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Tag: Yuki Kawamura

  • Pokémon Go onboards Riteish & Genelia Deshmukh as brand faces in India

    Pokémon Go onboards Riteish & Genelia Deshmukh as brand faces in India

    Mumbai: Pokémon Go, an augmented reality mobile game by Niantic, has announced Indian cinema couple Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh as brand ambassadors for India. The couple will engage with the game’s growing fan base in the country.

    Genelia Deshmukh, an avid Pokémon Go player, made a special appearance at the Pokémon Festivities celebrations in Mumbai, where Pikachu wearing a saree was showcased to highlight the cultural collaboration. Genelia, known for her family values and blending tradition with modernity, is excited about her partnership with Pokémon Go.

    “As a mom and a proud Indian, the Festival of Light event is a beautiful blend of tradition and technology. It’s incredible to see Pokémon Go celebrate Indian culture in such a fun and engaging way, with characters like Pikachu wearing a saree! Pokémon has always been special to me, and Pikachu is also both my kid’s favourite Pokémon. Seeing it in a saree is a wonderful experience and being able to share this joy with my family and the world through such an innovative approach is truly exciting,” said Genelia.

    Riteish Deshmukh echoed her excitement, adding, “As someone who loves technology and gaming, being part of the Pokémon Go family feels like a natural fit. Playing this game for so long since it came to India in 2016 and now associating with the brand to promote it truly thrills me as it not only encourages fun but also keeps our cultural heritage alive in such an interactive way.”

    Niantic’s senior director, strategic partnerships & special projects, Yuki Kawamura stated, “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Riteish and Genelia D’Souza Deshmukh to the Pokémon Go family. Their deep connection with Indian culture and passion for gaming makes them the perfect ambassadors. We’re always striving to create experiences that resonate with our diverse player base, and with this unique celebration, we’re bringing a special piece of Indian heritage to our global platform.”

    As part of their ambassadorship, fans can look forward to special videos featuring Riteish and Genelia sharing their experiences with Pokémon Go.

    Additionally, Pokémon Go is hosting exciting festival of lights celebrations, including a special event in Bengaluru on 2 November 2024, at Phoenix Marketcity, where Pikachu will appear in a saree, alongside surprises and giveaways for trainers.

    A sweepstake on Instagram will also offer two lucky winners from India a chance to attend the Pokémon GO City Safari in São Paulo.

    This partnership emphasises the couple’s appeal and Pokémon Go’s commitment to cultural localization in India, enhancing gaming experiences for its diverse player base. In September 2023, Niantic added Hindi language support to the game, reinforcing its focus on inclusivity and encouraging more players to join their Pokémon Go adventures.

  • YouTube, Netflix, TV top 3 kids animation content platforms in India: Akatsuki study

    YouTube, Netflix, TV top 3 kids animation content platforms in India: Akatsuki study

    Mumbai: Japan-based entertainment and technology company Akatsuki Inc is looking to expand its kids’ animation footprint in India and it recently conducted a survey on ‘What Indian Parents Want From Animated Content For Kids.’ The study indicating hybrid patterns of linear and digital media consumption revealed a preference for entertainment-led English animation content, preferably available on high access platforms like YouTube and television with a strong community following. 

    Even with the advent of OTT giants such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, 26 per cent of parents chose television, making it one of their top three platforms to watch, the study revealed. YouTube, however, continues to be the leading platform of choice with a strong preference shown by 76 per cent of participants, followed by Netflix at 57 per cent.

    In terms of consumption habits, television (60 per cent), smartphones (49 per cent), and laptops (24 per cent) came across as the most popular and used devices for daily viewing. Parents chose English as the most preferred language for animation content along with Tamil, Telugu, and Bangla as the top three vernacular choices.

    The animation industry has seen massive growth in the last few years, with the global pandemic playing the role of catalyst accelerating animation content consumption amongst kids as the primary source of learning and entertainment. 69 per cent of parents who participated in the survey shared that with an average screen time of four to six hours per week they have seen an increase in their kids’ animation content consumption habits post Covid-19.

    Throwing light on what makes an animation IP click with kids and parents alike, the survey discovered that ‘Entertainment’ is the most important parameter with 64 per cent respondents choosing it over ‘What Makes Their Kids Happy’ (45 per cent), educational benefits (35 per cent), moral values (22 per cent), and local characters and storylines (11 per cent).  

    The majority of parents (37 per cent) also shared that their kids watch animated content unsupervised. The 75 per cent of Indian parents still rely on the traditional word-of-mouth approach when it comes to choosing and discovering new content ideas for their children, followed by 28 per cent of parents discovering content through OTT recommendations, 20 per cent via parenting communities, and the remaining 10 per cent via traditional news outlets. 

    “We at Akatsuki are committed to bringing joyful and meaningful animation IPs for the growing and underserved kids animation space in India,” said Akatsuki Inc head of business development and partnerships Yuki Kawamura. “We want to thoughtfully co-create our content roadmap with on-ground insights and need gaps. This survey is the first step in that direction, and the findings have strengthened our conviction in the potential of the untapped demand of kids’ animation in India and synergies with our IPs.” 

    The study was conducted among parents across 10 metros in India, including Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Pune, Kanpur, Guwahati, Bangalore, and others to understand children’s consumption habits and uncover key decision-making factors influencing parents’ selection of animation content for their kids.