Cartoon Network digs its heels into merchandising

You find them on-air, online and even on-ground, so why not have them around your children as well?

Merchandising as a business is fairly nascent – as well as disorganized – in India, unlike the West where it’s a key revenue generator for a broadcaster or film producer.

In India, kids’ broadcasters, and especially the foreign networks, have expressed their desire to get into the merchandising business from time to time, and Turner-controlled Cartoon Network is one such player that has finally taken the step in that direction.

The channel’s licensing division Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) has charted out an ambitious consumer products programme for three of its on-air properties – Power Puff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory and Johnny Bravo this year.

Earlier, agencyfaqs! had reported on how UK-based Hit Entertainment Plc was planning to launch Bob The Builder merchandise through products such as toy, garment, shoe or tableware. Like Power Puff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory and Johnny Bravo, even Bob The Builder airs on Cartoon Network.

CNE will be launching branded bags, toys, games, apparels, accessories, rainwear, gifts and stationary promoting Power Puff Girls and Dexter’s Laboratory in the first phase that begins in May, while the second phase will be devoted to Johnny Bravo merchandise.

The programme covers 1,500 retailers across 20 cities including the metros (Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore) as well as mini-metros such as Surat, Baroda, Rajkot, Nagpur, Nasik, Hoshiarpur, Kottayam, Kochy and Calicut etc.

Plans are to introduce four additional categories of products ranging from personal care, food, home linen and household domestic ware (such as branded buckets) by Diwali, says Jiggy George, licensing director, India & South Asia, Cartoon Network Enterprises.

By 2006, the division will include two more shows ‘Code Name: Kids Next Door’ and ‘Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi’ in the merchandising programme.

Licensee partners will be responsible for the production and distribution of the merchandise, and CNE will get a percentage of the sales.

“The programme,” says John Friend, senior vice-president, worldwide, licensing, Cartoon Network Enterprises, “covers the original shows of Cartoon Network.”

Properties such as Pokemon, Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry, which are extremely popular with children, will not be a part of the exercise since they are not original shows of the channel.

To promote sales and combat piracy, pricing of the products is pretty competitive: Rs 4 for stationary such as pencils, Rs 195 for a camera, and Rs 215 for branded bags. Apparels will cost consumers anywhere between Rs 299-Rs 729, soft toys Rs 269-Rs 1,099, and fashion accessories between Rs 170-Rs 995. © 2005 agencyfaqs!