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Nick Brings the Family to Upfront

Apr 6, 2008  •  Post A Comment

Nickelodeon is coming to the kids upfront with all five networks in tow: Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N and Nick Toons.
“They all complement each other and reach a broad spectrum of demographics covering the entire family,” said Jim Perry, Nickelodeon executive VP, 360 brand sales. “We’re bringing more platforms and more screens to market than we ever have before. Ratings are up versus last year across most of the networks and the traffic on our Web sites has been outstanding. We’re bringing the best assets to the market, all wrapped up in what we believe is a strong, reliable, trustworthy brand.”
New program content from Nickelodeon—which is in its 28th year—includes dance show “Dance on Sunset,” music-based live-action comedy “One 4 All,” environmental campaign “The Big Green Help” and animated series “The Mighty B!” as well as Nickelodeon’s first original family prime-time TV movie, “Gym Teacher: The Movie.” Returning shows include “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “The Fairly OddParents,” “Back at the Barnyard” and “The Backyardigans.”
Going into the kids upfront, Mr. Perry declared his optimism. “I think the worst is behind us,” he said.
He reported he’s seeing ad growth in several categories, including food, movie studios and videogames.
“Wii has gone beyond the core demographic of young men, and this has put a lot more money into the kids market,” he said. “And in the first half of 2008, we have double-digit growth in the movie category. It’s been very strong, and a great slate of movies coming out in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2008 bodes well for the theatrical business—and, four to six months later, the DVD business.”
The kids market has expanded beyond the traditional categories of toys, games, fast food, breakfast cereals and movies, said Mr. Perry. “We’re adding 35 advertisers every single year, and my expectation for Nickelodeon in this upfront is that we’ll grow our non-endemic business by 50%.
“More and more advertisers are looking to reach the family through Nickelodeon. It’s very impactful to reach children and parents together, and there is a lot of co-viewing going on. Advertisers also realize kids are very brand-savvy, have their own disposable income and influence family decisions on automotive and vacation.”
Pointing to new categories, Mr. Perry said wireless was new in 2007 and he expects continued growth, especially among tweens.
“These categories are all moving into the market and have been for some years, helping to buoy the kids market and sell out inventory in other months of the year where we might have had inventory left over after the upfront,” Mr. Perry said.
Nickelodeon goes into the kids upfront not just with new programming, but with games as well. After investing $100 million in casual gaming in July, Nickelodeon will roll out 1,600 games on its various Web sites. Mr. Perry said the network will reach 25 million unique visitors on a monthly basis via its combined Internet properties.
“That’s the scale that advertisers have been looking for in this space,” he said. “With the combined digital properties, we reach that number of target audience that makes sense to them.”
Among new programs, “Dance on Sunset,” which premiered after last month’s Kids’ Choice Awards, brings the dance show to children. Cyma Zarghami, president of Nickelodeon and the MTVN Kids & Family Group, said “Dancing With the Stars” has “laid a great foundation” for a dance show. The program teaches new dances and has ongoing competitions. On its Web site, kids can participate in real time or pick up dance moves after the fact.
Aimed at kids and their parents, “Gym Teacher: The Movie,” which premieres in August, tells the story of a gym teacher (played by “Law and Order: SVU’s” Christopher Meloni), a failed gold medal contender who is vying for the Gym Teacher of the Year Award. The movie co-stars Nathan Kress (from Nickelodeon hit “iCarly”), Amy Sedaris (“Strangers With Candy”) and David Alan Grier and is produced in association with Dolphin Entertainment.
“One 4 All,” developed in partnership with Sony/BMG Music Entertainment and created by Scott Fellows (“Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide,” “The Fairly OddParents”), is a live-action scripted comedy about a singer recruited by a top record producer, who comes to Los Angeles with his three best friends. Ms. Zarghami described the show as “‘Entourage’ Meets ’NSync,” a comedy about “one kid who can sing and his three buddies who come along for the ride.”
In April, Nickelodeon will launch “The Big Green Help,” a multiplatform, global campaign to empower kids to get involved in environmental issues through gaming and grassroots activity. At the center of the initiative is a global multiplayer online green game that provides information and activities to link kids directly to ways they can help the environment.
Nickelodeon collaborated with the Pew Center on Global Climate Change to conduct the “Keeping It Cool: Kids, Parents and the Global Environment” research study, and applied its findings to the campaign. Nickelodeon will launch a new Web site and team with national environmental and youth-focused organizations to help kids engage in local grassroots activities.
In animated comedy “The Mighty B!” Amy Poehler voices Bessie Higgenbottom, the world’s most ambitious almost-10-year-old Honeybee troop member. The series is co-created by Ms. Poehler, Cynthia True (“The Fairly OddParents”) and Emmy-nominated storyboard artist/writer Erik Wiese.
How Nickelodeon works with its partners, said Mr. Perry, goes “far beyond a media relationship.”
“It encompasses various product tie-ins utilizing our properties from a marketing standpoint, with long-term licensing deals, whether it’s SpongeBob or Dora [the Explorer],” he said. “We work across all the major categories: toys, videogames, food and packaged goods, and allow our marketing partners to utilize the power of the Nick brand and properties for their business.”

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