Skoda targets schoolkids in Fabia TV ad campaign

Skoda is rolling out its new advertising campaign on Nickelodeon UK’s preschool channel Nick Jr for the launch of its new Fabia car.

It is believed to be the first time that the car manufacturer has advertised on children’s TV, and is one of the first examples of a major advertiser acknowledging the power children can have on their families.

The ad campaign now makes Skoda the biggest advertiser on Nick Jr, the children’s channel best known for shows such as LazyTown and Dora the Explorer.

The channel is part of Nickelodeon, the commercial children’s TV network, which is owned – along with MTV and Paramount Comedy – by Viacom Networks UK.

Viacom Brand Solutions (VBS), the sales house for Viacom channels, brokered the deal.

The ads will run from May 17 to June 30 and form part of a nationwide campaign promoting the car-maker’s new Fabia model.

Bobi Carley, VBS director of third parties, says the deal is the beginning of a strategy the network has of signing other car-makers to advertising deals on the channel. The channel is also keen to start adding holiday companies, supermarkets and other family-focused advertisers to its list of toy, food and entertainment companies.

“This will be the start of other car advertisers taking advantage of our environment on Nickelodeon,” Carley says.

In the past two years, a growing number of US car manufacturers have recognised the benefits of advertising on children’s TV channels, after realising they are watched by an increasing number of families together, according to Carley.