9XM gets into licensing and merchandising business

The music channel will use its popular animated characters, Bade-Chote and Bheegi Billi to launch an array of branded products

The music channel, 9XM has forayed into licensing and merchandising. It plans to come out with a range of apparel, accessories, back-to-school products, stationery, toys and games, based on its popular animated characters, Bade-Chote and Bheegi Billi.

Pawan Jailkhani, executive vice-president, sales, INX Media says, "Bade-Chote and Bheegi Billi have become icons in their own right and are the preferred brand endorsers for most of the advertisers on 9XM. It's time for these characters to come out of TV screens and come closer to their fans through platforms such as retail, mobile and internet."

The channel is hopeful of making gains in the licensing and merchandising space, where character- based licensing is gaining popularity.

For this purpose, 9XM has partnered with Kids Media India (KMI), and is looking at creating a full licensing and merchandising programme around the animated characters, by extending them into the product and promotional licensing space.

It is learnt that as of now, 9XM has a two-year deal with KMI on commission basis. The exact details of the business could not be ascertained.

Rajiv Sangari, chief executive officer, Kids Media India, says, "The characters on 9XM have been successful in connecting with the viewers and have a huge fan following. With this affiliation in mind, we aim to capitalise on the existing popularity of the characters and build a robust, long-term, sustainable brand programme around these characters."