A 360° branding experience. That is the pitch that kids channel Cartoon Network is taking to advertisers.

And judging by the revenue stats being offered, it is working. A 47 per cent jump in ad revenues last year and an increase of at least 30 per cent this year is what the channel expects. The increase in ad revenues has gone alongside a massive jump in viewership numbers, the guys at Cartoon Network will tell you.

On hand yesterday to explain matters were Hema Govindan, V-P of marketing and public relations, and Soumitra Saha, V-P ad sales Turner. Viewership has seen a 73 per cent growth in average TVRs in April 2002 compared to last year among 4 to 14-year-olds, Saha said, quoting AC Nielsen's TAM data.

"Complete kids marketing solutions is what we offer," they said, detailing how cartoon Network's activities centred around four main streams - television (the channel itself), Internet (cartoonnetworkindia.com), on ground events (Toon cricket) and licensing, which kicked off last year.

One of the biggest licensing agreements that the channel had entered into in recently was the one with Britannia, Saha said, adding that this had helped spread brand awareness all across the country. Pointing to the success of the licensing activities, Saha said revenues from this stream had jumped 147 per cent since last year.

Two on ground activities that are coming up before the end of the year are a travelling event - in the fourth quarter - covering five to six cities and Activity 2002, which runs through eight cities, Govindan said.

A revenue generating stream that one naturally associates with kids channels - merchandising - is not currently on the channel's plans, Govindan said.

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