MUMBAI: ZDF Enterprises GmbH is now responsible for the worldwide distribution of the license and merchandising rights of German children’s TV channel Kika.

As general agent, ZDF Enterprises will handle the marketing activities of the joint children’s channel of Ard and ZDF, which is now in its 15th year.

ZDF Enterprises’ marketing mandate for Kika entails the marketing of all rights owned by KiKA, from the KiKA umbrella brand to Kika programme brands such as ‘Baumhaus‘, ‘Bernd das Brot‘ and ‘Beutolomäus‘.

According to the market research institute iconKids and Youth, KiKA is also the most popular children’s broadcaster among children aged six to 13 (26 per cent) and their mothers (29 per cent), with a considerable edge over other channels. The survey also gathered data on the Internet use of the target group. 82 per cent of preschool children who were allowed to go online have already visited www.kika.de.

In 2011 Kika also become the market leader for preschool children. With a market share of 33.7 per cent (source: AGF/GfK-Fernsehforschung; TV Scope) among three-to-five-year-olds, it outperformed other children’s broadcasters by nearly seven per cent points. Altogether, the ARD/ZDF children’s channel scored an average rating of 19 per cent in the total target group (three- to 13-year-old viewers) in 2011.

ZDF Enterprises president, CEO Alexander Coridass said, “Thanks to Kika’s first-class programme brands, ZDF Enterprises is supplementing its portfolio of outstanding children’s fare with superior productions. From preschool children to teens, from classics such as ‘Jungle Book‘, ‘Peter Pan‘ and ‘Lassie‘ to new series formats such as ‘Dance Academy‘ and ‘Alien Surf Girls‘ and, of course, the two strong umbrella brands ZDF tivi and KiKA, we offer a unique and varied portfolio of expertly crafted programs for optimum merchandising from one single provider."