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Tag: Mickey Mouse

  • Mouse house monsoon magic as Disney Jr. tour hits Mumbai stage

    Mouse house monsoon magic as Disney Jr. tour hits Mumbai stage

    MUMBAI: Grab your umbrellas and your little ones, this monsoon, Mumbai’s forecast is full of magic, music, and mouse ears. For the very first time, Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play! is set to charm preschoolers and their families with a spectacular stage production from 4th to 6th July 2025 at the Dome, SVP Stadium, with eight exclusive shows over the weekend. The show is ticketed exclusively on District by Zomato, with pre-sales already creating quite the buzz.

    The high-energy, interactive concert will bring Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Ariel, Team Spidey, SuperKitties, and Puppy Dog Pals to life with 3D effects, acrobatics, and a setlist packed with singalongs like Hot Dog! and Do the Spidey. The story unfolds around Mickey’s playdate gone awry, thanks to some mysterious green weather and the arrival of Marvel’s mini superheroes to save the day.

    “After delighting audiences across the U.S. and marking its official international debut in London, we are so excited to share this magical production with families in Mumbai this summer,” said Terrapin Station Entertainment producer Jonathan Shank.

    The full schedule includes:

       * 4 July (Friday): 4 am, 7 pm

      * 5 July (Saturday): 11:30 am, 2:30 PM, 5:30 pm

       * 6 July (Sunday): 11:30 am, 2:30 PM, 5:30 pm

    An exclusive pre-sale for HSBC India cardholders is live until 29 May, 12 pm, followed by general ticket access at 1 pm the same day, only on the District app.

    “We are excited to team up with Disney and Terrapin Station Entertainment to bring the ‘Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play!’ immersive concert experience to young children and their families. We firmly believe that live entertainment has the power to captivate audiences of all ages. Through these unique shows, we aim to provide young children and their families the chance to see many of their favourite Disney Jr. characters live on one stage,” said District by Zomato CEO Rahul Ganjoo.

    Whether your kid’s a Goofy giggler or a Spidey superfan, this is a playdate you won’t want to miss. Because when Mickey says, “Let’s play,” Mumbai listens.

  • Animation sees an uptick despite expensive production

    Animation sees an uptick despite expensive production

    MUMBAI: When it comes to popular content on TV in India, general entertainment channels (GEC) lead the way. Primetime shows are most watched, most-earning and most talked about since the early years of the saas-bahu serials.

    Animation as a genre is sidelined to the kids’ channels but producing it involves tons of cash, which may not necessarily be recoverable so easily. At first, India was content with syndicated content like Tom & Jerry, Mickey Mouse, etc and only in 2008 did we get our most pride-worthy IP Chhota Bheem.

    A media professional quoted the price for producing 2D or 3D animated content to be Rs 10-20 lakh or above for one 11-22 minute show. Initial episodes entail an even higher spend at Rs 20 lakh. The cost depends on the number of characters, background, etc. Another professional estimated it to be between Rs 30-50 lakh for shows that top the chart. If we produce it with the intent of selling it to the overseas market, the investment could skyrocket to Rs 1 crore. Compare these staggering numbers with just Rs 7-8 lakh needed for a single GEC episode.

    Green Gold Animation chief strategy officer Srinivas Chilakapudi said that GECs will raise the cost depending on the quality they wish to achieve. With Netflix and Amazon bringing in high value content, TV channels will be compelled to add visually appealing elements as well. He says that the case is similar with animation.

    It took a while for producers to realise that owning IPs was more profitable than syndicating animation content. However, Green Gold has a balance of local and syndicated shows. By playing shows at different times and watching where the ratings come from, the production house does its budgeting. Older shows like Luv Kush or Arjun are syndicated at a lower price.

    GEC ad rates are four times that of kids’ channels due to the viewership they command. Brand-building founder Ambi Parameswaran says, “It will be a much lower cost per thousand to reach kids through channels focussed on them. Obviously, GECs have huge barriers to entry and while they may deliver good number of kids, you are also reaching homes without kids.”

    He says that as the penetration of TV grows, there will be a growth of sub genres like kids, sports, religion, travel etc. There has also been a growth of Indian language niche channels that will further lead fragmentation of audiences. “Surprisingly multiple TV homes are still a rarity. I expect this to change in the next five years. From the current low level of multiple TV homes (less than 5 per cent) we can expect this to go beyond 15 per cent in the coming decade,” says Parameswaran.

    Viacom18 kids entertainment head content Anu Sikka says that kids love animation as it allows them to step into an imaginary world with their favourite characters. “Kids love stepping into Furfurinagar with Motu Patlu or riding a cycle in Vedas city with Shiva. Also, the repeat value of animation content is high, which increases the shelf value of the show. This, in turn, allows broadcasters to produce hours of original content that can be played on the channel for years bringing in a great success thereby reducing the cost average.”

    She further added that connect of an original Indian show with Indian characters is higher given that there is better connect and relatability to the environment. “Also creating content locally and owning the IP’s gives us more control over the creative of the show, which then can incorporate the local sensibilities thus making the show more endearing to the audience.” She added that the turn-around time for local show is much faster compared to international shows, which is the need of the hour, especially in India, as today kids are always looking for refreshed and newer content. Today, there’s a dearth of international shows, which has a strong universal appeal and which can match the success of some of the earlier acquisitions like Ninja Hattori or Oggy and the Cockroaches. “If we own the IP, it opens up more streams of revenue for the broadcaster, especially in CP, digital platforms, licence products, etc.”

    In an earlier interview, Shemaroo Entertainment head-animation business Smita Maroo and Green Gold Animation VP-content sales Bharath Laxmipati agreed that anything that is made for the own territory is far more expensive than syndicated content.

    Sikka also agrees with Maroo and says that today there’s a strong potential as the content is being viewed on multiple platforms world over in various languages. “If the content and the characters are universal enough, the potential of them being acceptable in the international market goes up substantially.” She said that an Indian show, Pakdam Pakdai was renamed as Rat-a-Tat and was sold to 30 territories worldwide, the concept was developed by Nick and executed by Toonz animation.

    Vaibhav More Films founder Vaibhav More takes a different view. He said that GECs are expensive than animation production. “In GECs the actors are charged high. Not only this, the equipment costs, editing, post-production activities, etc are also taken into consideration.” He feels that some stories live longer via animation.

    When asked about the ways you keep the production cost low, Sikka said that today it’s increasingly becoming difficult to keep down the cost of animation series in India as there’s been a surge in demand for local animation content in India. This requirement for local content is coming not just from the broadcasters, but also from digital platforms as kids are consuming content from all these mediums. “There’s also a shortage of big animation studios which can deliver the product from scratch to the end while maintaining a certain benchmark in terms of quality,” she says. She further added that one way to control the cost is by commissioning and committing to a certain number of episodes, which allows the studios to re-use the assets which in turn keeps the cost in control. “The other option that can always be explored is to go with 2D animation, which is cheaper in comparison to 3D show, provided the concept allows you to do so.”

    Though animation is a more intense and cost-expensive content, broadcasters and creators see potential in it, especially with the growth of digital and the global reach that popular ideas are likely to get.

    Also Read :

    Japanese kids’ content going strong despite home-grown onslaught

    20 years later, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’ still breaking stereotypes

  • Disney throws birthday party for Mickey Mouse; Snapdeal, Future Group join in

    Disney throws birthday party for Mickey Mouse; Snapdeal, Future Group join in

    MUMBAI: The countdown to Mickey Mouse’s birthday on November 18 was laden with daily celebrations across Disney’s network. The 18-days long extravaganza that started on 1 November culminate on Mickey’s Birthday saw a series of new creative initiatives from the network’s end.

    “This month is special to all our consumers, be it young or old, as everyone has experienced Mickey Mouse’s magic at some point in their lives,” says Walt Disney  India, Content and Communication, VP,  Vijay Subramaniam. “Mickey Mouse is Disney’s biggest revenue making intellectual property,” he adds.

    To further strengthen the Mickey Mouse franchise in the country, the network has rolled out series of varied and engaging content throughout the 18 days, while at the same time making optimum use of its network, both digitally and electronically, to promote and propagate the event.

    Not only did the network run content extensively throughout its Disney branded channels, it also allowed several other broadcasters to use the content for their own Disney special programs, albeit giving content credit to Disney’s in house team.

    “We made some of this Mickey Mouse birthday specials available to other news channels and other content partners on a limited marketing and sharing basis ,” Subramaniam explains, adding that few of the channels have already aired this specials.

    Part of the celebrations were the 90 sec long videos that saw several well-known Bollywood celebrities wishing Mickey Mouse ‘Happy Birthday’ in their own creative way. The who’s who of Bollywood from Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Abhishek Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Farah Khan are few of the celebs who feature in the video titled ‘Stars wish the Superstar a Happy Birthday.

    “We compiled the videos throughout the year from the various shows Mickey had with the celebrities. It was great to see them come together for Mickey. With them on board we were able to reach a wider section of viewers,” Subramaniam points out.

    Further elaborating on the fresh content that the channel had devised for the occasion, Subramaniam said, “In the last couple of years we have witnessed a huge craze for the Mickey shorts we rolled out globally. So for Mickey’s birthday celebration we decided we’d premiere one new short each day,” shares Subramaniam.

    Continuing with its concept of ‘short and sweet,’ the network also released a number of video listicles that aired throughout the network at regular intervals during these last 18 days. “We created fun content around everything that Mickey stands for in a listicle format,” Subramaniam states, citing ‘18 really funny Mickey moments’ as an example.

    Mickey’s birthday celebration wasn’t limited to content alone. Brands didn’t miss the chance in making optimum use of their Mickey Mouse merchandise on the occasion.

    On 18 November, Future Group’s private label  Tasty Treat kick started its  Mickey Mouse birthday celebration across 500 Future Group stores including at Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Nilgiris etc. by maintaining a birthday party ambiance with danglers and confetti, photo ops with Mickey cut outs, and even releasing a special Mickey Mouse birthday TVC. The campaign is to continue till 30 November.

    Snapdeal too has added its share to the merchandise promotion by giving discounts on Mickey Mouse products. The online major was also running a Mickey birthday contest on their website and gratifying 20 winners with Disney hampers.

    While Mickey Mouse’s presence in the country is strong, one may argue that the anticipation for his birthday doesn’t compare to the fervour the character enjoys internationally. Subramaniam however finds it unfair to compare the two markets.

    “The fact is that US is the birthplace of Mickey Mouse, with over 80 years of legacy on its side, whereas in India, Disney as a company is only 11 years old. If you think of the numbers, it is amazing how well the company has grown here. The kind of traction that we have enjoyed for last couple of years is beyond impressive. What’s evident is that Mickey as a character is universally loved, and more so when you add a local touch to him, and that’s exactly what we have done this year,” Subramaniam.

    The local flavour that Subramaniam speaks of is a ‘birthday anthem’ compiled by the network that which went on air on 18 November. What makes it even more special is that it has inputs by viewers in from across the country in 18 different regional languages.

    Amongst all their endeavours to connect the local audience with Mickey, the most effective is perhaps the Magic Mix that sees the network do a special rendering of popular Bollywood numbers with animation from their popular series.

    ‘Happy Birthday Mickey Magic Mix’ has taken the popular song Happy Birthday from the Disney produced dance extravaganza ABCD 2 and turned into and entertaining mash up for everyone to enjoy.

    All the content for Mickey Mouse birthday specials, has been heavily promoted and aired extensively across the networks channels. Apart from that, the content is also available on all their digital platforms including their official website, YouTube channel (over 1.3 million subscribers), twitter and Facebook (over 3 lakh likes) pages.

    Adding the cherry to its social media cake is the new application on Facebook that takes digital interaction to the next level.

    “We have done something special on Facebook. Mickey lovers can add Mickey ears on their Facebook page with just a click of a button, by going to the ‘Happy Birthday Mickey’ app that you can access through our Facebook’ page,” Subramaniam adds in parting.

  • Disney takes the family route with new offerings

    Disney takes the family route with new offerings

    MUMBAI: A new year brings with it a lot of new resolutions and expectations, and to fulfill the audiences ‘entertainment ‘ wishes are the 800 plus channels which every year create new properties to keep the EQ high.

     

    Disney channel, with an aim to up its ante in the genre, is launching five new properties in the end of January 2015 to not only reach out to its 4 to 14 year olds TG but the family as a whole.

     

    The new three-hour live-action weekend programming strategy, which has been worked upon for almost 12 months, is the foundation of the channel’s next 10 year plan. “We stared off as kids only channel 10 years back and after winning the loyalty of our TG, we think it is the right time to move on and carter to the whole family,” says Disney India Medianetworks content and communications VP Vijay Subramaniam while adding, “This has set the stage for 10 years of Disney in the country.”

     

    With shows like Maan Na Maan Mein Tera Mehman, Kabhi Aise Geet Gaya Karo, Goldie Ahuja Matric Pass, Laage Raho Chachu and Zindagi Khatti Mithi, the channel wants to make weekends a family time. “Shanivar aur Ravivar, Parivar Ke Saath is out motto and we will work towards it as Disney brings out the ethos of family,” says Subramaniam.

     

    The five shows with varied timings of 44 minutes, 22 minutes or even shorter, saw the channel getting an overwhelming response from the producers like Cinevistas, The Troublemakers and many others as they approached them. The channel also feels that the new propositions will get the advertisers excited. Says Disney India Medianetworks VP and revenue head Nikhil Gandhi, “For the Rs 350 crore business with seven channels in the genre, apart from a few regional ones, the growth has remained between 5 to 10 per cent. So, this is an opportunity for us to upscale our brand and these shows will help us compete with the GECs.”

     

    The programmes, focusing on the Hindi speaking markets (HSM) won’t be dubbed into regional languages unlike the others and aims to be at par with advertising rates charged for the shows of GECs. “Before we launch the series, advertisers should be on board as we have started talking to them. And we hope to see a 100 to 200 per cent hike in ad rates,” says Gandhi optimistically.

     

    As co-viewing has increased, there has been a significant increase in number of non-conventional advertisers like water purifiers, printers, cooking oils etc that have been reaching out to these audiences and want to continue doing so.

     

    The channel has already undergone a revamp, and if these programmes fulfill its Return on Investment (RoI) expectations then the number of such shows will be multiplied. The weekend programming FPC will also include Disney classics and animated movies. There are no immediate plans to change the weekday schedule. However, these shows will be repeated post 7 pm on weekdays.

     

    The three brand stories, conceptualised by Taproot, have already hit the small screen. The network will utilise all these avenues to strengthen the new positioning and programming strategy. “The brand stories are already running with ‘PK’, so we are going to use all our channels and other mediums for promotions,” says Gandhi.

     

    Stating the example of how the channel launched the video of Mickey on this birthday online before television, digital is an important platform for it. Without divulging more details the spokespersons from the channel agree on the fact that marketing will be engagement based. However, on-ground activities or collations with schools are not on the blueprint.

  • Disney Channel to premiere the all new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts this January

    Disney Channel to premiere the all new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts this January

    MUMBAI: The endearing, adventurous and comedic antics of Mickey Mouse, Disney’s #1 star and the world’s leading character franchise, will be premiered on Disney Channel in a new short-form series of 2D comedy cartoons. Disney Channel India which had earlier introduced viewers to two episodes of the short form series of 2D comedy cartoons on the beloved character’s birthday, will air 4 new episodes of the Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts on January 27th at 5pm. With the slapstick feel of classic Mickey Mouse, the series of cartoon shorts presents Mickey in a broad range of humorous situations that showcase his pluck and rascality, along with his long-beloved charm and good heartedness.  

     

    The new episodes ‘Yodelberg’, ‘New York Weenie, ‘Tokyo Go’ and ‘Stayin’ Cool’ will follow Mickey to places like New York, The Alps and Tokyo facing silly situations, quick complications and an escalation of physical and visual gags.  The episodes include ‘Yodelberg’ where Mickey longs to visit Minnie atop her mountaintop chalet but quickly realizes that the threat of avalanche has made the trek up the mountain more challenging than usual and ‘New York Weenie’ where Mickey hilariously chases after a runway hot dog through Central Park. Another special episode ‘Tokyo Go’ follows Mickey’s adventures in Tokyo, where he accidentally boards the wrong bullet train while the episode ‘Stayin’ Cool’ follows Mickey, Donald and Goofy as they must find creative ways to keep cool on the hottest day of the year. These stories feature heartfelt and heroic moments as Mickey experiences life with his comical partners Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto.

     

    The premiere of the Mickey Short – ‘No Service’ on Disney Channel rated 1.5 TVR among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC). It ranked #1 in the kids genre with a 28% share of viewing and ranked #2 across all TV during its time slot while the premiere of the Mickey Short – ‘Croissant De Triomphe’  rated 1.0 TVR among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC). It ranked #1 in the kid’s genre with a 33% share of viewing and ranked #2 across all TV during its time slot. (Source: TAM; TG: CS 4-14 ABC; Period: 18th Nov 2013; Market: HSM).The premiere of both these Mickey Shorts reached out to 7 million kids across India.

     

    While the direction and pacing of the new “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts are fresh and contemporary, they are, at the same time homage to the art direction and storytelling of Walt and his animators in the 1920s and ’30s. Geared towards kids aged 6-14 and families, and produced in 2D animation, the design esthetic for the “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts reaches back almost 80 years and borrows reverentially from the bold style of his 1930s design with a few contemporary touches. A must watch for the true eagle-eyed Disney fans, as the production team has also included the occasional homage to other icons from the Disney heritage.

     

    Don’t miss the special episodes of the brand new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts on January 27, 2014 at 5pm on Disney Channel

  • Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey joins Disney board of directors

    Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey joins Disney board of directors

    MUMBAI: Walt Disney has named twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey as its independent board member. Reports also suggest that the company CEO Bob Iger can see a cut in his pay by 15 per cent.   

    Walt Disney on 23 December, through a statement, also announced the retirement of a former Cisco Systems chief technology officer Judith Estrin, citing tenure policy as a reason, which limits board service to 15 years. Estrin’s term comes to an end on 18 March 2014.

    Dorsey will stand for the election which will be held at Disney’s 18 March annual meeting. Dorsey confirmed the announcement by tweeting a famous quote from Walt Disney and also the sketches of Mickey Mouse.  At 36, Dorsey also is the CEO of the payments startup Square and will be the youngest board member in Disney.

    Iger through a statement said, “Jack Dorsey is a talented entrepreneur who has helped create groundbreaking new businesses in the social media and commerce spaces. His experience and perspective should be extremely valuable to Disney.”

  • Disney and StarHub to launch mobile video streaming

    Disney and StarHub to launch mobile video streaming

    MUMBAI: Disney fans in Singapore can now watch all their favourite Disney programmes, including exclusive branded content, whenever and wherever they want.

     
    The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia together with StarHub on 7 December will launch a new mobile video streaming service via a suite of three new innovative entertainment apps – WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD, and WATCH Disney Junior.

    The WATCH Disney apps will provide authenticated StarHub TV customers with access to Disney’s existing live, television network streams, exclusive and first-hand content, as well as an extensive offering of premiere ‘on demand’ episodes.

    Disney fans can also view all popular television series such as Phineas and Ferb, Disney Junior’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Disney XD’s Avengers Assemble on the go and will also be able to access new episodes of selected shows on the WATCH apps first before it launches on the TV channel.

    At the launch, the channel’s original animation Wander over Yonder, created by award-winning animator Craig McCracken, will be available first on the WATCH Disney Channel app before its television premiere. New live-action series Mighty Med, a Disney XD original series will be available exclusively on the WATCH Disney XD app from February 2014.

    The free WATCH Disney apps feature a fun and engaging online environment, designed around Disney characters and custom animation on a simple, child-friendly user interface. Apart from streaming of live TV channels and on-demand content, there’s also the episodes catch-up function. The app provides language options to the viewers.

    “We’re excited to offer Disney fans of all ages more opportunities to watch, interact, personalise and enjoy our Disney shows when and where they want it,” said TWDC SEA general manager, branded media content Natasha Malhotra in a release.

    “The WATCH Disney Channels apps are kid-friendly, easy to use and provide kids and families  access to the live streaming channels along with a robust selection of content ‘On Demand’  at home or ‘On-The-Go’ for authenticated StarHub subscribers,” she added.

    StarHub TV customers can stream the channel live on the multiscreen service ‘StarHub TV Anywhere’ which includes the WATCH Disney apps on iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

    “We are excited to be the only pay TV operator in Singapore to bring Disney’s signature content to viewers on multiple screens via the WATCH apps as part of our ‘StarHub TV Anywhere’ service offering. We are constantly working with brands such as Disney to find innovative ways to delight our customers and the WATCH apps exemplify our efforts to provide a ubiquitous viewing experience for them,” said StarHub head of home solutions Lin Shu Fen in the release.

  • Disney’s playful ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ Poster

    Disney’s playful ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ Poster

    MUMBAI: Two weeks post the release of the first poster, the second poster shows a pleading Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) with a shadow of Mickey Mouse and P L Travers (Emma Thompson) with a shadow of Mary Poppins.

     

    A charming tagline reads ‘Where her book ended, their story began’ referring to the classic childrens’ book Mary Poppins written by Travers.

     

    The movie is first big screen bopic to be made on Walt Disney, which shows his struggle to make an adaptation of the book Mary Poppins battling resistance from Travers, which turns out to be his main struggle.

     

    The movie is set to be released on 13 December.

  • ‘One individual is not capable of running IPL’s complex business ecosystem’ : Brand Finance India managing director Unni Krishnan

    ‘One individual is not capable of running IPL’s complex business ecosystem’ : Brand Finance India managing director Unni Krishnan

     

    The Indian Premier League (IPL) is caught in the midst of a storm with dark clouds hovering over team ownership issues, sources of funding, corruption and match-fixing charges.

     

    Lalit Modi, the architect of the IPL, is being accused of holding hidden stakes in some of the franchises. Income-Tax sleuths have broadened their probe into the financial details of the IPL by conducting nationwide raids cut across Multi Screen Media (MSM), World Sport Group and the franchise owners.

     

    So how will these chain of events affect the brand value of the IPL pegged at $4.13 billion?

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Sibabrata Das, Brand Finance India managing director Unni Krishnan says the risks for brand value erosion are significant if the IPL does not quickly put in place proper management systems and processes.

     

    Excerpts:
     

     
    With controversy swirling around the IPL, is there a need now to downgrade the brand?

    It is too early to take a call on this. The probe has started and we will have to wait for the government to come out with a final report on the investigations before we can comment on whether the IPL brand is fractured.

     

    But in our February report, we had cautioned that the IPL branded ecosystem is rapidly approaching an inflexion point. We had predicted this to happen in the next 6-10 months. This has come sooner than that.

     

    Surely, there are definite weaknesses regarding brand value governance and transparency, management systems and processes. But have we got a revised value of the IPL brand? Not yet.
     
     

    Does this mean that there is no brand erosion at this stage?

    The risks for brand value erosion are significant if things are not managed swiftly and the stakeholder relationships start weakening. But the truth is that the IPL is a very valuable brand created in a very short period of time. The wealth that can be created by the brand is going to be substantially significant for many stakeholders. A conducive ecosystem has to be created to move the brand to the next level.

     
     
    But will it be safe to say that the IPL brand has got tainted?

    The fault is not with the IPL brand. Some people are commenting that the property be nationalised. That is not how you run a global commercial property like the IPL. Iconic brands such as the IPL are national assets and a source of wealth creation. The question is whether we have the capability and determination to put systems and processes in place to manage one of the best brands we have produced. If we fail to do so, and all the allegations also turn out to be true, the brand will take a big knock.

     
     
    Enough dirt is thrown on Lalit Modi, the architect of the IPL. Now it looks like the man who created and built the IPL property would be thrown out. Will that not damage the IPL brand?

    Let us not confuse the individual called Modi with the business and the brand. One individual is not capable of running such a complex business ecosystem like the IPL. The need is to fix the weaknesses.
     

     
    Are you suggesting a proper balance of power system?

    As the architect of IPL, Modi has done a great job. But for such a large-scale property, we need 10-12 key members. We are not sure if the IPL governing council acts as a rubber stamp. We need to go through these questions urgently if are to create a sustainable brand property.

     

    The IPL brand is a set of complex relationships with fans, franchises, sponsors, business houses and players. This can create huge value in future if properly managed – not by one individual but by a system.

      
    ‘The IPL is a global commercial property produced from India. The unfortunate part is that if we don‘t do a clean-up action, we would be destroying it not due to any competition but because of our own action‘

     
     
    A fundamental problem being raised is that the revenues do not match the sudden flood of investments that have gone into the IPL. Are you worried about a possible nexus between the IPL organisers, the politicians, the big corporates and the Bollywood celebrities?

    There is an entry price to every business. Substantial investments are required and the revenue potential is huge. If there are misconducts like match-fixing and betting, then obviously the guy watching the game will turn off. So will sponsors. Years ago, when the first match-fixing charges were made, there was a brief period of lull. But that does not mean that cricket has died in India. The key question is governance and transparency.

     
     
    Is there inherent strength at the IPL franchise level?

    There has to be transparency at the ownership level too. Media reports are suggesting murkier deals. We don‘t know at this stage what is the truth. But sporting properties have to be run like proper businesses. Look at how the English Premiere League (EPL) has hurt itself. The club owners chased iconic players and made unrealistic purchases through a huge load of debt. Sports businesses can be lucrative but proper regulations have to be in place.
     

     Is the IPL an overheated economy?

    Is there value to be created? Yes. There are strong revenue and marketing opportunities.

     

    Most of the clubs, however, have not yet put the systems and processes in place to manage these opportunities. Take the licensing and merchandising (L&M) business which is pegged globally at $108 billion. This is not a Mickey Mouse number. Manchester United has 25-30 per cent of its revenues coming from L&M. But in India, this revenue stream is not visible in many of the clubs. We have to build the requisite bandwidth to monetise these opportunities.

     
    Is this a struggle between the old and the new India?

    As a country, we need to move away from intrigues and corrupt systems to a phase where we develop international properties. We can‘t run these properties with the same baggage as we move from a developing to a developed country. The tussle between the old and the new India will lead to pain and tribulations. But the fact is that we have created a positive property in the IPL which can provide sustainability in the long run for various stakeholders.

     

    People are seeing a new India through the IPL. This goes much more than cricketing business; it is about brand India. On a much broader level, IPL has demonstrated the coming of age of India‘s commercial prowess on a global stage.

     
    Does this remain as a dream at this stage?

    The developed world is looking at the IPL as a global property produced from India. The IPL has changed the very perception of India in the global stage. The unfortunate part is that if we don‘t do a clean-up action, we would be destroying IPL not due to any competition but because of our own action. The moment of truth has arrived for us. We have to face it with independence and courage. Can we live up to the expectations that we have created? It will be a sad essay if we don‘t deliver.

     
    How do we move the IPL up from one-third its value ($4.13 billion) to a level that it can sit along with the EPL ($12 billion)?

     

    That is only an indicative figure we have given to compare a property developed in one part of the world with another that has achieved maturity status. The IPL has hardly scratched the surface. It has a long way to go and a considerable value to realise before it lives up to its full revenue and brand potential.

     
    Brand Finance has more than doubled the brand value of the IPL from its first evaluation. What are the reasons for this?

    We are seeing a remarkable increase in revenues from broadcasting (as deal was renegotiated) and sponsorship. We have also considered the IPL‘s capability to draw in fans and viewership.

     
    Why have you upgraded Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to the top as the most valued IPL franchise (Rs 2.24 billion, up 35.5%)?

    There are 3-4 breakaway clubs. We have looked at teams who have managed cricket as a product and blended this with marketing and commercial excellence. The two performances have to be done simultaneously.

     

    CSK is beginning to put the various pieces together, synergising between their enterprise (India Cements) and their IPL business. We are also seeing Mumbai Indians show a remarkable revival this year, both in performance on the field and in their commercial activities.

     
     Why has Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) slipped in your latest brand value estimate (Rs 2.13 billion, up 20.6%)?

    KKR topped in our first round as it has an iconic brand like Shah Rukh Khan. This gives it an undue advantage. But they are not able to exploit this to the maximum. Their performance as a cricket team has also been bad. If this trend continues over the next few seasons, then it will seriously erode the brand value of KKR.
  • Disney expands cruise line business

    Disney expands cruise line business

     MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney plans to expand its successful cruise business by adding two new ocean liners,

    Scheduled to launch in 2011 and 2012, the ships will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line to meet the sustained demand for Disney’s family cruise vacations.

    The company signed a letter of intent with Meyer Werft shipyard, based in Papenburg, Germany, to negotiate a contract to build the 122,000-ton new cruise liners, which will be two decks taller than the existing 83,000-ton ships, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms. Specific design plans and itineraries for the yet-unnamed ships are still in development and will be unveiled at a later date.

    Disney CEO Bob Iger says, “Since our maiden voyage in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has been a huge success for our guests and for our shareholders alike. It has brought our unparalleled family vacation experience to the high seas, and has also generated high margins and double digit returns on invested capital. We are excited to announce the expansion of our fleet, which is a logical next step in what is a real growth business for us.”

    Disney Cruise Line established the family market within the cruise industry when the business launched in 1998. The first two ships were purpose built for families to reconnect and recharge while creating vacation memories that will last a lifetime. From a theater featuring live musical spectaculars to a luxurious spa for adults and nearly an entire deck dedicated to children’s activities, the ships offer something for every member of the family. Disney Cruise Line continues to grow by attracting passengers who say they would not have cruised if it hadn’t been for the Disney brand.

    Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo says, “Focussing on families has been smart business for us. More than 95 per cent of Disney Cruise Line guests rate their cruise experience as excellent or very good. Families know they can trust us to provide a quality, immersive Disney experience. As a result, Disney Cruise Line continually sets sail with the highest load factors in the industry of nearly 150 per cent.”

    Similar to the original Disney Cruise Line ships, the new ships will be a modern interpretation of classic ocean liners of the 1930s. Disney Imagineers drew their inspiration from the original trans-Atlantic ships that featured a dramatic black hull with two funnels and porthole windows. The profile of the ships, with its gentle curves at the stern combined with sleek angles at the bow, are reminiscent of the art deco designs of the era.

    To add whimsy to the classic design, the Disney ships have the same exterior colour palette as Mickey Mouse with black, white, red and yellow. The new ships will feature elegant, detailed Disney scrollwork at the bow and will evoke images of the glamour of the golden age of cruising.