ITV

Tag: Nick

  • Nick kicks off Masti-Dosti contest; plans multi-media campaign

    Nick kicks off Masti-Dosti contest; plans multi-media campaign

    MUMBAI: In line with Nick’s new funda “Bitaiye masti ke pal, apne khas doston ke sang,” the channel will kick off the Masti-Dosti contest starting 4 December on the Masti-Dosti block from 6 – 7 pm, Monday to Friday.

    Nick also seems to be pulling up their socks in promoting this initiative, with plans of launching a multi-media campaign. This would comprise of television, print and on-ground, including colourfully painted school buses and visits to the agencies by its characters – SpongeBob SquarePants and his buddy, Patrick.

    To participate in the Masti-Dosti Contest, kids have to spot the prize on air and report it right back to Nick by calling 1250111555 in Mumbai and Delhi or 1250155 in other cities, or SMS ‘NICK’ followed by either A, B or C and their name to 6882. Alternatively, they can log on to www.nickindia.com and participate in the contest.

    Remote controlled cars, Gameboys, DVD players, cell phones, MP3 players, Discmans and rollerblades – all in pairs will be up for grabs. Ten lucky winners will have the privilege of seeing their names on air. As for the grand prize winner – he/she and a friend get to feature in special promotion that will be aired on Nick at the end of the contest, informs an official release.

    If back-to-back episodes of Nick’s characters and best buds Spongebob and Patrick, Ninja Hattori and Kenny Chee and Munnabhai and Circuit scheming, ploting, sharing and caring is not enough. On the eve of World AIDS Day, the channel extended its hand of ‘dosti’ to children from the NGO – Committed Community Development Trust (CCDT) to come and party with Nick buddies SpongeBob and Patrick and enjoy Nickloads of fun.

    Speaking on the initiative, Nick India vice president and general manager Nina Jaipuria said, “At the onset of the festive season, Masti-Dosti is Nick’s unique way of reaching out and celebrating the ‘spirit of friendship’ with the kids. Over the past many months Nick has formed a special bond with the kids and ‘Masti-Dosti’ is an initiative to strengthen that even further.”

  • Nick takes over the skies with Singapore Airlines

    Nick takes over the skies with Singapore Airlines

    MUMBAI: This month and next month kids broadcaster Nickelodeon’s Rugrats toddlers and the party animals from Barnyard will be taking to the skies with junior flyers and Singapore Airlines.

    One of the Barnyard characters or Rugrats babies will be accompanying Singapore Airlines’ junior flyers when they embark on their journey. All travellers under 12 will receive a fun pack filled with books and activities that will keep them preoccupied on their flight.

    In addition to this, movies such as Barnyard: The Original Party Animals and Rugrats in Paris, as well as the Rugrats cartoon series will be featured on the Singapore Airlines award-winning in-flight entertainment system, KrisWorld.

    Singapore Airlines VP in-flight services Betty Wong says, “We are delighted to present this triple dose of Barnyard and Rugrats premiums, and the cartoon series and movies to entertain our young travellers,” said the . “We want our young flyers to have fun and be entertained on all our flights.

    “We will continue to feature new cartoon characters on all flights in addition to the all-time favourite SpongeBob SquarePants premiums that we introduced last year.”

    KrisWorld has a range of entertainment options for the youngsters with not just popular TV programmes and cartoons, but also the latest children’s CDs and soundtracks, and a large menu of games including Pokemon, Super Mario Bros Deluxe, Winnie the Pooh, Lion King Paddle Bash, Tic Tack Toe, in-flight Tetris and much much more.

    This alliance is a reflection of both companies’ commitment to the children’s’ needs when flying and travelling. Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products Asia senior VP Indrea Suharjono says, “Our renewed alliance with Singapore Airlines’ in-flight programme marks an important step in strengthening our relationship with kids all over the world, living up to Nickelodeon’s philosophy of putting kids first in everything that we do.”

  • Nick Asia acquires ‘Lola And Virginia’ show

    Nick Asia acquires ‘Lola And Virginia’ show

    MUMBAI: The Barcelona-based Icon Animation has licensed its show Lola and Virginia to Nickelodeon Asia.

    The show will air on Nick in Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Palau, Mongolia, Thailand, Cambodia, Macao, South Pacific Islands and Taiwan.

    Icon Animation head of distribution and marketing Christophe Goldberger said, “Nickelodeon is the ideal home for Lola and Virginia in Asia and we are delighted to conclude this deal as we look forward to attending the Asian Television Forum. Our properties have a growing broadcast presence in the region and we are looking to extend this with licensing, publishing and mobile partnerships.”

    Life is never easy if your name is Lola, you’re 12 years old, live in a rundown neighbourhood, have a couple of snotty little brothers to look after, always wear cheap clothes and your friends are absolutely crazy. But Lola is eternally optimistic, always putting a brave face on things. However, her world is turned upside down the day Virginia appears in her life. Virginia is a stuck-up little girl who has everything : beauty, boys, good grades, and filthy-rich parents only too happy to indulge her every whim. Sparks are bound to fly.

  • MTV, Nick anounce Pakistan launch

    MTV, Nick anounce Pakistan launch

    MUMBAI: MTV Networks today announced the launch of two of its brands MTV and Nick in Pakistan.

    While MTV is being launched through a licensing agreement with Indus Media Group (IMG), kids’ channel Nick would be distributed in Pakistan by ARY Digital Network, informs an official release.

    IMG owns and operates Pakistani music channel Indus Music, which will now be re-branded as MTV Pakistan.

    MTV Pakistan would be headed by Ghazanfar Ali (chairman, Indus Media Group) as its chief executive officer. MTV Pakistan will be the 57th MTV channel worldwide.

    Announcing the launches, MTV Networks India MD and MTV Networks Asia executive VP Amit Jain said, “The launch of MTV and Nick in Pakistan is in keeping with MTV Networks’ strategy of expanding the footprints of our premium brands to key demographics in emerging markets in the region.”

    He further added, “Apart from Pakistan, the MTV networks brands have already built a strong viewer franchise in key South Asia markets such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal and reach in over 30.5 million households in the region.”

    Talking of the MTV launch in Pakistan Jain added, “By tapping into Pakistan’s rich local music scene, we plan to play a major role in supporting and exporting Pakistan’s incredible artists and cultural heritage around the world. We are pleased to partner with Indus Media Group to launch a brand new MTV channel that celebrates Pakistan’s vibrant musical landscape and youth culture.”

    Speaking on Nick’s launch in Pakistan, Amit added, “With an approach that puts ‘kids first’, Nick is known for its ‘safe-for-kids-viewing’ programming and takes pride in meaningfully engaging and entertaining millions of kids, worldwide. We are glad to extend Nick’s quality Edu-tainment programming to the kids in Pakistan.”

  • Dreamworks, Nick announce tie-up to bring big screen properties to TV

    Dreamworks, Nick announce tie-up to bring big screen properties to TV

    MUMBAI: US kids brand Nickelodeon, is working with DeamWorks Animation to make television shows based on the films Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda.

    Media reports state that the Madagascar show will chronicle the adventures of its penguin characters — Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private.

    Nick will handle the day-to-day development of the series, but plans to outsource the actual CG production. DreamWorks’s Jeffrey Katzenberg was quoted in Variety saying that these two projects are likely just the first of what will be future partnerships between Nickelodeon and Dreamworks, which have been in the works since DreamWorks was acquired by Paramount last December

  • Nick, CBBC competing for channel of the year at the Bafta Awards

    Nick, CBBC competing for channel of the year at the Bafta Awards

    MUMBAI: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) has announced the nominees for the British Academy Children’s Film and Television Awards. The show takes place on 26 November, 2006.

    CBBC, CBeebies, Nickelodeon UK and Nick JR UK are competing for the channel of the year trophy. For film of the year the nominees are The Choronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, Pirates Of The Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest and Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit.

    For best entertainment show the nominees are The Basil Brush Show, Raven, Top Of The Pops Reloaded and Tricky TV – Vanessa

    In addition children below the age of 16 can vote for their favourite film. The nominees include Cars,
    Chicken Little and The Chronicles Of Narnia.

  • Nick celebrates ‘Worldwide Day of Play’ on 30 Sept; analyses American leisure habits

    Nick celebrates ‘Worldwide Day of Play’ on 30 Sept; analyses American leisure habits

    MUMBAI: As Nickelodeon celebrates Worldwide Day of Play by “going dark” on air 30 September to encourage kids to get up, go out and go play, Leisure Trends Group takes a look at recent trends in America’s leisure habits.

    Sponsored by Nickelodeon and its partners, Worldwide Day of Play is the highlight of its Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge that has evolved into a health and wellness movement. Leisure Trends, the market research company has conducted an ongoing US survey to examine the changing landscape of Americans at play and publishes results in its quarterly LeisureTRAK.

    Leisure Trends data confirms Worldwide Day of Play is well timed to encourage continued activity when most households are burrowing in for winter. On average, as Americans move from summer into fall, they lose 20 minutes of leisure time per day, according to Leisure Trends Research director Laurel Hyslop, PhD. Americans lose an additional 10 minutes of leisure time once winter rolls around, she added.

    As time outdoors declines, TV becomes a bigger lure. Americans begin spending 13 more minutes on average a day watching television in September as compared to summer months. In fact, when asked what leisure activities they participated in the previous day, an analysis indicate outdoor sports decline 28 per cent from summer to fall and decline 40 per cent from fall to winter.

    In addition to seasonal changes in leisure habits, Leisure Trends has identified differences in leisure motivations and activities Americans pursue, with the tragedy of 9/11 marking a pivotal shift in priorities. Spending time with family and friends has always been a high priority, but since 9/11 it has become the top priority – moving ahead of the two traditional top choices, reading and TV. Family and friends matter, and Americans are finding time for them. This trend cuts across all ages and includes both sexes. As a favourite activity, socializing has risen from 23 per cent of Americans prior to 9/11 to 36 percent more recently.

    According to Hyslop another key trend is Americans 16 and older are moving away from team sports to individual sports. Team sports require more time, both to play and to organize playing partners. With all the things Americans want to do in their leisure, individual sports provide the most flexibility.

    “These trends also point to the shift toward pleasure and away from competition that has altered the very hierarchy of leisure motivations,” Hyslop said. The company has been studying leisure motivators for the past 15 years, finding they yield stronger consumer insights than such traditional dimensions as demography and geography. “Pleasure-seeking now exerts a stronger pull than competition in determining leisure pursuits. The changes point toward a growing desire to have fun and a declining interest in competition and getting ahead in life.”

    The clearest manifestation of the changing motivations is the long-term growth in participation in entertainment activities, up from 42 percent to 52 percent since 1990. “The ongoing battle between sport and entertainment will determine the future of leisure time in America,” Hyslop said.

    The absolute authority on leisure in America, Leisure Trends Group provides powerful insight into the changing habits of America at play and the implications to business.

  • Nick scores hat trick with new shows on board

    Nick scores hat trick with new shows on board

    MUMBAI: Kids TV channel Nick has launched three new shows in different time bands. Two of the shows rolled out this month specifically cater to pre-schoolers.

    The new shows which include Fetch the Vet, Kiri the Clown and Ninja Hattori promises to give kids a wide variety of humour, music and learning from the best in the world.

    Fetch the Vet is a pre-school show about Tom Fetch, a veterinarian who runs a clinic in a small country town. Tom is the first person the townsfolk go to for any pet-related problem and he’s happy to give them his attention and affection. This show will be telecast at 1pm from Monday to Saturday.

    Kiri the Clown is a colourful animation show based on the book series. Kiri travels from town to town with Pip’lett the Parrot, Rabitus the Cat and Laura the Ballerina who perform in a little circus and are best pals. The gags, magic, songs, dances and slap stick humour in the show have been designed for pre-schoolers. It will be telecast at 10.30am from Monday to Saturday.

    The third show Ninja Hattori is a story about Ken, an ordinary boy who befriends a little ninja called Hattori who’s anything but normal! He has the powers of a supreme ninja so that he can speed like a rocket, sleep on the ceiling and know martial arts at the back of his fast hand! This show will be telecast at 6.30pm from Monday to Friday.

    The bevy of new shows the channel has been launching since the beginning of the year – ten in all – seems to have borne fruit with the channel showing an over 500 per cent rise in TVR and doubling its reach over the same period last year. The new shows are expected to take the channel even higher, states an official release.

    Nick launched in India in 1999 as a multi-genre kids’ TV channel and today claims to be viewed in over 23 million households in the country. Its content for 2-14 year olds includes animated series, live-action shows, comedy, popular game shows (including the locally produced Dum Duma Dum and Gili Gili Gappa), hosted shows and live-action-cum-animation series, J Bole Toh Jadoo.

  • Nick enters into publishing deal with Activision for CD Roms

    Nick enters into publishing deal with Activision for CD Roms

    MUMBAI: US kids channel Nickelodeon has entered into a distribution agreement with Activision.

    Activision will be the exclusive distributor of three new Nick Jr. PC CD-ROM titles, published by Nickelodeon and based on the preschool series Dora The Explorer, The Backyardigans, and Go, Diego, Go!. The titles will be available
    later this month.

    Dave Oxford, General Manager for Activision Value Publishing

    Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family VP, digital media products Paul Jelinek says, “This is an exciting digital initiative for Nickelodeon since it is the first time our company is publishing computer games on a cross platform.

    “With a leading partner like Activision on-board to distribute these original Nick published games, based on some of our
    leading preschool properties, we are now able to fulfill consumer demand for this kind of entertainment both online and at retail.”

  • OMS bags Nick media biz

    MUMBAI: Optimum Media Solutions (OMS), Mudra’s independent media agency, has been appointed as the media planning, buying and implementation agency for Nick India. The incumbent agency was Mediacom.
    In a multi-agency pitch OMS Mumbai won the mid size business on the basis of the media strategy and plans presented by the agency. The other agencies that pitched for the account include Rediffusion, TBWA Anthem and Network.

    The initial mandate is to promote the flagship program and brand ambassador for the channel SpongeBob SquarePants in the coming festive season. Nick was looking for a new media agency to help promote the channel in the increasingly crowded and highly competitive kids’ genre.

    OMS president Chandradeep Mitra said, “We are delighted to partner Nick in this exciting assignment. It is a tough challenge to promote a media brand, especially to promote a TV channel or program using other TV channels. It’s always great to have a media partner as a client, and we now have a clutch of media clients, including HBO, Adlabs Radio and Nick. I believe our strategy for vehicle and program selection, scheduling and budgeting, and above all, negotiating deals across other channels, helped us win this important business. Full credit to the OMS Mumbai team that made this happen!”

    According to MTV Networks India director – communications Sandeep Dahiya,, “We are glad to have OMS on board. With their sound strategic approach and the ability to execute ideas, they are well equipped to take Nick’s marketing plans to logical fruition.”

    Nick thus joins the roster of a number of other clients handled by OMS, including Reliance ADAG, Paras, HBO, ICI Paints, Dabur, LIC, SBI, HPCL, Air India, Zenith Computers, MTDC, Amway, Grasim, TTK, Sify, Jyothi Laboratories, RmKV Silks, Olympus, Panasonic and Orpat.