Category: News Headline

  • Soaked and Sold Moto G96 Wins Hearts with Water Baby Campaign

    Soaked and Sold Moto G96 Wins Hearts with Water Baby Campaign

     MUMBAI: Phones usually dread the drizzle this one does a dance in it. With the monsoon in full swing, SW Network and Flipkart have tapped into a universal fear wet phones and flipped it on its head with the launch campaign for the Moto G96, a smartphone that’s not just water-resistant, but water-embracing. Armed with an IP68 rating and a Watertouch Display that works flawlessly even when soaked, the G96 became the centrepiece of a cheeky, insight-rich campaign titled “Always a Water Baby.” The phone’s monsoon-proof credentials became an open invitation to throw away the plastic bags and rice bowls and say goodbye to panic-mode hairdryers.

    The outdoor campaign went bold and witty hoardings dismissed old-school hacks with lines like “You don’t need these anymore.” In one standout execution, the agency installed a monsoon shelter with the tagline: “While other phones run for cover, I’d stand in the rain for you.” Subtle, it was not but the point was made loud and clear.

    Print creatives took gentle digs at waterproof phone pouches still clinging to relevance, while a quirky double-hoarding visual metaphor featured the Moto G96 as “a great catch”  literally caught between two billboards.

    “Moto G96 doesn’t just survive water, it loves it,” said SW Network co-founder Raghav Bagai. “We wanted the campaign to be playful, visual and instantly relatable. ‘Water Baby’ gave us the perfect language to celebrate this feature without falling into the spec-sheet trap.”

    Instead of leaning on technical jargon, the campaign found humour in a shared everyday pain phones and puddles are usually a nightmare pairing. But not this time.

    With the G96, SW Network shows once again it knows how to turn product truth into pop culture, proving that even in tech advertising, a little splash of humanity goes a long way.

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  • Inderpeet Singh Gaba joins Miraggio as vp, brand marketing

    Inderpeet Singh Gaba joins Miraggio as vp, brand marketing

    MUMBAI: After putting his best foot forward with global giants like Birkenstock and Luxottica, Inderpeet Singh Gaba has now slung his marketing savvy over his shoulder, quite literally, by stepping into his new role as vice president, brand marketing at Miraggio, the fast-growing handbag brand.

    With a résumé that reads like a fashion week guest list stints at Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, Vision Express, PepperTap and Aditya Birla Group — Gaba brings a heady mix of retail precision, digital chops, and global brand-building firepower. Most recently, at Birkenstock, he helped plant the iconic German sandal brand firmly into the Indian fashion consciousness.

    From comfortable soles to luxury totes, Gaba’s marketing journey proves he’s no stranger to switching gears and strutting with style.

  • Hemant Rupani to head Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages as CEO

    Hemant Rupani to head Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages as CEO

    BENGALURU:  Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), India’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, has named Hemant Rupani as its new chief executive, effective 8 September. Rupani takes over from Juan Pablo Rodriguez, who is moving on to a new role within the global Coca-Cola system.

    Rupani, a seasoned operator with stints across FMCG, telecom, and tech, currently serves as Mondelez’s business unit president for southeast Asia, overseeing operations in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. He joined Mondelez in 2016 and has held leadership roles in India and Vietnam, rising to his current post in 2022.

    The appointment comes at a pivotal time for HCCB, following Coca-Cola’s move in December 2024 to sell a 40 per cent stake in Hindustan Coca-Cola Holdings Pvt Ltd—the parent company of HCCB—to the Jubilant Bhartia group.

    A mechanical engineering graduate from Regional Engineering College, Jaipur, with an MBA in marketing from FMS Delhi, Rupani began his career in 1997 at ICI India. He has since worked with PepsiCo, Infosys, Vodafone, and Britannia, steadily climbing the leadership ladder across sectors.

    He will report to the HCCB board and is expected to steer the company’s next phase of growth, amid rising investment in India and intensifying competition in the beverage market.

    The Coca-Cola Co, listed on NYSE as KO, operates in over 200 markets and employs more than 700,000 people through its global bottling partners.

  • Sony PAL scores big as free-to-air favourite with desi hits and mass reach

    Sony PAL scores big as free-to-air favourite with desi hits and mass reach

    MUMBAI: Sony PAL is having a serious moment in Indian living rooms—and it didn’t get there by chance. The free-to-air (FTA) Hindi general entertainment channel from Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has emerged as the fastest growing GEC in Hindi-speaking markets (HSM), with numbers that would make even primetime rivals sweat.

    BARC data from April to June 2025 puts the channel’s reach at a staggering 192 million viewers—the highest among all FTA Hindi GECs over 13 weeks (NCCS 15+, Weeks 14–26). In 9 out of those 13 weeks, Sony PAL ranked no. 1 in reach. That’s not just traction—it’s dominance.

    The channel cracked the code by serving up tried-and-tested fan favourites—Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Vighnahatha Ganesha, and The Kapil Sharma Show—for free. For the first time, these primetime giants were available without a subscription, and the move paid off.

    With its family-first programming slate and no paywall in sight, Sony PAL has become the go-to channel for viewers looking for comfort food in content form. It’s the kind of television that skips the sass but delivers on sanskaar and smiles, hitting the sweet spot for India’s heartland audiences.

    In a fragmented TV landscape, where loyalty is fickle and attention spans shorter than an ad jingle, Sony PAL has managed to hold its ground—and expand it. Its audience-first philosophy, combined with mass-friendly storytelling, is proof that when you make great content accessible, the viewers show up in droves.

    And right now, they’re turning up in the millions.

  • &TV’s new comedy ‘Gharwali Pedwali’ promises a hauntingly hilarious ride

    &TV’s new comedy ‘Gharwali Pedwali’ promises a hauntingly hilarious ride

    MUMBAI: If you thought married life was complicated, wait till you meet Jeetu—&TV’s latest leading man who accidentally ends up with two wives: one human, one haunting.

    After striking gold with shows like Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai and Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, &TV is back to spice up prime time with Gharwali Pedwali, a quirky family comedy with a delightfully paranormal punch. Produced by Peninsula Productions, the show blends classic desi sitcom madness with an unexpected celestial curveball.

    At the heart of this tale is Prithvi Mishra aka Jeetu, a lovable, no-frills everyman whose life has always come in twos. Two mums, two dads, two bosses… and now, courtesy of a last-minute astrological mishap, two wives. Just as he’s ready to tie the knot with the modern and spirited Savi, he’s forced into marrying a peepal tree. Enter Latika, a ghostly bride who believes the symbolic wedding was very much the real deal.

    The show leans into the absurd with flair, promising laugh-out-loud chaos, emotional curveballs, and a double dose of drama. True to its roots, Gharwali Pedwali delivers the signature &TV flavour—relatable, rooted, and ridiculously entertaining.

    No spoilers on how Jeetu navigates this ghostly love triangle, but one thing’s for sure, viewers are in for a spook-tacular treat.

    Gharwali Pedwali is coming soon, only on &TV.

  • Namrata Dadwal joins NDTV 24×7 as senior editor

    Namrata Dadwal joins NDTV 24×7 as senior editor

    MUMBAI: NDTV announces the appointment of Namrata Dadwal as senior editor, NDTV 24×7, with a clear mandate – to supercharge the network’s data journalism and analytics, and weave sharper insights into the heart of its news programming.

    Dadwal steps into the role with over 18 years of experience at the intersection of journalism, data, and visual storytelling. She has built and led editorial teams that have turned complex numbers into clear, compelling narratives – whether heading the Data Intelligence Unit at TV Today Network, crafting in‑depth features at The Economic Times, or shaping high‑impact communication campaigns with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF.

    She has set up award‑winning data desks, mentored young journalists, and spearheaded projects that combine editorial depth with digital innovation – skills that are increasingly vital as newsrooms evolve to bring clarity and context in conversations.

    ‘Namrata’s appointment signals a decisive move to embed data at the core of our storytelling. Her ability to translate analytics into narratives will add a new dimension to how NDTV 24×7 explains the world to its viewers’, said NDTV CEO and editor-in-chief, Rahul Kanwal.

  • Rohit Roy patches in as investor in wellness disruptor Bigme

    Rohit Roy patches in as investor in wellness disruptor Bigme

    MUMBAI: It’s out with the pills and in with the patch. Bigme, a new-age health-tech brand reimagining wellness, has brought actor Rohit Roy onboard as strategic growth advisor and investor, adding star power to its science-backed mission of delivering wellness quite literally through the skin.

    Bigme is among India’s first movers in transdermal wellness, a delivery format that skips the gut entirely and releases clinically backed ingredients directly into the bloodstream. The result? Faster absorption, longer-lasting effects, and no need to gulp down pills or mix up messy powders.

    Built for modern, always-on lifestyles, Bigme’s patches use timed-release technology to address real-world concerns like stress, PMS, energy crashes, and poor sleep no water required. Just peel, slap, feel.

    “I started out as a curious customer,” said Rohit Roy, explaining what drew him to the brand. “The patches fit seamlessly into my workouts and routine. It’s rare to find something that’s so rooted in science but still incredibly simple. I’m not just endorsing it, I’m investing in what I truly believe is the future of wellness.”

    Co-founders Arjit Jain and Gurman Bhatia see Roy’s involvement as more than a celebrity tie-in. “This isn’t trend-chasing, it’s transformation,” they said. “Rohit joining the journey after experiencing the product first-hand adds authenticity and momentum to a format that’s set to change how India approaches self-care.”

    Each Bigme patch is formulated with targeted functional ingredients by experts in nutraceuticals and wellness, designed for specific needs: calming anxiety, boosting energy, aiding post-workout recovery, supporting hormonal balance, and improving sleep.

    With no pills, no powders, no guesswork, Bigme aims to make wellness minimal, effective, and mobile like slapping on a solution and moving on with your day.

    As of now, Bigme’s transdermal patches are live and available online, marking the beginning of what could be a major mindset shift in India’s Rs 50,000 crore plus wellness market. This isn’t just a supplement. It’s self-care, simplified and wearable.
     

  • Comscore gets social to boost global media reach across nine new markets

    Comscore gets social to boost global media reach across nine new markets

    MUMBAI: Audience measurement just got a serious glow-up. Comscore, the NASDAQ-listed media analytics firm, is now tracking social reach as part of its global MMX platform suite adding nine new international markets to its existing lineup. The latest expansion brings Chile, Colombia, Peru, Germany, Ireland, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia into the fold, allowing for a deduplicated view of audiences across desktop, mobile and now, social media.

    With this move, Comscore’s Social Incremental enhancement is poised to change the measurement game for brands and publishers, offering a sharper lens on total digital reach, a boon for campaign optimisation, cross-platform planning, and unlocking real value from social audiences.

    Already available in 10 other countries including India, the US, UK, and Brazil, this expanded rollout means that publishers and advertisers can now track true audience overlap, total combined reach, and platform-specific lift with unprecedented precision.

    “Having Comscore’s unified view of audiences across all platforms, including social, is incredibly powerful,” said Future senior director of marketing Vic Chappell. “It’s essential not just for transparency, but for unlocking value in our advertiser partnerships.”

    Social media isn’t just getting its due, it’s becoming a cornerstone. As Sandra Prosperi of Hearst Spain put it, “Social media is essential for building brand relationships. Now we can show total reach that includes social, an absolute must for global campaigns.”

    Comscore’s secret sauce? A proprietary digital panel at scale, which powers its Social Incremental methodology privacy-first, deduplicated, and engineered for action. According to Comscore EVP international Alejandro Fosk the innovation “efficiently organises data with precision and uncovers interconnections across platforms. This is not just audience tracking. This is audience intelligence.”

    The update will also reflect in Comscore’s Digital Industry Rankings, provided entities have activated full measurement now with social baked in.

    With attention spans fleeting and platforms multiplying, Comscore’s new move might just be the clearest signal yet: in the race for reach, you can’t afford to leave social on the sidelines.

     

  • PW adds more force to its formula with Satish Sharma as new CMO

    PW adds more force to its formula with Satish Sharma as new CMO

    MUMBAI: It’s not rocket science, it’s marketing. And Physicswallah just found the right mind to lead the charge. In a move to amplify its brand and deepen its market resonance, India’s edtech powerhouse has appointed Satish Sharma as its new chief marketing officer (CMO). Sharma, a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience, has donned many hats entrepreneur, brand strategist, and tech transformation expert. Most recently, he co-founded Unyscape, a global marketing and analytics firm, where he served as both COO and CMO. Prior to that, he held formative roles at IBM and Tata Steel, adding operational muscle to his marketing brain.

    A graduate of IIT Varanasi, Satish now steps into Physicswallah (PW) at a time when the company is doubling down on its mission to democratise education across India and beyond. With offerings spanning test prep, skilling, higher education, and study abroad, PW is evolving rapidly and it needs marketing leadership to match its ambition.

    “The brand’s attempt at making education accessible to those who wish to learn deeply resonates with me,” Sharma said. “I look forward to amplifying the impact with authenticity and empathy.”

    PW’s Founder and CEO, Alakh Pandey, echoed the sentiment: “Satish brings a rare mix of strategic clarity and operational excellence. As we enter the next chapter of growth, his experience will be invaluable in building a brand learners trust and love.”

    With Sharma in the cockpit, Physicswallah is clearly gearing up to accelerate its brand journey powered not just by formulas and facts, but by focus and finesse.

  • Subhojit Roy joins Sony Pictures Networks India as VP, ad sales

    Subhojit Roy joins Sony Pictures Networks India as VP, ad sales

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has appointed Subhojit Roy as vice president, ad sales, strengthening its leadership ranks as it seeks to sharpen its commercial edge in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

    Roy brings with him over 14 years of experience in media and technology sales, having previously held senior roles at TV Today, ABP Network, Viacom18, Zee Studios and Reliance Broadcast Network. Most recently, he served as vice president, sales and strategy at TV Today, where he led monetisation efforts across broadcast and digital verticals.

    An alumnus of ICFAI University and IIM Ahmedabad, Roy has been a driving force behind branded content monetisation, revenue expansion through original IPs, and advertiser-led partnerships. His career spans stints in digital, broadcast, OTT and even government-tech interface sales, underscoring his deep understanding of both legacy and emerging revenue streams.

    At Sony Pictures Networks, Roy is expected to helm advertising strategy across the network’s diverse portfolio, bringing a data-driven approach to branded content, inventory optimisation, and advertiser solutions. His appointment comes at a time when broadcasters are grappling with shrinking linear margins and the urgent need to futureproof monetisation models through digital convergence.

    In his own words, Roy believes, “Almost every industry is getting massively disrupted by the combination of tech and media. Embrace it and empower your people.”