Tooning In

Ten animated television properties worth keeping on brand radar screens.

Identifying the hottest cartoons on television isn’t an extremely difficult thing to do: start by looking at the ratings, then walk through the toy aisle at your nearest mass merchandise store, and take a look at the cereal and snack shelves at the local supermarket. If you’re too busy for all that, just read through the list of items your daughter or nephew has requested as presents for the holidays.

Of course, not every property is a fit for every brand, no matter how popular it may be. So finding the right animated kids show to help move product and add that often-helpful entertainment halo isn’t as easy as identifying the latest fads. But if you’re talking pure buzz and money is no object – in general, the stronger the property, the more marketers have to offer to land it – then there are none hotter than the 10 we’ve listed here.

BATMAN State of Affairs: A hiatus from the film franchise hasn’t slowed Batman down. Sixty-two years after his debut, Bruce Wayne’s alter ego is alive and well in Gotham City and just about everywhere else.

Consumers of many ages relate to Batman, who has no real powers and relies on street smarts and nifty gadgets to catch the bad guys. “This is a self-made superhero,” says Joel Ehrlich, senior vp-advertising and promotions for Warner Bros.’ DC Comics. Television shows and home videos are winners with kids, their older brothers, and their parents. Hasbro just released the 200th Batman action figure.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Burger King ran a premium effort tied to the Batman Beyond TV series. A Got Milk? campaign put a mustache on the Caped Crusader and gave away comic books with purchase. General Motors installed On Star in the Batmobile for TV spots. Kraft used the superhero on Macaroni & Cheese. To back the home video release of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, decoder gamepieces were packaged with Batman merchandise, and Orange Julius of America and Dairy Queen each gave away two-dollar video coupons.

A Look Ahead: CPG and QSR partners are already on board for more efforts tied to TV, home video, and print releases. And two more live-action films are in development.

BLUE’S CLUES State of Affairs: It doesn’t get more adorable than Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, the most-watched TV show among kids two-to-five and the first animated pre-school property to attract crowds of partners.

The groundbreaking show debuted in 1996 and quickly built a loyal base of viewers who talk to the TV and solve problems along with Blue and the other characters, all of which are named after household products. “The show is visually beautiful, and it challenges the audience,” says Nick senior vp-promotions marketing Pam Kaufman.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Mott’s, Inc. continued selling blue applesauce. Subway hosted a quartet of kids’ meal efforts. A live-show tour is being sponsored by Gateway – which now sells a Blue-branded computer system in its Country stores. A direct-to-video flick hit shelves last month supported by Johnson & Johnson, Subway, and Farley’s. Ford uses Blue as its safety spokespuppy.

A Look Ahead: More videos will roll out, as will primetime specials. New characters will join the cast, giving fans more entertainment and partners more images to utilize.

CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG State of Affairs: The biggest dog of them all is enjoying a nice resurgence these days, due mostly to his recent small-screen debut. New York City-based Scholastic, Inc.’s lovable 259-year-old (that’s dog years) pooch debuted on PBS this fall to the delight of kids two-to-seven. (But more than 75 million books have been sold to four generations of fans.) Stories focus on relevant issues for children. Merchandise abounds from 40 licensees.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Scholastic is keeping Clifford fun and wholesome with cause-related efforts and CPG-linked programs reaching stores and schools. Keebler’s Read Between the Snacks campaign tagged 16 million packages across 13 brands. A sweeps awarded a college scholarship and a Scholastic library to the top winner. Kix cereal put the dog on 10 million boxes. In-store portrait studios at 440 JC Penney department stores offer Clifford-themed pics.

A Look Ahead: Clifford’s first QSR campaign launches in Subway units in 2001. New apparel lines for kids will be introduced at JC Penney. CD-ROM products are rolling out, as are online initiatives giving the dog a virtual bone. TV underwriter Kix will continue its support. A Clifford motion picture? Never say never.

DIGIMON State of Affairs: The success of the Saban Entertainment television show (which airs on Fox Kids) keeps fueling the popularity of all things Digimon. Boys under 10 tune in daily to check out the story of seven kids unexpectedly transported from summer camp to the digital world of File Island, where they meet good and bad Digimons. (Pokemon rip-off? So be it.)

The second season premiered in August to solid ratings. Home videos have enjoyed 82-percent sell-through at retail. A new comic book has also sold well.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Jel-Sert put Digimon on 10 million packages of Flavor Ice, Flavor Aid, and Wyler’s drink mixes. Taco Bell dished out seven million monsters in a summer premium giveaway. Sears set up Digi-stores. Planet Hollywood handed kids comic books. And both toy retailer Toys “R” Us and Loews Cinema are currently supporting the new Digimon feature film out in theaters.

A Look Ahead: More TV, more home video and, if the first film does well, more of those. Boys are obsessed with the creatures, and although some marketers are surprised with the ongoing popularity, partners are betting on continued success. A new fan club is gaining members.

LOONEY TUNES State of Affairs: With an army of characters united under Warner Bros.’ ubiquitous Looney Tunes umbrella, partners can pick and choose the right ones for their brands.

Although there are hundreds of characters, nine stars – Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Tasmanian Devil, Sylvester, and Tweety – command the lion’s share of the promotional exposure. TV shows are as popular as they were decades ago, as are merchandise lines. A broad appeal across kids, adults, and grandparents has fueled partnerships in virtually every channel.

2000 Tie-ins Included: MCI used Tweety to sing about Five-Cent Sundays. Chevrolet enlisted the Tasmanian Devil to introduce the redesigned Monte Carlo, and also created a Looney-branded minivan. Cathay Pacific Airways handed out kids activity packs in the air, while Cracker Jack put mini-booklets in-pack. Kraft’s Miracle Whip linked to Sylvester. Wendy’s International gave away pens.

A Look Ahead: Programs will continue in a similar vein. A theatrical release is in development. Retail partners will keep tying to the property in stores and online.

PEANUTS State of Affairs: Creater Charles Schulz may be gone, but his Peanuts posse – which turns 50 in 2001 – is thriving these days. The property is known around the world and loved by kids and parents. The classic TV specials are revered, and new home video releases from Paramount and animated shows on Nickelodeon have been hits. Nine hundred global licensees (managed by Kansas City, MO-based United Media) around the world have Snoopy and the gang doing anything and everything on anything and everything.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Days Inn gave travelers Peanuts videos. Vlasic Foods International’s Swanson brand put Snoopy on 30 million pot pies and supported with a sweeps. Wendy’s ran a kids’ meal effort last summer. Unilever’s All detergent and Welch Foods have also tied in. Pillsbury Co. rolled out the first of several Peanuts-shaped holiday cookie dough products last month. “These are strong characters,” says Pillsbury brand manager Eric Galler. “People’s memories of Peanuts are often tied to specific holidays.”

A Look Ahead: Peanuts-themed promotions are getting heavy play on marketing schedules in 2001, as brands tie into the property’s golden anniversary to reel in kids and their folks. The characters get a refreshed look next year, too.

POKEMON State of Affairs: Redmond, WA-based Nintendo and New York City-based Leisure Concepts (the official licensor) have given the pocket monsters presence in every media possible. The property withstood a lot of negative press, after schools banned the cards as distractions and a Burger King premium programturned tragic.

And yet, the monsters live on in the U.S. and around the world. First a hit in Japan, Pokeman invaded America a few years ago and has yet to slow down.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Burger King tied into two movies and a video release. Kellogg had a hefty cereal campaign in grocery aisles last summer. Merchandisers and retailers are still going gaga over products from more than 500 licensees from which to choose. Sears set up PokeMart boutiques that sold $50 million in product during the first month alone.

A Look Ahead: Get ready for additional feature films and TV shows in 2001. A Broadway-style mobile tour just launched. And, of course, more monsters are on the way.

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS State of Affairs: Atlanta-based Cartoon Network’s popular ladies have given new meaning to “Girl Power.” The Emmy-winning show debuted in late 1999 and has built a loyal kid fan base and a cult-like following among college students and adults. The series focuses on empowerment themes for young girls but features enough subtle humor – which gets eyebrow-raising at times – to delight the older set.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Retail support has been huge, with such chains as Wal-Mart, and Toys “R” Us on board for stand-alone efforts. More than 75 licensees are in on the merchandise side (sales are projected to top $300 million this year). Subway just wrapped a kids’ meal effort. Delta Airlines painted the Puffs on a plane. A Cartoon Network watch-and-win campaign generated 500,000 entries from kids (and a few adults) vying for a full collection of Powerpuff merchandise.

A Look Ahead: The first feature film should hit silver screens in summer 2002, presumably with marquee partners on board. Merchandising continues, as does retail support. Partners looking for a new property with kid and adult appeal can’t go wrong with these chicks.

RUGRATS State of Affairs: It doesn’t get any hotter than Nickelodeon’s Rugrats, the No. 1 cable kids’ show for the last seven years. The campy Emmy winner debuted in 1991, is now watched by 21 million viewers weekly, and is the most top-of-mind kids show around.

Youngsters connect with the characters, and story lines add some winks for adults, too. Rugrats: The Movie was the first non-Disney animated film to gross $100 million in North America. A sequel, Rugrats in Paris, hits theaters this month.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Partners tend to come back for more. Campbell’s Soup’s effort for the first Rugrats movie scored solid sales gains. Merchandise from such names as Gund and Westland Giftware is selling well. A massive in-theater/in-store promotion for Rugrats in Paris revolves around a multi-page faux passport; kids collect “Stars” from partners (including Burger King, Mott’s, and Toys “R” Us) for chances to win prizes.

A Look Ahead: Nick is working on 2001 programs hyping the property’s 10th anniversary. Quarterly marketing support will culminate with a big event in August.

SCOOBY-DOO State of Affairs: New York City-based Time Warner’s evergreen Scooby-Doo – the longest-running cartoon on television – now appeals to a few decades’ worth of consumers. Sales of licensed merchandise have skyrocketed in the last two years, fueled by strong success with direct-to-video releases and a growing legion of cable viewers. “Every year we get a new fan base,” says Cartoon Network executive vp Tim Hall.

2000 Tie-ins Included: Cartoon Network’s own Cartoon Campaign 2000, an on-air effort that had fans calling in to select their favorite toon star (March PROMO), saw Scooby winning by a landslide. Halloween-timed video releases have been massive affairs with multiple partners and oodles of support money. Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invader hit shelves last month with such big names as Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay, Burger King, and M&M/Mars on board. Past partners included General Mills, Wendy’s, and MCI.

A Look Ahead: TV continues to provide the foundation from which to release videos. Plans for Halloween 2001 are already being finalized, but don’t sweat it if you can’t wait until October: Scooby is perfect for programs year-round.

HEARTBREAKERS (MGM) Estimated Release Date: March 2001

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Gene Hackman, Ann Bancroft

Top Line: A comedy following a mother and daughter con artist team who marry men for money.

WHAT’S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? (MGM) Estimated Release Date: July 2001

Starring: Danny DeVito, Martin Lawrence

Top Line: A billionaire (DeVito) catches a crook (Lawrence) robbing his home. The tycoon steals the burglar’s ring, and the robber spins a plan to get it back.

BONES (New Line Cinema) Estimated Release Date: March 2001

Starring: Snoop Dogg, Pam Grier

Top Line: An urban horror story about a ghost awakened 20 years after his death to exact revenge on his murderers.

JURASSIC PARK 3 (Universal) Estimated Release Date: Summer 2001

Starring: TBD

Top Line: The dinosaurs return for this third installment in the Steven Spielberg franchise, which so far has grossed $1.5 billion worldwide.