Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network, BPCL’s promo licensing alliance seek to target kids
MUMBAI: One wonders what Powerpuff girls and Dexter cut-outs and streamers are doing in a petrol pump? They look conspicuously out of place yet they can be seen adorning Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) outlets in six cities.
The deal here is that after some unconventional promotional tie-ups with Citi Bank, Red Label et al, Cartoon Network has now strategically tied up with BPCL for promotion of its brands like the Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo and Dexter.
This promotional licensing deal called the BPCL – Cartoon Network Lucky Litres Promo which started on 15 December will last till mid-February and is valid only at ‘Pure For Sure’ BPCL outlets in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
The idea of this unique tie up came up when BPCL realised that their promos focussed on all family members except kids who, nowadays, are major decision makers in a family. In their quest to target kids, BPCL approached Cartoon Network and the rest they say is history. Anyone who fills fuel worth Rs 500 or more from authorised BPCL outlets, would get a scratch card that would entitle them to get a gift from Cartoon Network. The gifts include exclusive range of Cartoon Network goodies such as Dexter and Johnny Bravo watches, Powerpuff Girls dolls, pencil boxes, stickers and trading cards. Also a grand prize waiting to be won is that six lucky families (of four) will get a chance to visit the Cartoon Network beach in Gold Coast, Australia.
Jiggy George
When asked about this tie up, Cartoon Network Enterprise director for India and South Asia Jiggy George said, “You are no where if you are not everywhere. Our brands are a cult and when BPCL approached us for this tie up we were all for it.”
“This is the first time that BPCL ads will be on our channel and we’ve also created a micro site for BPCL on our website. So it is quite an integrated package,” George added.
Cartoon Network has earlier been involved in promo licensing deals with Bournvita, Kissan Jam, Quality Walls ice-cream and many more. “What made our deal with Quality Walls popular was that 12 kids were given a chance to star with their favourite cartoon character Scooby Doo and it worked very well for us. There was a 60 per cent increase in the brand’s sales at that time with a redemption rate of 19.15 per cent. In the case of Bournvita there was an overall increase of 17 per cent in the shares of the brand. With Surf, our deal was that with one kilo of Surf one would get Tom and Jerry mugs free. We had a distinct kids connect with all our deals,” said George.
Powerpuff Girls’ cut-outs & streamers at a BPCL outlet
Elaborating further he said, “At the end of the day we have to make our ad dollars. We believe in a 360-degree association with all our clients but at the same time we have very strict guidelines. Our clients are allowed to use our products but all the approvals are done by us. The influence kids have on families is great and they are getting more and more brand conscious. Our research is very discerning and it is the mission of Cartoon Network Enterprises to make our properties and brand names available across platforms such that they weave into the social and cultural fabric of our young viewers.”
BPCL general manager S Ramesh said, “Till date, all promotions organised by BPCL have been targeted at the vehicle owner. We want to experiment organising a promotion that is targeted at children, who are fast emerging as important decision makers and have the capability to influence the purchasing behaviour of their parents. This industry has not organised any promotion of a similar nature and we wanted to be the first to do this innovative campaign along with Cartoon Network.”
Not irked by the impending arrival of the Disney channel in India, George said, “We have a distinct advantage over anybody. Our brands are a cult. If there was a poll on the top 10 cartoon characters, I can be confident that eight out of the 10 characters will be ours.”
With 16 brand tie ups this year alone, Cartoon Network Enterprise has hit the nail on the head and is raring to go places.
MUMBAI: Cartoon Network has kicked off its nationwide campaign for Hojaye Shuru! – The Beyblade Championship.
The Beyblade Championship will be held in Mumbai and Delhi in quest of India’s best beyblader and will offer Indian kids an opportunity to showcase just how adept they are with their Beyblades to win the coveted Beyblade Trophy and a snazzy personal computer.
The Beyblade euphoria also continues on-air on Cartoon Network where kids have to spot the ‘bitbeast’ on their TV screens during the Beyblade show on Cartoon Network, every weekday at 5.30 pm.
Viewers can send their entries across by SMS, phone or online to bag fabulous prizes including a Sony Play Station-2 every week. Also up for grabs at leading outlets of McDonald’s are wild card entries to the grand finale, to be held at Mumbai on 14 May and Delhi on 21 May.
“Following the phenomenal success of the cutting edge programming series Beyblade, as well as the huge popularity of Beyblade merchandise, also launched by Cartoon Network, the network’s first-ever Beyblade championship further reaffirms our promise to provide our audience with multiple touch points to the network, beyond the television set. The ‘Beyblade Championship’ will give kids a chance to test their skills at beyblading and win fantastic prizes,” said Turner Entertainment Networks Asia executive director marketing Asia Pacific Vivek Krishnani.
Aspiring Beyblade masters can enter the on-air contest by watching Beyblade every weekday at 5.30 pm to spot the bit beast and enter their name either online at www.cartoonnetworkindia.com, or sms ‘BB’ followed by the name to 8558 or via phone (19051802233) to win Sony PS-2s and thousands of exciting Beyblade goodies.
Kids who want to participate at the on-ground championship can also sms “BB M” for Mumbai and “BB D” for Delhi to 8558 to win a chance to enter The Beyblade Championship in the two cities.
Beyblade premiered on Cartoon Network on 20 May, 2005 and since then has consistently been rating among the top five programmes on Cartoon Network.
