Introduction:

Organizations that thrive upon the sales of their products and services usually aim at
popularizing their products among the masses and create a brand uniqueness. Since, with the
growing competition, such task become highly competitive, propelling marketers to indulge in
varying strategies for product promotion. One strategy, in this regard, is the use of animated
characters; Ronald McDonald, for instance, has swayed fast-food lovers for over 7 decades,
creating a trustworthy relationship between McDonalds and its consumers, particularly children.
Buijzen, M., Schuurman, J., & Bomhof, E. (2008), expounded that the use of animated characters
has been in practice for encouraging not only product promotions, but also creating sound
relationships between child consumers and products.

Baumgartner, E., & Laghi, F. (2012), basing upon various psychological studies have
argued that product posters and images with colourful and lively characters’ influences children’s
cognitive development. In early stages, children between age 2-6 only notice the product
appearance and colour orientation while only during ages of 7-14 they are able to distinguish the
colour orientation from action orientation and create bonding between those characters.

Chan, K. (2014), argue that increased exposure of children to social media, Netflix, and
TV channels have all contributed towards prevailing a sense of product awareness, however, still
the primary source of information comes from parents and environment, in which children grow
up. Lawlor, M. (2009), suggest that some children having strong sight of watching television,
create an identification with the product, developing a strong sense of affiliation with superhero
characters in particular, that have been used for product promotion.

Valkenburg, P. M. (2004), identifies that another factor which remarkably influences brand
association in children are catchy phrases and rhythmic melodies presented through jingles.
Siddiqui, K. A., & Siddiqui, A. (2016), focusing on the Pakistani environment have placed jingles
combined with cartoon characters, to play a significant role in promoting products amongst child
consumers.

However, as discussed by Gulla, A., & Purohit, H. (2013), both, jingles and characters, are
only effective when linked with a story, otherwise the character or jingle without a story leaves
little impression. A story provides an opportunity for children build fantasies and provides an
unconventional avenue to live them, and hence it is more effective.

Siddiqui, K. A., & Siddiqui, A. (2016), in recent times, animated characters have surpassed
the influence of celebrity endorsements in the promotion of products particularly associated with
children. Hebden, L., King, L., & Kelly, B. (2011), provide that interesting colourful characters,
pleasant musical themes, charismatic appearance, humorous dialogues and emotional sequences is
what makes them jingles and animated characters highly influential in the product promotion.
Moreover, for those companies that cannot afford expensive celebrity endorsements, animated
characters serve the purpose successfully.

Gentile, D. A., Reimer, R. A., Nathanson, A. I., Walsh, D. A., & Eisenmann, J. C. (2014),
have propounded that animated characters and jingles serve as potential unconditional stimuli for
children and so, marketers resort to utilize animated characters and jingles engrossed in character
stories to promote products and create brand equity. The story proves to be functional in projecting
an appealing appearance for the products.

According to Gulla, A., & Purohit, H. (2013), product promotion is widely influenced by
children buying behaviour which ultimately propels the prime spender i.e. the parents in this case.
With an impressing product story board and sound product functioning, children are more
conscious about what they buy? And why they buy? It is all due to the product promotional
activities running in the market. Firm’s objectives are clearly demonstrated by the characters
involved and consistent storytelling, transferring the message to the customer becomes highly
effective.

Huang, W. S., Hsieh, T., & Chen, H. S. (2011), claimed that when Qoo entered in the juice
market in Korea, became the most popular juice brand, not because of the product quality but
because of the advertising efficacy of animated characters ensued with company’s spirit. The more
important thing for marketer is to make their character more admirable and likable and so deeply
influences product promotion.

Sprafkin, J. N., Liebert, R. M., & Poulos, R. W. (1975), have identified that superheroes
like Batman, Superman and various others have consistently been used to promote cereals, school
accessories, etc. because such characters, having strong and specific stories behind them, leave
significant impact on the psychology of children and propels them to behave in a certain way,
buying what is recommended through these characters.

Malik, G., & Guptha, C. A. (2013), suggested that product is widely influenced by jingles,
because melodies produce lasting effects on customers’ minds and are highly effective in
channelling emotional responses in the favour of its user. Jingles help reorganize brand image in
the targeted audience, sync brand with cultural values, and help shape personal attitude in
accordance with the business values. Due to this emotional attachment, customer base for the
products is likely to expand and the variety in stories related to their favourite characters ensures
for children an essential part of growing up and evolving together. Likewise, animated characters
serve as a certain sort of healing process, having slogans, jingles taglines. This sort of advertising
encourages a unified language through pictures & music communicating product information and
simultaneously invoking emotions, building imaginations and ultimately promoting product
loyalty.

Bamfo, B. A., Kraa, J. J., Asabere, P., & Atarah, B. A. (2019), analysing the situation in
Ghana, have come to this conclusion that product promotion is highly dependent of creative
writing and strong storylines. Customer retention is linked with appealing stories and memorisable
jingles, creating a sense of loyalty amongst the customers. This supports in cultivating a continuous
consciousness for the product with their respective customers, and is a factor in building trust and
brand equity.

Kukreja, J. (2019), has found that cartoon characters singing catchy jingle are more
effective in creating value for the product, maintaining the product recall and help establish a firm
position for the product in the market. Emotional content present in the story helps consumers to
relate themselves with the brand.

Brands like Danpak, Prince Biscuit by LU, Dentonic, Hilal’s Dingdong, Knorr, Tiger
Biscuits and Safeguard etc. are often found using animated characters and melodious catchy jingles
to promote their products. It is a common for their audience to not only memorise the songs but
also excitingly wait for subsequent episodes in the storyline. For many of them jingles and music
has proven to be a highly effective marketing tool for influencing the targeted audience, allowing
consumers to easily effectually understand and familiarize about that product through any medium
of channel so good that jingles main tool of advertising.

In lieu of this, present study not only focuses the impact of animated characters and jingles
upon children behaviour in Pakistani society, but also the impact which stories involved with
animated characters and jingles are likely to exert in creating an emotional appeal and propel
customer to remain loyal to the brands which opt these strategies.

Research Objectives:

This research aims to analyse the effectiveness of animated characters and jingles mediated
by sound storyline on children to promote our product. We want to justify the statement whether
or not animated characters, jingles and story influence on product promotion. What things affect
the child to buy animated advertisement type product, and what perspective of buying of product.