MUMBAI: It is hard at work trying to carve out a niche in India and it is as part of this effort that Nickelodeon is pushing ahead with attempts at getting even closer to Asian kids.
On 1 July it will launch www.nicksplat.com, a dedicated English-language website for kids in the region. This will provide the latest news on Nickelodeon.
The site will contain informative and interactive content such as programme schedules and highlights, character bios, event news, Nick news, an online community. In addition there will be downloads such as screensavers, printables, e-cards and web-exclusive contests, give-aways, interviews and more. Programme information will focus on India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong among others.
The English comes on the heels of Nickelodeon Asia's Japanese-language website, www.nickjapan.com which launched at the end of last year. On the issue of why it took so long for Nickelodeon to come up with a website, considering that competitors have had one since they came into the region the broadcaster stated that it wanted to make sure that its channel and brand presence in the market was established enough before it went online.
Elaborating further Nick Asia Pacific marketing and communications VP Lucy Young said, "Nick fans in this part of the world now have a place to go online that will be informative, interactive and just plain fun! Through personalization, tools and games developed just for them, we hope kids will feel that nicksplat.com is their place on the internet."
The broadcaster added that all the Nick websites around the world are fun, colourful and interactive. As to how the Asia site would differ from other Nick sites the broafcaster pointed out that hids weren't very much different whether they are in Australia, Austria or Malaysia. They want something they can relate and connect to.
With nicksplat.com, kids in the region will be able to find programme schedules for their own countries, chat with kids from their own countries and take part in contests that they may otherwise be restricted from if they had gone to the nick US or Australian sites. Nicksplat.com will be an avenue for them to connect even more with Nick Asia Pacific.
