Nickelodeon and Disney (NYSE: DIS) are both releasing two online projects aimed at young children this week, though the two have different ideas in terms of what they want to do. Nickelodeon will be touting MyNoggin, a casual game that is the main feature of a subscription-based, ad-free service for preschoolers and their parents. The game is described as “curriculum-based learning through game play.” The game also serves to promote Nick Jr. and Noggin characters, which game players use as icons. As we noted in August, MTV Networks committed $500 million to its gaming efforts, $100 million of which is earmarked toward the casual gaming space. Release
Meanwhile, Disney is expected to unveil details of its virtual world Bunnytown, which is tied to its forthcoming Saturday morning Disney Channel puppet show, which is also aimed at preschoolers.
The two projects offer a glimpse of the two companies digital strategies for kids’ entertainment, says TVWeek. While the Nickelodeon initiative does include characters from its TV programming, the stated goal is to be “a bookmark destination,” as Steve Youngwood, EVP of digital media at Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group, put it. Hence the emphasis on keeping the site ad-free. Secondly, the network’s virtual world, Nicktropolis, also featured branded and non-branded content, such as an aquarium . “More rooms are created by the audience than us,” Youngwood tells TVWeek.
Disney’s online offerings, on the other hand, are intended to drive viewership and product purchases. Mindy Stockfield, VP of digital media at Disney Channel and Jetix, tells TVWeek that the entertainment giant is giving kids exactly what they want. Stockfield pointed to research, commissioned by Disney, that showed viewers have a particular affinity for particular shows and brands, saying, “By playing our games and being part of the content, it engages them so much they want to watch the show more.”
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