ITV

Category: Press Release

  • Star Maa becomes no.3 GEC

    Star Maa becomes no.3 GEC

    MUMBAI: Star Maa’s recent launch of the 3rd edition of the show ‘Bigg Boss’ has propelled the growth of its viewership in the week 30 of BARC India’s Ratings. Bigg Boss Season 3 has opened with ratings of 17.9 TVR making it bigger than all previous seasons of the show. With the launch of Bigg Boss Season 3 in Telugu, Star Maa clocked 1108 GRPs, making it even stronger than before with a whopping ~75% lead over the next player in the market.

    Star Maa is way ahead of the other channels and the Star Maa network with its portfolio of channels is the biggest Telugu network with a humongous 30% market share. Star Maa today has 7 out of the top 10 shows of the market. At an all India level also Star Maa is among the top 3 channel brands of 2019. This lead has been consolidated on the back of a comprehensive lead across most dayparts and slots. This success is the result of multiple shows being deeply loved and appreciated by the Telugu viewers. Adopting to changing trends and tastes of audiences, every show has ensured audiences stay tuned to Star Maa.

    On the Bigg Boss Season 3 launch ratings host Actor Nagarjuna Said “Thank you all for the love shown to me and the show. Bigg Boss housemates undergo some life altering experiences and I am excited to be part of it. I have always tried new things and am enjoying this experience too. Looking forward to getting even closer to viewers and housemates in the coming weeks. "

    Star Maa Network Business Head Alok Jain said, “We are thankful to our viewers for all the love and affection they have showed us. We are also extremely thankful to Nagarjuna and all our partners who have worked over the last 6 months to make this mammoth project such a whopping success. We constantly push ourselves to bring unique storytelling that reflects contemporary lives of people. Our fiction characters are progressive and inspiring. Be it a girl who strives against color discrimination or an unwanted girl child who is born mute but communicates with passion and wins hearts. Each story and character are crafted differently hoping to touch a chord with our viewers. Star Maa is committed to focus on being the most loved and entertaining Telugu GEC channel.”

  • Taco Bell marks flagship launch through social media conversations with new neighbours

    Taco Bell marks flagship launch through social media conversations with new neighbours

    MUMBAI: Taco Bell, the world's leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant brand, recently launched its flagship restaurant in the heart of the National Capital.

    Conveniently located in Connaught Place, the brand’s all new restaurant is situated in the buzzing Outer Circle. In true Taco Bell style, the brand marked its entry in to the neighbourhood with a quirky twist and led engaging activations – both on social media as well as on ground with its new neighbours.

    A unique life size bell installation was set up outside the store giving the brand a chance to engage and interact with consumers.

    Taco Bell also made its presence felt amongst its new neighbours through a simple, yet disruptive activity. A good neighbour is one who shares meals with others and Taco Bell was no different. In a first-of-its kind move to mark the launch of a new restaurant, Taco Bell organised hand deliveries of some of its signature menu items to adjacent stores.

    The story of #TacoBellInCP continued on social media as well. As it set up its new home, the brand took to Twitter to say ‘hi’ to existing residents near the flagship in the bustling Connaught Place area, and also set up a few #TacoParties with them.

    The Taco Bell experience offers made-to-order and customizable tacos and burritos and other specialties with bold flavours, quality ingredients, breakthrough value, and best in class customer service. The extensive menu offers signature vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes such as the Naked Chicken Taco, 7 Layer Burrito, Chickstar Wrap, Quesalupa, Cheese Quesadilla, as well as desserts such as the iconic Chocodilla.

  • Mumbai gets it’s first experiential social networking club – The Clique Club

    Mumbai gets it’s first experiential social networking club – The Clique Club

    MUMBAI: CEO & Founder Priyanjali Malpani and Co-Founder Meghaa Isrrani brought a whole new wave to the Mumbai networking scenario, with the launch of The Clique Club at Radio Bar, Mumbai.

    The Clique Club was born out of the necessity to explore the city in different ways by interacting with new people and building meaningful connections, business and otherwise. Busy lives limit the amount of time we, as working professionals, can take out to really unwind productively. The idea of having a networking club that leaves one with an experience a professional can take back and build over is the prime motto.

    The launch of The Clique Club, Mumbai’s first experiential and social networking club was graced by eminent personalities across from the TV and fashion industries such as singer Neeti Mohan and husband Nihar Pandya, Rahul Vaidya, actress Dipannita Sharma and television personalities such as Sharad Malhotra, Disha Parmar, Chhahat Khanna, Tanvi Thakkar, Rakesh Paul, Shaleen Bhanot, Vikas Gupta, Chetna Pandey, and Nibedita Pal.

    The Clique Club is an invite-only social media-free space for young and promising entrepreneurs. Speaking on the launch, Ms. Meghaa Isrrani, Founder of India’s leading wedding photography company Isrrani Photography and Co-Founder, The Clique Club, says, “For me, networking doesn't mean hardcore business discussions and conversations. I prefer going to places where I can connect with the person and really understand their personality. I am excited to be a part of the Clique family. I know this brand has the potential to scale and I can't wait to venture into different areas of the Clique network.”

    CEO and Founder, Priyanjali Malpani mentions, “Every business has a beginning, and this is where you talk about yours. People want to know what opportunity you saw or how your passion led to the creation of something new. My idea was to improve the quality of experiences we have on a regular basis by designing fun events and building more meaningful connections. I want to create a community that will last a lifetime!”

    Promising a platform for the young minds to explore, curate and shape the future of social networking through monthly events, this platform is now open for registrations belonging to the age group of 21 to 38 years old, having an entrepreneurial flair to succeed.

  • Madhukar Kamath to be conferred with AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2019

    Madhukar Kamath to be conferred with AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2019

    MUMBAI: The Advertising Agencies Association of India today announced that this year’s AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award will be awarded to Madhukar Kamath. This is the highest honour to be given to an individual in India for his/her outstanding contribution to the Advertising Industry.

    Madhukar Kamath is a distinguished alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur and Loyola College, Chennai. Madhukar has more than four decades of experience in the Advertising Industry and has spent over twenty-five years in the erstwhile Mudra now the DDB Mudra Group. Under his leadership, Mudra transformed itself from an Advertising Agency into one of India’s leading Integrated Marketing Communications Groups. Madhukar also played a key role in the Omnicom acquisition of the Mudra Group and the integration with the Global DDB Network. Subsequently, he facilitated the entry of Interbrand, the leading Global Brand Consultancy into India, and functioned as its Chairman. Currently, Madhukar is the Chairman Emeritus of the DDB Mudra Group and Mentor Interbrand India. 

    Madhukar has actively participated in and has led several industry bodies. He was Vice President of AAAI (2005-07) and President of AAAI (2007-09). During his tenure as President, AAAI, Madhukar initiated and concluded the entry of media agencies in the fold of AAAI after amending the constitution of AAAI. During Madhukar’s tenure an IAMAI-AAAI joint agreement was signed for the promotion and smooth working of Digital media. He also led the AAAI’s involvement in creation of BARC.

    Madhukar played a vital role in conceiving and facilitating one industry- one award program and The Advertising Club joined hands with AAAI for its prestigious Goafest. This led to Abby Awards being presented at Goafest since 2008. Mr Kamath worked closely with presidents of IBF, ISA and INS in organizing AdAsia 2011 in New Delhi.

    He was also Chairman of ASCI (The Advertising Standards Council of India). He is currently serving on the board of the Audit Bureau of Circulation as Vice Chairman and is soon set to take over as Chairman of ABC.

    Madhukar took forward the legacy of A G Krishnamurthy in building MICA and establishing it as India’s leading business School for Strategic Marketing and Communication Management. He was the Chairman of Mudra Foundation from 2003 to 2017. He was also the Chairperson of the Governing Council of MICA from 2010-17.

    In 2013, Madhukar became an Executive Board member of Plan International India, which is a not- for-profit organization striving to advance children’s rights and equality for girls, thus creating a lasting impact. Helping Plan India reach an impact on the lives of 10 million girl children as a part of their Country Strategic Plan, is also very close to his heart. Madhukar joined the Board of Music Broadcast India (Radio City) in 2017.

    Making the announcement, Mr Ashish Bhasin, President, AAAI, stated that “Madhukar Kamath is an inspiration for generations in our industry. His contribution in making Mudra into one of the top agencies in India is extremely commendable. In addition to his professional achievements, he has done so much for the industry. Under his Presidentship, AAAI made significant progress. He is truly deserving of this honour”

    Chairman of the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award Selection Committee Mr Nakul Chopra said, “Madhukar Kamath was the unanimous choice given his stature in the Indian advertising industry. In his case, it was never a question of if, it was only a question of when. My heartiest congratulations to him for this richly deserved honour.”

    The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to an individual who has been a practitioner of advertising for twenty-five years and had been in the top management position; has been or continues to be an active participant in industry bodies and or made significant contributions in shaping the industry priorities which enabled the advertising industry to grow, prosper and  become more professionalized;  individual  known for his integrity, ethical practice and leadership qualities;  contributed to his Company/Companies growth by innovative thinking and taking them in newer directions; involved in projects of social consequence which is seen as a role model for the industry at large and had been an industry veteran.

    This award was instituted in 1988 by AAAI and some of the past winners include Subhas Ghosal, Alyque Padamsee, Mike Khanna, Piyush Pandey, Sam Balsara, Prem Mehta, Ram Sehgal and others.

    The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Mr Madhukar Kamath on 6th September 2019 in Mumbai.

  • Hard Rock Cafe along with Earthful Foundation unifies ace musicians for a fund-raising concert #ForAssam

    Hard Rock Cafe along with Earthful Foundation unifies ace musicians for a fund-raising concert #ForAssam

    MUMBAI: Iconic live music destination Hard Rock Cafe is set to host a power packed fundraising concert #ForAssam to aid victims of the calamitous floods on 2nd August, 2019 in Mumbai. The gig will unite the most remarkable names in the Indian music industry that will render their support to contribute to the lives of locals affected in the region.

    An initiative started by the extremely talented Papon, the event will witness performances by iconic musicians like Vishal Dadlani,  Shekhar Ravjiani, , Shantanu Moitra, Aditi Singh Sharma, Shilpa Rao, Akriti Kakkar,, Richa Sharma, Mohan Kannan, Harshdeep Kaur, Neeti Mohan, Benny Dayal, , and Dipannita Sharma. The star-studded charitable evening will bask in the magnanimity of these artistes while marking a new beginning #ForAssam. It will kick-start with an electrifying performance by Kalyan Baruah’s new blues band 'Fish Curry Blues', Project Baartalaap and Nilotpal Bora followed by high – octane renditions of the season's biggest hits across genres by the Bollywood maestros. Championing the cause, Papon will set the stage ablaze with his most popular tracks titled Moh Moh ke Dhaage, Kaun Mera and Jhuk Na Paunga.

    Commenting on the event, Mr. Sanjay Mahtani, Co-Founder and Director, JSM Corporation India said, "We at Hard Rock Cafe have always believed in making a difference through the medium of music. We are honoured to be a part of this noble initiative and are leaving no stone unturned to make it a success."

    Jiyein kyun famed songster, Papon said, "This is our contribution to revive the spirit of the land of the red river and blue hills. The entire music fraternity stands in solidarity with the flood – hit Assam and empathises with the plight of the victims. Together we will rebuild the lives of our brothers and sisters affected by the calamity. I also take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to all the fellow musicians who instantly agreed to partake in this relief project despite their prior commitments."

    Proceeds from the evening will be directed to Earthful Foundation that will use it to better the situation in Assam.

  • Product Videos boost sales on Snapdeal – 30% rise in sales for listings with videos; small sellers gain

    Product Videos boost sales on Snapdeal – 30% rise in sales for listings with videos; small sellers gain

    MUMBAI: Snapdeal, India’s leading online marketplace, has added a wide range of product videos on its app. Placed under ‘SD TV’, the ten-second short videos showcase key features and utility of the featured products.

    Snapdeal is focused on the needs of value-conscious buyers in India. Over the past two years, it has vastly expanded the range of value-priced merchandize, including popular regional brands and seller-branded products, which directly fulfill the price & functionality needs of the audience.

    To help buyers make an engaging and informed buying decision for these products, Snapdeal has launched videos of these products, which helps users get access to high-quality visuals of the product from all angles. More than 75% of Snapdeal’s buyers are from Tier 2 & 3 cities and the product videos help overcome language and literacy barriers.

    “We have created a huge & growing library of short-format videos to help users get an enhanced idea about the functionality of a product, which is quite important given that a significant number of products that we sell may be lesser known seller-brands or a product that has consumer has never seen before,” said a Snapdeal spokesperson.

    The videos also help buyers discover new and interesting products, which is aligned with Snapdeal’s positioning to provide a fun and engaging discovery-led online experience for its users.

    “Videos have helped us drive sales. Ten-second videos of products are far more captivating and help buyers to make decisions faster than static pictures of the products concerned,” added Snapdeal spokesperson. The product videos have boosted sales of featured products by an average of 30%.

    The product videos are a boon for seller brands given that they cannot afford to showcase their products in expensive advertisements in print and on TV. Snapdeal not only provides a platform for them to showcase their products better but also shoots the videos for them.

    The market for value-priced merchandize is worth nearly USD 163 billion and only about 1-2% of this is online, compared to the 10-40% online penetration for branded products like mobiles, electronics, etc.

    Popular products include USB air coolers, 14-in-1 choppers, compact shoe racks, mobile phone stand with a magnifier for the bigger screen experience etc.

    More than 70 million users visit Snapdeal every month to browse through and buy from nearly 200 million SKUs listed by nearly 500,000 registered sellers.  In the last two years alone, the company has seen 60,000+ new seller partners come on board adding over 50 Million new listings.

  • This Independence Day, be a part of the Zee Cinema’s #MainBhiKesari initiative

    This Independence Day, be a part of the Zee Cinema’s #MainBhiKesari initiative

    MUMBAI: While we are all set to celebrate our 73rd Independence Day, let’s not forget that the sole reason for us being able to celebrate this freedom is the sheer selflessness of our soldiers. The Indian armed forces battling it out on the borders are an epitome of bravery and sacrifice. One such instance of bravery was the Battle of Saragarhi, where 21 Sikh soldiers fought bravely against a mighty army of 10,000 Afghan invaders for their motherland and created history. This story is depicted in the movie Kesari, starring Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra. Kesariis all set for its World Television Premiere on Zee Cinema this 15th August at 12 noon.

    Paying an ode to every martyr, Zee Cinema urges citizens of India to come together and help the kin of martyrs through the #MainBhiKesari campaign. Starting 1st August, fans can extend their support by donating any amount on the Bharat Ke Veer or Freechargeapp and website and share a screenshot tagging Zee Cinema and using the hashtag#MainBhiKesari. For every donation made, the channel will contribute ₹500 towards Bharat Ke Veer. Launched in April 2017 by Akshay Kumar and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the'Bharat Ke Veer' initiative started with the purpose of enabling willing donors to help and contribute towards the families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. 

    Akshay Kumar, who launched the Bharat Ke Veer app in 2017 said,“Kesari depicts the iconic battle of Saragarhi that was fought in 1897, which is a prime example of bravery and sacrifice. Post any war or battle, it’s the families of soldiers who suffer unimaginable loss. With Zee Cinema’s #MainBhiKesari initiative we can go one step further from merely empathizing with them to supporting their families, wives, children and parents. Our soldiers put their lives at risk at the border for our safety, it is our responsibility now to go all out and support them. So, I urge all the viewers to step up and make a contribution towards our Bharat Ke Veer.”   

    Ruchir Tiwari, Business Head, Zee Hindi Movies Clustersaid,“When Zee Cinema adopted Seene Mein Cinema as the brand philosophy, the aim was to ignite the ‘Jazba’ in every Indian and inspire them to go beyond the ordinary and achieve the unachievable. As industry pioneers, it is our constant effort to show movies that evoke an emotional connect and bring about a change in people’s lives. With the #MainBhiKesari campaign, we are taking a step towards fulfilling our motto. With this initiative, we hope that we can bring people together as one community and make a difference to the lives of the armed forces and their kin.” 

    Over the years it has been Zee Cinema’s endeavour to take up social causes and work towards creating awareness. The channel also premieres movies with a social message and aims at highlighting a significant cause. Last year, for the World Television Premiere of Padman, the channel ran a tweet for a cause social media campaign#Padathon, which aimed at raising awareness about menstrual hygiene and creating a platform to start conversations about the topic. For every tweet uploaded with the hashtag, the channel contributed Rs.10 towards an NGO that made affordable sanitary pads. #ZeeForAll was another successful initiative undertaken by the channel in 2017 for the Independence Day Special movie – Dangal.  With an audio description for the visually impaired and subtitles for the hearing impaired audience, the movie was made accessible to all.
     

  • Make this Friendship’s day special for your first ever friends – your parents by gifting Carvaan – a gift they deserve

    Make this Friendship’s day special for your first ever friends – your parents by gifting Carvaan – a gift they deserve

    MUMBAI: Since years, friendship day has been celebrated among peers. This year why not make a difference! Often we forget that the first laughter or pain we shared was with our parents. So why not extend the celebration of the day with our families too. Let’s make this friendship day special for our first friends we ever made with Saregama Carvaan!

    Saregama Carvaan is a product designed to appeal older generation who want to enjoy evergreen melodies without getting into hassle of buffering or technical struggle. In terms of features, Carvaan comes with pre-loaded 5000 retro songs from legendary artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar among others. One can switch to songs based on mood or categories like spiritual, Sufi, Film Instrumental or Hindustani Classical. The Saregama Carvaan also stores ‘Geetmala ki Chaon Mein’, a journey of Bollywood songs from 1952 to 2000, complete in 50 volumes, narrated by Ameen Sayani. It also allows you to enjoy your personal collection of songs by plugging in a USB drive or running songs from your phone via Bluetooth. The price range of Carvaan starts at Rs 5,990/-

    The classic look in addition with its rich content, convenience and utility, makes Saregama Carvaan a perfect reason to gift to your parents to send them on a trip to nostalgia!

    Log in to www.Saregama.com and book a Carvaan for your parents today! We will gift wrap it for you at no additional cost to make the occasion even more special.

  • COLORS Bangla presents Mangal Chandi – a mythological tale bound by devotion, bared by trepidation

    COLORS Bangla presents Mangal Chandi – a mythological tale bound by devotion, bared by trepidation

    MUMBAI: The mystical tales of revered Gods and Goddesses have fascinated the minds of many. From amongst the expansive library of mythologies from around the world tethered to various cultures, Indian mythology is widely considered as a treasure trove of some of the most riveting folktales and emboldening idols. Enchanting viewers with such a mythological saga, Colors Bangla brings to life an ode of mythological extravaganza – MANGAL CHANDI, starting August 5, from Monday to Saturday at 6pm.

    Talking about the newest mythological adventure, Rahul Chakravarti – Business Head, Colors Bangla and Colors Odia, said, “Bangla audience enjoys a well-balanced variety in their entertainment with shows that offer shades of drama, reality, mystery, romance and more. But mythological shows have been universally appreciated and cherished due to their strong cultural influence. Mangal Chandi is a visual treat that presents an enthralling folklore which combines high-scale production quality, top-of-the-line VFX effects and a powerful ensemble cast to bring an entertaining mythological show for viewers.”

    Gleaned from Banik Khanda of Chandimangal, the show narrates the legend of Goddess Chandi and her deep-rooted bond with her worshippers. Eager to establish her cult, Devi Chandi (Madhuja) conspires to recruit Dhanapati (Shamik) an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, by making him fall in love with her devotee Khullona (Adrija Roy). But Devi Chandi’s plans take an unexpected turn, and she decides to rain down her wrath on the young couple to teach them a lesson, ensuing a rigmarole between a Goddess and devotee.

  • ‘Kahat Hanuman…Jai Shri Ram’ coming soon only on &TV

    ‘Kahat Hanuman…Jai Shri Ram’ coming soon only on &TV

    MUMBAI: Mythological shows in India have always managed to captivate an audience with numerous unheard and fascinating tales of the great Lords. Despite the tales being told and retold to a vast and varied audience, these ancient epics have always managed to give a stiff competition to any other form of fictional dramas.

    After enjoying a successful run of mythological shows like Jai Santoshi Maa and Paramavatar Shri Krishna, &TV is all set to present the captivating tale of Lord Hanuman with Kahat Hanuman…Jai Shri Ram.

    An incarnation of the powerful and supreme Lord Shiva, Lord Hanuman was created as the most powerful being on earth with a certain purpose and potential. Defining this purpose while giving viewers a glimpse of the tale between Lord Shiva and the invincible evil Ravana, the show will narrate the story of Lord Hanuman’s origin. It is set to take the viewers on an interesting mythological journey of how Bal Hanuman eventually emerges as the greatest devotee of Lord Ram and manages to bring a successful end to Ravana’s reign of terror.

    Talking about bringing this new narrative, Vishnu Shankar, Business Head, &TV said, “Mythology as a genre is deeply rooted in our rich culture and traditions. Despite the evolution of several genres, these age-old stories entrenched in Indian culture, have always managed to attract mass appeal. &TV’s new show, ‘Kahat Hanuman…Jai Shri Ram’ represents the story of spiritual devotion of Hanuman – his faith and devotion to Lord Shri Ram. Hanuman is the epitome of Bhakti and serves as an inspiration for all of us."