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Category: News Headline

  • Brand sewa takes the wheel at Rath Yatra with Rs 50 crore ride to recall

    Brand sewa takes the wheel at Rath Yatra with Rs 50 crore ride to recall

    MUMBAI: This Rath Yatra, brands aren’t just showing up, they’re showing up with purpose. From shaded rest zones to multilingual helpdesks and hydration kiosks, the 2025 Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is seeing a holy union of devotion and disruption as advertisers swap billboards for bio toilets, prasad delivery and public service. Spearheading this transformation is Chaaipani, which has clinched exclusive brand integration and activation rights for the Yatra in collaboration with the Puri District Administration. The result? An expected brand value generation of over Rs 50 crore this year, with projections soaring to Rs 200 crore in the coming years as brands discover the power of service-led participation.

    Over 15 million pilgrims are expected to visit the coastal town this year, creating a diverse and emotionally charged audience base that spans geographies, age groups, and spiritual leanings. “We’re not placing logos, we’re placing help,” said Chaaipani founder Shruti Chaturvedi. “This is not about advertising; it’s about alignment with culture, with service, with the real needs of real people.”

    The shift is not just symbolic. Brand interventions ranging from real-time digital updates via the Jagannath Dham app, pan-India prasad delivery, and hygiene-focused installations are all vetted for cultural sensitivity and operational relevance in partnership with local authorities.

    Puri District collector Siddharth Shankar Swain (IAS) called the move a “sacred duty of seva”, saying, “It’s heartening to see brands stepping in not as sponsors, but as sevaks. This is a collective movement of unity, care, and public service.”

    And the momentum is industry-agnostic. From FMCG to digital payments, logistics to beverages, the brands stepping in aren’t just selling, they’re serving.

    The audience is as diverse as it gets rural and urban, tech-savvy and tradition-rooted, young and old making it a unique moment where faith and footprint converge. “Commerce meets consciousness,” as Chaturvedi puts it. “And when that happens, brands earn not just mindshare but heartshare.”

    The 2025 edition of the Rath Yatra could go down not just as a spiritual high point, but also as a case study in how brands can walk the path of relevance barefoot, hand-in-hand with culture.

  • NYIFF 2025 bound ‘Little Thomas’ teaser out now

    NYIFF 2025 bound ‘Little Thomas’ teaser out now

    MUMBAI: As anticipation builds around its world premiere at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) 2025, Little Thomas, the upcoming heartwarming children’s film starring Rasika Dugal, Gulshan Devaiah and Hridansh Parekh launched its official teaser on Sunday.

    Little Thomas earned three nominations at NYIFF 2025 – including Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Debut Film, marking it a standout film in this year’s lineup.

    Slated to be the closing film at NYIFF (20-22 June), Little Thomas offers a tender, nostalgic tale set in 1990s Goa. The story follows seven-year-old Thomas, a young boy on a heartfelt mission to reunite his estranged parents to have a little brother. Backed by Anurag Kashyap, the film marks a refreshing turn in the filmmaker’s career, embracing themes of innocence, curiosity, and emotional resilience.

    Directed by Kaushal Oza, the film’s newly released teaser gives audiences a glimpse into the warm storytelling, vibrant visuals, and moving performances that await.

    The film is jointly produced by Luminoso Pictures, Civic Studios, Good Bad Films, and Flip Films.

  • Blunt turns up the volume with ‘Soundwave Series’

    Blunt turns up the volume with ‘Soundwave Series’

    MUMBAI: Blunt, the unapologetically wild audio brand from Go5 Incorporation, has just dropped a bombshell — the Soundwave Series, a rebellious line of four Bluetooth speakers priced under Rs 2,000. Designed for millennials who live loud and play louder, these punchy little powerhouses mix head-turning design with unfiltered, hard-hitting sound.

    No polite beeps or pastel plastic here. Each speaker in the Soundwave lineup is in a mood — edgy, rugged, and ready for rooftop parties, house hangs, or sandy beach takeovers. Lightweight and water-resistant, they’re built for chaos, not coddling.

    Backed by Bluetooth 5.4 for glitch-free streaming and boasting serious battery muscle, the Soundwave Series promises to keep up with your longest playlists and wildest nights. Expect crisp highs, bass that thumps like a heartbeat, and a soundstage that slaps.

    Go5 Incorporation founder Puneet Gulati shared his vision, “Blunt is born to break the rules, not follow them. After shaking things up with TecSox and TecMarx, we created Blunt for millennials who live unfiltered and unapologetic. Blunt is unleashing the Soundwave Series, a fierce debut of four unique speakers. They’re for the bold, the gritty, the ones who turn the volume up and never back down. With Blunt, your sound is your statement.”

    The Soundwave Series is the brainchild of Ritesh Baheti, Blunt’s 27-year-old general manager and resident product punk. It reflects his millennial-first vision: authentic, high-impact tech that makes a statement without blowing up your bank balance.

    If your vibe is volume and your life plays at full blast, the Soundwave Series isn’t just a speaker — it’s your soundtrack.

  • TVS Ronin teams up with TBWAIndia to master #TheArtOfProtection

    TVS Ronin teams up with TBWAIndia to master #TheArtOfProtection

    MUMBAI: TVS Ronin is blending tradition with throttle in its latest campaign, “The Art of Protection”. Teaming up with TBWAIndia, the brand has launched a limited-edition helmet collection to mark World Art Day — where the brush meets the brake and heritage meets headgear.

    Inspired by Indian folk art styles like Warli, Madhubani, Gond and Pattachitra, the helmets aren’t just about saving lives, but saving legacies. Each piece is a hand-painted ode to India’s cultural wealth — a moving mural on two wheels.

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by TVS Ronin (@tvsronin)

     

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by TVS Ronin (@tvsronin)

     

    Adding to this, TVS Motor Company head business – premium, Vimal Sumbly shared, “TVS RONIN has always been about enabling riders to express their unique personalities. ‘The Art of Protection’ is a powerful manifestation of this philosophy — an initiative that not only safeguards our riders but also carries forward India’s incredible artistic heritage.”

    TBWAIndia creative head – South, Rathish Subramaniam commented, “India’s cultural richness deserves more than preservation; it demands celebration. This campaign captures just that spirit through the raw, #Unscripted lens of the TVS RONIN.”

    The initiative tackles two problems head-on: the casual disregard for helmet use among riders, and the fading visibility of India’s traditional art forms. The result? A campaign that’s part PSA, part gallery on the go.

    The numbers back the buzz: a 3.6 per cent engagement rate, eight per cent bump in Instagram followers, and over 75,000 page visits in just a week. With audiences asking for more, TVS is already shifting gears towards a phase two. Art never looked so fast.

  • Sony Sports Network gears up for epic India-England showdown

    Sony Sports Network gears up for epic India-England showdown

    MUMBAI: Sony Sports Network is swinging for the fences this summer with its all-out broadcast of the India tour of England, starting 20 June 2025. With a refreshed Indian side stepping into the cauldron of English conditions and legends in the commentary box, the five-Test series promises fireworks on and off the pitch.

    From Headingley to The Oval, all five matches will be broadcast live across Sony Sports Ten channels, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Whether you’re a cricket purist or a casual fan, there’s something in store—served up with regional flavour and expert insight.

    Bringing the heat off the field is Sony’s formidable Extraaa Innings panel, featuring a who’s who of cricket royalty. In English, viewers can expect sharp analysis from Sunil Gavaskar, Cheteshwar Pujara, Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton, Harsha Bhogle, and Sanjana Ganesan. Hindi viewers will be bowled over by Ajay Jadeja, Irfan Pathan, Ashish Nehra, Saba Karim, RP Singh, and more.

    Regional commentary comes courtesy of  Tamil and Telugu stalwarts like Hemang Badani,Bharat Arun, WV Raman,Venkatapathy Raju, and Rakesh Deva, ensuring cricket lovers from Chennai to Hyderabad get front-row seats in their mother tongue.

    With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli recently retired, a new generation led by Shubman Gill will carry India’s hopes. The historical odds aren’t in their favour—India has only won three Test series in England, in 1971, 1986 and 2007, each under a new skipper. But the signs are there for another fairytale run.

    It’s youth vs experience, tradition vs transition—and Sony Sports Network is pulling out all the stops to bring every ball, byte, and boundary to fans across the country. Game on.

  • Future shock and awe as students go full Steam ahead at Innovation Day

    Future shock and awe as students go full Steam ahead at Innovation Day

    MUMBAI: Who says teens only use tech to scroll? At Capgemini India’s Hyderabad innovation lab, students from Birla Open Minds International School proved otherwise flying drones, building robots, and pitching AI solutions to real-world problems at full throttle. Hosted in partnership with SkillShark EduTech, Innovation Day was the grand finale of a 14-day Certified Internship Program that introduced Grades 9–12 students to emerging fields like mechatronics, AI and sensor tech. Held at Capgemini’s Applied Innovation Exchange (AIE), the event blended brainpower with bold ideas and not a textbook in sight.

    Twelve standout students presented Proof of Concept (POC) projects ranging from a Disaster Response Drone and a Mental Health Monitoring Robot, to an AI-powered Time Companion App. These weren’t just science fair fluff each prototype showcased technical depth, social relevance, and a level of confidence that suggested India’s next generation of engineers may already be on the assembly line.

    “At Birla Open Minds, we believe students need real tools to build real futures,” said Hyderabad school Principal Syamali Chowdhury. “Innovation Day helps them connect the dots between concepts and creation.”

    For Skillshark Edutech, founder Ashhar Ahmad Shaikh the goal was simple, “Bridge the gap between education and industry. We want students to see themselves not just as learners, but as creators.”

    And it worked. “In school, we only get theory. Here, we used sensors, coded AI, and designed actual tech to solve real issues,” said Ishita Adlakha, a Grade 12 student. “It made me feel like I could actually build something that matters.”

    Apart from the tech wizardry, the programme also threw in lessons on mental wellness, personal finance, and mentorship reminding students that future-readiness isn’t just about algorithms, but also empathy.

    With curiosity sparked, confidence boosted, and creativity flowing, this Innovation Day proved that when students are handed the tools of tomorrow they’ll build something better than just a future. They’ll build one worth living in.

  • News18 India takes a jab at Aaj Tak with bold print campaign in The Economic Times

    News18 India takes a jab at Aaj Tak with bold print campaign in The Economic Times

    MUMBAI: Three years is a long time to lie low, and News18 India isn’t letting its rival forget it. In a front-page ad that screams swagger, the channel took a not-so-subtle dig at competitor Aaj Tak with the line: “3 saal se gire, Aaj Tak nahi uthe”. Plastered across The Economic Times on
    10 June, the ad fired off a victory lap, underpinned by a bouquet of audience metrics.

    According to BARC (Wk 22’22–21’25, 24 hours, all days, HSM), News18 India clocked 7.88 crore average weekly AMA, decisively ahead of Aaj Tak’s 7.35 crore. The jab wasn’t just terrestrial. On YouTube, the network reported a massive 3.4 billion views, more than triple Aaj Tak’s 1.04 billion, as per May 2025 Playboard data.

    For three straight years, News18 India has claimed the top position in the Hindi news genre, especially during national events where real-time analysis and critical reportage often define trust.

    Its editorial firepower comes from a frontline of anchors including Kishore Ajwani, Amish Devgan, Rubika Liyaquat, Prateek Trivedi, and Aman Chopra. Backed by a nationwide web of reporters, the channel has kept its programming punchy, polarising when needed, but persistently on point.

    News18 India’s latest campaign doesn’t merely flaunt numbers—it sharpens them into weapons. As the digital and broadcast battlegrounds heat up, this move signals that News18 doesn’t just want to lead the race. It wants to win it with style.

     

  • Ferzad Palia takes charge of upGrad’s new D2C play to build mass skilling into a daily habit

    Ferzad Palia takes charge of upGrad’s new D2C play to build mass skilling into a daily habit

    MUMBAI: Skilling just got serious, and perhaps even a little snackable. Edtech major upGrad has roped in Ferzad Palia to lead its freshly minted direct-to-consumer (D2C) vertical as the company bets big on always-on learning to serve India’s digital-first, byte-sized learning generation.

    With a legacy in university-led programs, industry certifications and study abroad pathways, upGrad is now gearing up to make skilling a habit — not just a career intervention. The move signals the company’s next phase of growth: a high-octane, AI-fuelled ecosystem of micro-learning, personalisation, and scalable access.

    “It strengthens our mission to own the entire learning journey and turns skilling into a household habit, not just a job-switch trigger. Ferzad’s deep expertise in building high-scale, high-engagement content-driven platforms will help us unlock a wider segment – combined with tech that appeals to their fast-learning patterns”, said Upgrad co-founder & chairperson Ronnie Screwvala.

    In his new role, Palia will lead upGrad’s efforts to serve a new wave of learners seeking flexibility, speed and relevance. He brings more than 25 years of experience across consumer tech, media and advertising, most recently as senior EVP at JioStar (formerly Viacom18), where he played a pivotal role in scaling JioCinema. Before that, he spearheaded multiple divisions at Viacom18 including international distribution, youth media and the D2C business.

    Palia, who began his career at J Walter Thompson managing Unilever’s personal care portfolio, also had a stint at CNBC-TV18.

    “The opportunity to transform India’s upskilling and learning landscape at scale, is an exciting mandate. upGrad’s solid foundation and commitment to outcome-led learning provides the perfect springboard”, he said.

    With the new D2C push, upGrad is looking to turn binge-watching into binge-learning— minus the guilt, and with outcomes attached.

  • Reddit appoints first chief communications officer

    Reddit appoints first chief communications officer

    MUMBAI: Reddit has announced the appointment of Adam Collins as its inaugural chief communications officer, a strategic move to sharpen the company’s narrative as it increasingly influences the AI landscape and serves a vast global community.

    Collins brings over two decades of communications experience to his new role, reporting directly to chief executive Steve Huffman. His mandate includes overseeing all internal and external communications, guiding senior leadership, and contributing to the company’s growth trajectory. “Reddit stands at the intersection of how people connect online today and how people will engage with the technology of tomorrow,” Collins stated, expressing his enthusiasm for helping the community expand.

    Before joining Reddit, Collins served as chief communications and corporate affairs officer at Molson Coors Beverage Co for more than six years, where he played a key role in shaping company strategy. His extensive background also includes nearly two decades in political communications, with notable stints as communications director for Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago police department, and as press secretary for Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle.

    A political science graduate from the University of Louisville, Collins is a fan of subreddits such as r/nikerunclub, r/CHICubs, and r/Habs. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys his children’s sporting events, sailing, and cheering for the Chicago Cubs.

    This appointment follows the departure of Anna Soellner, who was instrumental in establishing Reddit’s communications team and served as one of the company’s longest-serving executives for nearly nine years. Soellner played a pivotal role in bolstering Reddit’s reputation and navigating its most transformative periods.

  • Blockbuster breakup as Warner Bros. Discovery plots a starry split

    Blockbuster breakup as Warner Bros. Discovery plots a starry split

    MUMBAI: When one studio door closes, another opens with a box-office bang. In a dramatic plot twist that rivals its biggest screen spectacles, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is pressing play on a two-part sequel splitting into two publicly traded companies to give each unit its moment in the spotlight. Announced today, the tax-free separation will see WBD carve out Streaming & Studios home to HBO, DC Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures and Television, and HBO Max from Global Networks, which includes CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery, and Discovery+, as well as key linear and digital assets across 200 countries and 68 languages.

    David Zaslav, WBD’s current President and CEO, will lead Streaming & Studios, while Gunnar Wiedenfels, its CFO, will take charge of Global Networks. Both will retain their existing roles during the transition.

    “This move gives us the sharper focus and agility needed to thrive in today’s fast-evolving media universe,” Zaslav said, promising a future of creative excellence and strategic flexibility. Wiedenfels added that the split will allow “each company to leverage its strengths and financial profiles,” paving the way for innovation and shareholder value.

    Streaming & Studios will combine storytelling firepower and IP goldmines think Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Batman with global platform HBO Max, which currently operates in 77 markets and plans further expansion by 2026. WBD is aiming for 3 billion dollars in annual adjusted EBITDA from this division.

    Global Networks, meanwhile, commands a massive reach of 1.1 billion viewers, with an eye on live content growth, international opportunities, and monetising digital assets like B/R and CNN’s new streaming play. The unit boasts industry-leading margins and strong free cash flow.

    A crucial detail: Global Networks will retain up to 20 per cent stake in Streaming & Studios, planned to be monetised later for balance sheet de-leveraging.

    To support the split, WBD has secured a 17.5 billion dollars bridge facility from J.P. Morgan, which it expects to refinance before separation. Tender offers and consent solicitations have also been launched to optimise its debt structure.

    The full spin-off is targeted for mid-2026, pending board approvals, market conditions, and tax clearances from the IRS. J.P. Morgan and Evercore are advising, with Kirkland & Ellis as legal counsel.

    WBD Chair Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr. framed the move as a win for shareholders: “This transaction is a great outcome, unlocking long-term value and strategic focus for two exceptional businesses.”

    The end credits may still be a year away, but WBD’s bold reboot is already setting the stage for a media double feature like no other. One company to power global fandoms, another to rule the airwaves all from the studio that gave us a century of storytelling magic.