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Mattel, Nickelodeon ink multi-platform content deal
MUMBAI: Innovation is the name of the game! With in-serial promotions catching the fancy of both manufacturers and advertisers alike, Mattel Toys has inked a multi-platform deal with Nickelodeon and MTV India to promote their new brand My Scene.
But the deal isn’t limited to just brand placement, it claims to go beyond the traditional advertising and include exclusive programming initiatives and sponsorship.
It is as part of this initiative that Nickelodeon India signed a multi-platform agreement with leading toy manufacturer – Mattel India, which includes original programming as well as rights for Nickelodeon India to air exclusive Mattel programming.
According to the deal signed, Nickelodeon will create a new animated series of vignettes based on Mattel’s recently launched toy line My Scene. The new launch targets girls between the ages of 8 and 12 or “tweens”.
Speaking about the deal to indiantelevision.com, Mattel Toys managing director Sanjay Luthra offered, “We have done similar tie-ups with the channel on a world wide level, so when we were launching the brand in India we decided to talk to Nickelodeon and MTV India. We realise that their brand statement matches the product that we are launching and so does their target audience.”
Although he refused to talk about the financial details, when quizzed about the choice of the channel he said, “Agreed that Nickelodeon doesn’t get as may eyeballs, but with it going Hindi, we are sure that the viewer base will increase, which will in turn help to popularise our product.”
Mattel has, prior to this, also worked out a similar deal with Cartoon Network. The toy manufacturer, to promote its new ‘Swan Lake’ Barbie, produced an animation movie Barbie of Swan Lake- that was aired on the channel.
The channel will be airing movies, vignettes, contests to promote the new brand. But the toy manufacturer asserts that it is not just “vanilla” advertising. The deal will create a platform to engage and involve the “tween” girls (8-12 years) and giving them what is “with it ” for them, they insist.
As for the programming component- My Scene- Jammin in Jamaica, Nickelodeon will air the programme exclusively on 20 May 2004 at 2:30 pm. My Scene is an animated feature film on a DVD format based on characters Barbie, Madison, Chelsea, Nolee and Delancey from California.
The movie is aimed at bringing alive the group experience of the real world, with the dolls as a means to participate in teen aspirations. The My Scene dolls are new tween-targeted fashion dolls who are cool, chic like big city girls. The channel will hold exclusive TV rights for the airing.
Besides that, the Jammin’ in Jamaica music video will also air on Nickelodeon’s music vignette platform DJ Nick, as a build-up towards the movie. The partnership also includes sponsorship of vignettes called In the Closet, which are a sneak-peek into celebrity wardrobes and will air on MTV and Nickelodeon.
That apart, a watch-and-win contest is tied around the movie where the young participants will be asked to name the four main characters in the movie My Scene. Four lucky winners will be chosen to join VJ Shehnaz Treasurywala on her popular show MTV Most Wanted.
Interestingly, Shehnaz recently participated in the My Scene on-ground launch, will also gives out free My Scene dolls on the show.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
