ITV

Category: Press Release

  • Cosmos-Maya’s anchor YouTube channel WowKidz crosses record 10 million subscribers; WowKidz network crosses 26 million

    Cosmos-Maya’s anchor YouTube channel WowKidz crosses record 10 million subscribers; WowKidz network crosses 26 million

    MUMBAI: WowKidz is the world’s largest Hindi animation content network.

    Cosmos-Maya, the frontrunner in shaping industry trends has added another feather in its cap. WowKidz, it’s YouTube network for kids now has more than 10 million subscribers on its anchor channel and is now a recipient of the coveted Diamond Button.

    A jubilant Anish Mehta, CEO Cosmos-Maya said, “This is a great development. There are only a handful channels worldwide which have received the coveted Diamond Button and even fewer Indian channels. We are very grateful to our viewers for their love and appreciation. Our mission with WowKidz is to make it a two-pronged content window – showcasing the best Indian animation to the world and bringing the best of world content to Indian kids. This is a leap in that direction.”

    It all started with this one channel and the brand diversified into several sub-channels catering to numerous geographies world over. The channel has seen a 6-fold increase in the number of subscribers in just 18 months.

    WowKidz had humble beginnings and Cosmos-Maya saw it as a source of additional revenue. It was given a push by CEO Anish Mehta who envisaged a brand which viewers could bank upon for 24X7 quality entertainment. In just 18 months, it is now a full-fledged business entity raking in a substantial share of Cosmos-Maya’s revenue pie. The platform now has 10,000 odd videos of quality entertainment for the 3-14 year demographic produced in-house and acquired from top producers worldwide. Boonie Bears, Smurfs, Simba, Om Nom are only some of the big-ticket international shows that run on WowKidz. WowKidz also has the world’s largest Hindi language animation content catalogue today.

    A jubilant Anish Mehta, CEO Cosmos-Maya said, “This is a great development. There are only a handful channels worldwide which have received the coveted Diamond Button and even fewer Indian channels. We are very grateful to our viewers for their love and appreciation. Our mission with WowKidz is to make it a two-pronged content window – showcasing the best Indian animation to the world and bringing the best of world content to Indian kids. This is a leap in that direction.”

    This development comes on the back of Cosmos-Maya’s recent impetus on regional and vernacular content. Cosmos-Maya’s bouquet of 32 YouTube channels under umbrella brand WowKidz, which has more than 26 million subscribers and 12.5 billion views, now has its content available in all major languages, namely Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Urdu, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Nepalese.

    Devdatta Potnis, SVP Revenue and Finance, further added, “Programming has played a major role in WowKidz’s success. We have videos which have clocked 100 million hits. Motu Patlu and ViR, two of our biggest IPs have garnered more than 6 billion and 4 billion views respectively. This when Motu Patlu is geo-blocked in India. We have a wonderful mix of homegrown and acquired content which viewers can watch anywhere anytime. Fresh content is added to the mix on a daily basis. Our creative prowess adds further zing to the localization of acquired international content.” 

  • MASS APPEAL AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC INDIA TO LAUNCH MASS APPEAL INDIA

    MASS APPEAL AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC INDIA TO LAUNCH MASS APPEAL INDIA

    Mumbai: Mass Appeal, the urban culture-focused entertainment company, and Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced the launch of Mass Appeal India – an innovative new label dedicated to amplifying India’s burgeoning hip-hop culture on a global scale.

    Mass Appeal India’s operations will be based in Mumbai, within Universal Music India’s (UMI) headquarters and will function as a multi-channel partnership between the two companies. Mass Appeal India will sign and collaborate with the brightest stars from India’s fastest growing music scene and, through Mass Appeal’s global network, will work with brands and content creators to connect the culture with a worldwide audience.

    Mass Appeal India will leverage UMI’s marketing and promotion teams within India, whilst Mass Appeal will lead release strategy within the U.S. and Canada. All releases from Mass Appeal India will be distributed exclusively via UMG worldwide, with additional support across its network of more than 60 territories for select artists and projects.

    To coincide with its launch, the label has announced the marquee signing of India’s most popular and acclaimed rapper DIVINE. Central to the rise of the ‘gully rap’ movement, with hit singles like ‘Meri Gully Mein’, ‘Jungli Sher’ and ‘Kaam 25’, DIVINE’s brutally honest Hindi rap draws inspiration from his own life and the streets of Mumbai, set to beats that wouldn’t be out of place in a Los Angeles or New York studio. His single ‘Jungli Sher’ was the first Indian single that Apple Music released worldwide. DIVINE was also the first Indian artist to be featured on BBC 1 Xtra’s ‘Fire In The Booth’ in 2016.

    In announcing the launch of Mass Appeal India, Nas said, “I was first introduced to DIVINE’s music through the brilliant film Gully Boy. I’m proud to announce the launch of Mass Appeal India with DIVINE as the first artist on our roster. Hip-hop is the world’s most influential culture – it’s only right to share what we do at Mass Appeal on a global level. We’re excited about joining forces with the team at UMG India to help further spark a movement that is constantly in the making.”

    Devraj Sanyal, MD & CEO of UMG, India & South Asia said, “Over the past few years UMI has concentrated on creating a culture of artist-first, non-film music to satisfy India’s rapidly evolving music audience. Hip-hop has been a key area of this focus and we have found the natural partner in Mass Appeal, Nas & Peter to help realise our dream of breaking Indian hip-hop in the region, as well as to the rest of the world together. It was only right to lead this global announcement with the signing of India’s number one hip-hop star, DIVINE for his highly anticipated debut album. As he articulately puts it, “Apna time Aayega” which means, “our time will come” – now is certainly the time for Indian Hip-Hop to break into the mainstream.”

    Peter Bittenbender, CEO of Mass Appeal, said, “Coming off what has been a landmark year for Mass Appeal, we are beyond thrilled to announce the global expansion of our brand in partnership with UMI and with DIVINE as our first superstar talent signing. This new venture is an incredibly exciting extension of Mass Appeal’s strategy to progress the conversation and landscape of hip hop by taking our brand to the most exciting global markets.”

    DIVINE’s story and rise of the Indian hip-hop scene inspired Bollywood director Zoya Akhtar’s 2019 acclaimed feature film Gully Boy, starring Ranveer Singh, which has also become one of the year’s biggest Bollywood films at the box office. Gully Boy featured DIVINE in action on five tracks and has helped showcase both him and India’s explosive rap scene to new audiences around the world.

    “It’s an honour to be associated with a legend like Nas. I grew up listening to his music. For him to recognise not just me, but the whole Indian hip-hop scene is a big win for hip-hop, and for hip-hop in India,” DIVINE says of signing with Nas’ Mass Appeal. “He is looking forward to working not just with me, but a lot of the young talent in India. I will be working with Mass Appeal India not just in a personal capacity, but also in my capacity as founder of Gully Gang Entertainment to help Mass Appeal India build a thriving ecosystem for urban music and culture in the sub-continent. So, let’s bring our A-Game because the world is watching,” he adds.

    Adam Granite, EVP, Market Development, Universal Music Group, said, “For many years hip-hop, regardless of local language, has been growing rapidly around the world as the authentic sound of the streets. We are excited to work together with Nas, Peter, DIVINE, Devraj and the UMI team to launch Mass Appeal India, which we believe will become India’s premier dedicated hip-hop brand. The emergence of Mass Appeal India and the signing of Divine will only fuel the next wave of Indian hip-hop and rap talent and help accelerate the growth and reach of the genre in India, the subcontinent and beyond.”

    DIVINE is currently working on his debut album, Kohinoor set to be released later this year.

    Please click here for Video and Photo assets for DIVINE & Mass Appeal.

    Watch the Interview with DIVINE and Nas to launch Mass Appeal India here:

  • Chtrbox launches Boombox, an open tool to shortlist India’s celebs & mega influencers

    Chtrbox launches Boombox, an open tool to shortlist India’s celebs & mega influencers

    MUMBAI: Chtrbox, a leading Indian influencer marketing company, announces the launch of Boombox to cater to growing demand for social media influencers. Boombox is the industry’s first open discovery tool of India’s most influential voices, aimed to make the marketer’s job of shortlisting relevant celebrities & influencers easier, smarter and ROI driven.

    Commenting on the launch, Pranay Swarup, Co- Founder and CEO, Chtrbox said, “Our objective in launching Boombox as a platform and end-to-end service is to empower marketers with strategic, data-powered, consolidated talent options when selecting celebs and top influencers for brand campaigns, events and endorsements. Today, when brands select talent, we’ve noticed that choices are decided largely on simple intuition such as – do I know & like this person? Do they represent the values my brand wants to represent? We are bringing data to this critical decision-making process, to ensure that when you invest & book India’s top talent for any purpose, you’re maximizing your ROI on social media. With Boombox, we want to help brands discover creative and budget-effective optimizations you may not have thought of before, paired with our expertise on creative strategy to create memorable influencer content.”

    Boombox enables brands & their agencies with easy access to search, filter and shortlist famous personalities for their next big marketing initiative. The launch of Boombox comes at the right time today when brands, celebs and influencers are all increasingly looking to optimize time, speed, budgets, and most importantly grab attention spans of end consumers in this digital first world.  Influencer powered content is disrupting the way brands created content traditional ads with talent; it's now a lot more cost-effective and impactful for talent to showcase authentically how they're engaging with the brand's product or idea, if it all it resonates with who they are. 

    Roshan Abbas, MD of Geometry Encompass, who is also an early investor in Chtrbox, adds, “Today more than ever, we’re offering brands digital extensions to their physical events and experiences. Chtrbox serves a great partner and platform through which agencies can now empower their brands with a new way to analyze and collaborate with all categories of celebs and influencers.”

    "What makes Boombox awesome for planners is that it's amplified by Macro, Micro and Nano Influencer Power Packs, customized as per target categories and audience demographics, hand-picked from Chtrbox’s massive 350,000+ influencer base, giving unparalleled strength to deliver influential people powered marketing & content for brands” adds Rohit Raj, Co-Founder at the Glitch and Chtrbox.

    Boombox has been launched as an open tool for a limited time period and can be accessed at Chtrbox.com/boombox.

  • NDTV and Dettol launches Season 6 of Banega Swasth India

    NDTV and Dettol launches Season 6 of Banega Swasth India

    MUMBAI: India’s most trusted news network NDTV, along with partner Dettol and Harpic, is back with a continuation of the NDTV-Dettol BanegaSwachh India campaign, but moving its focus from BanegaSwachh to BanegaSwasth India, supported by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan.

    The BanegaSwachh India campaign began in 2014 when toilet coverage in India was 38.7% and now in year 2019 it stands at 99.78%. A success of this scale takes strong leadership at the highest level, public private partnership and clear vision and timelines. It is indeed a movement we and the nation are proud of. The campaign now has the same commitment towards a healthy India.

    This year the campaign spoke about how a clean India leads to a healthy India as health can only flourish when the environment around one is clean. There is nothing more precious to human life than health. Governments and health experts have come up with a suitable health agenda that can be implemented across the country. 

    Therefore the campaign embarked on a new phase to make the country cleaner and healthier by focusing on the well-being of mothers and children. Malnutrition may not be a direct cause of death in children (under 5), but contributes significantly to high mortality and morbidity by reducing immunity, thereby increasing the risk of infections. Health as a subject encompasses Sanitation, Hygiene, Breastfeeding, Fortification, Nutrition, Food Security, Accessibility of treatment, care and support.

    The focus of the discussion was also on the first 1000 days – 270 days in the womb and 730 days from birthday up to 2 years – as this period is a critical window of intervention for cognitive development and growth, preventing irreversible impacts of stunting. If hygiene and nutrition can begin there, a strong foundation can be laid for the future health of society.

    In the course of this introductory launch, held at the JamnabaiNarsee School, Vile Parle (West), a call to action urged the supportive audience to contribute to the Swasth Box. This box will be curated specifically for post-natal care and will be given to mothers across the country, helping them to improve the chances of their babies surviving. Through this initiative the aim will be to give out the Swasth Box to every mother and child who needs one.

     Talking about the initiative, Campaign Ambassador Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, said, “Sharing my personal experience that detection and testing of diseases like diabetes, hepatitis B and tuberculosis is the need of any hour.  We should bring more awareness on such diseases. Many of us either due to the lack of knowledge or just being lazy never want to go to a clinic to get ourselves tested. We all know that diabetes is a silent killer and many of us are unaware that we are suffering from diabetes. We have been working on tuberculosis and hepatitis B but we need a lot of government support in two ventures”.

    Mr Gaurav Jain, Senior Vice President, AMESA, RB Health commented “Our journey towards Swachhta started five years ago with a great vision that brought Dettol BanegaSwachh India to life. The program’s conscious effort to drive behaviour change across communities has encouraged people to adopt better health practices and we are extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve together. To be able to drive lndia’s health agenda further, it is imperative for us to focus on another significant factor – Swastha. Given health today is more than an absence of illness – being healthy also means being fit and happy. The upcoming year will witness special attention on child nutrition and pregnant mothers that form the backbone of our future generations. This year the program is further complementing Govt’s initiative, Ayushmann Bharat.”

    Also speaking at the event Dr Prannoy Roy, Co-Founder and Executive Co-Chairperson, NDTV said
    “The deadline for India to become open defecation free is 2nd October 2019, which is the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It was Gandhiji’s dream that the quality of life of every Indian should improve with sanitation, cleanliness and hygiene as its foundation. 
    Along with the elimination of open defecation we are also working towards a country where our infants and most vulnerable citizens stay healthy. If we all come together we can achieve this. Please do join us in this campaign to ensure that our country is clean and healthy for our future generations.”
     

  • Without balance, your life is just going to fall apart – Catch the premiere of Wildlife only on &PrivéHD

    Without balance, your life is just going to fall apart – Catch the premiere of Wildlife only on &PrivéHD

    MUMBAI: The trees in a forest fire is known as Fuel, but you know what the trees are called when the fire goes by? They call them, STANDING DEAD! &PrivéHD is all set to premier one such story of a boy watching his family dismantle in front of him. This August, the premium destination of nuanced cinema brings you an interesting family drama “Wildlife” premiering on Saturday, August 24, 2019, at 1 PM and 9 PM.

    Directed and written by Golden Globe Award Nominee Paul Dano, the movie is his directorial debut. It stars Oscar Award Nominee Jake Gyllenhaal along-side Oscar Award Nominee Carey Mulligan who essay the role of Jerry Brinson and Jeanette Brinson respectively. Joe Brinson’s role, son of Jerry and Jeanette, is played by Ed Oxenbould. The story revolves around Joe Brinson’s perspective towards life. The movie is an adaptation of a novel “Wildlife” written by Richard Ford which was first published in 1990.

    The movie takes place in 1960s in a small town in Montana is the story of Jeannette, a housewife and Jerry, a golf pro at a local club. While Jeanette is the oppressed realist, Jerry starts to show symptoms of Angry Dad Disease as he gets snappy after losing his job. He spikes at the notion of his wife going to work to put bread on the table. He decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his family. Amidst all the chaos, Joe witnesses his mother struggle and his family’s separation as she tries to make ends meet through unconventional means.

    For those who appreciate nuanced cinema, &PrivéHD brings riveting and award-winning films that stimulate the minds and bring alive the other side of cinema with Zee Prime English HD Pack comprising – &PrivéHD, Zee Café HD, &flix HD, LF HD is priced at Rs 25/-.

  • Krishna Janmashtami special: watch Bhojpuri songs of Shree Krishna on new show “Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki”

    Krishna Janmashtami special: watch Bhojpuri songs of Shree Krishna on new show “Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki”

    MUMBAI: In the last few days, in the holy month of Shrawan, the devotees saw long queues in large small temples across the country. At the same time, the enthusiasm of the Shiva devotees swinging on the beautiful Kanwariya songs on the special show, “Kanwariya Bole Bam Bam” was worth watching. For the the devotees of Shree Krishna, this Janmashtami is going to be a treat as B4U Bhojpuri is going to bound its audiences with its powerful programs, from Valley to Gujarat including the states of Purvanchal. B4U Bhojpuri on the occasion of this Janmashtami is bringing a special show “Jai Kanhaiya Lal ki” for the devotees of Shree Krishna. This will be telecasted under Bhajan Sagar Show at 5’o clock in the morning. This show will be aired from 21 August to 25 August showing different phases of Shri Krishna’s life, taking from his childhood to his Bhagwan Avtaar in the form of songs and hymns.

    This is the first time in the Bhojpuri TV world that one can watch festival special shows, super hit Hindi-Bhojpuri movies and compelling mixers of favorite daily soaps in a single channel. The famous show “Jai Kanhaiya Lal ki”, introduced by legendary singers like Bhajano Pawan Singh, Sanjana Raj, Kumar Vishnu, Devi and Pramod Premi, is being run exclusively on the occasion of Janmashtami. Pawan Singh, is known for his famous songs like Tani rang da na chiza, Abhinandan ka abhinandan, Falana bo dharaili ho holiya me.

    Famous hymns of Lord Krishna can be seen on the show 'Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki' from 5 am to 8 pm through Bhajan Sagar Show of B4U Bhojpuri. However, it will be the first time that Bhojpuri audiences will get a chance to enjoy Krishna hymns in the melodious Bhojpuri voice of the veteran singers of the industry. The promotional activities of the show, “Kanwariya Bole Bam Bam” aired on the channel in the past month were carried out in full swing, with more than 500 rickshaw drivers motivating people to join the show as campaigners in different areas of the district.

  • TVS Srichakra Ltd launches Brand TVS Eurogrip: Aimed At Millennials

    TVS Srichakra Ltd launches Brand TVS Eurogrip: Aimed At Millennials

    MUMBAI: TVS Srichakra Limited, the leading 2 & 3-wheeler tyre company, today announced the launch of the brand ‘TVS Eurogrip’ targeted at meeting the needs of the millennial customer. TVS Eurogrip is born out of extensive consumer research and significant investments in global R&D, design and technology platforms. As part of its evolution and to associate itself with youthfulness and high performance, TVS Eurogrip is designed with global expertise, made in India and sold across the globe.

    Mr. P Vijayaraghavan, Director, TVS Srichakra Limited said, “India will remain a promising market for two wheelers and we see tremendous growth opportunity. It is a moment of immense pride for all of us as we launch TVS Eurogrip catering to the needs and requirements of the new age Indian rider. With this step, we boldly stride into the future.”       

    The company believes that the introduction of TVS Eurogrip will fuel its growth aspirations and carve a specialist positioning that will help strengthen its partnerships with vehicle manufacturers and create new benchmarks in the replacement market.

    Commenting on the new brand launch Mr. P. Srinivasavaradhan, President, TVS Srichakra Limited, said, “For over 3 decades now, we have established ourselves as a leading global brand in the two-wheeler tyre category. We have always understood customers’ needs, their aspirations and dreams, and have provided them with products that enrich their riding experience. TVS Eurogrip has all the elements the new age rider is looking for – design, superior quality, high performance and is backed by the rich heritage and trust of TVS.”

  • BURGRILLxCORNITOS association for walking Nacho Bags

    BURGRILLxCORNITOS association for walking Nacho Bags

    MUMBAI: Cornitos, the leading Nacho crisps brand in partnership with leading Burger Brand Burgrill has launched Burgrill's recipes of Walking Nacho Bag's which can be enjoyed On the Go.

    The walking Nacho Bag is an extremely innovative and interesting concept wherein a bag of Cornitos Nacho crisps –Cheese and Herb, is used to create the snack of your choice.The four variants for these walking Nacho bags take your taste buds on a journey to foodie heaven. These delicious toppings are ready to cater the need of one and all.

    Shreh Madan – Co founder Burgrill Says "this is a new concept of enjoying one of the most famous snacks in India, and we have created some lip smacking recipes and are very excited to be working with Cornitos for the same"

    Commenting on this association, Mr. Vikram Agarwal, MD, Greendot Health Foods Pvt.Ltd said ”This association with Burgrill will give great mileage to us alongside giving our fellow patrons to taste something out of the box!”

    Burgrill has 30 outlets spread across North & East of India, for more details you can visit their website. If you haven't been to Burgrill yet, Go and enjoy the deliciousness of Walking Nacho Bag.

  • Samsung brings the most powerful Galaxy Note10 to India

    Samsung brings the most powerful Galaxy Note10 to India

    MUMBAI: Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics and smartphone brand, today unveiled Galaxy Note10 and Galaxy Note10+, two stunning and powerful flagship devices that will take the productivity and creativity of millennial users to the next level.

    The Most Powerful Galaxy Note10 line is inspired by a generation that flows seamlessly between work and life, giving them the freedom to work the way they want, and showcase their creative spirit, all on-the-go.

    For years, since Samsung redefined smartphones with industry leading S Pen and big screen size, the Galaxy Note series has helped millions of loyal users around the world, and in India, pursue their passions and achieve their goals. With the Galaxy Note10, Samsung is helping users do more of what they love. The two smartphones combine elegant, purposeful design with powerful performance and productivity tools to help users make the most of every moment.

    Mr. HC Hong, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia, said, “Galaxy Note fans in India are most loyal. They love the Galaxy Note for the infinite possibilities it offers with its big screen, unique S Pen and multi-tasking capabilities. With launch of Galaxy Note10, we are creating a new era of mobile productivity for a generation that believes in doing more in life, by choice. The new devices will appeal to millennials with their sleek design, stunning colors and power packed features that will keep them going all day.”

    “For the first time ever, Galaxy Note10 comes in two sizes, so consumers can find the Note that’s best for them. It has an enhanced S Pen that converts handwriting to digital text, enhanced Samsung DeX for PC and Link to Windows for all your productivity needs. Powered by a 7nm processor, Galaxy Note10+ and Note10 come with 12GB and 8GB RAM. A pro-grade camera for creators enables users to capture pro-grade video, while features like easy video editing, AR Doodle and 3D Scanner allow creators and everyday users stand out and make an impact. At Samsung, we listen to our consumers and bring in meaningful innovations that help make their lives better,” Mr. Ranjivjit Singh, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing, Mobile Business, Samsung India, said.

  • Cartoon Network and Clovia launch clothing collection with The Powerpuff Girls

    Cartoon Network and Clovia launch clothing collection with The Powerpuff Girls

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network has partnered with Clovia, India’s fastest growing lingerie and sleepwear brand, to unveil a unique collection inspired by The Powerpuff Girls. 

    Fans of Cartoon Network's classic crime-fighting girl-squad of Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, will get to choose from an impressive array of loungewear, sleepwear and innerwear now available on www.clovia.com. 

    The chic line of apparel captures the nostalgia and timelessness of the iconic cartoon trio. The designs are inspired by the legendary ingredients used to make these super-cute, super-fierce superheroes from Townsville, who are made with sugar, spice and everything nice (as well as Chemical X). This collection combines effortless style with the comfort of butter-soft fabrics for fans who want to save the world before bedtime!

    Vikram Sharma, Vice President of Cartoon Network Enterprises Asia Pacific, said, “Our partnership with Clovia gives fans a chance to dive into their childhood and wear their love for The Powerpuff Girls. This line of apparel is a perfect mix of style and comfort, with elements of humour and fun that the popular trio is known for.”

    “Iconic characters like the Powerpuff Girls have a nostalgic influence on our audience. We are very excited to partner with Cartoon Network Enterprises to launch a collection with characters that are close to every girl’s heart. This is the first time we have launched a range inspired by cartoon characters and we look forward to such partnerships in the future.” added Suman Chowdhury, Co-Founder & COO, Clovia.

    This collection caters to age groups across 18 to 30. The collection starts from INR 999 onwards for loungewear and sleepwear and INR 299 onwards for innerwear. Check out the entire collection here.