MAM
Ultra ties up with Germany’s Kiddinx Merchandising for ‘Benjamin’
MUMBAI: Indian movie VCD and DVD distributor Ultra Movie Channel Ltd has tied up with Germany’s Kiddinx Merchandising GmbH to market Benjamin, the friendly elephant, in India.
Ultra has merchandising rights for all Benjamin characters for India and plans to market products like stationery, toys, games, consumer durables, ceramics, apparels, furnishings, gifting items, greeting cards, party products, etc.
The company has also acquired the video rights for Benjamin series and specials for all home viewing formats including VCDs and DVDs. Ultra also own the cable TV, terrestrial TV, satellite TV, as well as rights for dubbing the series in various Indian languages.
Having become Unicef’s ambassador in 1999, Benjamin will be available in India in different avtaars.
“We are certain that Benjamin will become a household name in India and become a well-loved cartoon character very soon. The elephant is very prominent in Indian culture and mythology and now Indian children will have multiple avenues to have Benjamin, the Friendly Elephant, as part of their lives,” said Ultra Movies Channel LTD managing director Sushil Kumar Agrawal.
“There is a vast untapped market for merchandising products based on international toon characters in India and our expertise in the field would give us an edge over other players,” he added.
With world-wide audio-cassettes and CD sales exceeding 52 million, Benjamin has achieved a phenomenal 98 Gold and 52 Platinum discs, and current licensing spans more than 500 products.
The Toon Character from Germany, like all toon stars, has an exciting but humble beginning. Born of an idea of Elfie Donnelly, Benjamin started his journey, in the year 1977, from an audio cassette series by Karl Blatz. Benjamin was soon seen on cassettes, books and other products. In 1987, the first cartoon film, Benjamin – The Zoo Concert, was released and resulted in the explosion of the market in the field of toon video.
In 1990, Benjamin appeared in the first ever comic edition and children followed the adventures of Benjamin in Picture story, with sales exceeding 10 million in comics alone. A 13 part cartoon series and four specials were aired on the ZDF channel, Kinderkanal and FoxKids.
In 1997, Benjamin’s first feature film was released and by 1999, Benjamin became the ambassador for Unicef. To mark the 25th anniversary of Benjamin, a new TV series of 52 episodes went into production, and a beginning of a new career in the international arena started, as now video sales exceeded seven million in Germany alone.
Brands
Aptronix unveils ‘Big & Beyond’ campaign, opens largest store in Hyderabad
Naga Chaitanya, Sobhita front push as retailer expands premium Apple experience
HYDERABAD: Aptronix has rolled out its most ambitious brand push yet with the launch of the ‘Big & Beyond Aptronix’ campaign, alongside the opening of its largest retail store in India.
The campaign features actors Akkineni Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala as brand faces, signalling a sharper focus on aspirational, experience-led retail as the company scales its presence in the premium Apple ecosystem.
At the centre of the rollout is a new 8,000 sq. ft. flagship outlet at Sarath City Capital Mall, now the largest Aptronix store in the country and among the biggest Apple Premium Reseller formats in India. The space is designed to offer immersive product discovery, personalised guidance and integrated service support, positioning the store as more than just a point of sale.
The campaign itself leans into themes of scale, ambition and accessibility, aiming to connect with a younger, increasingly design-conscious generation of Apple users. By pairing celebrity appeal with in-store experience, Aptronix is looking to deepen emotional engagement while reinforcing its premium positioning.
A key pillar remains its ‘Limitless Aptronix Exchange’ programme, which offers customers simplified upgrade paths, transparent pricing and wider access to Apple devices. The initiative has been central to driving adoption by making high-end technology more approachable for a broader audience.
Premium Lifestyle and Fashion founder & owner Sutinder Singh said the new store reflects a long-held belief that Indian consumers should have access to the best Apple retail experience without compromise. He added that the campaign’s celebrity faces mirror the brand’s core values of elegance, ambition and confidence.
Aptronix CEO Meghna Singh said the ‘Big & Beyond’ theme reflects how the company operates, with a focus on building a best-in-class retail experience. She noted that the Hyderabad launch and the campaign together signal Aptronix’s intent to set new benchmarks in the category.
With this dual push of scale and storytelling, Aptronix is not just expanding its footprint but also redefining how premium tech retail is experienced in India.
