Cartoon Network agrees Sony Pictures sponsorship deal

Turner Media Innovations has partnered with Sony Pictures for a pan-regional sponsorship deal that will involve the Cartoon Network promoting nine blockbuster movies.

Under the two-year deal, Sony Pictures Releasing International will become the sole theatrical partner for the Cartoon Network in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

A range of Sony movies will get exclusive channel promotion on the Cartoon Network during their scheduled release periods, starting with The Smurfs, but later covering The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Arthur Christmas, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Men in Black 3, The Amazing Spider-Man and Hotel Transylvania.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but the arrangement was brokered directly between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Turner Media in Los Angeles. Turner Media Innovations will manage all of the media campaigns with Sony's agency OMD across EMEA for Cartoon Network.

The company will also work with Sony's Los Angeles-based marketing department to produce innovative Cartoon Network promotional creatives that will appear on air.

The marketing content will include co-branded channel idents for each of the film releases, featuring either animated characters interacting with the Cartoon Network channel logo, or a live action film scene integrated with the channel branding. All sponsorship activity will be supported by spot advertising on Cartoon Network.

"Cartoon Network's proven popularity with the kids' and families' audience makes it an excellent platform to promote Sony Pictures' blockbuster film titles," said Simon Cox, the vice president of Turner Media Innovations (EMEA).

"The connected nature of our business across EMEA puts us in a unique and enviable position to be able to attract prized sponsors such as Sony Pictures who are looking to us to add an extra dimension as they promote their biggest titles during the next two years."

Sony Pictures senior vice president of international media Gina Kilberg added: "We have a tremendous slate coming up in 2012 and 2013 and are very excited about partnering up with Cartoon Network to showcase our blockbuster family and general audience tentpoles."

Turner Media's deal with Sony Pictures follows similar advertising and sponsorship arrangements with Warner Bros, Universal, Fox and Paramount.

Next month, Turner Broadcasting will launch a high definition simulcast of the Cartoon Network on Sky, offering various shows in HD such as Ben 10 and the Thundercats.