Cartoon Network launched in 1992 with a library of animated content. It has since expanded into original programming, narrowing its target audience to children ages 6-14. In 2005, Adult Swim was spun off as its own channel focused on older audiences. Cartoon Network's branding emphasizes nostalgia and uses promos to promote shows in a way that appeals to both children and adults. While targeting children, Cartoon Network also attracts a substantial untargeted audience of teens and adults through programming with broader appeal.

1. Gregory Miller
Media Industries
Scott Oberacker
October 12, 2016
An Analysis of Cartoon Network and its Development Strategy
On October 2, 1992, Cartoon Network launched on basic cable and satellite packages, in
part because of Turner Broadcasting’s extensive library collection of animated features from the
early 1930s to the mid 1980s. These include all of MGM’s library, Warner Bros. Merry Melodies
cartoons, and the Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the 1960s (Observer-Reporter, 1992). Since then,
the network has positioned itself at the forefront of children’s entertainment, and it is recognized
worldwide as a distinguishable brand. Since its early days, Cartoon Network has expanded its
library into original programming; which began with the acquisition of Hanna-Barbera and
transforming it into Cartoon Network Studios. The mid 1990s to mid 2000s saw the creation of
original cartoons by a team of young creators at Hanna-Barbera.
Since the late 1990s, Cartoon Network’s target audience has narrowed and become more
focused, for two main reasons. With the shift to original programming, the network honed its
focus on its target demographic; children ages 6-14. Furthermore, 2005 brought about the
physical separation of Cartoon Network and its late night block, Adult Swim, as its own channel.
This was done for separate Nielson rating purposes, letting Adult Swim focus their ad space for
more adult-targeted advertisements, while Cartoon Network appeals solely to children-focused
ads (Retail Merchandiser, 2016).

2. This bucks the trend major network television channels follow, such as CBS or NBC. The
main networks host an array of advertising slots catering to different demographics; such as mid-
age women and retirees during the daytime, working age, white males during the afternoon, and
nuclear families during the evening (prime time). Because Cartoon Network is cable television
(offered only in subscription packages), its audience is already focused and more fragmented (as
well as smaller) than the “Big Four” networks. Furthermore, the channel is focused on one genre;
children’s animation and entertainment.
As such, Cartoon Network’s target demographics are children ages 6-14. Children hold
key influence over household disposable income (Jenkins, 1979), so many advertisers see
children networks as prime advertising space. While adults have final say on household
spending, these ads target the children who can influence such decisions. While Cartoon
Network programming skews slightly to a male audience (with various boy-centric programming
such as Ed, Edd n Eddy, Mad TV, Regular Show, Codename: Kids Next Door, etc.), the network
does not exclude girls from the audience, and advertisements shown on the network account for
this (Comcast Spotlight, 2016)
Cartoon Network’s branding strategy has always been unique to the network. As stated
by Michael Ouweleen, the network “approached this like an ad agency.” (Liesse, 2012). This
meant selling the network and its shows to the audience using advertising tactics; understanding
the pathos of the audience, tapping into nostalgia associated with the shows that would appeal to
parents, and branding the channel as a character-operated place. Having access to a vast
animation library, network officials were initially faced with this task of marketing the channel
to cable providers and consumers. “What could we do with cartoons like ‘Funky Phantom’ that
would make viewers want to call their cable operators and request they add Cartoon Network?”

3. (Liesse, 2012) The network took to their production staff to create on-air commercials and
promos, interstitials, bumps, and short clips that gave this vast collection of cartoons a specific
voice (YouTube, 2015). The result was a fleet of network branding that visually appealed to
children, while hinting at humor that their parents would also enjoy.
“The content was topical and hilarious. The “Scooby- Doo” gang appeared in a parody of “The
Blair Witch Project.” The CN “Crisis Center” offered advice to cartoon characters in precarious
situations.” (Liesse, 2012)
Cartoon Network emphasized writing promos, which was unique to the channel, to
advertise itself, and that trait remains with the network to present day. Early packaging of the
1990s included animated music videos with modern artists, network-related skits and thematic
blocks. In 1997, the network expanded its forte into Japanese animation (“anime”) by
showcasing their newly acquired library on a blocked named “Toonami.” Given the task of
creating an outlet for their anime library, network executives programmed this block with an
animated host, Moltar, who was a product of Hanna-Barbera’s Space Ghost franchise. Previous
exploitations of the Space Ghost franchise resulted in the creation of Space Ghost: Coast to
Coast in 1994, the network’s first original program which lampooned traditional talk shows, as
well as the original Space Ghost program. (Mittell, 2004). This marked the network’s expansion
into adult-oriented entertainment, which would eventually lead to the creation of Adult Swim, the
channel’s official target specifically geared towards adult demographics.
Today, with a well-defined audience, Cartoon Network utilizes signaling tactics to
engage its audience. As common with most television channels, Cartoon Network takes specific
clips from its variety of shows to construct a promo emphasizing the positive aspects of the
network, or show(s) in question. For instance, promos can be constructed by taking sound clips

4. or video clips of certain characters from an array of programs, and creating a promotion of the
channel where the aforementioned characters praise the channel. While none of the characters in
their respective programs so much as even acknowledge the network (with the rare exception of
some programs such as Amazing World of Gumball, Chowder, or Courage the Cowardly Dog),
their original messages can be manipulated to promote the network (YouTube, 2016). For
instance, clips of Amazing World of Gumball are manipulated so characters respond to the
narrator in a positive manner, when referring to marathons or new episodes.
The channel also arranges its programs in timeslots that best serve the network. Popular
shows that target younger children, such as Ninjago, air new episodes Saturday mornings when
those children are most likely awake and home from school. Another popular show, Adventure
Time, may air new episodes on Thursday evenings to accommodate a teenage audience that is
home from school and/or work.
Because Cartoon Network launched in 1992, at the height of the Cable television
expansion era, it didn’t tap in to the internet until several years after. The channel didn’t launch
its website until 1998 (Liesse, 2012). Throughout that time, Cartoonnetwork.com was
supplementary of the on air channel, which was the main feature, by featuring show-related
online games, puzzles, as well as show-voting; an important connection for CN and their
audience. This marked the beginning of the network’s participation in convergence culture.
Cartoon Network was now able to receive immediate feedback from its audience, and because of
convergence culture, as theorized by Henry Jenkins, the channel soon followed new avenues to
reach their audience. As such, the network eventually branched into social media. According to
its Twitter, Cartoon Network launched its account in 2009, sprawling the network’s audience

5. reach across multiple platforms. Through instantaneous messaging and audience interaction, the
channel could then get accurate, up-to-date feedback from its consumers.
Since the network’s inception, its primary target audience has been children. To sell its
content space to advertisers, Cartoon Network has positioned itself this way. However, it seems
that while the backbone audience are children, the network’s “secret” audience (the untargeted
audience that network programs sometimes create content for) is substantial. Cartoon Network
has always aired programs that contain innuendos, jokes, situations or characters that adults
could relate to. While not a hidden agenda, CN has long since created a brand of popular culture
which may be why the network is so successful. A significant group of teens and adults watch
the daytime kids programming on CN, and the network is careful not to exclude these viewers as
other networks do. Because of this, and the networks age, I would shift on air promotional
branded content to reflect the nostalgic history of the channel. By airing promos which contain
characters and music that adults could relate to from their childhood watching the network, that
particular “hidden audience” could be capitalized on. Cartoon Network already targets teens and
adults through Facebook and Twitter in their posts, as the primary users of these platforms are
required to be a certain age, usually 13 or older. This means airing historic footage of past
broadcasts (i.e. from the 1990s), characters from shows like Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones,
Johnny Bravo, and others. This could be formatted in a nostalgia-dripping programming block
that airs these classic programs during a time suitable for adult and teenage viewers.
Cartoon Network has reached a niche audience that has proven powerful and profitable.
Channels like Cartoon Network provide a steadier, more targeted investment for advertisers than
the “mass audience” and as such, the channel has had a healthy outside revenue stream since its
inception. Finally, the network is able to expand its niche audience base by tapping in to online

6. resources and social media websites where fan bases congregate naturally. The network is able to
sell its product, over and over, through more platforms now than ever before. While a kids
channel at heart, Cartoon Network’s fans seem to be driven by a love for cartoons, rather than be
predisposed to a demographic age. Because of this, Cartoon Network’s business model,
branding, and unique genre have proven to be quite lucrative.
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