Nickelodeon Elevates Two Senior Executives On Consumer Insights Team

Nickelodeon Elevates Two Senior Executives On Consumer Insights Team

Makeda Mays Green Named Senior Vice President, Cultural And Digital Consumer Insights

Andrea Strauss Named Senior Vice President, Content and Brand Insights

NEW YORK – Monday, October 17, 2022

Nickelodeon has named Makeda Mays Green Senior Vice President, Cultural and Consumer Insights. Andrea Strauss has been named Senior Vice President, Content and Brand Insights.  The announcement was made today by Ron Geraci, Executive Vice President, Research and Strategic Insights, Nickelodeon, to whom they will both continue to report.

“Andrea and Makeda are incredibly accomplished researchers, who have the remarkable ability to distill both quantitative and qualitative data into clear and concise insights, said Ron Geraci.  “The innovative research work they have both shepherded during their time at Nickelodeon has played a crucial role in informing strategic decisions made across the organization.  I personally look forward to our continued collaboration as their leadership and expertise continue to keep us in the forefront of research for kids and families.”

In her new role as Senior Vice President, Cultural and Consumer Insights, Mays Green will continue to lead large-scale thought leadership and landscape studies on relevant cultural topics for kids and families and conduct qualitative and quantitative research that informs Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and Noggin’s digital strategies.

During Mays Green’s 11-year tenure with Nickelodeon, she has played a critical role in innovating methodologies for pivotal studies, including  the creation of the landmark “Shades of Us” study, which she followed up with the “How Content Creators Can Empower Families to Talk about Race” study, which was created through a partnership with Nickelodeon, Noggin and OK Play. By employing a unique methodology of having kids and parents discuss real life scenarios to facilitate a discussion on race and racism, rich insights were gathered to help creators accurately and authentically portray diverse stories and characters.  Makeda has also been a key member of the Noggin Leadership team, helping to inform the educational and development agenda for the learning platform through the research that she and her team have conducted.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Mays Green served as the Director of Education & Research, Digital Media at Sesame Workshop, where she examined the potential of current and emerging digital media platforms to provide quality educational material to children and families.  She currently sits on the Advisory Board of Raising Good Gamers, an initiative developed to create positive change in the culture and climate of online video gaming for youth.

As Senior Vice President, Content and Brand Insights, Strauss will continue to lead the Brand, Consumer Insights and Content Insights teams.  She will also be adding oversight of the West Coast Insights group to her remit.  Under Strauss’ leadership,  insights across all demos and content genres will be created and delivered by a single unified team.

A Nickelodeon veteran, Strauss has spent more than two decades as a vital linchpin, informing the work of the brand’s Production, Consumer Products, Public Affairs, Marketing and Location Based Experiences groups.  Her extraordinary body of work includes revelatory studies like “Family GPS,” “Story of Me,” “Story of Us,” and one of Nick’s most topical studies “Shades of Us,” a two-year exploration on how race and ethnicity are impacting the current generation of kids, which was produced in partnership with May Green.  Strauss’ content-focused research has also played a key role in the development of some of Nick’s biggest franchises, including SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly, Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues.  Most recently, Strauss spearheaded “Bridging the Gap,” a deep examination of content that resonates with the four to seven-year-old audience.  Also, she served as the chief architect in the creation of several research trackers that provide crucial information, helping the organization understand and contextualize current events, insights about the kid and family audience, and viewing habits across the myriad of platforms available to consumers.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Strauss was a member of the Strategic Services group at Grey Advertising, where she worked on new business pitches and premium consumer packaged goods brands, including the Dannon Yogurt kids’ products.

Makeda Mays Green

Andrea Strauss

Nickelodeon, now in its 43rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon is a part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment brands.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Supercharges Its Franchise Strategy With Steady Stream of New Premium Content for 2022-23 Season | Nick Upfront!

Press release via WebWire.

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Nickelodeon Research Reveals Kids' and Parents' COVID-19 Fears

“There’s an ‘in it together’ sense for today’s parents and kids, as opposed to shielding kids from something negative.”

Shielding kids from the reality of COVID-19 is nearly impossible, new interviews from Nickelodeon Consumer Research show. Their daily lives have been disrupted by social distancing measures, parents working from home, and school closings, which is causing kids to feel much of the same anxiety as adults.

Parents, meanwhile, struggle to find age-appropriate ways to explain the pandemic and stay-at-home measures to their children. “For my generation, parents never talked to us about things that impacted the world,” says Ron Geraci, Executive Vice President (EVP) of research and planning for Nickelodeon. “There’s an ‘in it together’ sense for today’s parents and kids, as opposed to shielding kids from something negative. They can get anything with the click of a button. It’s hard to shield them.”

Geraci and his research team interviewed the parents of kids ages 2 to 5 for the study, Parenting through the Pandemic. Their goal was to learn what parents are doing to keep their families safe and how they’re talking to their young children about the pandemic.

There’s an ‘in it together’ sense for today’s parents and kids, as opposed to shielding kids from something negative. They can get anything with the click of a button. It’s hard to shield them.

Participants reported that their older preschoolers have lots of questions about why school is closed and why they can’t have playdates. Meanwhile, parents are encouraging their kids to wash their hands more than usual while trying not to raise too many questions.

The mom of a 4-year-old girl reports that her daughter keeps asking why school is closed. “I am having trouble answering this without scaring her,” she says.

Understanding Kids’ Anxieties

The Nickelodeon team also interviewed a panel of 8-to-14-year-olds to get a pulse on their concerns—and how much they understand about the current state of the world.

This quote from a 12-year-old girl illustrates the sense of fear many kids have about the shuttered economy and how it directly impacts them: “My school just announced we will be closed for three weeks. My mom is a single mom and she won’t get paid for the next three weeks. So many people in my family are struggling because of the types of jobs they have, they will be out of work for a while. We are not afraid of the virus itself, we’re afraid we won’t have a place to live soon.”

The change from their routines also has kids rattled. “My school is closed for three weeks because of the Coronavirus,” a 10-year-old boy says. “I’m happy to be off, but it is still very scary because people are dying from it. I wash my hands more.”

And then there is the disappointing cancellation of special events. “We were supposed to go to Disney World, but it closed,” says a 10-year-old girl. “We are just not going out as much now. We are going to go to the beach more instead of inside places. We are washing our hands a lot.”

Programming to Kids

To help parents in the education process, Nickelodeon on Monday, March 30 aired #KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall, an hour-long special hosted by actress Kristen Bell that offered a kid-friendly view of life amid COVID-19. It’s part of Nickelodeon’s multiplatform, global pro-social initiative, #KidsTogether, which features Nick’s most popular characters teaching kids how to properly wash hands and stay healthy, and gives ideas for families to stay active during the quarantine.

The Nickelodeon Town Hall is available on Nick On Demand, Nickelodeon’s YouTube channel, the Nick App, the Nick Pluto TV channel, and here on NickALive!. It will also appear on Nickelodeon’s international networks.

The special features kids giving first-person accounts of their new normal: learning from home, social distancing, and spending weeks interacting only with immediate family. Guests include the California Surgeon General and former U.S. Surgeon General, along with appearances by Charli D’Amelio, Noah Centineo, Josh Gad, Kel Mitchell, Kenan Thompson, Young Dylan, David Dobrik, and Russell and Ciara Wilson, as well as a special performance by Alicia Keys.

Families are coming together in a way they haven’t in the past.

Simon & Schuster is supporting virtual learning by opening its online resource, The Book Pantry, to educators and librarians so they can livestream readings of children’s titles. Similarly, Nickelodeon is offering Noggin, its direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service, free for three months to millions of kids in need through the help of national partner organizations, including the National Head Start Association and First Book.

Geraci encourages families to see there are still silver linings in the midst of this epidemic. “Families are coming together in a way they haven’t in the past,” he says. “They’re eating dinner together, watching movies and TV together in greater numbers, playing games together.”

More #KidsTogether Content!: https://bit.ly/kidstogether

More Nick: Nickelodeon Launches #KidsTogether--A Global Prosocial Initiative to Help Kids and Families Stay Informed and Engaged With Activities; Noggin to be Offered Free to Kids in Need in Partnership with National Head Start Association and First Book

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New Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Insights Research Reveals Live Experiences Are More Popular Than Material Goods, Whilst Kids Are Increasingly Having Greater Roles in Household Decisions

Don’t worry, be happy (with experiences)

New research from Viacom shows experiences are trending stronger than material goods, while kids have an increased sway over household decisions.

Kids and families today are finding increased value in live experiences over material goods, a new Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Insights report reveals. Every Age, Every Aisle, Everywhere: Understanding Consumers Today connected with people ages six to 54 from more than 31 countries.

The key finding from the report was that when it comes to happiness, across all ages, it’s about time—not about having plenty of money. On Viacom’s rank of the top five sources of happiness, “spending time with family and friends” took the top slot, while “time for fun and relaxation” and “going away on holiday” were both growing. Ending the list were “being successful” and “having plenty of money.” This is a marked difference from 2012′s findings, which saw success and money ranking higher in the list.

The study found that there’s value in providing people the opportunity to participate in experiences, especially with friends and family. Facilitating shared experiences helped keep everyone in the household happy. Exclusive experiences were deemed the “ultimate status symbol,” making it a big deal for people to be the first to discover something. Kids are having an increasing sway over these decisions as well: 70% of children have a role in deciding where the family will go on vacation, while nearly eight in 10 kids have a say when it comes to deciding how to spend their free time. (And, echoing recent trends in the food aisle, 77% of kids have a say when it comes to mealtimes.) Nine in 10 parents, meanwhile, believe they should always listen their kids’ opinions before making decisions that affect them.

This data backs an ongoing trend toward live experiences in the kids industry. According to Expedia, 74% of Americans prioritize experiences over products these days, and 65% of brands say that live events and experiential programs are directly related to sales.

Nickelodeon has launched several live experiences in the last several years, including SLIMEFEST, NickFest, Nickelodeon x Carney, and a Slime City, an All That Good Burger Pop-up, and will soon be launching the SpongeBob SquarePants: The Bikini Bottom Experience pop-up in L.A. later this month. Tru Kids Brands, parent company of Toys “R” Us, is partnering with candy-themed experiential adventure company Candytopia on a new immersive pop-up that was made for Instagram, while toycos like Hasbro and Mattel continue to launch their own location-based efforts. Nickelodeon's sister network, Comedy Central, also has Comedy Central Presents Clusterfest.

Viacom’s data also revealed that “emotional resonance and release”—getting people to feel happy, sad, angry or sympathetic—helps people cope and allows families to bond.

Representing the diversity of today’s families and reflecting their realities was also found to be incredibly important. Inclusion and realness is increasingly valued by all age groups, with the report quoting a 30-year-old respondent saying “characters that look, think, dress, talk [or] walk like you, any of those little things can go a long way.”

For more studies from the Viacom Global Insights team, visit insights.viacom.com.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Embarks on New Direction with its Biggest, Most Wide-Ranging Content Slate Ever!

Original source: Kidscreen.

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Eyemart Express Makes Back-to-School Easy and Affordable for Parents and Teachers; Unveils PAW Patrol Line of Eyewear

Official Eyemart Express Press Release via PR Newswire:

Eyemart Express Makes Back-to-School Easy and Affordable for Parents and Teachers

Optical retailer offers same-day glasses, teacher discounts, and new collections from PAW Patrol, Hello Kitty, and Converse

DALLAS, Aug. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eyemart Express, a leading national optical retailer and fastest provider of quality prescription eyewear in the industry, is making back-to-school shopping easy and affordable for parents and teachers with a one-stop eyewear shop.

"Our robust product assortment and same-day glasses are a time-saver for busy families and teachers preparing for the new school year," said Paula Blomquist, Eyemart Express chief marketing and merchandising officer. "We strive to make prescription eyewear accessible for all consumers, especially during this costly time."

Eyemart Express makes back-to-school shopping easy and affordable for parents and teachers. The optical retailer offers same-day glasses, teacher discounts, and new collections from PAW Patrol, Hello Kitty, and Converse. Through September 14, parents can save with the back-to-school offer of two pairs of kids’ glasses with durable polycarbonate lenses for only $79. School faculty and staff receive a 20 percent discount. Pictured: PAW Patrol: © 2019 Nickelodeon and Spin Master. Used Under License.

Through September 14, parents can save with the back-to-school offer of two pairs of kids' glasses with durable polycarbonate lenses for only $79. These lenses are impact resistant and lightweight, so kids will be comfortable wearing them every day. In addition, all glasses from Eyemart Express include a complimentary one-year frame warranty, covering breakages and adjustments.

Families can visit independent eye doctors next to all Eyemart Express stores or bring a valid prescription and select from more than 2,000 high-quality and affordable frames. New lines for kids include PAW Patrol, Transformers, and Hello Kitty. Frames from Converse, Marie Claire, and Nerf are popular with teens.

Eyemart Express' online shopping is an easy solution for existing Eyemart customers who have a current prescription and are short on time before school starts. This is also a timesaver when kids lose their glasses during the school year – an identical pair can be reordered without fussing with measurements or prescriptions.

"The ability to see clearly is fundamental for learning and comprehension," said Ms. Blomquist. "Our goal is to ensure kids are set up to be successful and feel confident in the classroom with their new glasses."

Additionally, school faculty and staff including teachers and janitors receive a 20 percent discount throughout the school year on top of Eyemart Express' existing low prices with a valid ID.

Get ready for the new school year at your local Eyemart Express store: https://www.eyemartexpress.com/get-glasses.

About Eyemart Express
Eyemart Express, a leading optical retailer and fastest provider of quality prescription eyewear in the industry, has been serving consumers for more than 29 years. With 203 stores in 38 states, Eyemart Express ranks among the largest optical retailers in the country with its family of brands: Vision4Less, Visionmart Express, and Eyewear Express. The company operates under its motto of Right Glasses. Right Price. Right Now: a unique mix of value, style and timely service. Each store carries more than 2,000 frames from brands like Gucci, Calvin Klein, Ray-Ban, and Columbia. Onsite labs allow 90 percent of glasses to be delivered on the same day. Learn more at EyemartExpress.com.

About Hasbro
Hasbro is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences. Hasbro's portfolio of iconic brands includes MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS AND NERF. Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 40th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. PAW Patrol is Nickelodeon and Spin Master Entertainment's top-rated animated preschool series. For more information visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc.

SOURCE Eyemart Express

Related Links
http://EyemartExpress.com

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Also available as part of Eyemart Express' portfolio of Nickelodeon branded eyewear are a pair of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles glasses inspired by Splinter!

More Nick: Nickelodeon Embarks on New Direction with its Biggest, Most Wide-Ranging Content Slate Ever!

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New Viacom Study Finds That Gen Z Knows Exactly How Powerful It Is | Youth Culture: Power in Progress

A new Viacom study shows how today's global youth are embracing their collective power, and what brands can do about it.

Anyone who has seen an Instagram post go viral or a YouTube video rack up millions of views understands the enormous collective power of Generation Z. But a new study from Viacom Velocity and Viacom Global Consumer Insights shows just how much today’s youth embrace their abilities to evoke change in the media world and beyond, Kidscreen reports.

According to Power in Progress, which fielded 11,000 participants ages 13 to 25 across 10 countries, 61% of young people believe their generation is more powerful than any other before it. Gatekeeping, they believe, is a collective effort.

Gen Zers in the US, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Italy, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa and the UK believe power is increasingly seen as a collaborative exercise that is bolstered through the connected world. Seventy-two percent of participants believe they can have a successful career doing exactly what they want to do, and that same percentage encourages and supports others when they face challenges.

To that end, teens will band together to cancel people and views in which they don’t believe, and everyone is tasked with policing authenticity. More than half (57%) believe that power should belong to everyone, while 62% say that social media gives them a voice on important issues. While 63% believe social media has the greatest impact on their country, only 38% believe people like themselves are well represented in mass media.

In terms of interacting with brands, 50% of Gen Zers think that companies like Facebook, Amazon and Google are too big and powerful, and two-thirds believe brands should play a larger role in social issues. In fact, 70% say brands that do participate in social issues earn their respect.

According to Colleen Fahey Rush, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Research Officer at Viacom Media Networks, young people are energized and emboldened by their beliefs that they can achieve their goals and have an impact in the world. And in order to connect with today’s teens, brands should show a genuine commitment toward earning their trust.

Viacom presented the findings of their Youth Culture: Power in Progress study during a panel at VidCon USA 2019.

From Streaming Media:

Half of Young People See Major Tech Sites as Too Powerful, Finds Viacom

Companies such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google are too big and powerful, agree half of today’s young people. During a VidCon 2019 panel called “Youth Culture: Power in Progress,” two Viacom executives presented the results of global survey showing how young people view power in the world. According to “Power in Progress,” presented by Christian Kurz, senior vice president of global consumer insights for Viacom, and Maya Peterson, senior director of culture and insights for Viacom Velocity, “This generation’s relationship to structural power is still in beta. Many young people can’t yet vote, or even drive, yet their values are starting to drive changes within powerful systems and institutions.”

The study shows a system in flux, but where it’s headed is hard to predict. “Brands are in a new position of power and acceptance,” the study says, noting that young people are twice as likely to trust brands than traditional institutions, and four times more likely to trust brands than politicians. But that doesn’t mean feelings about brands are overwhelmingly positive. Transparency is important to young people, but thanks to platform failures and resulting brand apologies, young people are deeply skeptical about brand integrity. Surprisingly, two-thirds don’t see the system as a barrier to power, while one-third do.

Young people see new media as a way to gain power for themselves, and are collaborating to harness attention and use media in new ways. That includes using media to boost underrepresented voices. With no gatekeepers on new media, young people are free to police authenticity and tell personal stories from new points of view, but also “cancel” people and ideas that don’t agree with their beliefs. The report calls this the “effects of the swarm.”

“Youth Culture: Power in Progress” was created from qualitative discussions and quantitative surveys in several countries, focusing on consumers age 13 to 25.

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About Youth Culture: Power in Progress:

Power in Progress is an exploration into the new dynamics of power and how young people around the world are defining, developing, and using their power to create change in their lives and society. Young people are growing up at a time when change matters more than ever. With the convergence of technology and world events, young people have a voice, power, and a platform like never before. Youth culture’s shifting attitudes about power has changed the game when it comes to growing up and generational influence. The status quo of the patriarchy, white privilege and the 70-year-old CEO are getting challenged.

What you’ll learn: How all this impacts on youth culture today, how they play, how they engage on the political stage and how they activate for the movements that they believe in.

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For more studies from the Viacom Global Insights team, visit insights.viacom.com.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Embarks on New Direction with its Biggest, Most Wide-Ranging Content Slate Ever!

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Nickelodeon's Pam Kaufman and Sujata Luther to Close Out NYC Licensing Summit with 'The Story of Me: Insights Into Kids Today' Keynote Session

Two top industry leaders will share insights from their research into today’s kids.

NORTH AMERICA – Pam Kaufman and Sujata Luther of Nickelodeon will close out the NYC Licensing Summit Feb. 20 in a keynote session titled “The Story of Me: Insights Into Kids Today”!

There are approximately 50 million kids under the age of 11 in the U.S. today, making up 15.4 percent of the overall population. In the NYC Summit Closing Keynote session, Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Consumer Products, will sit down with fellow Nickelodeon executive Sujata Luther, Executive Vice President of Consumer Insights, to discuss the findings of several years of research conducted by Nickelodeon that illuminates the motivations, attitudes and ethos of Generation Z.

“The focus these days is often on Millennials, but the next generation of children is quickly building influence. The kids of Generation Z have a completely different mindset and approach to the world from previous generations, and gaining a deeper understanding of these children will be invaluable to the future of most businesses,” says Steven Ekstract, Brand Director, Global Licensing Group at UBM, organizer of the NYC Summit. “We are honored that Pam and Sujata have agreed to share their unique insights on this topic. I can’t think of a better way to close out both the NYC Summit and NY Toy Fair.”

The children of Generation Z represent the most diverse group ever seen in the country’s history and they are very much a product of the unique times they are growing up in. From the phenomenon of the “Velcro Family” to the redefinition of experience, this generation presents a unique opportunity for brands and retailers, which Kaufman and Luther will highlight.

The 2018 NYC Licensing Summit will take place Feb. 20 at the Convene events venue in Times Square.

Speakers already announced include a keynote address from one of the world’s top retail analysts Dana Telsey; digital star Jake Paul alongside his manager and business partner Kevin Gould and licensing agent Ross Misher of Brand Central; as well as executives from 343 Industries/Microsoft Studios, Aéropostale, Hot Topic/BoxLunch, Loot Crate, Macy’s, the National Basketball Players Association, National Geographic, RedBubble, Spin Master, Ubisoft and many more.

The NYC Summit is developed by License Global magazine, part of the Global Licensing Group at UBM, and presented in partnership with LIMA, the brand licensing industry’s leading trade organization. Sponsors already signed on to this year’s event include Authentic Vision, BrandComply.com, Boy Scouts of America, Dependable Solutions JPatton, OpSec and Trevco.

To register to attend the 2018 NYC Licensing Summit, and to find out more about the event, visit nyclicensingsummit.com.

About Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Consumer Products, NICKELODEON

In her dual roles at Nickelodeon, a division of Viacom, Pam Kaufman strategically leads all global franchise planning and marketing efforts across television, digital and events for Nickelodeon’s franchises including “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “PAW Patrol,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Shimmer and Shine” and “Dora the Explorer.” As President of Nickelodeon’s billion-dollar global consumer products, Kaufman spearheads licensing programs with high-profile brands including Mattel, General Mills and Toyota; fashion collaborations with designer and style maker Jeremy Scott and NBA Superstar Carmelo Anthony; and partnerships with retail powerhouses including Walmart, Macy’s, Kmart, Target and Toys ‘R’ Us. During her tenure at the helm of the net’s Consumer Products business, Kaufman’s team has notched double-digit increased sales across all key retailers for three consecutive years and has ushered the Nick brand into a long list of new retailers. Kaufman’s focus as Chief Marketing Officer is on strategic planning for key franchise properties across all Viacom platforms. Additionally, she has deep experience directing social and experiential marketing initiatives. She helmed the successful reinvention of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” which has emerged as a global success for Viacom–including a hit CG-animated series and two feature films in partnership with Paramount Pictures–and is a global consumer products powerhouse, currently ranking as the No. 1 action-figure brand across all retail. Kaufman oversees the company’s partnership marketing efforts, working with major advertisers such as General Mills and Toyota. She also oversees Nick’s Recreation and Live Events Marketing teams, helming the marketing strategy and support for brand extensions like Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America, the “SpongeBob” store at Orlando’s Universal Studios, and the Nickelodeon-branded hotel in the Dominican Republic, in partnership with Karisma Hotels & Resorts. She also spearheaded digital initiatives such as the network’s top-selling apps; Nick Radio, the network’s first-ever partnership with iHeartMedia; and live events including the annual Kids’ Choice Awards, the Kids’ Choice Sports Awards and the HALO Awards. Under Kaufman’s leadership, the Nickelodeon Brand Marketing team was presented with the NAMIC Excellence in Multicultural Marketing award. She has also received numerous awards in recognition of her innovative work. Most recently, she was named to Multichannel News’ 2016 Class of Wonder Women. Previous accolades include being named Advertising Age’s Entertainment Marketer of the Year, and Brandweek’s Grand Marketer of the Year and Marketer of the Year. She currently serves as a Board Member of Bottomless Closet and the Pace Women’s Justice Center. Before joining Nickelodeon as Vice President of Nickelodeon Promotions Marketing, Kaufman worked at Turner Broadcasting System as Vice President, Promotions. There, she started the Promotions Group within TBS’s Licensing & Merchandising division, leading the efforts for corporate initiatives like “The Flintstones,” “Scooby Doo” and “Johnny Quest.” She began her career at Grey Advertising’s Beaumont-Bennet division working closely with fast food, packaged goods and beverage company clients. Pam earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications from American University.

About Sujata Luther, Executive Vice President, Consumer Insights, NICKELODEON

Sujata Luther is responsible for coordinating research projects conducted in support of Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nick at Nite, and Nickelodeon’s digital brands. She also designs and conducts strategic consumer research on behalf of Nickelodeon’s production, consumer products, recreation, public affairs teams and other lines of business. A 20-year consumer insights and strategy maven, Luther joined Nickelodeon in 2014 as Senior Vice President, Consumer Insights. Prior to joining the company, she served as Chief Operating Officer at MGA Entertainment where she oversaw the marketing, branding, public relations, licensing and entertainment, customer relationships, finance and operations departments. She grew licensing and entertainment revenue; enhanced the consumer insights function to include a proprietary evaluation process for all products, brands, entertainment and advertising; established the development and coordination of worldwide marketing strategies; negotiated and executed a co-production broadcast agreement of the “Lalaloopsy” series with Nickelodeon; and developed and executed multi-layered, demand-driven marketing strategies for key brands. Prior to that, Luther was the Managing Partner and Executive Vice President of Consumer and Business Strategy, Marketing and Product Development for Enesco, where she was responsible for the overall strategic direction, brand profitability and portfolio management of the company. Luther also served as Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Insights and Business Strategy for Mattel, providing strategic global marketing and insights for Mattel brands. Luther holds a degree in Psychology from Delhi University in India and a Master’s degree in Marketing from Santa Clara University.

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Nickelodeon's Sujata Luther And Cathy Galeota Named As Finalists In 13th Annual Wonder Women Awards Gala

Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment has announced the exciting news that two members of Team Nickelodeon have been named as finalists in the 13th Annual Wonder Women Awards Gala, in which WIT honours and celebrates the remarkable women in the Toys, Licensing and Entertainment industries!

Sujata Luther, Executive Vice President (EVP), Consumer Insights, Nickelodeon has been nominated in the Licensing category of the 2017 Wonder Women Awards Gala, and Cathy Galeota, Senior Vice President (SVP), Preschool Current Series, Nickelodeon has been nominated for in the Entertainment category.

Held during the New York International Toy Fair, Women in Toys will announce the winners of the 13th Annual Wonder Women Awards at a must-attend gala event on Sunday 19th February 2017!

About Sujata Luther, Executive Vice President, Consumer Insights, Nickelodeon:

Sujata Luther is responsible for Consumer and Shopper Insights at Nickelodeon. She is also responsible for strategic consumer insights on behalf of Nickelodeon’s production, consumer products, recreation, public affairs teams and other lines of business.

A 20-year consumer insights and strategy maven, Sujata previously served as Chief Operating Officer at MGA Entertainment where she oversaw the marketing, branding, public relations, licensing and entertainment, customer relationships, finance and operations departments.

Prior to that, she was the Managing Partner and Executive Vice President of Consumer and Business Strategy, Marketing and Product Development for Enesco, LLC where she was responsible for the overall strategic direction, brand profitability and portfolio management of the company.

Sujata also served as Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Insights and Business Strategy for Mattel, Inc., providing strategic global marketing and insights for Mattel brands.

About Cathy Galeota, Senior Vice President, Preschool Current Series, Nickelodeon:

A 20-year Nickelodeon veteran, Cathy Galeota oversees production on all current Nickelodeon preschool series including co-productions and original shows, such as the top-ranked PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines and Shimmer and Shine. She also maintains creative and business oversight of the preschool Executives In Charge (EICs).

Since 1997, Cathy has served in several positions at Nickelodeon. She began her career at the company in the network’s production management group, handling long-form projects in development for Nick Jr. and on-air promos. Cathy went on to become a producer on both Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go!, and later, Director of Preschool Current Series as an EIC for Dora, Diego and Team Umizoomi, before taking on the role of Vice President of Preschool Current Series.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Cathy worked at Disney Channel and The WB in Los Angeles, serving as production manager on various short-form projects, on-air creative branding and creative development for the networks.

Cathy lives with her family in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Good luck Sujata and Cathy!

Additional source: ToyNews.

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Tolerant Techies: What Nickelodeon's Latest Research Says About Gen Z

There are currently fifty million kids under the age of 11 living in the US. Commonly referred to as Generation Z, this cohort is physically, emotionally and technologically different from all of its predecessors - and a new Nickelodeon white paper has the data to back that observation up, reports Kidscreen.

Clyde McBride and his parents, Harold and Howard, from The Loud House.

Poking holes in Gen Z's common depiction as a self-absorbed, introverted group, key findings in the network's new Story of Me 2 study include the fact that children consider digital friends, whom they have never met, as being part of their social circles. In fact, kids have never met a whopping 60% of their Facebook friends IRL (in real life).

Indeed, friendliness is strong trait of today's youth. According to Nickelodeon's research, 93% of kids say they would like to have a friend from a different group, and 81% would like to have a friend with a different religious affiliation. This mentality has also contributed to their overall feeling that social causes are important and they should do good for others.

The study, a follow-up to the inaugural November 2013 Story of Me initiative that blends Nickelodeon quantitative and qualitative data with third-party public studies, points to a more tolerant generation of kids.

"The biggest differences between 2013 and today is the whole notion of kids being inclusive and accepting of different people. Kids were once taught to be tolerant. Now it's almost part of who they are in terms of acceptance and inclusiveness," says Sujata Luther, Executive Vice President (EVP) of Consumer Insights at Nickelodeon. "That is definitely one of the biggest findings from the study. Children have a seamless authentic response to people in that they are color-agnostic."

Perhaps it's because bi-racial children ages zero to 11 now represent nearly 17% of the US population. And by 2019, the majority of under-11s will be non-white. Additionally, 10% of kids are living with their grandparents, who play a significant role in supporting them emotionally and financially. In fact, 30% of boomer grandparents are funding their grandchildren's educations, vacations and after-school lessons.

Furthermore, the study also indicates that 26% of kids today live with just one parent, and 7% live with co-habiting non-married parents.

Traditional families also have different compositions from days' past. A full 30% of millennials are now parents, which has ushered in a sharp increase in stay-at-home dads (16% versus 10% 15 years ago).

This generation of kids is also closer to their parents, who view their kids as their best friends and are greatly influenced by them, with 83% of parents saying kids should have a say in family decisions. Also, mom (78%) and dad (58%) are kids' top two chosen role models, with grandparents (26%), YouTube stars (19%) and teachers (18%) rounding out the top five.

In terms of common stresses, kids worry most about school and getting good grades. Secondly, they focus on their parent's safety, parents losing their jobs and the family's financial situation. Additional concerns are self-focused around cyber popularity, appearance and bullying. Finally, school safety is a cause for anxiety and is a reflection of kids' awareness of safety issues in the world.

"There is a porous bubble of security today. Kids are seeing war and terrorism and witnessing it as it happens, which is causing them to be stressed out," Luther says. "The internet plays a big part in gaining exposure. We see that as being a difference."

Digitally speaking, 40% of three- to 11-year-olds own their own tablet, and 17% have their own smartphone. As kids grow older, there is a shift from content consumption to content creation. Eight- to 15-year-olds have embraced a "maker" mentality, and if something doesn't already exist, they will create it.

This trait also contributes to kids' surprising interests in being entrepreneurs: 69% of those surveyed said, "I really want to start my own business someday." Perhaps making that happen will be the 48% of respondents who said they have done coding.

So how is this generation affecting-and consuming-new forms of content? Luther says Nickelodeon is continuously shaping its shows and digital services to meet the changing face of its viewers. For one, original series The Loud House (pictured, which was just greenlit for a third season) features a bi-racial gay couple. And the main character in Nickelodeon's upcoming preschool series Sunny Day, set to debut in 2017, isn't only a hairdresser, she owns her salon, notes Luther.

"We tell our marketing team that kids want to have a say and have a vote. We invite kids on our website to tell us what they want to see and then we embed that," Luther says. "Embracing differences and including the family (and not talking down to children) can be translated into content delivery and how we reach them."

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Nickelodeon USA Rolls out New "Blaze and the Monster Machines" Content across TV, Digital and More for Month of May 2015

Original Nickelodeon USA Press Release via Business Wire:

Nickelodeon Rolls out New Blaze and the Monster Machines Content across TV, Digital and More for Month of May

Nick Debuts "Dragon Island Duel" TV Special May 25 at 11 a.m. (ET/PT),

Launches Dedicated Online Game, App Update and All-New Consumer Products Line

Inspired by Hit Preschool STEM Curriculum Series

Caption: A.J., Blaze and Crusher in Blaze and the Monster Machines "Dragon Island Duel" on Nickelodeon. Photo: Nickelodeon. ©2015 Viacom International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

May 06, 2015 08:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It's monster machine mayhem in May as Nickelodeon launches a month of brand-new Blaze and the Monster Machines content across multiple screens, including: "Dragon Island Duel" on Monday, May 25; a companion NickJr.com game; and a Blaze app update. Also, May marks the launch of an all-new toy line inspired by the hit preschool series. Blaze and the Monster Machines follows the adventures of the amazing monster truck Blaze and his eight-year-old driver AJ, and it's the first preschool show on TV to comprehensively cover all areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) in every episode. In 1Q15, Blaze was the number-two preschool series in Live+7 with posted increases of 64% behind Nick's own PAW Patrol and it currently ranks as the number-one preschool show in its time period on all TV.

In "Dragon Island Duel," premiering at 11 a.m. (ET/PT) on May 25, Blaze and Crusher go up against each other in a one-on-one high stakes race to the top of Mount Dragon. Although it's one of the toughest races their team has ever faced, best friends Blaze and AJ know they have what it takes to beat Crusher--the unstoppable power of friendship! Despite Crusher's attempt to cheat and trap Blaze in a cave far off the course before the race begins, AJ manages to free his best friend while overcoming larger-than-life obstacles along the way. Crusher tries to cheat one last time along the route, but Blaze and AJ prove no one can beat best friends by winning the race in a thrilling finale. Throughout the half-hour special, preschoolers will be introduced to the STEM concept of investigation.

Beginning May 7, the Blaze and the Monster Machines app will offer users the ability to help Blaze and AJ compete on all-new jungle tracks when they purchase the Dragon Island location. Kids will be able to race against Stripes and watch out for Crusher's new obstacles like his coconut and banana launchers. The app, which debuted at number-one on the Kids and Education charts, introduces preschoolers to STEM concepts as they race along preset courses or build their own tracks, encouraging children to apply critical thinking skills and explore scientific principles including acceleration, adhesion, force, friction and more.

On www.nickjr.com, Nickelodeon's award-winning website, preschoolers can play the brand-new "Dragon Island Race" game beginning May 8. Kids must help Blaze get past all of the obstacles in his path as he races Crusher to the top of Mount Dragon. NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. App will also feature a five-minute exclusive first look at "Dragon Island Duel" from May 18-25.

Nickelodeon and Fisher-Price, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc., recently launched an all-new toy line based on Blaze and the Monster Machines that is available at select retailers starting May with a full nationwide rollout in August. The highly anticipated toy lineup includes a die cast collection, talking and transforming vehicles, playsets and plush that are as fun and dynamic as the characters featured in the series.

In Blaze and the Monster Machines, the amazing monster truck Blaze and his eight-year-old driver AJ have adventures that explore the physics of how things move; tackle problems through scientific inquiry and mathematics; and discover the parts needed to make everyday technologies work. Each action-packed episode is filled with monster trucks, physical humor and upbeat original songs with lyrics that highlight a STEM concept such as adhesion, friction, force, trajectory and magnetism. The series, created by Jeff Borkin (Team Umizoomi head writer) and Ellen Martin (Bubble Guppies supervising producer), airs weekdays at 1:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

Nickelodeon, now in its 36th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA, VIAB).

*High-res art available at www.nickpress.com

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Nickelodeon Introduces "The Story of Me" Research Study, Providing Inside Look At Today's Emerging Generation Of Kids

Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids and families, has announced in the following press release, from PRNewswire, that, in a presentation to advertisers, Nickelodeon released its latest research insights into today's kids -- those born since 2005 -- who are growing up markedly different from the Millennial generation before them. For these kids, whose eldest members are just turning 9, their emerging hallmarks and traits include: being extremely close to their parents, more so than prior generations; having a profound affinity for being seen as smart and funny by peers and family; and creating their own unique relationship to technology.

"We're in an important generational moment as the Millennials age up and these younger, post-millennial kids take their place," said Ron Geraci, Executive Vice President of Research and Planning for Nickelodeon. "As this transition occurs, it's important to identify the new generation's motivators and to understand how these kids engage with the world around them. At Nickelodeon, we are pairing our own original work with reliable third-party data to tell the comprehensive story of today's kids, particularly when it comes to their relationship to tech."

Drawn largely from a proprietary Nickelodeon Consumer Insights study titled "The Story of Me", the presentation at the network's Times Square headquarters compared and contrasted the kids of today with kids of a similar age 10 years ago, as well as highlighting select third-party data about kids' media consumption.

Today's generation of kids is demonstrating defining characteristics that set them apart from generations prior. Select findings and highlights from the presentation can be found in Nick's full press release below.

Original Nickelodeon Press Release:

Nickelodeon Introduces "The Story of Me" Research Study, Providing Inside Look At Today's Emerging Generation Of Kids

Key Findings Include Kids Value Being "Smart" and "Funny" Above All Else; Their TV Usage is Up; and Gaming is Top Activity Across All Mobile Devices

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In a presentation to advertisers, Nickelodeon released its latest research insights into today's kids--those born since 2005--who are growing up markedly different from the Millennial generation before them. For these kids, whose eldest members are just turning 9, their emerging hallmarks and traits include: being extremely close to their parents, more so than prior generations; having a profound affinity for being seen as smart and funny by peers and family; and creating their own unique relationship to technology.

"We're in an important generational moment as the Millennials age up and these younger, post-millennial kids take their place," said Ron Geraci, Executive Vice President of Research and Planning for Nickelodeon. "As this transition occurs, it's important to identify the new generation's motivators and to understand how these kids engage with the world around them. At Nickelodeon, we are pairing our own original work with reliable third-party data to tell the comprehensive story of today's kids, particularly when it comes to their relationship to tech."

Drawn largely from a proprietary Nickelodeon Consumer Insights study titled "The Story of Me," the presentation at the network's Times Square headquarters compared and contrasted the kids of today with kids of a similar age 10 years ago, as well as highlighting select third-party data about kids' media consumption.

Today's generation of kids is demonstrating defining characteristics that set them apart from generations prior. Select findings and highlights from the presentation include:

MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY USE*: Kids today are being entertained on multiple devices, but TV still rules, and its importance is growing.

* Media consumption among kids has grown over the past four years to nearly 35 hours per week, presenting an increase of 2.2 hours since 2009.

* TV usage is up 12% versus nine years ago, according to Nielsen, despite the many alternative devices available to them including tablets, computers and games consoles.

* Computer and gaming consoles make 27% of kids' daily media consumption.

* While tablet adoption rates have increased, their adoption still represents a small slice of the pie, at 8%.

* Though computer and smartphone usage is up among kids, gaming is their number-one activity across devices. 96% of kids say they use their computer for gaming, compared to 88% on the tablet and 86% on the smartphone.

* Three-quarters of kids say they watch short form video on their iDevice, and consuming long-form programming is growing: more than half of kids with an iDevice now watch long-form content, a 23% lift over last year.

FAMILY: Today's kids have Gen Xers as parents, whose intense parenting style creates tight-knit bonds among family members.

* 8 out of 10 kids say they wish they could spend more time with their parents.

* Kids have very close relationships with their siblings, with 7 in 10 saying they love their sibling "no matter what".

* Kids say they trust their mother more than anyone else, with 93% saying they trust her more than their father, doctor, policemen and the President of the United States.

* When it comes to making decisions, 94% of families share everything or most things; and 8 in 10 parents discuss purchases with their kids ahead of time because there are emotional benefits in making decisions together.

PEERS: When it comes to making friends or fitting in, kids believe fitting in with peers is less important than being different, a contrast to the thinking of their predecessors, the Millennials.

* Kids state that being nice, smart and funny are more important than typical status signifiers like clothing and types of music.

* 8 in 10 kids say they care more about getting good grades than being popular.

SELF-PERCEPTION: Most kids today say they are smarter than their peers.

* 8 in 10 kids today believe that they are smarter than most other kids their age.

* Humor is important to this generation, with 74% describing themselves as funny, and 50% ranking themselves between 10 and 11 on an 11-point scale--with 11 representing "very funny."

* Kids say they are happy, and they have a strong sense of self. They believe they are nice to people, smart and that they make their parents happy.

* They are self-assured, with 96% saying they believe they can accomplish anything they want to if they work hard enough.

* Device data was pulled from Nickelodeon's device tracker taken in May of 2013. Cited Nielsen research was taken from data compiled from September 2012 to August 2013.

Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in nearly 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

SOURCE Nickelodeon

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