How could CN convince the audience that cartoons are cool?

[Antiyonder]

Note: While this thread may touch upon live action programs airing on Cartoon Network, the purpose of the thread is about offering ideas on how the execs could attract more viewers to the cartoons, rather than praising or scoring LA programs coming to the network.

I've touched upon this in the Live Action on Cartoon Network and Cartoon Network's Treatment of Anime thread. But I think that this comment needs it's own thread.

A good portion of us have discussed why CN is behind in ratings compared to Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel. Reasons being:

1. That they lack support from the parent company (i.e. CW and TBS not having ads for Cartoon Network

2. They are still new compared to Nick and Disney which have both been around for a long time are more familiar.

3. They don't have support from the parent company or those owned by the company (as in having to pay to air any WB or DC Comics program).

But I still maintain that a major hurdle is peer pressure and social stigmatism. Many kids today are in a hurry to grow up and to do that they feel that enjoyment of things like animation (other than popular ones like Spongebob or adult content oriented ones like Family Guy) are counterproductive to that. What with the mentality that animation in general are for kids, virgins or the mentally challenged.

Now as I've stated before and will say again, one thing CN could try is either a show or specials which focus on celebrities that have an interest in cartoons. It's really not much of a stretch either consider that actors like Robin Williams have an interest in anime, Ben Affleck is a fan of the Daredevil comics and so on. Afterall, if it is proven that cool successful people like animation, then the target demograph would be more willing to watch it.

[The Huntsman]

Good luck having an actual discussion on this day. I admire the effort. As for what Cartoon Network could do, I have no idea, but I doubt that using celebrities would solve the problem. Maybe I’m just speaking as the country bumpkin that I am, but I don’t think most children are going to be swayed by a ten second spot where some famous person tells them cartoons are cool. What I believe that the network needs to do is engage the audience and make things a bit more interactive. They should bring back those shows where people could vote on which episodes air, or even better, let people vote on The Cartoonstitute. Some of Cartoon Network’s most successful animated programs came from such contests in the past and I see no reason why history couldn’t repeat itself.

Children tend to care more when they have some control. I think that’s true for more than just children. Would “American Idol” be as successful as it is if people didn’t get to vote on who wins? Nickelodeon has cashed in on that sort of thinking a long time ago. The Kids’ Choice Awards get massive ratings and U-Pick Live used to be a staple of the network. It wouldn’t hurt for Cartoon Network to try to let kids get more involved in the process. Kids are more likely to think something is cool if they actually have a chance to make it cool.

[nakak]

i'll tell you how. they should air more silent cartoons! and...

Wait, this is serious? Well, um...carry on, then.

(I agree with Huntsman, btw)

[Antiyonder]

Maybe I’m just speaking as the country bumpkin that I am, but I don’t think most children are going to be swayed by a ten second spot where some famous person tells them cartoons are cool.

Your idea looks good, but as for this bit, it's not so much that the famous person tells the viewers that cartoons are cool, but it proves that watching animation doesn't have negative bearings on a person's social status or success.

[The Huntsman]

Your idea looks good, but as for this bit, it's not so much that the famous person tells the viewers that cartoons are cool, but it proves that watching animation doesn't have negative bearings on a person's social status or success.Perhaps, but maybe another route could be taken? Despite being the “Cartoon Network”, Cartoon Network hasn’t actually done a whole lot to try to get children interested in animation as a whole. Since they seem obsessed with live-action at the moment, why not have a live-action show hosted by various crews at Cartoon Network Studios? Show the kids how cartoons are made. The children should be able to relate with people like C. H. Greenblatt and Thurop Van Orman, which should both prove to them that enjoying cartoons is not something to be ashamed of and it might even get the little tikes interested in becoming animators in the future.

[Antiyonder]

Perhaps, but maybe another route could be taken? Despite being the “Cartoon Network”, Cartoon Network hasn’t actually done a whole lot to try to get children interested in animation as a whole. Since they seem obsessed with live-action at the moment, why not have a live-action show hosted by various crews at Cartoon Network Studios? Show the kids how cartoons are made. The children should be able to relate with people like C. H. Greenblatt and Thurop Van Orman, which should both prove to them that enjoying cartoons is not something to be ashamed of and it might even get the little tikes interested in becoming animators in the future.

I've considered the idea myself, and would definitely support it. See where I'm coming from though is that many mainstream viewers fall into the mindset that the programs you watch define you. The general mindset of course is if you watch cartoons, your maturity and social skills suffer.

Doesn't help that sitcom adults that show an interest in cartoons are depicted as a goofball manchild. So it seems to me that another approach would be to have some adults that are shown having a serious interest in geek fare like cartoons/comics/anime depicted as serious reliable individuals.

[The Huntsman]

I've considered the idea myself, and would definitely support it. See where I'm coming from though is that many mainstream viewers fall into the mindset that the programs you watch define you. The general mindset of course is if you watch cartoons, your maturity and social skills suffer.Yeah, but that perception is so stitched into the public consciousness that I doubt Cartoon Network has the power to change it. The best bet in that regard is for DreamWorks and Pixar to keep working their magic, and with DreamWorks getting in the business of making TV cartoons, maybe things will get better. I doubt that it will ever fully change, but still… As more children view animation… As more teenagers view animation… As more adults view animation… Over time, perhaps people will begin to disregard the notion that “cartoons are for kids and those with no lives” and begin to embrace cartoons.

[Dudley]

the problem with the way things are now is just that animation for kids television just isn't as booming as it was in the 90's.
It was mentioned on the Animation Guild, and CN's move makes it all the more obvious.
I mean, look at the Disney Channel, outside of Playhouse Disney shows, Phineas and Ferb is the only cartoon currently in production at WDTA. Production of animation at many studios are lower than what it used to be, and that's because kids don't currently find it cool.

The way I think they should change that is to try to make their cartoons as appealing as the shows on Fox's Animation Domination. Even when I was growing up kids liked shows like South Park, which is actually inappropriate for them. Though it seems drastic, I think airing raunchier shows and trying to appeal to an older audience might be the way to go. In fact, forget trying to appeal to them entirely!

[Antiyonder]

Production of animation at many studios are lower than what it used to be, and that's because kids don't currently find it cool.

That's network execs fail to consider peer pressure as a factor of their product's success/failure, thus they don't think on trying to sell animation as something cool.

Incidently, Cartoon Network's success in their earlier years had something going for them. See even if the Non-Adult Swim shows were kid stuff, the ads and the general attitude at the time treated the medium as a legitamite form of entertainment rather than something that only a kid or a basement virgin would partake in.

Even when I was growing up kids liked shows like South Park, which is actually inappropriate for them.

Once again, it's not always a matter of liking or disliking a program. Some people are desperate to feel mature and think that reading/watching mature entertainment will increase their maturity.

So, it goes back to my earlier belief. Many people watch programs for the sake of pleasing their peers and seldomly for the sake of looking for entertainment.

[Mickialla]

The reason everyone thinks cartoons are for kids is because that's the only place they mainly air; kids channels. Saturday morning blocks are failing, and the only other cartoons outside of kids channels are adult cartoons like Family Guy or South Park. Back when cartoons were a general form of entertainment, adults would go to theaters to see cartoons like Tom and Jerry or Looney Tunes. The Flintstones and Jetsons both aired in primetime spots before the age of kids channels. Therefore, the current view on popularity lies totally in the hands of the kids channels: primarily Nick, Disney and Cartoon Network. But with all three venturing into live action, people are exposed less and less cartoons, giving people less oppurtunity to even judge cartoons. Now, Cartoon Network itself can't make non-kids channels show cartoons; they have little power in that (although Turner bringing Clone Wars to TBS shows they do have some power). The only major way that Cartoon Network can get people to think that cartoons are cool are to expose cool cartoons as often as possible. It's pretty elementary. No ones going to think cartoons are cool if they never see cool cartoons. And with live action marching on to Cartoon Network in the months to come, cartoons are going to be getting less and less exposure and people are going to be getting less oppurtunity to see and judge good cartoons. Cartoon Network was obviously making right decisions this past year. They aired cartoons all week round (except on Sunday nights) and the cartoons they did air got the attention of the teen crowd. If they continued this motion back into the right direction, they could've easily gotten more and more older viewers. They had this audience in mind during their peak years, but no one working in the business right now seems to recall that.