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Mattel and McDonald’s Among Charter Advertising and Promotional Partners Mattel to be the Launch Partner for the DC HeroZone area of KidsWB.com Comcast to Be an Inaugural Distribution Partner The Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) continues its multi-destination digital entertainment strategy with the launch of KidsWB.com, a premium, ad-supported destination built around youth-oriented, immersive entertainment which unites the Studio’s libraries of animated characters and programming, including Warner Bros. Animation, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics. The announcement was made by Bruce Rosenblum, President, Warner Bros. Television Group. “The launch of KidsWB is an opportunity for a cross-company initiative to reinvigorate and re-imagine our legendary characters and the way our businesses can work together,” said Rosenblum. “A compelling consumer destination that complements our existing television business, it will be an invaluable resource in developing properties and a strong addition to our digital strategy.” The Kids’ WB! broadcast network for children launched in 1995 and rapidly grew to become the number one programming block for kids aged 6–11. Today’s unveiling of the new KidsWB.com (formerly announced as T-Works) signals the brand’s extension into the digital marketplace. Designed for children aged 6–12, KidsWB.com marks the first time that characters from across Warner Bros.’ unmatched collection of animation libraries have been assembled in a single online destination. KidsWB.com will give kids the ability to interact with these iconic characters in a new way, offering tools for them to personalize and customize their own online experience in a unique fashion. At launch, the site includes a wide array of free entertainment features and content at both the main KidsWB.com destination and at two dedicated areas inside KidsWB.com: the DC HeroZone and KidsWBJr., focusing on pre-kindergarten users. KidsWB.com features will include the following:
Once inside KidsWB.com, users can explore the DC HeroZone, a thrilling destination for all DC Super Hero fans, complete with secret files, videos, games and exclusive downloads featuring the World’s Greatest Super Heroes from the DC Universe including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a vast array of favorites. For the pre-kindergarten set, KidsWB.com will also contain KidsWBJr., a walled garden of age-appropriate content and activities for kids aged 2–5 and their parents. KidsWBJr. will also feature video, games, activities and digital downloads. Mattel, a close and longtime partner of Warner Bros., will have the rights to launch advertising and promotional partnerships for the DC HeroZone, which will feature a gallery showcase of their DC product. Mattel’s involvement with the new site will incorporate a number of fun and interactive ways to further engage kids on the site while also integrating deep online brand features, offline cross-promotions and other marketing-related support. “When we were first made aware of Warner Bros.’ plans for its new KidsWB.com destination and DC HeroZone area, we immediately knew we had to be a part of it and jumped on-board with additional ideas to help maximize the site and its offerings,” said Doug Wadleigh, Vice President of Action Play Marketing, Mattel Brands. “DC HeroZone serves as a fantastic vehicle for introducing kids to the world of DC super heroes, while also supporting our lineup of DC Super Hero action figures, vehicles, role play items and more, and provides a great opportunity that is a natural fit into our overall marketing mix.” KidsWB.com also launches with McDonald’s as an advertising and promotional partner. Plans for the next phase of KidsWB.com development include the fully immersive virtual worlds DC HeroZone and Warner Zone.
AOL will feature a KidsWB.com branded channel. The broadband channel will stream hundreds of episodes of animated programming from across the Warner Bros. Animation, DC Comics, Looney Tunes, and Hanna-Barbera collections. Created by Warner Bros. Animation, KidsWB.com is WBTVG’s next venture into targeted digital programming, following in the footsteps of TMZ.com, the leading entertainment news destination on the Internet and number one new syndicated television show; and MomLogic.com, a web destination for moms at all ages and stages. The KidsWB.com design, development and operations teams are based in Burbank, Calif. The advertising inventory for KidsWB.com is handled by WBTVG’s Digital Media Sales team. As an industry leader in programming for children, Warner Bros. Animation and KidsWB.com adhere to strict standards with regard to online safety for kids. The KidsWB.com destination and all its features will fully comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). |