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CN Upfront: Healthy Lifestyles Initiative
February 16th, 2005 6:46 PM by Aaron H. Bynum
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New Initiative

After an entire year of successful original programming, the Cartoon Network has recently finished its annual programming conference with high hopes for the up and coming year. This year, the company broke a wide variety of stories; pertaining to new television series' for all demographics, and with regards to all of their increasingly popular programming blocks as well. For the rest of the 2005-year, expect some high quality and well produced animation to hit the airwaves.

This particular article of press is an announcement with regards to GET ANIMATED, a new healthy lifestyles initiative from Cartoon Network.

Cartoon Network will launch a national healthy lifestyles initiative targeted to kids 6-14 titled GET ANIMATED, a comprehensive on-air, online, print and off-channel campaign to launch on-air Monday, Feb. 28, it was announced today by Jim Samples, executive vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network.

The program will tap into the network’s roster of cartoon characters and distinctive 3D on-air environment to communicate positive lifestyle messages through multiple PSAs to air in Cartoon Network’s morning, afternoon and prime time day-parts. These pro-social spots also will point viewers to www.GetAnimated.com, where exclusive online content will further communicate messages around the benefits of making good lifestyle choices. Kids will find tips, lifestyle recommendations and an interactive game that will focus on the importance of being active. Additionally, “Get Animated” messages will appear within a series of national consumer and trade ads in key publications. And Cartoon Network’s current cause-marketing program, “Animate Your World” will expand its continuing partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to introduce nutritional and fitness elements into its computer animation program that young club members enjoy at more than 3,800 BGCA locations nationwide.

“Knowing that kids connect strongly with Cartoon Network’s characters, we integrated our most popular stars into an all-inclusive healthy lifestyles program that kids will relate to,” said Samples. “It was important to us that these messages feel like they belong at Cartoon Network, where we strive always to remain fun, funny and fearless. That’s why we created a new permanent destination, Movement INK, within our existing on-air environment, which will serve as a portal for key messages such as the importance of increasing time spent being active and making the right choices around nutrition.”

Movement INK. Comes to Cartoon Network






Movement Ink.

The new multi-purpose structure within Cartoon Network’s 3D animated world on-air will be called Movement INK., serving as a place where cartoon characters and,at times, live kids can come together for growth, inspiration and action. Activities housed within the facility will vary from traditional sports to non-traditional activities, such as, tree house climbing. Kids onscreen will encounter and interact with their favorite characters from series such as Codename: Kids Next Door, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, Justice League Unlimited, The Powerpuff Girls and Ed, Edd n Eddy. Characters will come together at Movement, INK. to share with viewers at home fun ideas for healthy snacks and new twists on familiar games that kids could try at home, a park or at school.

Two 15-second teaser spots will introduce the on-air campaign: the first, an official groundbreaking ceremony on the site where Movement INK. will be constructed featuring the Mayor of Townsville and his assistant Sara Bellum (The Powerpuff Girls); the second, a star-studded ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the various inhabitants of Cartoon Network’s on-air world to the newly completed Movement INK. facility. Four PSAs will follow on-air and will be tagged with Movement INK, which will serve as the official voice for healthy living on Cartoon Network. GET ANIMATED will air on a regular basis and new PSAs will be created to keep the program as fresh and timely as possible.

GET ANIMATED and Movement, INK. will live online at www.GetAnimated.com and will be promoted heavily from the top-rated www.CartoonNetwork.com. Kids and their parents can log-on to find kid-friendly information presented in an entertaining and interactive way. Elements will include tips on making healthy lifestyle choices and a game that will promote physical activity.

“Through widespread distribution in television households and with one of the Internet’s top-rated entertainment websites at our disposal, Cartoon Network has tremendous direct communication to kids. By effectively using our assets, we can make a positive impact in kids’ lives,” said Dennis Adamovich, senior vice president of marketing for Cartoon Network. “Our next objective is to extend the GET ANIMATED program even further by reaching kids off-channel in a place that offers both a good time and a means to build solid character traits. Boys & Girls Clubs of America proved to be our ideal partner.”

Cartoon Network Expands Partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America Utilizing “Animate Your World”

Cartoon Network will expand its’ partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) by utilizing the existing “Animate Your World: Shaping Character” CD-ROM program, which is used in 3,800 clubs nationwide. The current program uses the latest in computer animation technology to give kids the tools to create their own animation while learning invaluable lessons about developing good character traits. The “Animate Your World” program will be repurposed this spring to include nutritional and fitness content that will enable kids around the country to learn about nutrition and physical activity in a fun and interactive way. The program will work in tandem with BGCA’s existing health and wellness initiative that empowers young people to make informed decisions about their physical, mental and social well being. This effort is endorsed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“After working with Cartoon Network for several years, we believe the ‘Animate Your World’ program is an ideal complement to our current program to help build a child’s mind, body and soul,” said Kurt Ashermann, BGCA senior vice president and chief marketing and development officer. “In addition to the in-club program, Cartoon Network also will produce an original 30-second PSA in both English and Spanish describing Boys & Girls Clubs’ health and wellness initiative. Consistent play of this PSA throughout the year will really help spread the word to kids at a national level.”

In Partnership with Turner Network Sales, GET ANIMATED to Tour 30 U.S. Markets

Heading to a neighborhood near you, GET ANIMATED will hit the road in May 2005 as part of a 30-market tour featuring active stations where kids will engage in physical activity while interacting with Cartoon Network’s characters. Kids will also have the opportunity to sample the “Animate Your World” program. Transported in a customized mobile unit, the “Get Animated Tour” will be presented in partnership with Turner Network Sales and local cable affiliates. The tour will also make appearances at nearby Boys and Girls Clubs.

“The summer tour is a critical component of the overall program and a way to reach kids at a local level in their communities,” explained Adamovich. “Cable partners will support the program in market to drive attendance to the event. The summer tour will reinforce the overall program message.”