ITV

Category: Press Release

  • 4 ink strategic partnership

    4 ink strategic partnership

    MUMBAI: Merkle Sokrati, the leading data-driven performance marketing agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN), has inked a strategic partnership deal with TikTok – world’s leading short-video creation platform, for India.

    Given the platform’s popularity and content diversity, brands today are regularly planning and implementing their marketing campaigns on TikTok India. This partnership further strengthens the ability of clients to connect with users on TikTok.

    Under this partnership, TikTok India and Merkle Sokrati will develop the best practices emerging from high impact digital marketing campaigns for Indian brands. The partnership will also assess various measurement features that add value to brands and will be implemented for Merkle Sokrati’s clients across industries.

    TikTok India monetization vice president Sameer Singh said, "TikTok as a platform has championed the art of creative content marketing with unique ad formats that effectively drive engagement. The platform’s immersive short-form videos also allow brands to express their content and voice creatively. We value partnerships such as the one with Merkle Sokrati and are sure that this will further accelerate client benefits.”

    Merkle Sokrati CEO Anubhav Sonthalia  added, “Digital media continues to evolve into a myriad web of features and ad formats. Based on our decade-long experience in helping brands get strong ROIs on their spends, I strongly believe that understanding and reacting to your audiences is extremely crucial, irrespective of the digital channel. TikTok is a phenomenally engaging platform. It is a definite opportunity to gain visibility and revenue and this is where our potential as a marketing agency lies.  I am excited to see the results driven by our teams with our client partners such as Dunzo, PharmEasy, Tata Sky and more.”

  • Actor Vijay Deverakonda’s fashion brand ‘Rowdy Wear’, to be launched on Myntra

    Actor Vijay Deverakonda’s fashion brand ‘Rowdy Wear’, to be launched on Myntra

    MUMBAI: Rowdy Wear, the first ever celebrity fashion brand to originate from the Telugu states and owned by actor Vijay Deverakonda, announces its launch on Myntra today. Rowdy Wear was born in 2018 and personifies the rebel attitude and style of the actor and is an expression of a person’s rebellious self. The brand’s merchandise, comprising apparel for men, women and children, including accessories and footwear, will be available on Myntra from February 12, 2020.

    True to its theme, Rowdy Wear is a streetwear brand that blends fashion, comfort, and confidence to uphold the spirit of achievement in an individual. The brand offers contemporary street fashion at affordable prices, mainly targeting students and the younger generation. The Rowdy Wear collection has been designed with extreme care to ensure the durability and sustainability of each product. The brand’s streetwear range includes shirts, tees, sweatshirts, kurtas, jackets, hoodies, joggers, sneakers, caps, belts and more, at a pocket-friendly price range of Rupees 790 – 1990.

    The brand has witnessed a strong uptake with Vijay’s massive fan-following, especially in south-India and has so far been accessible largely through the Rowdy Wear App. The partnership with Myntra is set to enhance its reach nationally, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities and towns across the country, where the company has a strong presence.

    The association was announced today at a Sundowner Party in Hyderabad, hosted by Vijay for his Rowdy fans and has been his chosen method to often engage and surprise fans. Present at the event were, Amar Nagaram, Head, Myntra Jabong and Vijay himself.

    Speaking on the association, actor Vijay Deverakonda, said, “Rowdy Wear is clearly an extension of my personality, it brings with it the attitude to express who you really are and questions conventional thoughts and processes with comfort, in street style. I believe this attitude is now entrenched in a majority of the youth in this nation and would like to aid them with the right fashion sense that further enhances their spirit. In order to achieve this, we have partnered with Myntra that will enable us reach far and wide. 

    Amar Nagaram, Head, Myntra Jabong, said, “Films have come a long way in guiding our sense of fashion and continues to influence our style and attitude. Celebrities play an important role as fashion idols, both on and off screens and their massive fan-following often helps shape the market. Streetwear as a concept is becoming extremely popular and we are thrilled to on-board Rowdy Wear and deliver its attitude and merchandise to Vijay Deverakonda’s fans across the country.”

  • &flix brings World Television Premiere of ‘Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood’ on 16 Feb

    &flix brings World Television Premiere of ‘Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood’ on 16 Feb

    MUMBAI: ‘In this town, it can all change…like that.’ That’s how the celebrated filmmaker Quentin Tarantino introduces his 9th and penultimate masterpiece – ‘Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood.’ With a star-studded cast and legendary pairing of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, the film is surely no ordinary affair! Taking viewers on a time capsule, &flix, the destination for the biggest Hollywood hits, gives fans a chance to leap into the golden days with the Flix First World Television Premiere of the biggest and most-awarded blockbuster of the year on Sunday, February 16, 2020, at 1PM, 7PM and 9PM. Available with the Zee Prime English Pack, the channel enables fans to relive the magic of Tarantino’s magnum opus on television, before the US! The film also airs as a part of Club Privé this Sunday, February 16, 2020, at 1PM and 9PM on &PrivéHD and at 2PM on Zee Café.

    Winner of 3 Golden Globe Awards and nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture, the film opens the doorways to Hollywood of the 60s where things are at the brink of a change. The story revolves around a fading TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his long-time stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) who make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. Tensions are rife as Rick needs to make a difficult decision while things are hunky-dory with his famous next-door neighbours Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha) and Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). But it’s not all rainbows and sunshine as their lives entangle unfolding intense drama, action and crime with the movie culminating into one exhilarating climax.

    Will Hollywood ever be the same? Only one way to find out!

  • Lavazza India celebrates Valentine’s Week by introducing an interesting project to spread the love for coffee

    Lavazza India celebrates Valentine’s Week by introducing an interesting project to spread the love for coffee

    MUMBAI: Lavazza, the Italian brand that is among the world’s leading roasters, kickstarted the Valentine’s Week celebrations on 11th February 2020. With the objective of spreading some love for coffee, Lavazza India has curated a project which includes exclusive training sessions and a survey to gather interesting insights around coffee drinking habits among the Indian millennial and Gen-Z population.

    The workshop was conducted by expert Lavazza trainers and it involved coffee enthusiasts and the media across three main cities including Bengaluru, New Delhi and Kolkata. The aim of each was to educate coffee lovers on the cup of ‘café latte’. The two-hour workshop provided information on the origin of latte and the processes involved in order to brew and consume latte in the right way. The event also included a fun latte art corner installed, where hosts learnt precious techniques to create the perfect milk foaming and tried out Valentine’s Day inspired latte art designs.

    The objective of the survey ‘Brewing Conversations’ consists in finding out what coffee represents for consumers: whether coffee is a motivator – an agent that becomes the reason for a conversation, or a companion – a source of comfort or of energy which can accompany you along a conversation. This survey is built to understand how millennials and Gen-Z relate to coffee in their daily relationships and lives.

    “Coffee has always been a drink which brings people together; it goes beyond being just a beverage, it is a connector. Our initiative aims to create the same feeling by bringing coffee lovers under the same roof to celebrate and reflect on the power of coffee in our lives. Although we consume coffee every day, not many of us give a thought on what it takes to brew one perfect cup of coffee or the difference between a cappuccino or a latte. With this project, Lavazza aims to spread the love out for a perfect cup of coffee”, commented Rachna Anbumani, Vice-President, Marketing – Lavazza India.

    Lavazza has always attempted to take its customers beyond a cup of cappuccino and introduce them to new variants of coffee from across the world; especially with India’s millennial population embracing the new wave of coffee in a predominantly chai-obsessed nation, Lavazza’s intention is to instill knowledge and passion towards making barista-style coffee at home.

  • Zee Telugu to air ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on 16 Feb

    Zee Telugu to air ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on 16 Feb

    MUMBAI: It’s that time of year when romance is in the air. The anxiously awaited Valentine’s Day dawns once again to evoke romantic sentiments and help strengthen the bond of love. To celebrate love, the leading channel in the Telugu states, Zee Telugu brings a refreshing and entertaining show ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on Sunday, 16th February at 6 PM only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD! Playing cupid, the channel intends to get viewers acquainted with the different faces of love.

    A magnificent affair with the presence of several celebrities such as Pradeep Machiraju, Roll Rida, Venkat Sriram, Akarsh Byramudi, Pranavi Manukonda, Pooja Moorthy, Kalki Raja and many others. Zee Telugu’s viewers’ all-time favorite couple, VJ Sunny and Meghna Lokesh hosted a show for the first time. Audiences can cheer to the tunes of the romantic performance by Meghna and VJ Sunny on ‘Butta Bomma’ and ‘Mind Block’ from ‘Ala Vaikuntapuramlo’ and ‘Sarileru Neekevvaru’ movies. Also, the ardent fans of VJ Sunny can enjoy seeing him singing for the first time in an event. Pratap Abhi and Anusha Hegde shares their love story and Abhi surprises his lady love by singing ‘Vennalave Vennalave’ from ‘Merupu Kalalu’.

    The jamboree includes most desirable man of Telugu states, Pradeep Machiraju as a special guest for the momentous show and he was welcomed by an exceptional performance of Akarsh Byramudi and Aishwarya on ‘Neeli Neeli Akasham’ from his debut film as hero ’30 Rojullo Preminchadam Ela’.

    Celebrate the feeling of love and being loved with Prema Entha Madhuram’s Venkat Sriram and Varsha HK, Trinayini’s Aashika Gopal Padukone and Chandu Gowda, Thoorpu Padamara’s Yamini, Jaya Kavi, Pranay and Vinay.

    So, cuddle up this Valentine’s day and warm your hearts with ‘Padi Padi Leche Manasu’ on February 16th at 6 PM, only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD!

  • Interra Systems Simplifies Video Caption Creation With Machine Learning-Based QC Solution

    Interra Systems Simplifies Video Caption Creation With Machine Learning-Based QC Solution

    CUPERTINO: Interra Systems, a leading global provider of software products and solutions to the digital media industry, today announced BATON Captions, a new addition to its BATON platform. Leveraging cutting-edge machine learning (ML) and automatic speech recognition technology, BATON Captions brings simplicity and cost savings to the creation, management, and delivery of captions for traditional TV and video streaming. BATON Captions allows broadcasters and other media professionals to address all of their captioning needs, from caption generation to QC, auto corrections, review, and editing.

    Keeping in mind the high volumes of content being generated and distributed today, a defining feature of BATON Captions is that it offers industry-leading performance. Utilizing the high-performance solution, media companies can dramatically expedite the caption creation and verification processes for both live and VOD content.

    "Captions have long been mandated by all major broadcasters, and now with the rise in global consumption of online content, captions and subtitles represent an amazing opportunity for television viewers to watch and comprehend foreign-language content with ease. However, captions can be tedious and expensive to produce. Also, when transitional issues happen throughout the file-based workflow, the delivery of captions becomes more complex," said Anupama Anantharaman, vice president, product management at Interra Systems. "BATON Captions leverages our industry-proven expertise in captions and subtitles QC to simplify this process and improve workflow efficiency. Using this solution, broadcasters and media companies can ensure that when content is delivered in multiple video quality levels within OTT video streams, the captions maintain a high quality."

    BATON Captions reports on any drop or inaccuracy in captions and audio, as well as compliance issues, providing broadcasters with automated options for correcting alignment, text, and spelling mistakes. Captions can be checked against actual audio essence, corrected, and exported to any industry-supported caption format. Through auto time stamping with state-of-the-art speech recognition technology, BATON Captions adds accurate time to dialogs in scripts, resulting in faster, more efficient caption generation.

    Through web-services-based API support, BATON Captions can easily be integrated with third-party tools. Broadcasters have the option of deploying the captioning solution on premises or in the cloud for added flexibility. The application comes with a feature-rich review and editing platform with frame-accurate playback options. Offering support for a host of subtitle and closed caption formats, BATON Captions helps drive globalization of content for broadcasters and other media professionals.

    Interra Systems will demonstrate its new BATON Captions solution at the 2020 NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas, booth SU5510. More information about Interra Systems solutions can be found at www.interrasystems.com.

  • India Today Group-Axis-My-India Exit Poll Hits Bull’s Eye in the Delhi Assembly Elections

    India Today Group-Axis-My-India Exit Poll Hits Bull’s Eye in the Delhi Assembly Elections

    NEW DELHI:  When India Today predicts election results, the country can rest assured that it has seen what others have missed.

    The India Today-Axis-My-India poll anticipated the AamAadmi Party's sweep in the February 8 vote, giving it between 59 and 68 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly. Its nearest rival, the BJP and its allies, were projected to get two to eleven seats and the Congress none.

    By Tuesday evening, the predictions turned out to be exceptionally accurate, with the AAP securing 62, the BJP around 8 and the Congress knocked out for a duck at time of writing.

    Once again, the India Today-Axis-My-India exit poll has delivered the most accurate picture of elections in the world's largest democracy.

    No other media outlet could forecast the results with as much precision.

    GOING BEYOND NUMBERS

    The India Today-Axis-My-India exit polls are meticulously accurate because the surveys go beyond the numbers.

    In Delhi, for instance, the pollsters measured voting behaviours, preferences and predispositions of the city's diverse demography.

    Like a thorough statistical exercise, the survey delved deeper into the voters' educational background, economic conditions, work, age-groups, caste, and religious affiliations.

    The same model was adopted in every exit poll — and the predictions have been astoundingly correct.

    Kalli Purie, Vice Chairperson, INDIA TODAY Group said, " Everytime we get a poll right the stakes get higher. This was our 5th poll bang on. The trust put in us by our viewers is a big responsibility and makes us work harder (and gives us many sleepless nights!). People keep asking me what's the secret sauce that even your bitterest competitor quote and copy your poll. The answer is simple. We wear glasses with no colour when we look at data. Data is always neutral. The partnership of the best data input from Axis and serious ground reporting from our team before every election has made this incredible feat possible. Having an unparalleled platform with the combined muscle of broadcast, digital and social also helps a little‼

    THE EARLER POLLS THAT THE INDIA TODAY AXIS MY INDIA GOT RIGHT

    JHARKHAND FORECAST

    The India Today-Axis-My-India exit poll forecast the fall of the BJP in Jharkhand, giving it 22-32 constituencies in the 81-seat state Assembly. The opposition alliance comprising the JMM, the Congress and the RJD were projected to secure 38 to 50 seats.

    The actual results were no different. The BJP won 25 and the opposition alliance 47 seats.
     
    HARYANA, MAHARASHTRA FORECAST

    In Haryana, the India Today-Axis-My-India forecast 32-44 for the ruling BJP. The survey foresaw the Congress ranks swelling in the range of 30-42 seats.

    The actual results delivered 40 seats to the BJP and 31 to the Congress.

    In Maharashtra, the BJP and the Shiv Sena, then in a pre-election alliance, together secured 161 seats, and the NCP-Congress 98, as predicted in the India Today-Axis-My-India exit poll.

    The Sena and the NCP-Congress eventually stitched a new alliance together to form the state government.

    INCREDIBLE TRACK RECORD

    Of all the elections that took place in India between 2013 and 2020 to date, India Today-Axis My India post-poll surveys have given the most accurate predictions in 95 per cent of the cases.

    Since 2013, Axis My India has conducted 40 post-poll surveys, of which 38 have been spot on. Since their association with India Today in 2016, the pollsters have predicted 35 elections, of which 33 turned out to be accurate.

    Conducting the largest exit poll for the world's largest democracy the 2019 general elections, the India Today-Axis My India exit poll, for instance, predicted 339-365 seats for the BJP-led NDA and 77-108 seats for the UPA in the new Lok Sabha. In actual results, the NDA got 352 and the UPA 92 seats in the lower house of parliament.

    Axis-My-India chief Pradeep Gupta attributes his successful predictions to team work and scientific monitoring of voter behaviour. "We follow international best practices. Our methodology is highly refined that helps us eliminate margins of error," he explained. "Our sampling is the most demographically and politically representative in any given election. There's zero tolerance for any compromise on quality. That's perhaps the reason why the Harvard Business School is doing a case study on Axis-My-India for the GE 2019 predictions."

  • This Valentine’s Day, Zee English cluster celebrates love in all its hues with three special binges!

    This Valentine’s Day, Zee English cluster celebrates love in all its hues with three special binges!

    MUMBAI: To love is to live! Nothing compares to the warm and fuzzy feeling you experience when you share a moment with your loved one. Be it an infant with the mother, a dog with his master or even a friend from miles away – love truly comes in all shapes and sizes. This Valentine’s Day, Zee English Cluster celebrates the emotion that needs to language and the feeling that makes the world go round with a special line-up of blockbuster movies curated for the day! No matter who your Valentine is, Zee English cluster has got you covered as Zee Café, &flix and &PrivéHD are each set to present a day-long binge on February 14, 2020.

    Ever wondered how a man can befriend a robot? What would you do if countless innocent lives were in the hands of a fellow passenger and you? Can two robots develop an unspoken connection? Rediscover a new meaning to love and witness the power of an unbreakable bond as &flix brings a collection of top-rated Hollywood hits with ‘The Things You Do For Love’. The day-long binge starting 9 AM, includes the biggest and most-acclaimed movies such as the IMDB 8.4-rated ‘Wall-E’, the IMDB 7.6-rated ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’, the IMDB 7-rated ‘Passengers’ and the sci-fi delight A-X-L among others.

    Adding a dash of romance to the day is the exciting line-up of Valentine’s Day special movies on Zee Café. Hangout with your loved ones and spend the day reminiscing the memories that make you smile with a slew of the most exciting movies on the channel. From romance and comedy to drama and animated-adventure, the Valentine’s Day binge includes a happy mix of movies that are sure to set the tone for the day. The titles include Academy Award-winning movies such as ‘Ratatouille’ and ‘Slumdog Millionnaire’ along with celebrated rom-coms like ‘How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days’, ‘She Is Out Of My’ and ‘League Playing It Cool’, 8 AM onwards.

    What’s more? &PrivéHD, the premium destination of nuanced cinema, is set to turn hearts to mush as it encourages viewers to feel the love, all day long with heart-warming movies as part of ‘Love All Day’ starting 9AM onwards. The line-up includes tales that explore the unconventional and unravel the other side of love, obsession and infatuation with titles such as ‘Juliet, Naked’, ‘The New Romantic’, ‘The Seagull’ among others.

  • Celebrate Love at First Flight this Valentine’s Day with EaseMyTrip

    Celebrate Love at First Flight this Valentine’s Day with EaseMyTrip

    MUMBAI: Easy Trip Planners Limited (“EaseMyTrip”) has come up with exciting offers & discounts especially for the upcoming Valentine’s Day. The company is offering exclusive deals on various international airlines on airline tickets and discounts on other travel products which will continue till 14th February, 2020.

    This sale is brought-in to provide a breather to the love birds as well as customers planning spring vacations. Under this campaign, customers can avail a flat 8% discount on flight bookings (up to Rs. 1500 off on domestic and up to Rs. 5,000 off on international flights), 30% off on hotel bookings (maximum discount is Rs. 5000) and 15% off on bus bookings (maximum discount is Rs.250).

    Kotak Bank and ICICI Bank are the banking partners of EaseMyTrip for the successful completion of this campaign. Customers just need to make their bookings using promo code: EMTVALENTINE to avail the bouquet of offers under this sale. Turkish Airlines, Air Astana, Malindo Air, American Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines are also participating in this campaign with special discounts.

    The sale will continue till 14th February and will be accessible through EaseMyTrip's website, Mobile site, Android & iOS App. The benefits of the offer can be enjoyed as instant discount as well as cash back by applying the coupon code.

    So, if you are looking to make this 14th all the more lovable, book a trip from EaseMyTrip.

  • Zee Cinema to air World Television Premiere of ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ this Valentine’s Day

    Zee Cinema to air World Television Premiere of ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ this Valentine’s Day

    It is often said that ‘there is no right time and place for love, it can happen anytime, anywhere’! With this thought at its core, the romantic drama ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ celebrates limitless love. Stated to be Sunny Deol’s third directorial venture, the movie narrates a love story that strives to understand the emotion and essence of a first-time romance, with all its innocence, doubts and complexities. Bringing to life this story are the captivating debutants i.e. Deol Scion – Karan Deol along with the charming Sahher Bambba in the lead. 

    This Valentine’s Day, 14 February experience the escapade of love with the World Television Premiere of the biggest love story ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ at 8 pm only on Zee Cinema.

    Along with quintessential love story, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas has a holistic music album comprising of fun and heart-warming tracks. The title track ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ that is a rendition of Dharmendra ji’s old song successfully struck a chord with the audience with its soul-stirring lyrics. Making the soundtrack more interesting is the debutante Karan Deol’s rap in the song ‘Aadha Bhi Zyaada’.

    Also, giving an ode to the carefree life are the peppy songs ‘Ho Jaa Awara’ & ‘Ishaq Chaliya’ that gets you hooked at the very first go.

    Commenting on the title of his debut film and its importance, Karan Deol said, “I am a die-hard romantic and starting my acting career with a romantic film is ideal. Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas was one of my grandfather’s iconic songs and the film is a tribute to the evergreen song. Hence it is not only special but is also something I am very proud to be associated with. He had told me once, that acting is technically reacting and reciprocating to actions and I should not complicate it. I intend on keeping these pearls of wisdom in mind going forward as well. While the movie is a love story, it also has an action aspect to it, which is unveiled as the film progresses. To sum it up, the film is about external factors which influence the love of the couple and try to stop the romance from blossoming. With the movie all set to premiere on Zee Cinema, I just hope that people will see my work and appreciate the efforts I have put in.”

    Commenting on his grandson’s debut film, the proud grandfather Dharmendra Ji says, “It was an emotional moment for me when I got to know my grandson decided to join the industry and continue our family legacy. I remember telling him to be a good observer as life is beautiful struggle. It is also very important for an actor to be like a sponge, absorbing and learning new things because this is a very unpredictable industry. When the film was about to release, I had the same jitters as if it was my own film releasing but at the same time, I was also excited. And, Karan did make all of us proud. I wish him all the luck and whoever has missed this film in the theatres do catch the World Television Premiere on 14 th February only on Zee Cinema.”

    Actor turned director Sunny Deol commented, “Although this film wasn’t my first stint as a director, it gave me a feeling like no other film has. I was launching my son and directing his debut film, so there was nervousness but more than that my excitement had no bounds. Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas is an innocent love story that captures the raw emotions of lovers and our intention while making the film was to capture this very vulnerable emotion. Last year we released the first poster of the movie on 14 February and this year the movie is premiering on television on Valentine’s Day. So, do catch the movie on 14 th February only on Zee Cinema to witness this captivating love story.”

    Set against picturesque mountains of Himachal Pradesh, the movie revolves around the life of Karan Sehgal (Karan Deol), a mountaineer who runs a trekking camp, Ujhi Dhaar. On the other hand, Saher Sethi (Sahher Bambba), is a hard-to-please video blogger who enrolls with Karan’s company for a trek with the intention of exposing the overpriced trek. Over the course of one week, the two who are poles apart sail through adverse conditions during the trek, share emotional outbursts and form a connection. While both are attracted to each other, they don’t realize it until they bid each other goodbye post the trek. However, their contrasting backgrounds come to the forefront which influences their love story.