Monika Oomen, vp of brand, digital content strategy, and communication for Cartoon Network’s Kids EMEA business will be heading to the Sustainability in Licensing Conference this week to deliver a special session on engaging young audiences in the climate conversation through the use of our industry’s best-loved characters.
Cartoon Network’s Climate Champions is a campaign to not only engage young people but to reward the actions they already take while providing ideas for what else can be done. It’s a platform that enlists the help of some of the Cartoon Network’s most popular characters and brands to help aid accessibility and facilitate action.
Ahead of Monika’s talk at the Sustainability in Licensing Conference this week, we grab a quick five minutes to learn more.
We’re so pleased to welcome Cartoon Network to the SiLC line-up this year, and cannot wait to find out more – can you give us an overview of what you will be showcasing at the event?
How Cartoon Network uses the brand power to inspire kids to take climate action and how children passionately believe that action needs to be taken now and that brands need to be part of the conversation.
How is Cartoon Network engaging audiences of kids and families with the climate conversation, and how are you guys working to convert that into action?
Cartoon Network’s Climate Champions hits the 4As required for young people to act – Ability, Accessibility, Agency, and Action. We use our ability to reach huge global audiences with messages around climate change. The entire campaign is carefully built around clear values – ensuring that the content is informative and explains climate-related issues whilst at the same time keeping it positive, fun and inspiring. Incorporating beloved characters from fan-favourite Cartoon Network shows into our campaign helps kids relate to the climate champions’ message and makes the initiative accessible to all ages.
We created a digital tool that enables kids to take small steps and actions that together can make a world of difference. The Cartoon Network Climate Champions microsite acts as the campaign hub with challenges, quizzes, games, and videos championing sustainability, over 200 fun and engaging challenges are available in 18 languages.
What does this call to action look like? How is this beginning to be adopted by the licensing teams in their product development? How is that message being carried through all CN’s activity?
The Cartoon Network’s Climate Champions is an ongoing campaign with multiple strands of activity. We actively include the Climate Champions theme in as many activations and channels as possible, reaching new audiences.
We promote CN’s Climate Champions on our linear and digital channels and on HBO Max – so these messages are carried forward through our channels to our global audience. Further expanding our Climate Champions initiative, we have integrated it into our Roblox game, Cartoon Network: Game On! utilising the connection with kids on platforms they already engage with to raise awareness and seed the Climate Champions campaign, with over 5,7m challenges started to date.
Local markets amplify the campaign through additional CN’s Climate Champions initiatives across the region by partnering with local NGOs to help arrange beach clean-ups and syndicate Climate Champions content in the regional press to reach new audiences.
How important is it that kids are empowered and engaged with the conversation through the content they consume, and why does CN want to be at the forefront of that?
One of the biggest barriers to action is a feeling of unable to make a difference. This generation did not create climate change, yet they are told that they must act. In order to champion kids we needed to do two things: Give them the tools to be able to take ownership and be allies. Kids consume our content. They tell us that they expect us to have a role in the future of the planet.
Beyond our content, we wanted to do more to help empower kids to take action, which lead to the creation of Cartoon Network Climate Champions. Through this initiative we reward the actions they already take, whilst providing ideas for more actions, and for those looking to take their first steps into taking action we help them know how to do this.
A 2021 research study* with Kids 6-12 across 13 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa showed that climate change is a huge concern with kids, that they care immensely about the planet and are eager to get involved. The study revealed that 91% of kids are concerned about climate change, and 65% want Cartoon Network’s help fighting it. We had to act upon it.
Therefore, following the research findings, the Cartoon Network Climate Champions initiative was developed in partnership with WWF.
How do we keep young people engaged with this topic for longer? Before we lose them to ‘teenager-dom’? Can CN content breach that audience, too?
We have teenage audiences that love our characters and our tone – and our research shows they want help navigating the subject of climate change and making it more successful. Most importantly this isn’t a topic tweens and teens don’t want to talk about. It is one of their top agendas every day. They are taking action, they expect brands to take action and they want allies like Gumball to help them navigate the huge topic.
What’s next for Cartoon Network and its mission to drive engagement and turn conversation into action? What does progression with this look like to you?
More expert partners, more actions, and inspiring more young climate champions. We’ve made a big start, now it is a case of helping more young people make their climate journey and take action. We are constantly looking at accessibility and ways of expanding thew Cartoon Network Climate Champions initiative is accessible to all kids. Our strategy assumes a permanent outlook for partnerships to ensure the longevity and breadth of the campaign.
