Some of Cartoon Network’s stars appear together in one environment in their branding interstitials. All Cartoon Network images © & ™ 2005 Cartoon Network.

The demand for interstitial programming has never been greater. Leading cable networks have long used interstitials, often animated, to help create a branded on-air look-and-feel, test material before creating long-form series, help promote the channel and its content, and bring snippets of entertainment to the air. These days, the growing number of television networks are being challenged more than ever to carve a distinct niche in a fragmented landscape. As a result, they’re increasingly looking for interstitials to help differentiate themselves from their competition.

When Cartoon Network launched, its programming was comprised mostly of library material, such as classic episodes of Hanna-Barbera cartoons. The network created animated interstitials to twist this archival content into something new. “We created a brand image through that interstitials work,” says Pola Changnon, vp, on-air and exec producer of program production. Integrating interstitials on-air “has been something that’s been a significant part of our history here at the network.”

Cartoon Network’s look-and-feel still is built on those classic characters, as well as new ones that have joined their ranks. When it rebranded a year and a half ago, it created an on-air 3D environment in which all of its diverse characters can interact within a single world. Interstitials created by Animal Logic, which also did the rebrand, are a big part of that. “We’re letting people know that the characters live beyond the boundaries of their timeslot,” Changnon says.

Similarly, interstitial content “is a cornerstone of what Nickelodeon does” on all of its networks globally, according to Keith Dawkins, gm of Nicktoons Network, which has used short-form content extensively both before and after its recent rebrand. “First and foremost, it’s about building a cohesive identity on-air that we believe connects us to the Nickelodeon heritage and legacy, and also lets us stand on our own as a unique brand,” Dawkins explains.

Nicktoons Film Festival solicits animated shorts and assembles them into programming packages and uses them as interstitials. Above is grand prizewinner La Revolution des Crabes by Arthur de Pins. Courtesy of Nickelodeon.

One of the network’s initiatives, the Nicktoons Film Festival, allows it to solicit short-form content from animators around the world. Not only do these creators compete for prizes and attend special events, their work is also assembled into programming packages and sprinkled throughout Nicktoons’ airtime as interstitials. Dawkins notes that the festival cements Nicktoons’ positioning, both to viewers and the creative community, as a destination for animation. “It supports our mission as the home base of animation,” Dawkins says. “It speaks to our commitment to short-form content. We are a place that supports animation in all its forms, and our identity is tied to our commitment to animation as an art form.”

Cable programming blocks for preschoolers, such as Nick Jr. on Nickelodeon and Playhouse Disney on The Disney Channel, also feature both interstitials and animated hosts — which appear in short intervals between shows to introduce what’s next and promote stunts and events — as a means of branding their air. Josh Selig, president of Little Airplane Productions, a supplier of preschool content (including on-air hosts such as Piper O’Possum for Nick Jr. and Oobi for Noggin) notes that interstitials and especially hosts have a lot to do with Nickelodeon’s and Disney’s strength within this age group. “How much of their success is due to what happens between shows?” he asks. “That relationship between host and child is part of the success. These are identifiable characters that are particularly theirs.”