Cartoon Network plans to lure pre-schoolers

NEW DELHI: You can’t tap them any younger than this. Pre-school kids are next on Cartoon Network Enterprises’ radar as it plans to woo tiny tots with new products across apparel, publishing, stuffed toys and home furnishings, based on its programme ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’. CNE has tied up with brands like Lilliput (for apparel), Euro Kids and Scholastic (publishing), Mattel (for Plush range of soft toys) and Portico (for home furnishings) for this launch.

Jiggy George, director, Cartoon Network Enterprises told ET, “We are foraying into the pre-school segment merchandise, apart from launching products for schoolkids. The target audience would be kids in the age group 2-8 years. We will soon launch these products.”

Characters of the ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’ series like Chamki, Biscuit Badshah, Ernie, Elmo and Boombah, among others, would feature in the new line of merchandise.

“We expect that within the next two years, pre-school merchandise will contribute nearly 20-25% to our overall character licensing and merchandising business,” says Mr George.

Currently, character merchandise is estimated to be a Rs 350-crore market in the country. Toy major Mattel will launch a range called Classic Sesame Plush which will include stuffed versions of Bharat, Ernie, Biscuit Badshah and Elmo.

These will be launched across retail stores like Shoppers’ stop, Crossword, Piramyd and Hypercity. The toys which will be retailed in 20 cities will include a Hindi-speaking stuffed version of Elmo called Elmo Feature Plush.
CNE has tied up with kids apparel maker Lilliput to launch apparel for pre-schoolers which will be available across 32 cities in Lilliput stores, as well as at multi-brand outlets like Piramyd, Lifestyle and others.

“So far in the area of publishing, we have taken small initiatives but we are going full throttle this time in collaboration with Euro Kids and Scholastic. We will be launching story books and titles which will be available across major stores in leading cities,” said Mr George.

Also, pre-schoolers will have bedsheets and pillow covers adorned by characters from the show, which CNE will provide in collaboration with Portico and make available in over 500 counters.

“This is the initial plan for toddlers and we hope to expand it further and enter even new categories,” Mr George added.