ITV

Tag: Nina Elavia Jaipuria

  • Viacom18 to launch Nick HD+; readies third localised kids show ‘Shiva’

    Viacom18 to launch Nick HD+; readies third localised kids show ‘Shiva’

    MUMBAI: Viacom 18’s kids cluster is gearing up for some game changing moves. In a first for the Indian market, Nickelodeon will launch a kids channel in high definition called Nick HD+, which will showcase the best of local and international content.

     

    Nick HD+ will soon be available on all cable and direct to home (DTH) platforms in the country. Nick HD+ content will be curated from the best of Nick’s offerings across the board, which includes special ‘never seen before’ episodes of Dora The Explorer and Sponge-bob Squarepants. Some of the network’s international shows such as Marvin Marvin will also be introduced to India through Nick HD+.

     

    THIRD LOCALISED SERIES ‘SHIVA’

     

    Additionally, after tasting success with its two localised shows namely Motu Patlu and Pakdam Pakdai, Viacom18’s kids cluster Nickelodeon India will be launching its third localised series titled Shiva. Slated to launch on Nickelodeon during Diwali this year on either the afternoon or evening prime time slot, Shiva is expected to give competition to Pogo’s popular Indian animated series Chhota Bheem.

     

    Created by Maya Digital Studios under Suhas Kadav’s direction, Shiva comes as an answer to the channel’s requirement for a home grown show that caters fun and action to their young viewers.

     

    “As per last year’s Oremax Small Wonder study from a sample of 1800 kids between the age of six to 14 years, we were missing one of the key drivers that led viewership and kids engagement, among all of our shows. We needed a high octane action comedy series that completed our portfolio and Shiva is just what we needed,” points out Viacom18 EVP and business head – kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria.

     

    Unlike their other shows, which range from 15-20 minutes, each episode of Shiva will be 22 minutes long.

     

    Aimed at kids between the age of 8 to 11, Shiva tells the story of the nine year old brave, fearless and intelligent boy who stays in Vedas city with his maternal grandparents. Every story in the show starts with an incident that threatens Vedas City. A true hero, Shiva along with his gang of friends sets out to save the day with the help some cool gadgets like the super bike developed by him.

     

    Developed after over a year of careful research, planning, and conceptualising, Shiva is being touted as one of the expensive projects by the channel. “Any animated series episode costs four times than that of a live action series,” shares Jaipuria. 

     

    While an episode of a show like Chhota Bheem costs anywhere between Rs 26 – 27 lakh, Jaipuria, pegs the cost of Shiva’s episode anything above Rs 20 lakh.

     

    With high hopes riding on the new show, Nickelodeon will be leaving no stones unturned to promote the show through a 360 degree marketing campaign, making the most of the approaching festive season.

     

    To start with, the channel has put out teaser promos of the show through their home network channels. As the festive season nears, Nickelodeon will expand marketing and promotion measures through retail, van activities, OOH, digital and more.

     

    “We plan to go below the line to put out the word through channels in other networks like a Sab TV or a Zee Cinema, which we know gets traction from kids. We will also be looking at utilising some of the movie releases, which are targeted at kids, thereby creating awareness in theatres. For the festive season of Dussehra and Deepavali everyone is out at the malls, so we will be undertaking a lot of on-ground mall activities happening through partnerships. We will also use radio as a reminder medium,” she lists out, adding that the channel will also use social media and the digital platform to spread the word around on their new offering.

     

    SONIC

     

    Nickelodeon India has also devised a strong growth plan for its other kids channel – Sonic, which is all set to up the entertainment quotient for kids this season. Further fortifying the high decibel Sonic line-up, the series Oggy & The Cockroaches will now shift from Nick to Sonic. With shows like Oggy and Pakdam Pakdai, Sonic is being pitched as the ultimate comic-chase destination.

     

    Although admitting that moving a successful show like Oggy & The Cockroaches from Nick to Sonic is risky, Jaipuria is hopeful that the show will help strengthen Sonic’s line up. Shedding more light on the reason behind this move, Jaipuria explains, “It is a combination of a couple of drivers that seem to be working for each character under Nick’s banner, whether it’s Dora, Oggy or Motu Patlu. We realised that if we focus on only action in Sonic, we will only cater to a very small section of audience. Therefore this move is also about expanding Sonic’s reach by adding a flavour of comedy with Oggy & The Cockroaches.”

     

    She added that the channel’s reach has gone up after a similar move they made earlier with Pakdam Pakdai.

     

    The network will try to drive traction to Sonic through Nickelodeon by urging loyal fans Oggy & The Cockroaches to follow it on Sonic. This will be followed by a full fledged promotion activity for Sonic through the month of October.

     

    When asked to comment on these new developments on the network’s kid cluster section, Jaipuria said, “Nickelodeon has always stayed ahead of the curve with its innovative and engaging initiatives. Keeping kids at the core of everything that we do, endearing characters, path breaking content and pioneering initiatives have scripted Nickelodeon’s leadership and success story. The launch of Shiva and Nick HD+ are significant milestones in the category and are sure to be game changers, further fortifying our leadership position.”

  • Nickelodeon and Sonic engage with over 500 schools across India

    Nickelodeon and Sonic engage with over 500 schools across India

    MUMBAI: School time is synonymous with friends, fun and learning and kids channels Nickelodeon and Sonic are set to add to the unforgettable experience. The campaigns, ‘Nickelodeon Party Hard with Motu Patlu’ and ‘Sonic Jo Dekhega Wo Jeetega’ aim at making school time special by curating a high octane entertainment and engagement event with kids. Upping the edutainment experience at schools, the month long engagement will reach out to over 5 lakh children in 500 schools across 16 cities in India.

     

    Days spent at school are most memorable and these campaigns through the school contact programme are all set to make sure that children celebrate the best years of their life.  The engaging programme kick starts with the introduction of the Nickelodeon and Sonic shows, leading to children participating in multiple learning based games with their favorite characters.  The games will be seamlessly integrated with team building activities with their school buddies and the Pakdam Pakdai gang.  Stories of their favorite characters Motu Patlu  will bring alive the spirit of friendship and themed games based on mind mapping and analytic skills will keep children engaged and entertained while also helping them hone their cognitive skills. Select few kids will also get a chance to win cool goodies and party with the awesome twosome Motu Patlu and get to win cool gadget from Sonic’s Pakdam Pakdai.

     

    Speaking about engaging with lakhs of kids though the school contact programme Nina Elavia Jaipuria, EVP & Business Head, Kids’ Cluster, Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd, said, “Engaging with children and making our characters an intrinsic part of every child’s life has been our key endeavor. Our robust school time engagement helps us connect with kids as we imbibe core values and skills in them. We are sure that kids will be delighted to spend time with their favorite characters at school with their friends”.

     

    Leading brands like Alpenliebe Juzt Jelly, Hamdard Joshina, Dabur Red Toothpaste, Act II Popcorn and Luxor have partnered with Nickelodeon in this celebration of school time.  The 1.5 month long initiative filled with laughter, action and entertainment will culminate on September 30th 2015.

  • Nick packs a punch with sixth ‘Motu Patlu’ made-for-TV movie premiere

    Nick packs a punch with sixth ‘Motu Patlu’ made-for-TV movie premiere

    MUMBAI: After five back-to-back movies, Nickelodeon is all set to launch the sixth made-for-television movie from the Motu Patlu franchise – Motu Patlu Kung Fu King Returns.

     

    The movie will premiere on-air on Nickelodeon, online as well as on-ground.

     

    While the channel will air the movie on 14 June at 11.30 am, it will be streamed on www.nickindia.com from 12.30 pm onwards. A Mumbai premiere of the movie is also planned on 11 June.

     

    Nickelodeon EVP and business head – kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Motu Patlu have, over a short period of time, captured the hearts and minds of kids across the country. The much adored duo have now become an intrinsic part of every kid’s day to day life and the movies are an imperative pillar to fortifying this relationship. The franchise has grown beyond television to connect with kids across platforms including digital, on-air, consumer products and on-ground meet and greets giving children a wholesome engagement experience.”

     

    For the first time in India, a made-for-television movie in the kids’ category will come alive across multiple platforms through an exciting range of engagement initiatives.

     

    A movie festival was kicked off from 9 June on motupatlu.in where all five Motu Patlu movies will be available over the five days as the film festival culminates with the online premiere of the movie – Motu Patlu Kung Fu King Returns on 14 June.

     

    Additionally, kids can also play Motu Patlu games, enjoy the Motu Patlu memes and participate in the Motu Patlu Kung Fu King Returns contest to win merchandise. In another first for the category, Motu Patlu will also bond with fans on Google Hangout on 11 June, 2015.

     

    What’s more, the twosome will also be the show stoppers on the orange-carpet accompanied by celebrity kids at the premiere screening of the movie in Mumbai on 11 June. Promotions have also been launched across cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, Hyderabad, Pune and Bhopal.

     

    The network has also launched new ‘Motu Patlu Back to School’ merchandise with a wide product line-up including water bottles, sippers, lunch boxes, pencil cases and pouches, erasers, etc. The merchandise will be available across about 2,000 touch points in India across retail outlets and online platforms.

  • Viacom18 puts marketing might behind summer shows across three kids’ channels

    Viacom18 puts marketing might behind summer shows across three kids’ channels

    MUMBAI: Summer is here and that means it’s that time of the year when channels and brands alike go all out to woo their favourite consumer – the kids!

     

    Nickelodeon for one is all set to entertain kids across the country with exciting offerings across its four channels namely Nick, Sonic, Nick Jr. and Teen Nick.

     

    Building on its unparalleled leadership story, Nickelodeon has unveiled its detailed plans for the summer, which includes a robust programming line-up along with interactive campaigns on-air, on-ground and online. From power-packed promotions to new shows, new seasons and more, Nickelodeon is geared up to engage kids across age groups this summer.

     

    Nick: The undisputed leader of the kids’ genre

     

    To consolidate the leadership position, which the channel has been enjoying for the last couple of months, Nick has set the stage for its flagship show Motu Patlu by launching a campaign called ‘Motu Patlu Hero Hunt.’

     

    As per the data released by BARC for week 16, Nick maintained the lead with 61,287 GTVTs (Gross Television Viewership in Thousands) followed by Pogo, which had 58,473 GTVTs and Cartoon Network with 39,495 GTVTs.

     

    Viacom18 – kids cluster EVP and business head Nina Elavia Jaipuria avers that the channel’s viewership grows by almost 15 per cent during the summer months. “We are making sure that we are out on the front foot entertaining and engaging kids with our best content and best promotions,” she asserts.

     

    Keeping in line with the changing and ever evolving preference of children, Jaipuria believes that it is imperative to understand the current fads and trends in the kids’ space.

     

    For the Motu Patlu Hero Hunt, Nick will give kids an opportunity to get animated alongside the two characters. “Kids love to be on television and if they are in the animated avatar, there’s nothing like it. So based on that learning, we will run a contest on the channel wherein kids can answer a simple question and win a chance to feature on the Motu Patlu show in an animated avatar,” informs Jaipuria.

     

    “This kind of promotion merits a great marketing plan because we need to give it surround sound and create enough awareness about the promotion,” she adds.

     

    To give wings to the campaign, Nick will roll out a 360 degree campaign across the country, which will include cross channel television plan, print, ambient, digital and a whole host of experiential touch points to engage with kids wherever they are.

     

    As part of the on-ground promotional activity, Nick has also planned tons of games and fun activities for kids in malls across Mumbai and Delhi.

     

    Through augmented reality, kids will be able to see their animated avatar talking to Motu Patlu on the screen in the mall. “With this initiative, we will see how augmented reality actually converts kids into an animated avatar,” adds Jaipuria.

     

    The network has also partnered with 26 Pantaloons outlets in the country where the retail chain will hold a ‘Junior Fashion Week’ and conduct auditions in their outlets with finales being held at Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore. In these cities, Motu Patlu will also be the part of the fashion show and walk the ramp with children.

     

    In order to generate awareness about the promotions, Nick has also tied up with almost 25-30 McDonald’s outlets in the north and west.

     

    No promotion activity or marketing campaign these days is replete without a digital presence. Nick is creating a micro site – nickindia.comfor the iconic characters, which will have a whole lot of videos and promotional material. Additionally, the channel has also loaded the website with as many as 15 games, which kids can enjoy playing. “The whole play factor comes into place here and kids can play with our characters because they love them so much,” Jaipuria says.

     

    Nick will also be milking the consumer products segment in order create the required euphoria for Motu Patlu. “While we had the apparels earlier, this season we are focusing on ‘Back to School’ as soon the kids and their mothers will start buying new stuff for school. Some of the branded products we will be launching are bags, water bottles, lunchboxes and zippers amongst others,” informs Jaipuria.

     

    Adding to the summer excitement will be the launch of Motu Patlu’s sixth exclusive ‘made-for-television’ movie, Motu Patlu Kung Fu King Returns, which will be released in June. The channel will also launch all new episodes of the show this season. This will be preceded by the launch of the latest SpongeBob adventure: The SpongeBob Movie – Sponge Out of Water, which will release across India on 8 May, 2015.

     

    Sonic: Selfies & new shows

     

    Nick’s sister channel Sonic is taking a different route in terms of promotions. According to Jaipuria, being a smaller channel, the summer months helps Sonic grow by getting in new viewers, which leads to drive a better reach of the channel.

     

    Riding on the selfie wave that has swept adults and kids alike, Sonic has launched a summer campaign with the tagline ‘Selfie Kheecho Prizes Jeeto’ to drive engagement with the digital savvy generation.

     

    The idea is for the kids to watch Sonic’s show Pakdam Pakdai, take selfies with Doggy Don and send it to the channel. Winners stand a chance to win smartphones and tablets. The selfies will also be uploaded on sonicgang.com as videos and gags.

     

    For Sonic, Viacom 18 is focusing on smaller cities and has launched van activations in 15 cities across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

     

    Sonic will also connect with kids across multiple retail touch-points such as Funcity across 12 cities and numerous McDonald’s outlets pan India.

     

    Further building on the Pakdam Pakdai franchise, the channel will be launching all new episodes of the action packed chase-comedy show this summer. Sonic has also launched two new shows called Hubert Takako and Mini Ninjas.

     

    “With all the marketing this summer, we want to make sure that the advertisers are also happy with the kind of viewership and promotions we have,” adds Jaipuria.

     

    Teen Nick: New shows

     

    Realising that kids are watching international shows online on YouTube, Viacom 18 brought those shows on its channel Teen Nick. The new shows that will be aired on Teen Nick this summer are Marvin Marvin and a sitcom called Nicky Dicky Dawn.

     

    Nick Jr: Dora takes the lead

     

    Dora leads the pack on Nick Jr this summer. On 14 May, the channel will celebrate Mother’s Day with Dora and Gelato in four cities namely Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and Bangalore. Kids and mothers can walk in and enjoy free scoops of ice-cream. On the consumer products front,Dora continues to have its back-to-school goodies.

     

    With the new shows on-board, Jaipuria reveals that the channel will stick to its five-seven hours of original programming. “We don’t play the 24-hour repeat but play other repeats so kids don’t feel that they are watching the same episodes again and again,” informs Jaipuria.

     

    Happy Advertisers

     

    New advertisers have flocked to the channel ever since the network achieved its leadership position last year with Nick. Viacom 18 has advertisers across categories like food, FMCG, automobile brands like Honda and Hyundai, as well as brands like OLX, Micromax and Whirpool to name a few.

     

    Advertisers who get active in the summers months are Rasna, Tang, Horlicks and Mother Dairy amongst others.

     

    Jaipuria reveals that it has been a good year in terms of ad sales growth and hopes that the quarter continues to grow even further. In terms of ad sales, the Nickelodeon franchise has witnessed a growth of 33 per cent. “Most of that has come through increase in our rates. We are happy to note that we are in the right trajectory, the shortage in inventory and our heroes – Motu and Patlu, Ninja and Pakdam Pakdai have made it happen for us.”

     

    The leadership position has helped the network monetize better thus making ad sales rates growth by 33 per cent, informs Jaipuria.

     

    Talking about the 10-sec ad rate, she says, “We saw the growth coming in Nick last year because of the leadership position and with our delivery being good, we were able to command our increase right. Summer observes a shortage in the inventory as well and therefore we would obviously like to give it to advertisers, who will pay us more because of the inventory shortage.”

     

    In ad rates, last year the Nickelodeon franchise witnessed a growth of 25-30 per cent and Jaipuria is hoping to keep it at the same rate this quarter as well. The network will continue the rate hike through summer as it has consolidated its leadership position and also advertisers are interested in their 12-minutes inventory.

     

  • Nick Jr celebrates world creativity & innovation week with ‘Go Creative’ campaign

    Nick Jr celebrates world creativity & innovation week with ‘Go Creative’ campaign

    MUMBAI: Sketch it, paint it, colour it or create it! Nick Jr India celebrates for the first time – World Creativity and Innovation Week with Dora the Explorer. The campaign that aims to inspire the little geniuses to unleash their creativity will provide them with a unique opportunity to showcase their talent.

     

    The creativity drive will be driven by Dora – The Explorer, who will flag off the ‘Go Creative’ campaign by inviting young minds to participate in this fun filled, innovative week from 15 to 21 April, 2015. The week long initiative will kick start online wherein children will have to sketch, colour, paint or create Dora.

     

    They will then have to click a picture of their art and upload it on the website. The campaign will also come alive on ground through interesting multi-city engagement initiatives. 

     

    The World Creativity and Innovation Week has been celebrated across the world in 46 countries since 2001. Through this unique concept, Nick Jr urges children to unleash their creative side and bring out the best of their talent through the expressive medium of Art.

     

    Viacom18 EVP and business head, kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Art is the most apt form of expression and children with their curious and creative minds have always enjoyed being a part of such interesting activities.  The initiative is intended at spurring creativity and inspiring innovation amongst children. Our objective is to provide them a platform to bring out the innovative sketches and artistic strokes.”

     

    Dora the Explorer is as a seven-year-old girl who actively engages preschoolers in a play-along, adventure. Adored by children, every episode has Dora the educator invite young viewers to join her on an exploration with a clearly defined goal.  Dora also introduces kids to Hindi and English words and gives viewers the skills and the confidence needed to overcome challenges.

  • Nickelodeon mobilises Gen-Next with Big Green Help 2015

    Nickelodeon mobilises Gen-Next with Big Green Help 2015

    MUMBAI: Kids inspire, influence and hold the baton to the future of society. It is this kid power that Nickelodeon has sought to unleash with the Big Green Help 2015. Answering the nation’s clarion call for Swach Bharat and taking it a step further, the pro-socio environment initiative will empower and encourage kids to save the planet and its resources.

     

    The Big Green Help will provide information and tools to kids to understand various environmental issues like conserving energy, preserving nature and fighting pollution hazards, amongst many others. Nick will make this serious topic very relevant and kid friendly with the adorable Nicktoons spreading the key message of saving the planet.

     

    Viacom18 Media EVP and business head – kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Nickelodeon continuously engages with kids on issues that affect their lives and encourages them to take action. With The Big Green Help, we aim to provide them with the necessary knowledge so they can become part of the environmental solution and ensure a brighter future for themselves.”

     

    Post its success in the last couple of years, the Big Green Help initiative by Nickelodeon has now made its way into the digital space through an exclusive microsite (nickindia.com/BGH). The microsite will allow kids to learn more about the environmental issues and be the “Agents of Change” to make the world a healthier place.

     

    The on-air campaign further resonates this message and showcases kids taking the higher ground and encouraging adults to walk the right path.

     

    Nickelodeon has also launched a new chapter in their environmentally friendly challenge by opening up an online game – The Big Green Game with a goal of kindling real-world action for environmental change. The popular Motu – Patlu Nicktoons characters will be featured wherein they will be on a mission to clean Furfuri Nagar and make it garbage free. The online kid’s game seeks to use social media as a tool to help educate today’s children about global environmental concerns.

     

    Launched with the goal of spurring a kid-led movement, the channel also encourages kids to pledge to be green ‘Refuse, Reduce , Reuse , Recycle’ and take actionable stops in the real world through projects in their communities and schools.

  • We deserve it, says Nina Jaipuria as ad sales rates hike 25-30%

    We deserve it, says Nina Jaipuria as ad sales rates hike 25-30%

    MUMBAI: Pleasing a child is a daunting task and taking the challenge head on is none other than Nickelodeon and Sonic. With the new year coming in, the channels are set to excite its viewers with surprises and celebrations. Re-enforcing its market leadership, while Nick has got back Oggy and the Cockroaches, the action packed, chase comedy Pakdam Pakdai will be seen on Sonic, starting 22 December. 

    This is in line with the channel’s strategy to bring alive the thought of “Action Ka Tevar with Comedy Ka Flavour.”

    “Nick has already established its leadership position with characters like Motu Patlu and Ninja that we have nurtured over the years. Now its time to focus on Sonic. The shift of Pakdam Pakdai to Sonic is a strategic move in that direction. The show will rest only on Sonic since we do not want to dilute the franchise and keep both our channels differentiated,” says Viacom18 EVP and business head kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria.

    To back this up, it is launching the first Pakdam Pakdai movie called Pakdam Pakdai – Don v/s Billiman on 25 December at 11.30 am on Sonic. Adding to the supersonic line-up is Sci -Fi Santa and all new episodes of Power Rangers with an entertaining array of new shows like Rimba Racer, Mini Ninjas and Jungle Bunch.

    To up the entertainment quotient, Nick will be airing the fifth exclusive made for television Motu Patlu movie: Motu Patlu Aur Khazane Ki Race. “There is always room for more. The kids demand for more and hence as the year progesses you will not only see newer episodes of Motu Patlu but also many more made for television movies.”

    Talking about the next big initiative, Oggy and the Cockroaches is all set to make a come back on Nick. Premiering on 1 January 2015, the channel has already created a bank of 65 episodes. This character was made about five years ago and very quickly it became a chart topper. “What we got was a silent show, but we dubbed it and it became a runaway success.” 

     

    2014: A successful year…

    In the year, Sonic has grown almost 200 per cent in terms of ratings. “We couldn’t have asked for a better growth story for Sonic. Small and steady but we are happy the way the graph is looking now.”

    As per TAM ratings provided by the channel in All India ABC CS 4-14, Sonic’s reach has grown by 63 per cent and time spent by 93 per cent as compared to last year. “Not only we want more viewers but we want them to stick on our channel and the growth clearly shows that the content is sticky and the characters have already made their way into the hearts and minds of children. Our closest competitor Disney XD has de-grown and trails by 25 TVTs in November’14,” points out Jaipuria.

    What led to the 200 per cent viewership growth on Sonic? The holiday season did wonders for the channel where close to 1.5 million kids engaged all through summer. The channel conducted a ‘Back to School’ campaign to ‘Be the Ranger’ across 11 cities and 200 schools and grabbed eyeballs of almost 1.6 lakh kids. Moreover, it was followed by ‘Diwali Dhamaka’ campaign that reached out to over 10 million kids across the country. ‘Meet the Rangers in USA’ was an exciting mass media campaign with the ultimate thrill factor where the winner kids got a chance to meet the actual power rangers in USA.

    Power Rangers visited malls and game-plexes and challenged kids to take up the multicity gaming championship. The channel received over 15,000 entries. With Christmas nearing, the channel is conducting a sci-fi Santa contest, a month full of amazing prizes to be won every day.

    The reason behind so many campaigns and activities was to make Sonic more popular amongst its TG. “The Sonic task was very different for us because it was about creating awareness for the channel in the digitized markets given that Sonic is only available in digital markets.”

    From April 2013 to November 2013 and from April 2014 to November 2014, the kids’ category has witnessed a growth of 7 per cent. From the category, Nick tops the chart with 21 per cent growth in the ratings followed by Hungama with 9 per cent and rest all the channels have registered a drop.

    So what has worked wonders for Nick? According to Jaipuria, the three stalwarts on the channel – Motu Patlu, Pakdam Pakdai and Ninja Hattori have added to most ratings. In a very short span of time Motu Patlu managed to grab 44 per cent of the ratings, Pakdam Pakdai (9 per cent) and Ninja Hattori  (43 per cent).

    Jaipuria believes it is not just about TAM, but how the channel captures the hearts and minds of the little kids and to create the bond and relationship. “In the kids category the characters are most important to drive viewer affinity.  It is the character that forges the relationship and bond with our viewers along with engaging story-telling and great quality of animation.”

    The channel conducted ‘Be the Boss’ campaign where Nicktoons travelled to each winner’s city to hand them their ‘Appointment Letters’ to invite them to the corporate office. Over 21,000 entries participated to ‘Be the Boss’.

    Talking about the achievements, in the 11th edition of Ormax – Small Wonders Study, Nick’s Ninja Hattori, Motu Patlu and Sonic’s Power Rangers made their way amongst the top 10 characters.

    So, what made Nick stand out in the crowd? According to Jaipuria the trend in the category has not been Hollywood or Bollywood, but it is about creating movies that kids actually love. The fourth movie – Motu Patlu Kung Fu Kings was a runaway success. It was the category leader and in the week when it premiered it garnered around 777 TVTs.

    In 2014, Nick has attracted almost 20-30 new advertisers. Brands like Snapdeal, OLX, Godrej, Gionee Smartphones, Rasna etc have come on board. Talking about the entire franchise, it has attracted 105 new advertisers and 300 brands.

    With holidays coming, the channel is celebrating with consumer activations. ‘Lift your Gift’ contest, which started from 8 December and will go on for a month long, is one example.

    The channels have the advantage of being part of the network, which caters to the age group of 0-50 plus. “We have kids, youth and then general entertainment and that’s how we leverage and build on each other.”

    For instance, the characters Motu Patlu hit the highest peak of popularity when they did the jig with the stars in Jhalak Dikhlaja (JDJ).

    What seems to be the happy moment for Nick is that the ad sales category has grown by 14 per cent which is actually growing faster than the kids category (7 per cent). Jaipuria says the reason is the 12-minute ad cap which fuelled the shortage of inventory and therefore led to an automatic increase of ad rates.

    Considering the 12-minute ad cap, Jaipuria reveals that the entire network is already houseful. But talking about the other side of the story, she feels the category continues to be under indexed. “While the ad sales for the category is growing, it is still hugely under indexed.  The genre contributes about 9 per cent of viewership at a CNS 4+ but less than 2 per cent of the total TV  ad pie.  This needs to be addressed and we are sure that this disparity will soon be corrected.”

    The network has gone beyond the usual FCT and is working on innovations; from customised on-air solutions to product licensing and from in-show placements to product licensing and promotional licensing. “The non FCT pieces are one that not only helps broadcasters like us but also helps advertisers in a big way.”

    When the IP belongs to the owner, one can possibly try and create things with it. For example, Pakdam Pakdai has made it to overseas markets and is syndicated to almost seven territories outside of India like Middle East, South Asia etc and has become a small part of the revenue stream for the channel. 

    Keeping ahead of the curve and being future ready, assuming kids are consuming television on mobile, laptops and internet, the network has got its websites up and running. While Nickindia.com boasts of 3.5 million page views, sonicgang.com has 1.75 million page views. To top it all, it witnessed over 5 minutes of average time spent on each visit.

    Keeping in mind that kids won’t always be available on laptops or desktops, it has launched a Nick World app with the Nick shows and Keymon O’Fish game on iOS and Android platforms. It has got almost 30,000 downloads.

    Jaipuria feels that the challenge in the industry is to write movies in animation and there is dearth of writers in the space. “It’s the chase at the end of the day. We have handful of people in the category and for us hunting new talent is always a task. Even the production houses find it very hard.”

    On the financial side, Jaipuria reveales that the ad sales rates for the entire franchise has grown by 25-30 per cent. “We deserve it and the category also deserves it.” She further says that unlike Hindi fiction which costs around Rs 6-8 lakh per episode, animation content per episode is Rs 15-20 lakh.

    On the subscription revenue, the network has witnessed a growth of 15-18 per cent. “Thankfully the PnL’s are looking healthier, thanks to the subscription revenues.”

  • Nick strengthens Motu Patlu franchise, launches new movie and merchandise

    Nick strengthens Motu Patlu franchise, launches new movie and merchandise

    MUMBAI: Nicktoons Motu Patlu are on a meteoric rise to becoming the coolest celebrities on the block. After a successful TV show, three super-hit movies, digital assets and some awesome promotional licensing deals, Nickelodeon is all set to launch the fourth action packed Motu Patlu film and trendy Motu Patlu apparel.

    This Diwali, the most popular characters of India’s number 1 kids’ channel will embark on a crazy new adventure, fighting evil for the pride of Furfurinagar, in their upcoming movie “Motu Patlu Kungfu Kings”, exclusively premiering on Thursday, 23 October at 12.15pm, only on Nickelodeon. Fans of the duo will also be able to own fashionable Motu Patlu apparel – t-shirts, sweatshirts, games & puzzles now available across leading online platforms like Snapdeal.

    The exciting new cinematic adventure ‘Motu Patlu Kungfu Kings’ will see Motu Patlu in a never before seen avatar with Motu turning into a kungfu master. All the action unfolds when Motu is challenged by an evil martial arts fighter named Tiger Chang in a competition at Furfurinagar.

    Determined to redeem the pride of Furfurinagar, Motu takes an oath to learn martial arts and defeat Tiger Chang. Will Motu succeed in mastering the challenging art of Kungfu? Will Motu Patlu defeat Tiger Chang and restore the lost pride of Furfurinagar?  The new laugh riot will answer all these question and bring alive the journey of the awesome twosome from Furfurinaar to Kungfu Land.

    Talking about the latest Motu Patlu adventure, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, EVP & Business Head, Kids Cluster said “Our dynamic duo Motu Patlu have become an intrinsic part of the daily lives of children. The franchise has grown from strength to strength, providing enhanced experiences and engaging kids across platforms like television, movies, digital assets and now consumer products. We are sure that with Motu Patlu Kungfu Kings – a movie that celebrates friendship, laughter and adventure, we will further fortify this bond between Motu Patlu, the children and their favorite channel, Nickelodeon.”

    To further increase engagement with our young viewers, Nickelodeon is now extending the Motu Patlu experience by launching an exclusive apparel line across online portals like Snapdeal.com. Motu Patlu fans can now sport cool t-shirts, shorts and sweatshirts – all in Motu Patlu’s signature dhamakedaar style.  The exclusive range, priced at Rs. 249 to Rs. 999, includes 30 different apparel options, which is now available across e-commerce platforms like Snapdeal.com.

    Speaking about the new range of merchandise, Saugato Bhowmik, Head – Consumer Products, Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., said, “Motu Patlu have topped the charts and also conquered the hearts of children across the nation with their fun antics. We now want fans of Motu Patlu to further experience their favourite characters through interesting merchandise. Starting with the launch of the apparel line online, we are eventually looking at extending the Motu Patlu franchise to include other products categories like back to school merchandise, stationery as well.”

    The amazing Motu Patlu and their endearing comedy of errors has significantly contributed towards Nickelodeon becoming the No.1 kids’ entertainment channel in the country. After their last outing to Wonderland, Mission Moon and the Deep Sea, this new adventure to Kung Fu Land is sure to be a roller coaster of action and laughter. So don’t forget to be a part of Motu Paltu’s Himalayan Adventure as they fight evil and win hearts along the way.

    Catch  ‘Motu Patlu Kungfu Kings’ this Thursday, October 23rd at 12.15pm, only on Nickelodeon and make sure to buy a Motu Patlu t-shirt/sweatshirt to sport while watching the movie.

     

  • Nick kick starts nationwide campaign to find kids to “Be the Boss”

    Nick kick starts nationwide campaign to find kids to “Be the Boss”

    MUMBAI: The awesome twosome Moto Patlu, Ninja Hatori, Pakdam Pakdai and the entire Nick Toon brigade are set to take orders from the new bosses. In a once in a lifetimeopportunity for children across the country, India’s no 1 kid’s channel Nickelodeoncelebrates Children’s day with the “NickelodeonBe the Boss” campaign. 5 kids from across India will be the boss in the corporate office of Nickelodeon in Mumbai where they will decide exactly how their favorite channelwill run. They will call all the shots!

    Creating history on television, 5 kids selectedfrom the nationwide contest will see our favorite Nicktoons personally hand out the appointment letter to each of the winners.To helm the steering wheel of Nickelodeon on Children’s day, all that the kids need to do is tune in to Nickelodeon starting now to 7 November every Mon-Fri from 6.00pm to 7.00pm and participate in the “Nick BetheBoss” contest.

    Talking about the launch of this inimitable initiative, Viacom18 EVP and business head, kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria said: “Nickelodeon has always believed in empowering kids while entertaining them. Taking this promise ahead, the channel that is of the kids and for the kids will now be run by the kids on Children’s Day.  We are sure that children with their imaginative minds will add a whole new dimension of fun toNickelodeon on this special day and I am more thanhappyto step aside and hand over the reins to thelittle bosses”.

    On children’s day we will see the bachcha bosses rule the roost at Nick. Turning the tables around, the newly appointed bosses will decide what gets shown on their favorite channel – Nickelodeon. Subsequently they will also turn celebrities and be brought back on air on Nickelodeon as the face of the channel. Truly bringing alive children’s day, Nickelodeon with its latest initiative is sure to be the ultimate entertainment destination for kidsthis festive season.

    To all the kids out there, tune into your favorite channel Nickelodeon every Monday to Friday from 6.00pm to 7.00pm & answer some simple questions.  The participants can SMS the correct answer with NICK <SPACE> OPTION A/B <SPACE> NAME to 56882. BSNL & MTNL users can call 1255568 and all other users can call 5056882 to give their correct answers. You can also logon to www.nickindia.com to participate in the contest.

     

  • Motu Patlu defines Nick’s success

    Motu Patlu defines Nick’s success

    MUMBAI: ‘Humour is pretty much the key to kids’ relaxation and that’s what we do at Nickelodeon (Nick),” says Viacom18 EVP and business head kids cluster Nina Elavia Jaipuria.
    She has not only understood the changing perception of kids in their growing age but also has got Nick from being one of the low ranking kids channel to one among the top players. And, even though this may not have been an easy task, she has made it appear like it is a child’s play.

    If we go by the TAM TV ratings, it has been growing steadily in terms of viewership and has topped the category. In week 37, it reported 209 GVTs, 221 GVTs in week 38, 225 GVTs in week 39 and 247 in week 40 of TAM TV ratings.

    On the other hand, in the week 40, other kid’s offerings in the space garnered – Hungama with 225 GVTs, Disney with 211 GVTs, Cartoon Network with 207 GVTs and Pogo with 163 GVTs.

    One of the reasons Jaipuria states for the channel’s success is its own IP heroes who have won hearts of children – Motu and Patlu.  Apart from television series, the channel in the past had created three movies based on the characters. Titled Motu Patlu in Wonderland which was released on 7 July 2013 which generated 414 TVTs, Motu Patlu Mission Moon that was aired on 25 December 2013 which garnered 386 TVTs and this year in May it aired Motu Patlu Deep Sea Adventure which observed 528 TVTs.

    Now, come Diwali, the channel is looking at expanding its portfolio with its fourth movie christened Motu Patlu in Kung Fu land.

    She reasons the insights of growing the franchise from the perspective of doing series and moving into movies as well. Jaipuria believes that kids’ preferences have moved on from watching the usual movies that they get to watch on general entertainment channels (GEC) or movie channels which is Bollywood. But the preference has actually moved to watching movies of their own favourite characters. “Children are in love with the characters of various channels, whether its Chota Bheem or Motu Patlu and the preference in terms of viewing is also about watching a movie where the story is around that favourite character,” says Jaipuria.

    She further goes on to say that kids love things which is outside of the usual environment and goes into various aspects of live, adventure, action etc and such shows is what Nick offers. “That is where the category is moving and we want the franchise to move as well because slowly and steadily the franchise has occupied a very large place on the channel and the characters have won the hearts of kids across the country,” she adds.

    Another factor she highlights is about the character engagement with kids. “The past launches of the movies, from the title itself, each one of them has a different setting and stories to say and that is what kids expect. Every movie we do, we believe in bettering ourselves.”

    The 100-minute movie will have all the elements of comic, relief, humour, action, adventure, good over evil and more. She confidently says that characters like Motu Patlu are here to stay now and contribute in terms of viewership also to the channel. “It is really about investing in a franchise and creating enduring characters. The beautiful part is these three movies have been on-air since a while, but in week 37 and 38 of TAM TV ratings, Motu Patlu in Wonderland and Motu Patlu Mission Moon topped the kid’s category chart,” elaborates Jaipuria.

    Interestingly, the channel launched the franchise in October 2012 and 8 per cent ratings came from it. Today, Jaipuria reveals that in September 2014, the same franchise delivers about 40-45 per cent of the ratings. “We have really come a long way, but we still believe we have a long way to go.”

    So what has been the reason of success? Jaipuria highlights that research has played an integral role in knowing kids’ changing preferences, likes, dislikes, viewing pattern etc. It continues to do research on kids on a regular basis with the help of Ormax. The channel has a bi-annual study across different cities in the country which talks about kids’ changing viewing patterns and a lot more.

    Unlike GECs, Jaipuria believes she is luckier. “Kids seem to be watching us through the day.” She goes on to say that across the country, kids’ go to schools at different timings. For the channel, 12 to 2 pm slots are as fertile as 6-8 pm slot. “The afternoon slot and the evening slot deliver maximum viewership.”

    Nick is on top of the charts in terms of reach as well. It has about 14 million kids on the channel from the TAM perspective and reaches out to over 58 million households. In terms of stickiness, it delivers close to 100 minutes every week.

    On the advertising front, Jaipuria reveals that it has grown its top-line manifold and has seen a growth in advertisers as well and is in a happy position. “Usually, we are over booked. I think the battle is on the front of having higher rates and better monetisation because the kind of investment we put in and for the kind of purchasing power and influencing power the kids have; I think this category is yet usually under indexed,” she points out.

    The channel has observed 15 per cent ad rate increase. “We are looking to better that as we go forward and deliver top notch content and top notch ratings,” says Jaipuria.  She states a couple of reasons for growing ad rates. “The channel is at number one and the fact that there is limited inventory now. Therefore with that limited inventory, the only way to better our monetisation is with the ad rate,” states Jaipuria.

    Closer to the end of the year, it will launch its fifth movie. “Going forward, our plan is to make the Motu Patlu franchise larger than life not just on television but outside as well, in terms of promotional licensing and product licensing,” she concludes.