As part of this exclusive initiative for India, TNT will get kids across the country to vote for their favourite cartoon from a gamut of animated characters that appear on the 24-hour cartoon channel.

Children can exercise their franchise through entry forms that will be made available at the back of Top Ramen Noodles packs amongst others starting this June. The channel will create excitement around the same time with the help of television spots and outdoor media. The details of the initiative are being worked out with Top Ramen for the past few months now says Dave Dickman, vice president, Turner International, Asia Pacific limited.

``The Toon Awardsare a testimony to the fact that we are very conscious of not replicating international marketing and programming models in India. The event has been planned specifically for the Indian market,'' adds Dickman, reiterating the channels intention of regionalising programming content to suit the Indian market.

Toon Awards will follow close on the heels of a series of India initiatives by Cartoon Network including the very recent Toon Cricket 99' a cartoon cricketing event organised in Mumbai and Delhi in conjunction with Coca Cola India limited and Britannia Industries and a daily two-hour Hindi block `Toon Tamasha' that the channe as offered to the Indian market, among others.

The initiatives are believed to have resulted in a 75 per cent increase in viewership, up from six lakh households last year, and more ad revenue for the channel. ``Our ad revenue this year has increased by over 80 per cent over 1997-98,'' says Dickman.

The event could not have happened at a more opportune time for Top Ramen. Whatwith the brand's distributing company Marico Industries Limited's ambitious expansion at the retail level underway -- 30,000 distributors to be added by the end of the year -- Top Ramen could do with the right kind of exposure to its target audience. The instant noodle brand has garnered a 25 per cent share of a market dominated by Maggi (Nestle India Limited).

Top Ramen has segmented the market smartly. Instead of wooing the kids through the mother, a la Maggi, Top Ramen is addressing all communication to the children directly, who are increasingly influencing purchase decisions across Indian households.

The target age group in case of this category are divided into the three- to seven-year- olds and eight- to 14-year-olds respectively. Top Ramen has been attempting to wean away Maggi consumers in the older age bracket. Since Cartoon Network caters roughly to the same age group, the tie-up will help the brand with the right kind of exposure, say observers.