Click here for complete coverage of the 2011 Upfronts.
With continued strength in toys, a rebound in the food sector and an
expansive slate of kids/parent movies in the pipeline, the kids 2011-12
upfront market appears poised for significant growth.
Given last
year's solid upfront, which most observers said finished just below/just
above the $1 billion plateau, plus strong scatter sales over the last
four quarters, a robust Madison Avenue kids' bazaar is on the horizon,
according to Jim Perry, executive vice president of ad sales,
Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group
"All signs are pointing in
that direction. Clients would rather get their money down in the
upfront, than pay 30% increases [in scatter] later," he said. "I think
you're looking at a double-digit increase in demand."
Whether that
translates into 10% or more in out-of-pocket, which could add another
$100 million to $200 million to the upfront, remains to be seen.
Whatever the ultimate upfront outlay, Nickelodeon -- which controls well
in excess of 50% of genre impressions through its varied offerings --
figures to be sitting pretty. "Our GRP share continues to grow," said
Perry, whose company is adding 450 episodes of new and returning
animation series over the next three years, including some 200
installments on Saturday mornings in 2012. Moreover, Nick is adding a
pair of new live-action shows, Supah Ninjas and Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures, while updating its successful stable of iCarly, Victorious, Big Time Rush, True Jackson, House of Anubis, with new episodes. It also has an original telepic, iParty with Victorious, mashing up the casts of iCarly and Victorious and their stars Miranda Cosgrove and Victoria Justice, set to premiere on June 10.
