Kids
Scooby-Doo goes crackers over Krackjack
It’s a krackjack of an idea. Cookies (biscuits in India) and kids go together. Ditto with kids and Cartoon Network in India. The channel has an immense cachet with Indian kids. The managers of biscuits major Parle Products and the kid’s channel have decided to marry, in a bid to cash in on each others’ brand franchise.
The wrapper of each of Parle’s Krackjack biscuits will feature that lovable, brave but confused dog Scooby Doo. And not only that: kids will get a freebie in the form of a Scooby-Doo sticker and tatoo everytime they buy a 75 gram Krackjack pack.
The stickers and tattoos come in more than 50 varieties. The purpose of this is that kids who identify with the character will be interested in starting their own collection. Says Parle Products marketing manager Pravin Kulkarni: “We are confident that the combination of Cartoon Network’s hugely popular Scooby-Doo and Parle’s Krackjack biscuits will boost our volumes”.
However, there is a rider attached: the offer is open till stocks last. So one can expect a lot of kids sending parents crackers demanding Krackjack.
On its part Cartoon network will carry oodles of Krackjack commercials and also flog the promotion on air.
Cartoon Network has struck similar alliances with brands such as Pepsi, Camlin Sparkles, Godrej Jumpin’, and Coke, Cartoon Network India spokesperson Shana Lall said.
Kids
Gokuldham Goes English with 3D Series Launch
Hindi version hits 80 million views in six months, English premiere drops 12 Feb on dedicated channel.
MUMBAI: Gokuldham Society just got a bilingual upgrade and it’s speaking fluent fun. Neela Mediatech is rolling out the English version of its hit Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 3D animated series, hot on the heels of the Hindi edition’s runaway digital success.
Launched just six months ago, the Hindi 3D avatar has already racked up over 80 million views, proving that Jethalal’s antics, Bhide’s lectures, and Popatlal’s endless bride hunts translate brilliantly into animation especially for a new generation of young viewers who’ve never caught the live-action show on TV.
The English-language premiere lands on 12 February on the freshly minted Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 3D Animated Series English channel. The move opens Gokuldham’s doors wider to English-speaking families across India and the diaspora, letting non-Hindi speakers dive straight into the neighbourhood chaos without subtitles.
Neela Mediatech founder Asit Kumarr Modi captured the spirit behind the expansion, “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah was created to celebrate togetherness and shared happiness. The response from audiences across India has strengthened our belief in these stories. Presenting the 3D animated series in English allows us to connect with families who may not speak Hindi but relate to the same values and emotions.”
This isn’t a one-off experiment. Neela Mediatech is quietly building a full Gokuldham universe beyond the small screen. TMKOC Rhymes already sings in 12 Indian languages, with more international versions in the pipeline. On the gaming front, TMKOC Play offers 12 interactive titles, headlined by the addictive Gada Electronics Game that keeps kids (and nostalgic adults) tapping away.
From prime-time TV to animated shorts, nursery rhymes, mobile games, and now bilingual streams, Gokuldham has morphed into a multi-platform, multi-language family empire. Whether you grew up laughing at Sodhi’s Sardar jokes or you’re just meeting the gang for the first time, the Society’s doors are officially open in English and the views suggest plenty of people are walking right in.
