MUMBAI: Seems like perfect synergy – Hindustan Lever (HLL) taught kids all about 'Ice-cream Power', while Cartoon Network familiarized them with 'Toon Power'.

HLL’s Kwality Wall’s Max ice-cream and Cartoon Network joined hands today to unveil their summer bonanza for kids at a press conference in south Mumbai.

Cartoon Network will air a series of animated stories from 20 March to 31 May 2003, as television commercials, featuring the Max ice cream's mascot 'Max the lion', other toon characters Professor Higgabottom, Max kingdom and King Cobra. With ‘treasure’ hunts, tussle between ‘good-n-evil’ included in the stories, even the ad breaks should fun.

To participate, kids need to collect three Max wrappers with special ‘Bano Toonstar’ logo, drop them at the redemption center 'Max Jungle' and collect special Max scratch card. The range of scratch and win prizes include comics, max jungle trail board games, camera, and tents.

As a part of the promotions, around 1,000 Max Jungle centres have been appointed and a number of ground events are planned. Through direct marketing programmes, 500,000 children will be personally contacted, according to a spokesperson.

HLL also announced the relaunch of its entire kids portfolio with Cartoon Network India. The multimedia promotion Bano Toonstar with Scooby-Doo and Max is the largest-ever in the whole of Asia and a unique promotional licence deal done by Cartoon Network. That is, unless Sony Entertainment Television and HLL get into a tussle over the intellectual property rights usage of “MAX”.

Twelve Indian children will get a chance to star along with Scooby-Doo as a 'Toonstar' in their own mini-adventure animation short, says an official release.

The six mini-animation series, to be produced in June-July along with Cartoon Network’s Hong Kong based Creative Services Team (CST), will be aired between August-September 2003.

While the ad agency JWT and the media agency WPP Media have been roped in for the promotion, the best animators have been commissioned to create a series of animated adventure stories that tell the kids about the new Max lion and the exciting new products, the spokesperson says.

HLL ice-cream executive director JH Mehta says: “Since Kwality Wall’s has emerged as one of the most popular kids brands, we hope to strengthen that position with the promotion in partnership with Cartoon Network.”

The newly promoted Turner Entertainment Networks AsiaPac regional entertainment, advertising and sales vice president Soumitra Saha revealed that the channel will also air eight full length films “Summer of Scooby” to coincide with the promotion.

Speaking about the partnership Saha says: “Cartoon Network is delighted to be associated with Kwality Wall’s. The innovative initiative heralds an exciting new phase for Cartoon Network’s promotional licensing business in India. It is a big leap towards achieving the Network’s mission to provide consumers multiple access points to the brand and properties."