Teletoon has partnered with MGA Entertainment Inc. to integrate the latter company’s Moxie Girlz line of dolls into four episodes of the weekly prime-time show Majority Rules.
Majority Rules, which mixes live-action cinematography with animation, tracks the exploits of a 15-year-old girl elected mayor of her town. It premiered Sept. 10 on Teletoon. The first four episodes feature a Moxie Girlz doll or logo in the background of a number of scenes, appearing on the inside of main character Becky’s locker, in her bedroom and in her mayoral office.
Emma Fachini, director, sales promotion for Teletoon, said the brand integration–a first for the network–is effective because the characteristics of the Moxie Girlz dolls match the philosophy of the program.
“When we got an understanding of what the dolls were going to represent, we really felt a connection with Majority Rules,” said Fachini. “The essence of the main character translated a lot into what MGA told us about these dolls, which they wanted to be empowering and about standing up for yourself and having courage and positive attitude and energy.”
Fachini also noted that it was important not to compromise the creative integrity of the Majority Rules production company, E1 Entertainment, which produces the show in collaboration with Teletoon.
“We’re responsible broadcasters and we want to make sure what we do is true to the show,” she said. “We wanted it to be intertwined into the landscape of the show as opposed to anything overt.”
To support the integration, Teletoon will air “Moxie Moments” during commercial breaks from the first four episodes of Majority Rules, wherein characters introduce 30-second clips from the show that testify to their “moxie.”
In addition, Teletoon launched the Show Us Your Moxie contest Sept. 8.
For each of the four weeks of the contest, a winner receives a different prize valued at approximately $1,000, with the prizes ranging from a shopping spree to lessons or classes in the winner’s chosen area of interest. Contestants can enter the weekly draws through Teletoon’s Moxie Girlz microsite, where they can also view the Moxie Moments clips and share tales of their own moxie on a message board.
