ITV

Tag: The Walt Disney Company

  • Disney takes Antipiracy Action against Mark Labels

    Disney takes Antipiracy Action against Mark Labels

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media.  Disney is now a household word in most countries, including India.  The Disney brand extends to virtually all types of merchandise including toys, apparel, home décor, books and magazines, foods and beverages, stationery, electronics and fine art. Across the globe, the Disney name is synonymous with quality and compliance with safety standards. To ensure this, Disney works closely with multiple agencies around the world to protect our Intellectual Property and Brand.  These agencies identify piracy at all levels and then take the appropriate action to stem it.

    As part of its ongoing enforcement campaign, Disney India this week cooperated with the  officers  of  Shivari Police Station  (Mumbai) in their raid against the target  Mark Labels, wholesale dealers of stationery and other products operating out of its office and godown on Raey Road in Mumbai.  Over 1673 units of counterfeit goods were seized. The owner/proprietor of the stores, Mr. Hitesh Jain was arrested on charges of criminal counterfeiting. Investigations are ongoing to identify the source and/ or locations of the manufacturers of these seized goods, who will also be prosecuted as appropriate.

    Disney already has a temporary injunction against Mark Labels from the Delhi High Court restraining them from infringing Disney’s intellectual property rights. The civil suit against Mark Label for injunction and damages is pending before the Delhi High Court.

    “We see this as a good first step to protect the integrity of the products that consumers buy from a trusted brand.  Disney’s consumer products in India span across multiple lines fashion apparel, home, toys, consumer electronics, stationery, food, health and beauty and publishing. We applaud the efforts of the Police Officers of Shivari Police Station in not only protecting the rights of trusted brand owners, but also protecting Indian consumers from purchasing falsely branded and inferior products”, said Roshini Bakshi, VP and Head of Consumer Products, Retail, Publishing & Franchise Marketing, DCP Shared Services, India

    Disney has renewed its focus on counterfeiting within India.  Disney’s efforts include working with government agencies and local police.  To assist in these efforts, Disney asks that the public report any suspected infringements through an email account Tips@DisneyAntipiracy.com, which it has set up for this purpose.  Disney takes a serious note of any suspected violation of its intellectual property rights and cooperates with the appropriate agencies to pursue violators.   

  • BVITV inks mobile content deal with Philippines’ ABS-CBN Interactive

    BVITV inks mobile content deal with Philippines’ ABS-CBN Interactive

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television–Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) has concluded its first live action series mobile content agreement with ABS-CBN Interactive (ABSi), a division of the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company in the Philippines. 

    This agreement is in line with Buena Vista International Television–Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP), the international television distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company’s focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution to deliver it anytime, anywhere, according to an official statement.

    For the first time in the Philippines, ABS-CBN Interactive’s mobile customers will be able to enjoy mobile video content from BVITV’s hit series, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy, including second season sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes and recaps video clips, plus SMS infotext, wallpaper and WAP sites – to tie in with the television broadcast. 

    Seasons two of Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy are currently airing on Studio 23, one of ABS-CBN’s television networks, which is currently celebrating its 10 anniversary on-air.

    “We are thrilled to be the first U.S. studio to offer mobile content and clips of live action series content on the recently launched 3G platforms in the Philippines,” says BVITV-AP senior vice president and managing director Steve Macallister. “We look forward to working with ABS-CBN Interactive and clients around the region to deliver our programming in innovative and interactive ways to consumers – one of the key priorities at BVITV – enhancing the entertainment experience for fans of our series’.”

    ”This exciting partnership with BVITV-AP will create a complete viewing experience for Studio 23 audiences, extending their affinity with the shows and allowing them to bring it with them anywhere they go, through their mobile phones,” said ABS-CBN Interactive MD Paolo Pineda.

  • Disney deal: UTV receives first tranche of Rs 692 mn

    Disney deal: UTV receives first tranche of Rs 692 mn

    MUMBAI: UTV Software Communications has received Rs 692 million as the first tranche of payment from The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte Ltd. With this transaction, the strategic investment into UTV from The Walt Disney Company stands executed.

    In July this year, Disney had entered into an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of United Home Entertainment LTD (Hungama TV) at an enterprise valuation of $30.5 million and purchase equity stake of 14.9 per cent of expanded capital in UTV Software Communications LTD, at a consideration of $ 14 million. So, UTV would get a combined $ 44.5 million from the stake sale.

    In pursuance to the deal, UTV has now allotted 34, 00,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each at an issue price of Rs 192.50 per share to Disney. The approval for the same was granted by the members at their annual general meeting held on 24 August, 2006, as per an official release. Disney also announced the allotment of 19, 49,360 warrants to Ronnie Screwvala, founder and promoter of UTV.

  • BVITV & WOWOW ink new distribution agreements

    BVITV & WOWOW ink new distribution agreements

    MUMBAI: Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) Japan has closed new multiple-year agreements with fee-based broadcasting station WOWOW Inc., for provision of visual entertainment primarily consisting of movies, TV series and animated features.

    Content from The Walt Disney Company will be delivered to WOWOW audiences, as the agreements include the broadcast rights to entertainment including, the Annual Academy Awards. In addition, annual programming events like Japan’s Disney Special and the I Love Disney animated series, are also planned under the new agreement, informs an official release.

    Closure of these multi-year contracts imply that hit releases such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Chicken Little, National Treasure, The Incredibles, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and the award-winning television series Grey’s Anatomy will be available to view in high definition on WOWOW.

    BVITV Japan MD Paul Candland said, “Via this multiple-year contract with WOWOW, a company that holds an extremely important position in the Japanese domestic media industry, I am very happy for the opportunity to further strengthen this strong partnership, and that a variety of BVITV programs will be broadcast in high definition through WOWOW to viewers nationwide over a long period.”

    WOWOW Inc. president Toshio Hirose said, “Thin type high definition TV is on the verge of widespread use. In this environment, the strength of WOWOW is definitely high definition and 5.1ch surround stereo, which means broadcast of high quality images and sound, and we deliver a wide variety of programs, from movies to music to stage performances, original dramas, and animation. Through the multiple-year contract with BVITV and through the digital broadcasting market that is rapidly expanding, we are able to have a great new variety of programs.”

  • Disney Publishing Worldwide names Hampton as president

    Disney Publishing Worldwide names Hampton as president

    MUMBAI: R Russell Hampton Jr., has been named president of Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW). The announcement was made by Disney Consumer Products chairman Andy Mooney.

    Hampton will be replacing Deborah Dugan who announced her resignation earlier this week. In this capacity, he will be responsible for overseeing DPW’s various book imprints and magazines around the world. Based in New York City, he will report to Mooney.

    Mooney said, “Russell is taking over Disney Publishing at a time when its reputation for creating exciting new entertainment is flourishing. His leadership in turning Baby Einstein from a small video company to a significant multi-media infant developmental brand is well suited to overseeing DPW’s positive momentum.”

    Hampton was named executive vice president of DCP’s global Home and Infant business in 2005 in addition to being general manager of The Baby Einstein Company, which he held since 2001 when The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) bought it.

    “I’m honored to be given the responsibility of overseeing a division of The Walt Disney Company, which has such a rich history of extending and creating great stories for families around the globe,” said Hampton.

    Disney Publishing Worldwide celebrates its 75th year in 2006 and is the largest publisher of children’s books and magazines in the world, selling 160 million books in 2005 and publishing 222 million magazine copies. DPW also publishes Family Fun magazine and the new Wondertime magazine for adults.

    “The Disney treasure chest of characters and stories is much fuller today thanks to Deb’s oversight. The comic book series W.I.T.C.H. that has sold over 20 million copies and became a TV series and the creation of the Disney Fairies franchise are just two examples of Deb’s legacy at Disney Publishing,” said Mooney.

    Previously, Hampton served as vice president of strategic planning and corporate development for TWDC. He joined TWDC in 1996 as manager of strategic planning.

    Before joining Disney, Hampton was vice president of J.P. Morgan & Co. in New York.

  • Wake up call for broadcasters: Jain, Kalle

    Wake up call for broadcasters: Jain, Kalle

    MUMBAI: “My time is prime time. Today consumers want to watch television at their own time, place and convenience. The scenario is moving from a phase when the broadcaster used to define prime time… now it’s the consumer who takes the call,” said The Walt Disney Company India managing director Rajat Jain.

    Jain attributed this phenomenon to the changing times, dynamic technology, the changing consumer, changing media scenario and rise in consumer friendly technological devises.
    He also stressed on the three screens that will gain importance in the future: television, mobile and computer. “India has 80 million phones, 37.5 million internet and broadband users, 4.3 million computer and 473,000 laptops. The buying power among Indians is also on the rise and there is an emergence of a new tribe ‘Technobabies’ who are born to be wired and tech savvy. They do their homework online and also buy CDs and books online,” he said.

    Jain reiterated the point that technologies like IPTV, DTH, TiVo and broadband will make the environment more dynamic with interactivity coming in. He gave examples of BBC and ITV teaming up in a “multicasting” trial to broadcast their main channels over the Internet for the first time.

    Jain emphasized on the breakthrough iPod technology, wherein television shows could be downloaded on the iPod for 99 cents. However, Sony Pictures Television International vice president international networks Superna Kalle pointed out that while it was brilliant that people were downloading and watching shows on the iPod; but it also meant that they were not watching them on their television sets and hence broadcasters and advertisers were both losing out. “These disruptive technologies are reshaping the broadcast landscape. Broadcasters have to rethink their strategy,” Kalle emphasized.

    She further added, “Channel brands do not matter anymore as most people in the US are using the TiVo technology where you can zap ads and watch what you want to watch. It is the shows that are becoming a brand now.”

    Kalle also pointed out the various opportunities in digital broadcast. “Do not alienate existing audiences but continue to march towards the inevitable future. Each approach requires a different device and each changes viewers in a different way. Emerging digital technologies can be an opportunity or a threat for broadcasters,” she concluded.

    “Consumers today want seamless availability of content for their personalized viewing. They want control over time and place of viewing content and pay per view could well be the new norm in the near future,” Jain said.

    He signed off by quoting The Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger as saying, “Technology also powers creativity and innovation. Across our company, we are using technology to improve our product and remain on the leading edge of entertainment offerings. We firmly believe in a platform agnostic approach to distribution. Applying technology to enhance our content and extend its distribution enables us to get closer to our increasingly more sophisticated customers worldwide.”

  • International firms should localise but creative consistency is imperative

    International firms should localise but creative consistency is imperative

    MUMBAI: With the world eye on India, more and more global companies are setting foot here in order to flourish in a nascent but booming market. In a scenario like this, it is imperative for companies to localize and manage their brands according to Indian sensibilities.

    The session titled ‘Managing an International Icon Brand’ had speakers from Walt Disney and Cartoon Network throwing light on the strengths and weaknesses of international icon brands and personalities in local Asian markets.

    The Walt Disney Company vice president retail sales and marketing and emerging markets Asia Pacific Ken Chaplin listed the four Bs of branding as badges, bonus, beacon and best bet. “The missing ingredient here is that of love. The reason why brands won’t cut it anymore is because they are worn out from overuse, no-longer mysterious, they don’t understand consumers anymore, they have been captured by formula and they are smothered by conservatism,” he said.

    Chaplin explained the meaning of a ‘Lovemark’ saying it is “when a brand experiences loyalty beyond reason from consumers, is owned by the consumers who love them, moves beyond irresistible to irreplaceable and moves from most respected brand to most loved.”

    He pointed out that a company will only make money when loyal, heavy users use their products all the time. “Having a long term love affair is better than having a short term relationship,” he said.

    Chaplin pointed out Disney’s nine priorities for managing an international icon brand. They are as follows:

    Get people to experience our best entertainment products
    Do a good job branding
    Make local content live up to the brand
    Keep the brand fresh and broadly relevant
    Make the brand’s commercial exploitation positive for consumers
    Keep the right company
    Evangelize the brand, inside and outside the company
    Take the floor with the press

    Cartoon Network Enterprises Asia Pacific executive director Sashim Parmanand said, “Brands are not names, symbols or designs but rather they are personality of the product. All brands have specific values and it is these values that make up the different facets of a brand.”

    The key thing, she pointed out, was to know your product and target market. “Once that is clear, research and market testing is important. A brand should gain local insights through researching target demographics and then develop a positioning statement for the brand,” she said.

    Another important thing to keep in mind is that the brand positioning and creative process around the same is consistent. “One should localize but at the same time creative consistency is imperative,” Parmanand added.