Kids
Disney into heavyweight marketing to support Disney XD
MUMBAI: Disney has unveiled a heavyweight marketing campaign to support the launch of its new boy-focused and girl-inclusive channel, Disney XD, on 31 August.
The fully integrated campaign includes Disney XD spots on television, outdoor marketing, cinema postcards and grassroots experiential events with a key focus on digital media to drive engagement with the brand amongst its key audience of kids aged 6-14 years.
The cornerstone of the online activity will be a futuristic ‘Ultimate Gamer Challenge‘ which will run on the gaming site, Miniclip.com from 20 August. This will consist of a series of skill-based games, themed around show character Aaron Stone, and will allow kids to go head-to-head with their peers in a number of linked challenges. In addition, messenger icons can be unlocked after each mini-game for kids to share with friends.
This will be supported by innovation-augmented reality which allows kids to gain access to exclusive Disney XD and Aaron Stone content using their webcam. In addition, an expandable version of MSN Messenger will keep them informed of all the latest launch news with weekly video content planned while Aaron Stone branded in-skyscraper games and rich media will run on sites including WWE, CN, Nick and CITV.
A targeted TV campaign will hit screens from 10 August – 20 September across Nick, Nick Toons, CN, CN Too, Boomerang, CITV, along with Sky Sports, UK Dave, Sky 1, E4 and T4.
Press activity will include four-page gatefolds, page ads, IFC and OBC running throughout August and September in gaming and extreme sport titles including Gamesmaster, Official Nintendo, Power Station, X 360, Match, Sidewalk and Ride.
In cinemas, 570 six-sheets will land in 203 cinemas from 20 August for two weeks as well as 600,000 postcards in 300 cinemas. The reverse side of the postcard features the framing device that will be used for the augmented reality promo.
The outdoor campaign will comprise 2,500 roadside six-sheets nationwide with 75 digital mall six-sheets.
Experiential marketing comes via a partnership with England Beach Soccer – the official governing body of the sport, with a beach soccer road show taken to various urban locations throughout the UK, culminating in an event on London‘s Oxford Street on 29 August.
Says Disney Channels UK executive director marketing Nicole Morse, “Since Disney XD is built around what kids, particularly boys, told us they wanted to see from a TV channel- that is gaming, sports and humour – it was crucial that the integrated launch campaign reached them in environments that resonated with them. The campaign‘s interactivity is key in ensuring kids can engage with the new brand for a significant amount of time, with the scale and aspirational media choices‘ delivering the message that Disney XD is a channel for them.”
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.
