ITV

Category: Press Release

  • Fankind’ announces the winner of their first campaign with actor Varun Dhawan

    Fankind’ announces the winner of their first campaign with actor Varun Dhawan

    MUMBAI: Anshula Kapoor’s online fundraising platform ‘Fankind’ which was launched in August has announced the winner of their first campaign with actor Varun Dhawan. Amitesh Kulkarni, a 20 year old student from Hyderabad along with his sister will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to play paintball with Varun. In addition to this, 100 lucky winners have been selected who will get Fankind merchandise.

    A unique platform, Fankind unites celebrities, fans and charities thus giving fans an opportunity to experience a fun activity with the celebrity they adore; while also supporting a noble cause.

    Through this association with Fankind, Bollywood star Varun Dhawan has helped raise funds for farmers in Maharashtra. The total amount donated through this campaign is Rs 8,95,950. The proceeds will be used to provide resources to the NGO, Manavlok Foundation. The amount raised will be used by the NGO to develop their horticulture project which will help the farmers receive drip irrigation systems and learn how to cultivate non-traditional crops which are best suited for their climate and land, thereby helping them earn an extra income.

    “I would like to thank every individual who participated in the campaign and donated for this virtuous cause. Water crisis has always been an issue in our state, Maharashtra and the worst affected are the farmers. I am elated to know that we have raised sufficient amount to support Manavlok in its endeavours for their horticulture project,” said actor Varun Dhawan in a statement. “I am excited to meet the winner of my campaign and can’t wait to play a fun game of paintball with him.”

    To participate in a Fankind campaign, fans have to donate to the cause in multiples of Rs 100 which enables them to receive entries for a chance of a lifetime to spend the day with their favourite celebrity. The winner for each experience is chosen at random by a third party.

    Speaking about the campaign, Anshula Kapoor, Founder of Fankind said, “I am thrilled to announce our first winner! Fankind aims at spreading goodwill across the country through this initiative thus, showcasing that a little support from everyone goes a long way. We are glad that through this campaign we were able to raise funds and also give one lucky fan an opportunity to play paintball with Varun. Our second campaign which is with actor Alia Bhatt just concluded and the winner of this campaign will get a chance to bake a cake with her.”

    GiveIndia, India’s most trusted online donation platform is Fankind’s philanthropy partner which will keep Fankind’s mission alive by achieving the desired goal and ensure that the donations received is directed to the right NGO thus, helping them in their endeavour. GiveIndia is responsible for keeping the entire process transparent and will also provide tax benefit certificates (80g) to the fans in order to certify the individual as an active donor with Fankind.

    Fankind’s campaign with Prajakta Koli who is supporting ‘The Banyan Foundation’ and Sonakshi Sinha who is raising funds for ‘The Little Hearts Programme’ by the Being Human foundation is currently live. People can support the cause by logging onto Fankind.org/MostlySane and Fankind.org/aslisona.

  • CenturyPly pledges pink to encourage early detection of breast cancer

    CenturyPly pledges pink to encourage early detection of breast cancer

    MUMBAI: To mark the breast cancer awareness month, CenturyLaminates, one of the largest manufacturer and provider decoratives in India from the house of CenturyPly, announced the Pink Pledge campaign to raise awareness on the prevention of breast cancer at an early stage. This initiative at CenturyLaminate's end aims to motivate women to self-examine lumps and promote the benefits of early detection.

    With approximately 1.15 million women being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and only about 50% chance of survival, early detection is significantly critical to decrease mortality rates. According to WHO, one in every 12 women is at risk of a breast abnormality. Therefore, with this campaign, CenturyLaminates is taking a conscious attempt to encourage and influence both men and women to take a pledge for the early detection of breast lumps.

    As a part of the campaign, people to click pictures while holding or wearing anything in PINK and post the same on their social media assets with the hashtag #PINKPLEDGE, tagging @centuryplyofficial and five close mates they care about to support the cause of early detection. Women to post the pictures, writing 'I take the pledge of getting self-checked for lumps', and in case of men, 'I take the pledge of getting a woman self-checked for lumps' will be the caption. This initiative aims to create a chain of posts, where the company will contribute INR 10 for every post towards the cause.

    The awareness campaign will be promoted through CPIL Website, official social media assets, and hoardings in Kolkata. CenturyPly has also associated with Radio Mirchi and Red FM to leverage the campaign by increasing conversations around it and engaging the target audience at a grass-root level.

    Breast cancer is the largest cause of cancer deaths in women today, where 90% of women in a global scale detect breast lumps accidentally and not by a conscious effort. Encouraging the well-being and women empowerment, CenturyPly, strongly feel the need to engage better with the community, and to raise awareness towards the disease in order to promote preventive measures and early detection.

  • Spread Joy this diwali with Likee’s diwali challenge & personalized stickers

    Spread Joy this diwali with Likee’s diwali challenge & personalized stickers

    MUMBAI: Likee, the pioneering global short video creation platform from Singapore based BIGO Technology has launched Diwali Gift Challenge that allows Likee users to connect with their friends in a distinctive manner. Besides, the platform has also rolled-out unique Diwali greeting stickers, employing which users can share highly personalized greetings. The users can easily play the challenge or share customized greetings on Likee as well as on other social media & messaging platforms. Popular for introducing unique social media campaigns and challenges, Likee's Diwali Gift Challenge & stickers further expands the horizon of personalized social media engagement.

    Throw the Diwali Gift Challenge at your friends – let them guess the gift!

    Besides indulging in a fun activity to know how much the friends of a user know him or her, lucky users will also stand a chance to win exciting gifts. The challenge creates a report-card of responses showing the percentage of right and wrong guesses. Higher the number of right guesses, more the chances of winning a reward. To participate in the Likee's Diwali Gift Challenge, the users must follow the steps as mentioned: 

    1. The fun begins with creating your challenge – Strategically place the name of the desired gift among other gift items. The challenge is ready.

    2. Share the challenge – Friends can be notified of the challenge in shape of a test question on different social & messaging platforms such as Facebook, Whatsapp, by sharing the challenge link prompting "What is (user name)'s favourite gift he wants to receive?"

    3. Friends can open the link to select an option and submit the answer.

     Bespoke Diwali greeting stickers

    In a bid to make Diwali special for its users, Likee has launched festive greeting stickers of varied kinds including images of god, goddesses, greeting messages and more. Users can easily merge their desired photos with the stickers and share them with their dear ones to wish Diwali in an exclusive way. Sharing attractive and animated stickers has become a new fad in the internet era; with Likee's endearing stickers, users can go a step further to make greetings highly customized that look more personal and special.  

    Available in different Indian languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam and Punjabi; Likee app provides the most extensive and innovative tools to users to create dynamic and engaging videos. Recently, Likee has also won the Guinness World Record for creating the 'Largest online video album of people waving a flag in India' during its 'No matter where I am, #IAMINDIAN' campaign.

  • HBO and HBO HD to premiere ‘Aquaman’ on October 20

    HBO and HBO HD to premiere ‘Aquaman’ on October 20

    MUMBAI:  HBO has added more sparkle to Diwali fun, the channel will air Aquaman on Sunday, 20th October, 2019 at 1pm, 5 pm and 9pm.. It also gives viewers an opportunity to bring the rush of Aquaman’s adventures home! Fans can participate in many interesting contests on HBO’s social media pages to win a super cool Aquaman figurine. Check out HBO India on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to know more!

    Trade the usual festivities for undersea adventures this Diwali! Join half-human, half-Atlantean and reluctant hero Aquaman from DC’s Extended Universe, on epic aquatic combats! Director James Wan gloriously transforms Arthur Curry into the legendary King he is meant to be, with Jason Momoa wielding the golden trident. The movie is Co-powered by Samsung Galaxy A70s, with Special Partner AJIO.com, Fashion Partner Allen Solly Jeans and Associate Sponsor Fitbit.

    The vintage comic book hero undergoes a drastic makeover! The modern Aquaman packs in muscle-flexing, affinity for beer-guzzling and a love for solitary existence. Arthur, as he is known above the seabed, battles his insouciance as he discovers his roots and confronts his Atlantean antihero half-brother, Orm aka Ocean Master. Black Manta upgrades himself to join Orm and pose another challenge for our burly hero. To save mankind from Orm’s villainy, Arthur must give up his surliness and earn the throne that awaits him! Not without some spectacular laser shootouts, luminous creatures and a dash of romance!

    Fans will get to experience this movie adaption with incredible camerawork and CGI wizardry. James Wan stirs imagination with superb underwater stunts, sea-horse riders and a savvy octopus percussionist. Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Don Burgess's contributes to the visual magic. Jason Momoa owns the titular role with roguish charm, tattoos and deft action. Amber Heard brings to life Princess Mera; fiery in both hair colour and disposition, Mera joins Aquaman on Sicilian rooftop encounters with armoured troopers. Patrick Wilson plays the formidable Ocean Master with dexterity. Nicole Kidman stays true to the role as Atlanna, Arthur’s mother, while Willem Dafoe dispenses calculated caution as counsellor Vulko.

  • Travelxp 4K HDR forays into Mexico on Totalplay

    Travelxp 4K HDR forays into Mexico on Totalplay

    MUMBAI: Commencing its presence in Latin America, world’s first 4K HDR channel Travelxp announces its latest launch in Mexico on Totalplay. Its premium travel and lifestyle shows are available to viewers on channel number 385 from October 1st, 2019. Broadening its global reach, Travelxp also partnered up with various broadcast platforms in Denmark, Slovenia, Germany and the Asia Pacific this year.

    Commenting on the Mexico launch, Prashant Chothani, CEO Travelxp, said, “Across the globe, platforms continue to add 4K HDR offerings in their line up to satisfy the growing appetite of the consumers for immersive and vivid television viewing experience. We are thrilled to partner with Totalplay, thus embarking on Travelxp 4K HDR's foray in Latin America and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship together.”

    Totalplay is also the first platform to launch 4K service in Mexico. Speaking about the launch of Travelxp 4K HDR, Hugo Adrián Hernández, Director Content Acquisition & Programming of Totalplay said, “We are excited to collaborate with Travelxp which allow us to expand our offer of exclusive and unique 4K content in Mexico.”

    The subscribers of Totalplay have complete access to Travelxp’s most popular shows from its six main categories of Destination, Lifestyle, Food, Culture, Nature and Heritage. Willie Hernandez, Managing Director and Partner of Condista International who handles the distribution salesquoted, “We are honored to be the distribution sales agent for Travelxp in Latin America. Travelxp is truly amazing and spectacular, the industry-leading 4K network is now available in our part of the world.”

    Right from backpacking destinations, beautiful beaches, luxury hotel stays to lip-smacking street food, shows on Travelxp are sure to keep the audience engaged. With a brilliant HDR quality, the channel promises a never seen before experience of pure travel-based content.

  • IAB Southeast Asia and India enter into exclusive partnership with Comexposium India to bring certified training to ad:tech Mumbai and New Delhi

    IAB Southeast Asia and India enter into exclusive partnership with Comexposium India to bring certified training to ad:tech Mumbai and New Delhi

    MUMBAI: The Interactive Advertising Bureau Southeast Asia and India (IAB SEA+India) and Comexposium India have announced their exclusive partnership in India for specialist certified Masterclasses which will feature as part of ad:tech Mumbai and ad:tech New Delhi.

    Jaswant Singh, Managing Director, Comexposium India shared: “We are very excited to partner with IAB SEA+India. When we heard that IAB Singapore  was expanding to Southeast Asia and India we wanted to collaborate immediately. This partnership elevates both our offerings and supports our mutual vision of supporting the acceleration of the digital industry in India.

    Both Comexposium India and the IAB SEA+India have experienced rapid business growth over the past four years and we understand each other and what it takes to exceed expectations year on year.”

    Miranda Dimopoulos, Regional CEO, IAB SEA+India added: “We have taken a different approach in India from other markets in the region, which is to partner with local Trade Associations.  This change is based on key learnings in market over the past 6 months including a number of workshops conducted on ground to understand what is needed in this priority market for our Members.  

    I have known Jaswant for a number of years and have complete faith that he and his team have the experience, ability and execution standards that reflect our aspirations at the IAB SEA+India.  The ad:tech events in India are best in class and incorporating our specialist certified Masterclasses is a natural fit focusing on education to complement the already high calibre conference.”

    The IAB SEA+India certified digital masterclass will be held on November 12th, 2019 and will cover the foundations of creative strategy, B2B marketing on mobile and will also include more advanced sessions on measurement for business-focused outcomes, E-commerce in India and social strategy.  

    “For these sessions we bring our top scoring speakers from our regional events as well as top notch local speakers to provide a range of perspectives” shared Laura Greally, Regional VP Education and Industry Initiatives.  “Our curated certified masterclasses are developed to complement inhouse training programmes as well as partner provided education sessions. With feedback scores of 4.8/5 we are meeting the industry needs of levelling up the skillsets of those talents already in the industry to move to the next level to continue to trail blaze in the fast paced Indian digital market.”
     

  • Berlin, Auckland and Moscow lead global mobility, Kantar study finds

    Berlin, Auckland and Moscow lead global mobility, Kantar study finds

    MUMBAI: Berlin and Aucklandare the world leaders in urban mobility, according to new analysis from Kantar’s Mobility Futures study. The German capital tops Kantar’s City Mobility index on account of its cost-effective travel and ease of access to a wide variety of public transport infrastructure and ride-sharing services. Conversely, due to limited public infrastructure, Johannesburg, Sao Paulo and Nairobi languish at the bottom of the ranking, which assesses the affordability and availability of transport options.

    The City Mobility Index Top 10

    The study, based on more than 20,000 commuter interviews across 31 cities, coupled with in-depth interviews with 53 of the world’s leading mobility experts, aims to inform urban transport planning and development around the world, and help shape business strategies for both new and existing players in the transport and mobility sector.

    Kantar also assessed the world’s greatest cities on their environmental credentials in its Green Commuter index. According to the analysis, Asian cities are leading the way in environmentally-friendly commuting with Tokyo taking the top spot, followed by Beijing and Singapore. This is driven by a low proportion of solo drivers and a high proportion of walkers, cyclists and public transport users. In Europe, London ranks as the most environmentally friendly commuter city because of its extensive rail and underground network.

    Other findings from the research include: 

    Car is still king: Despite growing environmental concerns, commuters still love their cars because of the status symbol, convenience, or often out of necessity. Globally, 39% of urban commuters drive to work alone – more than any other mode of transport. And with public transport eliciting the most negative emotional response of all transport modes, it’s no surprise that people are opting for the ease and comfort of a private vehicle. 

    Amsterdam and Copenhagen are home to the world’s “super-cyclist” commuters, ranking at no. 1 and no. 2 in Kantar’s Cycle index respectively. Beijing rounds out the top three. 

    Residents of Tokyo and Manchester are the world’s biggest walkers, with the proportion of commuters choosing to walk to work reaching 18% and 16% respectively. 

    South East Asia also leads the way in travel app usage. Residents of Mumbai and Jakarta on average use over five apps to navigate in and across their city. On Chinese mainland, the average number of apps is lower than the rest of the world, since car and bike-sharing providers have already integrated into other more widely used apps such as Baidu, Alipay and WeChat to make their offerings even more accessible.

    “The great cities of the world are exciting and energising places to live – but as populations increase, and the pace of life intensifies, urban mobility poses a growing challenge,” commented Guillaume Saint, Global Automotive & Mobility Lead at Kantar. “Our research reveals that one of the biggest challenges facing global cities today is moving commuters away from the convenience and comfort of their cars, and onto more sustainable transport options. Understanding people’s pain points and emotional response will be key to driving meaningful behavioural change. People are more likely to use modes of transport that bring a little bit of delight into their daily commute and become a lifestyle choice rather than just a way to get around. 

    Cities have much to gain from developing people-centric mobility solutions. The likes of Berlin and Auckland are earning a reputation for being a great place to live – and commute – and these cities will attract the brightest minds into the local workforce, while improving the mental and physical health of those already living there.”

    Kantar’s Mobility Futures study surveyed over 20,000 city dwellers about their current travel experiences and desired modes of transport. The full research will be available in November.

  • It’s raining Tech Deals & Discounts on ShopClues Maha Diwali Flea Mela

    It’s raining Tech Deals & Discounts on ShopClues Maha Diwali Flea Mela

    MUMBAI: ShopClues, the online shopping paradise where real Bharat shops, has turned up the heat for Diwali with its ongoing ‘Maha Diwali Mela’ that has lined up some jaw-dropping deals on gadgets, phones and other tech products for its customers.

    The mega festive sales that are on till October 20, 2019 include mobile phones starting at Rs. 299, camera accessories and healthcare devices starting at Rs. 99 and up to 80% off on best selling mobile accessories, headphones and the in-house gadget store.   

    A picture containing indoor

    Description automatically generatedSmartphones:

    Samsung Galaxy M30 will be available during the sale at Rs 14,990, Oppo A3s at Rs 9,299 and Lenovo A6600 Plus at Rs 6,999 with free delivery till Sunday starting today. 

    Laptops:

    ShopClues is giving some mouth-watering offers on laptops.

    ASUS Vivobook Flip at 38% off, Dell Inspiron 7559 at 92% off and HP OMEN Gaming at 34% off

    Smartwatches and mobile accessories:

    A close up of a device

    Description automatically generatedFrom smartwatches, power banks to mobile accessories including earphones, mobile phone rings; ShopClues is offering heavy deals on everyone’s fave gadgets.

    Digimate Earphones at Rs 99, Y1 Bluetooth Smart watch at Rs.829, V8S Bluetooth Smartwatch at Rs.999, Pomifi Metal Ultra Slim Fast Charger at Rs.299 !

    If you’re looking to upgrade your home appliances, do up your home for the festive season or gift your loved ones feature or smart phones, the ShopClues ‘Diwali Flea Mela’ has just the right deals for you with up to 80% off on all home appliances and up to 60% off on branded feature phones.

    To partake in the madness of ‘Diwali Flea Mela’, log on to ShopClues and tick off all your favourite things from your bucket list before October 20, 2019!

     

  • Siddharth Kumar Tewary to own the Punjab Bulls team in Tennis Premier League

    Siddharth Kumar Tewary to own the Punjab Bulls team in Tennis Premier League

    MUMBAI: After a prolific presence on television with some of the most popular shows like Mahabharat, Porus, RadhaKrishn and many more, writer,  director and producer Siddharth Kumar Tewary, founder of Swastik Productions has now set his eyes on the Tennis Premier League. Siddharth Kumar Tewary has bought the Punjab Bulls for the upcoming season.  The Tennis Premier League is all set to flag off its second edition and is scheduled from December 12 to 15 at the Celebration Sports Club in Andheri, Mumbai.

    At the auctions held recently, Siddharth Kumar Tewary has bought the top player in the men's list, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan who is currently ranked India’s number 4 in the men's doubles and Pranjala Yadlapalli who is currently India’s number 2 in the women’s singles for his team. Punjab Bulls seems to have strengthened their core team in order to establish a mark for themselves.

    The first season, that saw around 132 players fight for the championship in various categories were well accepted by the country. The league received an overwhelming response and tremendous support and encouragement from the entire sports and entertainment fraternity. This season, in a unique format, each team will compulsorily have a player on a wheelchair and 2 winners of the talent day in Delhi, that will be announced later. The league is established under the guidance of  AITA and MSLTA.

    Not many know that Siddharth Kumar Tewary is equally passionate about sports and plays recreational tennis and follows the sport with a lot of interest. He was present at the auctions along with the mentor of his team, Ajay Lakhotia. Commenting on this association, Siddharth said,  “I have been an ardent fan of tennis since I was a child. Having practised the sport myself, I understand the intensity and fitness it demands. I’m glad I have got the opportunity to own Punjab Bulls for the second season of the Tennis Premier League to be held in December. The league is a great opportunity for players from all over our country to showcase their passion for the sport and use this platform to hone their skills further and represent our country internationally. Also, I'd like to congratulate Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain for this great initiative that will help our tennis enthusiasts further their growth.”

  • India’s First do-gooder festival cum Drive-a-thon festival, Mahindra Open Drive is here

    India’s First do-gooder festival cum Drive-a-thon festival, Mahindra Open Drive is here

    Mumbai: The Mahindra Group has just announced the debut of an exciting new cultural outreach initiative called ‘Mahindra Open Drive’. This 2-day destination festival includes a road trip beginning in early November from four Indian cities – Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru- culminating in a music and food festival on November 8-9 in Goa. 

    Destined to be a thrilling and inspiring journey festival to Goa where the camaraderie begins from the drive itself, Mahindra Open Drive festival aims to bringing together people from diverse cultural backgrounds to form a tribe of goodness and celebration whilst also being able to contribute to a good cause. 

    According to Jay Shah, Vice President, Cultural Outreach, Mahindra Group, “Mahindra Cultural Outreach offers an opportunity to celebrate life with its newest festival – the Mahindra Open Drive. This has been conceived for the city goer who needs to break away from the humdrum for a weekend filled with adventure, music and positive vibes. While the ”drive” refers to the suggested way to come to the festival it also refers to the positive emotion of being motivated to do good, to be driven” 

    With pitstops along the way (from each of the 5 cities of origin) that contain stimulating activities to the final culmination at the two-day culture fest in Goa, the event has a deep humanitarian spirit at its core. The festival centres around music, arts and culture to engage audiences and allow them to experience celebrate innate human goodness through story-telling and entertainment. It will also comprise of a souk – showcasing local artisan-crafted products, an exhibition of Goa’s culture, performances by international artists, installation artists, and a local and international cuisine feast.  

    The festival will feature a mix of international and local artists including headliners ‘Chico and The Gypsies’ who would accompany world and folk music sensations Raghu Dixit, Harouna Samake, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, and Nikhil Dsouza. This eclectic mix of artists will embody the soundscape of the festival and complement the culture and ethnicity of Goa as a community.  

    The festival will be preceded by fundraising initiatives through which festival-goers can pledge monetary aid to a cause they believe in and draw attention to NGOs and partner organizations actively involved in making a difference. This can be done by raising funds or donating to one of the 20 partner NGOs spread across various causes. Essentially, the fundraising is intended to support causes like Education, Healthcare, Safety, Livelihood, Environment and Rights & Inclusion. 
    Speaking about Mahindra Open Drive, Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group said “While the automotive industry is seeing changing ownership models for personal mobility, it is our belief that vehicles used to enjoy drives and the open outdoors will always be in demand. Families, groups of friends or individuals will always want to take a break from their hectic lives and head out into the countryside. It is this aspect of mobility we had in mind while conceptualizing Mahindra Open Drive”. The drive will be a thrilling and inspiring journey to Goa that embodies a sense of camaraderie, bringing together people from diverse cultural backgrounds and bonding them through stimulating local cuisine and enroute activities. With a fully equipped car service team available at regular pit stops and F&B amenities, Mahindra & Mahindra is offering a safeguarded experience to participants of the drive." 

    As for the entries, Mahindra Open Drive is one of a kind festival where you have to earn an invite. This can be achieved by buying donor passes – with the contributions going directly toward one of the partner NGOs chosen by the festival-goer. 

    Supporting Mahindra is their official philanthropy partner for this initiative- United Way Mumbai – an establishment whose fundamental objective is to bring together individuals, companies, NGOs and government agencies to enhance community conditions with deeds that go beyond short-term charity. 

    Speaking about associating with M&M Ltd. for the Mahindra Open Drive, Jayanti Shukla, CEO of United Way Mumbai said, “Mahindra Open Drive gives the socially conscious generation of today a platform to convene and support causes while they enjoy the process and celebrate the successes of our real heroes, the diverse NGOs who are partnering with us at the event. United Way Mumbai has been associated with numerous innovative community impact projects, and it is exciting for us to be a part of an event that is fun yet with a strong element of giving back to the less privileged”