‘EJEN ALI’ MAKING WAVES IN MALAYSIA
The series draws more than 2 million TV viewers weekly,
BARELY a year since its debut on the small screen, award-winning local animation series Ejen Ali has raked in a high viewership, reaching more than two million viewers weekly on TV3 and another million on tonton.
Touted as Media Prima’s first venture into animation, Ejen Ali is the first intellectual property it co-owns with WAU Animation Sdn Bhd.
The series’ remarkable feat has spurred its foray into the digital world, with the development of mobile gaming apps, Ejen Ali Mata Training Academy and Ejen Ali Emergency, which chalked up more than 1.2 million downloads to date.
The brand has also tied up with Mamee Monster Biskidz, KidZania, Petrosains and Tesco to appeal to a wider audience.
WAU Animation director and chief executive officer Usamah Zaid said: “It has been an exciting journey for Ejen Ali thus far. Our collaboration with Primeworks Studios has expanded and the reach for the brand has surpassed our expectations.
“We came into the partnership with a vision to elevate the local animation industry and to offer compelling stories that Malaysians can relate to, but, at the same time, speak volumes to international audiences. We are humbled to receive such overwhelming feedback.”
WAU has more than 10 years of experience in animation. The brand has launched a range of spin-off merchandise, which comprises comic magazines, and children’s activity and colouring books, to complement the show and further engage with consumers through its brand values.
Media Prima Television Networks director of tonton, licensing and merchandising Airin Zainul said: “The Ejen Ali brand has assumed the position of an influencer where the Malaysian kids are concerned.
“With this new, important role, we see a great opportunity to build in strong values from the show to our consumer products strategy. The publishing line is our first go-to category to be released.
“We will expand our offering by year end and while we develop and expand other categories, we hope fans will have great fun completing missions from the books and magazines.”
The merchandise will be officially launched at the Bananana! Land booth during the Jom Heboh carnival at Bukit Jalil on Saturday.
Fans can buy these products from Mydin, Kinokuya and Popular.
The comic magazines are priced at RM4.95, while the children’s activity books are RM5 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM5.50 in Sabah and Sarawak.
The colouring books are RM5.50 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM5.90 in Sabah and Sarawak.
Ejen Ali has also won Best Short Animated Film at the 28th Malaysian Film Festival, and at the recent Mob-Ex Awards 2017 in Singapore.
The Ejen Ali Mata Training Academy mobile game nabbed gold for Best Application (creativity), Best Application (media owner) and Best Application (tablets). It also won Best Application (games and entertainment).
The Ejen Ali Emergency mobile game won gold for Best Application (games and entertainment) and bronze for Best Application (Tablets).
Airin, Usamah and Primeworks Distribution general manager (innovation and distribution) Marini Ramlan visited Balai Berita yesterday to promote the new Ejen Ali merchandise.
Ejen Ali is an action adventure story of a naive, under-achieving boy, who accidentally binds himself to an intelligence device belonging to an espionage agency, Mata, forcing him to serve as a secret agent while juggling his already chaotic life.
The cartoon airs every Friday at 5.30pm on TV3.
People can also watch it on www.tonton.com.my.