography expert and his efforts to find some help for him to get back to city from the island where he was stuck after his plane had crashed during the World War II.

    “We are thrilled to launch the first digital edition of The Last Mission on worldoo.com, as we have always embraced original ideas from our own character(s). With the launch of doo Comics on worldoo.com, we see it as a continuation of our on-going commitment to delivering quality, original experiences online to the kids”, said worldoo.com experience & brand head Harsh Wardhan Dave.

    worldoo.com’s mission is to take comic books far beyond the printed page and into the digital world. With worldoo’s wide online following, it is hopeful to help bring its stories to millions of new readers every week.

    Worldoo.com got a good response from kids on the digital platform, within the launch of two months the website attracted 18,000+ kids in a short span of time. Worldoo.com has got around 1.13 lakh unique visitors and over 2.5 million page views till now. Kids are loving worldoo.com – as a result, average time spent is close to nine minutes and 11 page views are happening per visit, which is very encouraging for the platform.