Cobby is Here: Case Solution submitted by Nikhil Mishra and Siddhartha Agarwala from MICA. The Case Study: Cobby symbolizes a Red Panda; Cobby is an animated cartoon character created by a small scale animation company called Dreamy Brush Pvt. Ltd. based out of Mumbai, India. While creating Cobby, the animators had the image of “Winnie the Pooh” in their minds, and they have this vision that one day Cobby will surpass “Pooh” in popularity amongst children and even adults. “Dreamy Brush” decided to publish 500 comic books named “Cobby is here!”, and distributed it to school going children and even college adults at a very nominal price. Though this activity gave the character some limelight, but it subsided with time as the company didn’t have access to ample budgets for promoting “Cobby”. Ritesh, the master animator and illustrator, who conceived “Cobby”, is planning to go to a start up conference where angel investors and big venture capitalists will be coming, and for a start up like “Dreamy Brush” this conference holds massive importance. Internally it was decided that Dreamy Brush will be pitching for funds for producing an animated cartoon series on mainstream channels, so that Cobby gets maximum exposure. Now Ritesh and his team have only 2 months before the conference date, and they have to do something which instantly catches everyone’s eye, so that Cobby becomes the buzzword. Brief description – Cobby Is Here! (The Cartoon Series) and Cobby (The Character) - Cobby speaks in the tone of a chipmunk, - Cobby prefers to stay alone but always lend a shoulder when others need his help, - In the cartoon series “Cobby Is Here!”, Cobby has been portrayed as a very intelligent and smart lad who is a detective by profession, - People always seek Cobby’s help when in trouble and even Police has fixed Cobby as their “Ray Of Hope” when they are not able to solve a particular case, - Cobby also has a assistant, whose name is Cherrie, and she is also a very cute red panda, - “Cobby” never asks for fees, once he solves the case, his only fees is a bunch of bamboo shoots  The Assignment: Dreamy Brush wants to create online conversations around “Cobby” by engaging relevant people in order to create familiarity for the character. Dreamy Brush wants a marketing campaign which connects offline world with the online world, and the campaign should touch the emotional chord of the target audience.

1. CASIA CASE STUDY
PRESENTATION
MICHAMPS
NIKHIL MISHRA |
SIDDHARTH AGRAWAL

2. COBBY IS HERE
DECODING THE BRIEF
• THE CAMPAIGN IS MEANT TO TARGET SCHOOL KIDS AND YOUNG ADULTS (6-25) AND INTRODUCE
THEM TO COBBY.
• EXPAND AWARENESS ABOUT COBBY THROUGH STORYTELLING , THEREBY BUILDING A STRONGER
BRAND AROUND COBBY.
• TAKE THE MERCHANDISE ROUTE TO SELL COBBY BRANDED PRODUCTS; ADDING DEPTH TO THE
COBBY BRAND.
• AND IN MEETING THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES, CREATE ENOUGH BUZZ AROUND COBBY TO BAG
FUNDING FROM INVESTORS.

3. COBBY IS HERE
RESEARCH IDEAS!
• THE TARGET GROUP BEING TOO WIDE (6-25 YRS), WILL HAVE TO BE DIVIDED INTO SUB CATEGORIES; THERE ON, A
SEPARATE MEDIA PLAN WOULD BE BUILT TO ENGAGE THE GROUP.
• HERE IS A PROPOSED CLASSIFICATION : 6-12 YRS (KIDS) | 13-18 (TEENS) | 19-25 YRS (YOUNGSTERS)
• MEDIA CONSUMTION HABITS: A PRIME COMPONENT OF THE RESEARCH SHALL REVOLVE AROUND GAUGING MEDIA
CONSUMTION HABITS OF EACH GROUP.WHILE KIDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONSUME MEDIA ON TV, YOUNGSTERS
WOULD BE CONSUMING CONTENT PRIMARILY ON SECOND SCREENS.
• COBBY CHARACTER TRAITS: ANOTHER MAJOR AREA OF RESEARCH SHALL EXPLORE COBBY’S DIFFERENT
ATTRIBUTES.SPECIFIC TRAITS CAN BE EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT TG SAMPLES TO IDENTIFY AND VERIFY THE POPULARITY
OF THE SAME.
• THE RIGHT MIX: COBBY’S SUCCESS SHALL DEPEND ON EMOTIONS THAT IT SUCCEEDS IN CONVEYING.WHILE BEING
FUN AND VISUALLY APPEALING IT SHALL ALSO BRING FACTORS LIKE WIT,NOSTALGIA,TRIVIAL SUCCESSES ETC.THESE
EMOTIONS FIND DIRECT MAPPING IN AUDIENCE PERCEPTION.
• BUILDING CONVERSATIONS + STORIES: IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ASCERTAIN WHAT STORIES KEEP THE AUDIENCE
ENGAGED.ALSO, WAYS SHALL HAVE TO BE EXPLORED TO MAINTAIN THE DYNAMICITY OF THE FORMAT.CONTEMERARY
CHARACTERS EVOLVE;THAT IS WHAT KEEPS THEM ALIVE.

4. COBBY IS HERE
CHANNELS WE LOOK TO INTEGRATE
OUR CATEGORY WITH + WHY WE
CHOSE THEM?
• LAUNCH OF TEASER VIDEOS ON CARTOON TELEVISON
CHANNELS WILL NOT ONLY GET THE ATTRACTION OF THOSE
MANAGING TH SPACE.IT WOULD ALSO GET KIDS EXCITED
ABOUT THE NEW OFFERING AND SHALL LEAVE THEM
CURIOUS.
• THESE TEASERS SHALL BE AIRED IN THE 4-6 EVENING SLOT TO
ENSURE MAXIMUM EXPOSURE.
• ALSO, TEENS WATCH A LOT OF ANIMATED AND SUPER HERO
BASED MOVIES.THE INSIGHT CAN BE LEVERAGED TO PLACE
TEASERS IN THE APPROPRIATE TIME SLOTS.
TELEVISIO
N

5. COBBY IS HERE
CHANNELS WE LOOK TO INTEGRATE
OUR CATEGORY WITH + WHY WE
CHOSE THEM?
• THE PRINT MEDIA SHALL ALSO SEE TEASER ADS
STRATEGICALLY PLACED WITH A STORY OF
COURAGE/INSPIRATION.THE CAMPAIGN SHALL REVEAL JUST
ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN READER CURIOUSITY OVER TIME.
• RUNNING A COMIC STRIP OR TWO ON A SUNDAY MAGAZINE
MAY ALWAYS GENERATE ENGAGEMENT.
PRINT

6. COBBY IS HERE
CHANNELS WE LOOK TO INTEGRATE
OUR CATEGORY WITH + WHY WE
CHOSE SPACE SHALL SEE THE MAXIMUM ENGAGEMENT.SOCIAL MEDIA
THEM?
• THE DIGITAL
PLATFORMS OFFER A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ENGAGING
CONTENT IN A COST EFFECTIVE MANNER.
• TWITTER: RUN A TWITTER CAMPAIGN, WHERE IN THE BRAND REVEALS
INFORMATION ABOUT COBBY IN TIT-BITS, PROMPTING THE FOLLOWERS TO
MAKE GUESSES AS TO ‘WHO IS COBBY?’ ACCOMPANY THE #WHOISCOBBY
CAMPAIGN WITH VISUALLY APPEALING STORY SNIPPETS HIGHLIGHTING
ONE OF COBBY’S CHARACTER TRAIT EACH TIME.
• FACEBOOK:BESIDES PROVIDING FOLLOWERS WITH ENGAGING CONTENT,
THE PLATFORM NEEDS TO BUILD FOLLOWING THROUGH BIT BY BIT
STORYTELLING.THE FACEBOOK PLATFORM IS APT FOR IT AND SHALL
EXPECTANTLY SEE GOOD RESPONSE FROM FOLLOWERS.ALSO SMALL GAMES
ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE CAN HELP TAKE THE ENGAGEMENT FORWARD.
Digital

7. COBBY IS HERE
CHANNELS WE LOOK TO INTEGRATE
OUR CATEGORY WITH + WHY WE
CHOSE THEM?
• BESIDES THE CONVENTIONAL ENGAGEMENTS, DREAMY BRUSH
CAN LOOK TO USING LOCATION SPECIFIC APPLICATION TO
TAKE FORWARD COBBY’S HEROIC ACTS.THE CAMPAIGN MAY
SIMPLY ASK FOLLOWERS TO ‘CALL COBBY TO YOUR CITY,IF YOU
THINK YOUR CITY NEEDS HELP! CHECK IN ON OUR PAGE OR
TWEET US WITH #CALLCOBBY’
• ALSO, SIMPLE LITTLE SNIPPETS LIKE THE COBBY’S CHIPMUNK
VOICE, HIS PASSION FOR HIS DETECTIVE PROFESSION, OR HIS
FASCINATION FOR BAMBOO SHOOTS CAN BE USED TO BUILD
ENGAGING CONVERSATION OVER THE INTERNET.
Digital

8. WHO ARE WE TALKING TO?
KIDS | TEENS | YOUNGSTERS
KIDS (6-12)
• WHILE TV ADS SHALL MOSTLY BE
TARGETED TO YOUNG KIDS, THEY
WOULD BE POSITIONED TO TALK TO
THEIR MOTHERS.
• INSIGHT: MOST MOTHERS FEED THEIR
YOUNG CHILDREN WHILE THEY
WATCH TV.
• THE FACT THAT COBBY EMBODIES
GOOD VIRTUES AND EMERGES
SAVIOUR IN SITUATIONS MAKES HIM
A LIKABLE CHARACTER FOR MOTHERS.
TEENS (13-17)
• PARTNERING WITH CONFECTIONERY
PRODUCTS LIKE CHIPS,BUISCUITS ETC
WILL HELP REACH THIS SEGMENT
QUICKLY.
• INSIGHT: THIS RESTLESS GENERATION
IS HIGH ON CONFECTIONERY
PRODUCTS AND OFTEN ENJOY
FREEBIES DELIVERED WITH
THEM.EX.SMALL REPLICAS OF
SUPERHEROS, HOTWHEELS ETC.
YOUNGSTERS (18-25)
• THIS CATEGORY SHALL BE TARGETTED
THROUGH WITTY COMMUNICATION
AND ENGAGING PLOTS.
• INSIGHT:WHILE THIS AGE GROUP
BEGINS TAKING LIFE SERIOUSLY, THEY
STILL LOOK FOR REFUGE IN THOSE
HAPPY WORLD OF
CARTOONS/ANIMATED CHARACTERS.
• ALSO, AN ELEMENT OF NOSTALGIA
PLAYS A GOOD ROLE.

9. HOW EXACTLY CAN WE DIFFERENTIATE
COBBY FROM OTHER SUPERHEROS?
WHILE PEOPLE LOVE SIMPLISTIC
CHARACTERPLAY, CHARACTERS THAT
CANNOT BUILD A STRONG
NARRATIVE AROUND THEMSELVES FAIL
TO WORK IN THE LONG RUN !
A LOT OF JAPANESE CHARACTERS HAVE MANAGED TO MAKE A MARK IN THE ANIMATED CHARACTERS
VERTICAL.AN ETHOS DEEP ROOTED IN THE FAMILY CULTURE AND STORIES CENTRED AROUND THEM HAS
PROMTED THEIR SUCCESS.

10. WHAT IS THE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR THAT IS AFFECTING THE CATEGORY?
PEOPLE ARE ON A CONSTANT
LOOKOUT FOR STORIES AND
CHARACTERS THEY CAN IDEALIZE.
ALSO, CHILDHOOD NOSTALGIA IS A
RECURRENT THEME AMONG
YOUNGSTERS!

11. WHAT
WILL YOU SAY?
STORIES | WIT | HUMOUR
• THE CONVERSATIONS SHALL MOSTLY BE DIRECT BUILDING ON HUMOUR,WIT AND STORIES.
• COBBY SHALL BE AVAILABLE ON SEVERAL PLATFORMS; WITH EACH PLATFORM OFFERING CUSTMISED
CONTENT TO KEEP ITS AUDIENCE ENGAGED.
• THE CONVERSATION WOULD BE EXTENDED TO SEVERAL TOUCH-POINTS OTHER THAN ONLINE.
• ACTIVATIONS IN MALLS, AT CINEMA HALLS, TREE SCHOOLS ETC SHALL STRENGTHEN THE CASE OF COBBY
GETTING POPULAR.
• MERCHANDISE PARTNERSHIPS FOR BAGS,SHOES,TEE SHIRTS, MUGS ETC CAN BE BUILD ON ONCE THE
POPULARITY OF COBBY GROWS BIG.
• COBBY INSTALLATIONS (LARGER THAN LIFE) WILL HELP ENSURE BRAND RETENTION FOR COBBY.
• PRESENCE AT COMICON LIKE EVENTS THAT ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS SHALL HELP
GRAB EYEBALLS.

12. HAS THE CAMPAIGN BEEN SUCCESSFUL?
SOCIAL MEDIA METRICS
• BRAND RECALL CAN BE IMPORTANT FACTOR. SINCE IT IS A RELATIVELY NEW BRAND, THEREFORE THE MEMORY
RETENTION CAN BE A IMPORTANT FACTOR. THIS CAN BE SEEN THROUGH, IF THE PRODUCT (MERCHANDISE) IS
A PART OF CONSIDERATION SET FOR THE CONSUMERS.
• THE ONLINE TRAFFIC ON PAGES / WEBSITES CAN BE A IMPORTANT PARAMETER. THE BUZZ CREATED BY
TEASERS WOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE POSSITIVE ONLINE SENTIMENT.
• ALSO THE NUMBER OF VIEWS LIKES ON YOUTUBE AND OTHER MEDIA SITES SHOWCASING THE COBBY
ANIMATED CLIPS CAN BE COUNTED UPON.
• WELL CRAFTED COMMUNICATIONS HAVE AN ABILITY OF GOING VIRAL THESE DAYS.A FEW SNIPPETS BASED ON
STORYTELLING CAN REALLY GRAB THE ATTENTION OF THE NATION.

13. AND OUR PURPOSE
LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY AND THE ART OF
STORYTELLING TO CREATE A LASTING
CHARACTER, THAT STANDS FOR THE
RIGHT : ‘COBBY’ !

14. CASE STUDY
PRESENTATION
MICHAMPS
NIKHIL MISHRA| SIDDHARTH
AGRAWAL
MUDRA INSTITUTE OF
COMMUNICATIONS,AHMEDABAD