We reported earlier this week that Cookie Jar's Magi-Nation would be getting its own virtual world. Cookie Jar's SVP of Digital Media Ken Locker says that that's part of a large plan for Cookie Jar's many properties. "I looked at it from a holistic view," Locker explained. "Our audience is kids 2-12 years old. The oldest member of our audience was born in 1995 when everyone had a computer and the Internet was a part of their environment. They're digital natives. It really changes how you approach content where there's not just a single platform or medium."
"Early on we knew we needed a strong digital side," Locker continued. "We talked about it and [Cookie Jar CEO] Michael Hirsch realized that we needed to talk about building brands not just TV shows. Magi-Nation began as a card game 7 years ago, and we acquired all the IP in 2004. We thought there was a great linear story that would work well for a cartoon, and there's also a great non-linear story that would make a great game to be linked thematically, not episode by episode, to the TV show. We thought of it as an integrated cross-platform brand."
With plans to expand its other properties into digital content and integrate them with consumer products, Cookie Jar is giving the different media equal weight. When the company launched its Spider Riders game last year to promote the television show of the same name, it quickly realized that the promotion was working in the wrong direction. The online game's audience eventually doubled that of the broadcast. Now the company is looking at all its IP as a cross-platform experience.
"One of the issues you see is that you get a successful show and someone says let's make a game," explained Locker. "You can't just repurpose it. The structure is completely different. It's sort of like if you take a wheel where the idea is at the center and then the branches are the game and tv shows and consumer products. They're all tied together."
In line with that mindset, Cookie Jar is looking at using the Magi-Nation game to generate revenue on its own instead of just using it to promote the television show and upcoming toys. Users can make micropayments made through an e-wallet made through a credit card purchase and then eventually pre-paid cards and currency purchased along with consumer products. Locker says the company is also investigating cross-platform advertising.
"We're also going to integrate advertising and sponsorships selectively into the game," he said. "Possibly banner ads, but we're looking actively at integration. We're looking at opportunities for cross-platform online and on-air ads, but we're not the the network. We are in early stages of those discussions."
The company is also looking to roll out online worlds in Europe and Asia for the future.
In a slightly different direction, Locker might be getting back to his roots. He was one of the co-founders of Worlds, Inc., one of the earliest virtual worlds platforms, in 1994. Now the platform is hosted at Worlds.com. Locker says the company will be "using that platform for another game in 2009."
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