Kids
Nickelodeon US hits record with SpongeBob ‘Best Day Ever’ marathon
MUMBAI: Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants all-day marathon titled “Best Day Ever” which was held on 10 November, earned the network it’s most-watched and highest-rated total programming day in its history, averaging 1.9/4.4 million total viewers (P2+).
An official release issued by the channel stated that overall, during its total programming day (from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET/PT) on 10 November, Nick averaged a 7.6/2.5 million kids 2-11, a network high average in terms of kid 2-11 viewers, and a 7.5/1.5 million kids 6-11.
The Nickelodeon celebration of the happy-go-lucky sponge began on 9 November at 8 pm featuring viewers’ top 100 cartoon picks, and culminating in an all-new “Best Day Ever” SpongeBob SquarePants special on 10 November at 7:30 pm ET/PT. The marathon was followed by the network premiere of the Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Movies feature film, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie at 8 pm ET/PT.
The “Best Day Ever” special recieved an average of 12.0/4.0 million kids 2-11, 12.8/2.6 million kids 6-11 and 6.7 million total viewers. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie averaged a 13.3/4.4 million kids 2-11, 14.6/2.9 million kids 6-11 and 7.3 million total viewers, adds the release.
The marathon kicked off on Thursday with the initial telecast on 9 November at 8 pm – 9 pm earned a 7.1/2.3 million kids 2-11, 7.7/1.5 Kids 6-11, with 3.9 million total viewers (P2+). The portion of the SpongeBob SquarePants marathon on Nick at Nite (9 p.m. to 11 p.m.) increased ratings and delivery by triple digits among kids 2-11 and 6-11 with a 5.3/1.8 million K2-11, an increase of +204 per cent, and 6.1/1.2 million K6-11, an increase of +188 per cent. An average of 3.2 million viewers tuned in during primetime, with 831,000 adults 18-49.
The “SpongeBob Best Day Ever” game went live on 9 November and in three days, generated 1.3 million game plays and more than 867,000 unique visitors. SpongeBob’s “Best Day Ever” full length music video was the number-two video of last week on TurboNick (Nov. 6 to Nov. 12) generating more than 1.4 million streams, with 471,000 unique visitors. The “Best Day Ever” promotion video on TurboNick ranked within the top 10 videos on the broadband player during the same time period with 370,000 streams, adds the release.
In addition, during the week of 6 November, Nick.com experienced a +35 per cent increase in unique visitors over last year, and page views were up 16 per cent over year ago levels. TurboNick also witnessed a +327 per cent increase in streams over year ago levels. Activity increases can be attributed to the online campaign surrounding the SpongeBob “Best Day Ever” television event (source: Omniture SiteCatalyst 2006 & 2005).
Leading up to the “Best Day Ever” event, Nickelodeon invited kids to vote (beginning Oct. 5) for their favorite SpongeBob SquarePants cartoons on a new super-site http://www.nick.com/bestdayever. Kids were encouraged to choose their 10 favorites by viewing clips from multiple SpongeBob SquarePants episodes. The super-site received almost 5 million streams and 3.2 million votes. The fans’ votes determined the order of the 24-hour marathon leading up to the premiere of the “Best Day Ever” special. Overall, SpongeBob’s “Best Day Ever” campaign was the most successful online campaign for the property to date.
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
