Mumbai: The Nickelodeon franchise takes pride in leading the kids’ entertainment category as the most preferred and No. 1 kids’ entertainment destination in India for four consecutive years.
Nick has successfully identified white spaces with a robust content library of genre-defining IPs & innovations and has propelled the kids’ category with indigenous stories that are a product of insights, creative storytelling and great animation. Further strengthening its content game and enticing kids this summer, the kids’ franchise gears up to announce the launch of two new IPs, ‘Abhimanyu Ki Alien Family’ starting 24 April 2023 from Monday to Friday at 12 noon on Nick and ‘Kanha – Morpankh Samrat’ starting end of May on Sonic.
‘Abhimanyu Ki Alien Family’, the only alien show in the kids' category, is a sci-fi comedy series based around the alien Abhimanyu and his team of three, who embark on a mission to learn about the unique cultures and ways of life on Earth. In the series, the alien team faces troubles as they try to blend in with humans in their human form, make friends, hide their identity, and overcome adverse situations and threats. ‘Kanha – Morpankh Samrat’ on the other hand is a captivating mythological series that chronicles the adventures of young Krishna and his famous tales, showcasing his journey as a son, warrior, hero, friend, and brings alive his playful and mischievous antics.
On the sidelines of the launch, Indiantelevision.com caught up with Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18 on the launch of two diverse shows, the reach of the channel and the marketing initiatives for these shows…
On the two new shows, one brings an alien into the viewer’s life and the other the traditional mythology of Krishna
A major reason that the show will succeed is because of the curiosity it plays on the mind of a child. Everyone is curious about aliens and a character like this was never envisioned before. We have drawn a parallel to what we did the last time around with Pinaki & Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus, a story about a ghost. Some things never change and they're evergreen. So when a story comes up with a character which the kids have never seen before it forms a curiosity in their minds.
We have deliberately avoided showing anything already seen because the aliens in Abhimanyu's family are so distinct from one another. Most times aliens are depicted with big skull heads and thin bodies. We didn’t want to take that route; we want to make and give kids this particular design that has the ability to move; and has tentacles. The only way to describe this character is pure fantasy
On being number one for nine years now, what has been the strategy and the USP for this channel to maintain this position for so long?
First and foremost, it is about the width and depth. It's not just about creating IP after IP, we've gone into depth. For example, even though Motu Patlu is ten years old, there have been 500 stories told of the same character. So, it's also about the character’s depth. Another 50 new stories will be told this year and you’ll find the stories relevant. We have them going to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower and even save the environment and the forests. We are writing stories that are relatable today.
Our IPs are like chalk and cheese. One is a musician, an action hero, a ghost, and the new one is an alien. There are many varieties of stories to choose from. Every character will have at least 30 to 50 stories every year and every character will have a new story in one or two months. So, the channel is constantly refreshed with new stories, characters and new premieres. We premier a new movie every quarter and the movie insight is very different.
An episode where Motu Patlu goes on a mission to the moon. The characters have been created in such a way that they can form a very intrinsic bond with the child. That bond created is like a best friend, role model, warrior, and saviour. Come to Pinaki, he will solve your problem. A connection and bond have already been made, and we are now taking that involvement through our brand exercise of engagement.
It is very important for a character to come out of the TV into their life and space. It's fun for kids, especially, to play with characters such as "Run Abhimanyu Run” where suddenly the character is out of the TV set. There are consumer products like Water bottles and T-shirts too. We have our characters on a Yellow Diamond pack and Motu Patlu on Colgate and this is a complete touch and feel as well.
On the reach and YoY growth and the market share
Our reach for Nick and Sonic is the largest in the kid’s category and has grown to 29 million and 24 million respectively, the highest because the sample sizes have also increased to 204 million. We've clocked the highest unique reach and the highest reach in the category as well with 44 million.
We are 31 per cent on viewership and 36 per cent on revenue share. We are by far number one.
On the FCT being constant at 4 per cent even after it saw a huge drop
We have experienced a 3% growth in our viewership, while the total TV viewership has dropped by 4%. This decline may be due to people preferring to watch content at their convenience. Advertisers have also found different ways to reach the same audience beyond TV. With the rise of digital media, advertisers can use different touchpoints. For instance, we have created a song with Rohit Shetty that plays at the Mumbai Metro stations.
We have become more innovative in how we connect with our audience and create awareness. However, our marketing budget remains the same, and we have to divide it among more touch points. This means that each touch point gets a smaller share, resulting in a decrease in TV FCT. Something has to give way, and this is an example of how we are adjusting to the changing landscape.
Kids have remained where they are and are very vocal about their choices. If parents want to go on vacation or go out to eat, they have to ask their kids first and it's no longer an easy conversation. We have in fact had some non-kid advertising brands such as Colgate, Reckitt, and Godrej, but are with us to advertise their brand because of the co-viewership on the channel.
On advertiser interest in these two shows
The kid’s genre is marketed differently from a GEC show. Particularly at this point, kids watch these shows because they want that full extravagant summer and they're not going to attach themselves to a particular slot or show, but come on the channel on a time band for the next 60 days. Nick has new stories, new movies, and new shows, so kids will come for the summer and it has always been the same.
We have never sold shows, except for movies. Advertisers come to us depending on the brand they have. We have a Motu Patlu, a Chikoo aur Bunty and a Rudra who's delivered the same ratings. So, this way advertisers choose based on a show and it is very effective. It also depends on what the brand wants.
On Kanha being on the network
Kanha is an evergreen topic in animation, but we have not seen this avatar and this age group of Krishna and therefore we are telling authentic stories to these kids through Kanha. There is a reverse co-viewing on all platforms. While kids are watching, parents are also watching with them. On GEC when parents are watching, kids are watching. This is Krishna’s story, and every episode will be one little story out of the many stories. We have a feeling that families will love to watch it together. With this, there will be no passive viewers. This is the kind of story that always helps us as a brand from a gatekeeper and a monetisation perspective.
On the challenges associated with keeping kids entertained
Once a bond and relationship are established, habits start to build. Nickelodeon has a certain sense of comfort with children that they are looking for. Nickelodeon provides comfort and because of that comfort zone and habit, kids come back to us all the time. Over the years, they've figured out that there is one character always available to them. They are aware of the channel number and show time and they can also watch it on Voot Kids or online, anytime and anywhere.
On the marketing touch points for these two shows
We are looking at television and mass media, and kids are watching things that go beyond the kids' genre as well. So, GEC, movies, music, our own network channels, all of this will get utilized. In most theatres, for Salman Khan’s upcoming films, the first four seats are going to be reserved for Abhimanyu and his family as kids love him. We will be on DTH, cable, connected TV, etc. For the lower tier, we have van activations. We will be in Malls, and on social media too.
On other activities to engage with kids other than television
A lot of it is on digital and their ability to play. We have over 500 games out there for kids to play across characters. These games are on our website, on mobile and soon on Connected TV. The easiest way to engage right now is digitally through games, short form or long form. We have dance challenges because kids are so keen to replicate the hook steps that they revert back to us with their dance videos.
So, it's about creating these small challenges where they are watching and winning. We launched a summer campaign where a smartphone was won every day. Kids had to engage with us by giving us a missed call and they could win a smartphone. So, it's about taking that engagement outside of just the show. You have to be on platforms that have far more reach and that is why the games, reels, short video formats, and watch & wins.
On screen time for a child is a debatable issue.
We have been in the television industry for a long time. The kid’s genre holds a six per cent share of total TV viewership. This is because kids have control of the remote and they will choose to watch what they want. Despite the increasing options and fragmentation in the industry, kids still know that Nickelodeon provides tailor-made content for them. They are active viewers who engage with the content.
On language dubs increasing the reach as the affinity to language is far more and garners more eyeballs
Having shows dubbed in your local language creates a closer connection with the brand and its characters. In the Southern region of India, we have a large following and therefore, it is crucial to get the dubbing right and capture the appropriate nuances.
On the campaign and the music ‘Do the Nick Nick’
The campaign ‘#DoTheNickNick’ features India’s favourite Nicktoons, celebrates kids and encourages kids with a positive and exciting outlook. It is written by Gulzar and sung by Armaan Malik, the anthem opens with the brand's promise of ‘Nick for Kids, Kids for Nick’. We entertain, engage, and empathize with our young audiences through the highs and lows in new and innovative ways. We reiterate our promise to our viewers of bringing the best stories and characters. Our anthem champions exactly what Nickelodeon stands for.
