Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network expects 30 per cent ad sales revenue growth this year
A 360° branding experience. That is the pitch that kids channel Cartoon Network is taking to advertisers.
And judging by the revenue stats being offered, it is working. A 47 per cent jump in ad revenues last year and an increase of at least 30 per cent this year is what the channel expects. The increase in ad revenues has gone alongside a massive jump in viewership numbers, the guys at Cartoon Network will tell you.
On hand yesterday to explain matters were Hema Govindan, V-P of marketing and public relations, and Soumitra Saha, V-P ad sales Turner. Viewership has seen a 73 per cent growth in average TVRs in April 2002 compared to last year among 4 to 14-year-olds, Saha said, quoting AC Nielsen’s TAM data.
“Complete kids marketing solutions is what we offer,” they said, detailing how cartoon Network’s activities centred around four main streams – television (the channel itself), Internet (cartoonnetworkindia.com), on ground events (Toon cricket) and licensing, which kicked off last year.
One of the biggest licensing agreements that the channel had entered into in recently was the one with Britannia, Saha said, adding that this had helped spread brand awareness all across the country. Pointing to the success of the licensing activities, Saha said revenues from this stream had jumped 147 per cent since last year.
Two on ground activities that are coming up before the end of the year are a travelling event – in the fourth quarter – covering five to six cities and Activity 2002, which runs through eight cities, Govindan said.
A revenue generating stream that one naturally associates with kids channels – merchandising – is not currently on the channel’s plans, Govindan said.
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.
