TORONTO – It appears that families that make time for Looney Tunes, or classic cartoons in general, have better odds of connecting. So finds a national survey commissioned by classic cartoon network Teletoon Retro and conducted by market research firm, The Strategic Counsel. It found that Canadians view cartoon-watching as a positive experience that facilitates family bonding, fosters well-being and builds memories between kids and parents. Teletoon says the findings counter the common misconception that television is mostly used as babysitting tool for busy parents.
With respect to bonding, eight out of ten Canadian parents (79%) report that they love watching cartoons with their kids. Almost nine out of ten Canadian parents (87%) declare hearing their child laugh while watching cartoons gives them a great feeling and 86% of parents state that it gives them time to relax with their children.
In contrast, less than half of Canadian parents (43%) have used TV as a reward or a bribe and just over half of Canadian parents (56%) have put cartoons on TV to entertain their kids when they need to get stuff done.
“In the busy world that we live in today, we are always looking to make positive connections with our children. There are ways to find those moments in our everyday activities that we may have not thought of, like cartoon-watching,” said Dr. Oren Amitay, Registered Psychologist and Parenting Expert. “Classic cartoons in particular provide this connection in that they allow a parent and child to share a common experience that is familiar to parents and appealing to both. Parents recalling fond memories of waking up early on a Saturday morning to watch cartoons with a bowl of cereal are far more likely to join their child than to use the TV as merely a substitute babysitter.”
The survey coincides with today’s launch of Teletoon Retro’s brand refresh that reflects the network’s new positioning as a “top entertainment choice for families, delivering fun through laughter and timeless character to kids and parents wanting to spend more time together,” says Teletoon.
"Market research has shown that Canadians have a lot of affection for Teletoon Retro programming, with its nostalgic appeal for adults as well as the timeless comedy that kids and parents both love," said Russ Ward, Vice-President, Marketing, Teletoon Canada Inc. "These insights, together with Teletoon Retro's wide distribution, compelled us to seize this unique opportunity, sharpen our focus and hone in on the co-view audience."
Centred around the tagline "Forever Fun," a new logo, redesigned website and revamped on-air look are all part of the refreshed branding, which was designed and produced entirely in-house by the Teletoon Studios Creative group as well as the Teletoon Interactive and Marketing teams.
Conducted among over 1,000 Canadians in January 2013, the survey revealed that cartoons are ubiquitous in Canadian homes, with 98% of Canadian kids aged 3-10 watching cartoons at least once per week, 80% of Canadians parents watching once a week and 91% of Canadians having watched cartoons as children.
In addition to the family bonding associated with cartoon-watching, survey respondents reported benefits to their general well-being. Almost all Canadians (95%) agree with the commonly-held belief that laughter is good for one’s health and overall well-being and 85% stated that as children, they found watching cartoons comforting when they were sick or had a bad day. Nearly eight out of ten Canadian parents (76%) declared that their own children take comfort in watching cartoons when they have a bad day and 74% went so far as to say that watching cartoons is a good way for kids to forget about their worries.
Teleton says the study also demonstrated that a majority of Canadians see cartoons as important in building childhood and family memories. More than four out of five Canadians (86%) reported having very fond memories of watching cartoons as children, while 85% Canadians believe that parents who watch cartoons with their kids are building great memories with them. Furthermore, nine out of ten parents (88%) surveyed hope that their children will have fond memories of watching cartoons together with them.
