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Category: Press Release

  • 65% Indians (like most global citizens) want prevention of casualties of civilians to take precedence over country’s interest: Ipsos Human Rights Survey

    65% Indians (like most global citizens) want prevention of casualties of civilians to take precedence over country’s interest: Ipsos Human Rights Survey

    MUMBAI: According to a new survey by Ipsos, in partnership with the Policy Institute at King’s College, London, titled, ‘Age of Impunity – Global Attitudes to Human Rights – 65% Indians believe that avoiding civilian casualties should take precedence over country’s interest. 

    Interestingly, all markets covered in the survey display the same concern on Human Rights – of protecting civilians and following the rules of warfare, over country’s interest – Turkey (74%), Poland (66%), India (65%), Peru (63%), Hungary (63%), Russia (59%), Mexico (58%), South Africa (57%), Sweden (57%), Spain (55%), Great Britain (55%), Chile (55%), Germany (54%), Malaysia (53%), Australia (51%), the US (51%), Italy (49%) etc.  

    War crimes and accountability

    Two thirds of Indians (65%) feel that if a country commits war crimes, it should be held accountable and that other countries should intervene, to put an end to it, even if it infringes on the sovereignty. 66% Indians want India to intervene in such a scenario, if it takes place in other countries. 

    “Indians, like most global citizens, veto for preventing civilian casualties and following the code of conduct of war. Most strife zones in India or of other nations are faced with complexities of situations, where there is no war per se, but terrorism upsetting peace and collaterally affecting civilians. And most nations are grappling with the scenario of how civilians can be unscathed and unimpacted in turmoil zones,” says Parijat Chakraborty, Country Service Line Group Leader, Ipsos Public Affairs, Corporate Reputation & Customer Experience. 

    Conformance to international laws on human rights, what should be India’s stance?

    The views are divided – while 39% Indians feel that international laws on human rights should be strictly adhered to; 23% are of the view that laws should be flouted only in extreme circumstances; 25% on the other hand counsel that one should know the laws but should opt for other considerations and 7% feel that laws should be ignored.

    Factors that should determine ties with other nations, for leaders

    Indians feel leaders should consider the following top factors when deciding relations with other countries: Economic benefits (53%); Security benefits (53%); military benefits (36%) and human rights record of the country (33%). And interestingly, priorities of Indian leaders are in sync with expectations of Indians and are in the same pecking order of economic benefits (55%), security benefits (51%), military benefits (38%) and the human rights record of the country (33%) – for forging ties with other nations.  

    Trade and human rights    

    Polarized views observed among Indians.  42% Indians espouse trading only with nations with good human rights record, even at the cost of hampering the economy; 40% on the contrary feel economic benefits should be the driving force for trade and not a squeaky-clean human rights record (they won’t like to link the two). 
     

  • Sony Pictures Networks India – The Dhun Project

    Sony Pictures Networks India – The Dhun Project

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India together with India Vision Foundation celebrated World Music Day with the release  of a heart-warming video of- The Dhun Project.

    The Dhun Project  has facilitated the opening of music training  centers  across five large  prisons  in North India. The initiative uses the powerful medium  of music (vocal and instrumental) to assist in rehabilitation of  prison  inmates, thus  preparing them  for  reintegrating into  society  post  their  prison  term. 'The Dhun Project'  has now  touched the  lives of close  to  250  inmates  at five training  centres  in UP and Haryana prisons.

    Since the project's initiation in 2018 with the launch of their first music training center  at the Bhondsi Jail in Gurugram,  Haryana, four  more  training centres  have  been  set  up  at Rothak  and  Ambala  prisons  in Haryana, and Dasna and Kasna prisons in Uttar Pradesh.

    Furthermore, special trainers (vocal and instrumental) have been appointed who visit the music centres on a regular  basis to train the prison  inmates. The training  centres  are well equipped with instruments such as drum set, pad, tabla, dholak, harmonium, guitar and electric  keyboards. So far, 116 inmates  have been trained in vocal, 105 in instrumental and 23 inmates trained in both vocal and instrumental music.

    Apart from being a source of cheer and entertainment, the training equips inmates with a potential source of livelihood.
     

  • KickO unites music legends on World Music Day to bring music closer to children

    KickO unites music legends on World Music Day to bring music closer to children

    MUMBAI: Research says that music helps release the “happy chemical” in human body, infact we are programmed to be happier when we listen to music. And on the occasion of this World Music Day, destination of unlimited happiness, Sony YAY! Is all set to celebrate the magical gift of music and spread unlimited smiles amongst its young fans.

    On the day when the world celebrates music, Sony YAY! aims to ensure that children from different walks of life strengthen their musical connect and not miss out on this magical form of art. A unique initiative kick-started by the channel, witnessed KickO, the superhero from Suncity bringing together legends such as A.R Rahman, Badshah, Sonu Nigam, Shaan and many more. The  music maestros extended their support to the movement by gifting autographed musical instruments from their prized collections to children from an NGO, helping them come closer to the opportunity of exploring their passion in music.

    The initiative saw globally acclaimed artists and role models for children providing signed instruments, to introduce them to the joys of music. Right from Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician, A.R. Rahman’s keytar, to singer Sonu Nigam’s tabla set, and singer Amaal Malik’s ukulele, the movement struck the right chord among the YAY-fans. The enthusiasm and the willingness shown by the artists to be a part of this wonderful community initiative was heartening. The response it generated over the last year and the impact it had in benefitting scores of kids from different walks of life to learn music and realize their dream, has definitely attracted more like-minded celebrities pledging their support to the cause. Almost all of them shook a leg with KickO, posed for pictures and shared their thoughts on World Music Day. They echoed the channel’s sentiments on the importance of music and how it truly transcends and unites everyone. Through this collaboration, the kid’s entertainment channel aims to help children and add another ray of sunshine in their lives.

    The complete list of the signed musical instruments is as follows:

    Artist

    Instrument

    A.R. Rahman

    Keytar

    Sonu Nigam

    Tabla set

    Shaan

    Guitar

    Badshah

    Ukelele

    Sunidhi Chauhan

    Violin

    Amaal Malik

    Ukelele

    PalakMuchhal

    Djembe

    Arko Mukherjee

    Tambourine

    RJ Meha Kapoor – 104.8 Ishq

    Guitar

    Comments:

    Leena Lele Dutta, Business Head, Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre!

    “Music is something that instantly gives a happy vibe to everyone. The face of a kid lights up once music starts playing. At Sony YAY! we constantly invest ourselves in making the channel the destination of unlimited happiness and this is exactly the reason we started this initiative. Through our World Music Day initiative, we aim to bring music closer to the lives of the kids. We are overwhelmed by the response garnered by the initiative especially from esteemed artists who pledged their support to this movement. By donating the personally signed instruments, we wish to assist kids in their musical journey. We’d like to thank everyone for their support”

  • Consumer audio brand boAt scripts a new strategy for a melodious growth in India

    Consumer audio brand boAt scripts a new strategy for a melodious growth in India

    MUMBAI: The award-winning consumer audio brand – boAt has roped in Bollywood's versatile vocalist Neha Kakkar for their ‘Soul of the Musicians’ campaign. The youth icon will further strengthen the brand appeal among the musicophiles. The company will roll out a 360-degree advertising campaign featuring the new brand captain across print and digital platforms. Neha will also be seen as the celebrity face on the packaging of select boAt products. Last year boAt also roped in Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa for the ‘Soul of the Musicians’ campaign.   

    The celebrated Neha Kakkar has been a judge on shows like Indian Idol Season 10 and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs. She gained popularity through her songs like London Thumakda for the movie Queen, Main Tera Boyfriend for the movie Raabta and more.

    Commenting on the association, Aman Gupta, Co-founder, boAt said, “Music is the soul of our brand. The vivacious Neha has created new benchmarks in singing through her melodious voice. She is a youth icon, and is immensely loved by her fans. She has the same passion as we have and represents our core belief in providing a great sound experience. We are pleased to welcome her to the boAt family.”

    The new boAt-head Neha Kakkar, commented “I’m extremely thrilled to be on board as the face of boAt. The millennial audio brand is known for its tech quality and design. I personally love their products and I look forward to this collaboration.”

    Neha is the latest one to join the star studded roster of the brand which already includes the likes of Bollywood actors Jacqueline Fernandez, Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani, and singer Guru Randhawa, cricketers Hardik Pandya, K. L. Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw.

    In a sector dominated by established global brands, boAt has ramped up quickly in a short span of three years, through its core high-quality audio product line of smart, efficient, stylish and durable ‘hearables’. The brand has already registered INR 100 crores in FY'18 as gross sales and is eyeing INR 500 crores in the next few years. With a strong focus on consumer desires and aesthetics, the brand has created products that seamlessly integrate into the evolved consumer’s personal style statement. The trendy look and feel of the boAt speakers and headphones have led to the new category of ‘hearables’ akin to fashion accessories. boAt has already created a community of over 1,200,000 boAtheads (consumers) who want to be seen listening and wearing their favorite audio accessories to make a lifestyle statement.

    boAt products are available both online (Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Snapdeal, etc.) and offline (Croma retail, Vijay Sales, Poorvika Mobiles, etc.)

  • Insanely Funny Yet Chillingly Dark Watch Ryan Reynolds in an unhinged avatar as &PrivéHD premieres ‘The Voices’

    Insanely Funny Yet Chillingly Dark Watch Ryan Reynolds in an unhinged avatar as &PrivéHD premieres ‘The Voices’

    Mumbai: At every juncture in life, we’ve all wrestled with the two voices in our heads that constantly pull us in different directions. But, the real question is, who do we follow? From the multi-faceted Iranian-French director and cartoonist Marjane Satrapi comes a similar cinematic display of the dark spurs of emotions that lead us to evil temptations. &PrivéHD, the premium destination for nuanced cinema, is set to premiere, the bizarre and twisted tale of a deranged boy-next-door with ‘The Voices’ on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 1PM and 9PM. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick and Jacki Weaver, the dark-comedy is known to have garnered multiple awards and nominations across coveted film festivals such as Festival D Cinema De Paris, Gérardmer Film Festival and Golden Trailer Awards.

    The Voices revolves around the life of Jerry (Ryan Reynolds), a seemingly normal man and an upbeat newbie at a bathtub factory. However, something about this friendly co-worker seems completely off. Turns out, Jerry is a schizophrenic who is undergoing therapy with Dr. Warren (Jacki Weaver). Having rejected his medication over a long time makes Jerry hallucinate and indulge in daily conversations with his pets ‘Mr. Whiskers’, a sadistic tabby cat and Bosco his affable dog. Their ‘voices’ influence Jerry to take on all sorts of crazy stunts. Trouble escalates in his merry life when one fine day, Jerry is turned down by his office crush. This triggers a series of sinister impulses that ultimately lead Jerry to commit a gruesome murder. But, that’s just the beginning of a disturbing turn of events waiting to unfold. With this opens a Pandora’s box of the dark underbelly and unsettling details from Jerry’s past and a series of troubling encounters that only make matters worse for Jerry. 

  • VMLY&R India appoints Ajay Ravindran as Director – Strategy and Planning

    VMLY&R India appoints Ajay Ravindran as Director – Strategy and Planning

    Mumbai: VMLY&R India, an award-winning digital marketing, advertising and transformation agency has appointed Ajay Ravindran as Director – Strategy and Planning. Ajay will work closely with Saurabh Mathur (Head of Strategy & Planning) and Anil K Nair (CEO), to drive strategy and growth of the agency.

    Ajay will head the brand planning function for VMLY&R in India. His mandate is to ensure that strategic thinking is at the core of all the offerings of the agency – across all verticals including Brand Stewardship (Campaigns & Content), Commerce, and Experience & Technology. Additionally, he will spearhead the Brand Advisory practice here.

    Commenting on this, Anil K Nair, CEO, VMLY&R India, stated, “Ajay will be working at the intersection of Brand Strategy and Technology, so that VMLY&R is at the forefront of defining how brands would need to evolve in this new, emerging, complex, post-digital world. Having helmed senior roles, Ajay will be a trusted advisor for our clients- current and potential – a responsibility I am sure he will cherish!”

    Speaking on his new role, Ajay Ravindran, Director- Strategy & Planning, VMLY&R India said, ‘In their eagerness to become the agency of the future, I feel most agencies are forgetting being the agency of the present. At VMLY&R, I saw not just an agency but a holistic marketing services firm – with cutting edge solutions encompassing content, commerce and platforms. It seemed to me that it could answer all the questions clients are seeking answers to TODAY, but don’t know whom to ask.’

    He further added, ‘But beyond all this was an X factor that escaped words – the palpable chemistry with the team, the richness of conversations and the vibe of the place itself. The more I interacted and learned, the more urgent was the question, “OK, so when do we start?” ’

    Ajay has around 14 years of work experience across Media Planning, Market Research and Account Planning, and hence brings a holistic view to brand strategy. He has handled blue chip clients including: Britannia (Marie Gold, 50-50, Nutrichoice, Cake and Rusk), Unilever

    (Kissan, Knorr, Annapurna, PureIt), Zee Group, Flipkart, TVS (Scooty, Radeon), Titan (Skinn, Sonata), 3M (Scotch Brite), Aditya Birla Group (Louis Philippe), Tanishq and Gold Plus.

    Some of his campaigns have gone on to win awards, including EFFIE (Tanishq & Flipkart), INDIAA Awards (Dell & Scotch Brite) and CMO Asia Marketing Awards (Dell). He has also been a finalist at WARC (for Britannia Cake).

    Ajay’s last assignment was with Lowe Lintas, Mumbai, where he was Vice President – Strategic Planning, leading the brand strategy mandate on Zee, PureIt, Unilever Foods and Setu. Previously, he led the same mandate for Flipkart, Britannia, TVS, Titan at Lowe Lintas Bangalore. He has also worked with Ogilvy, JWT, Grey, and L&K Saatchi & Saatchi.

    He is an MBA from NMIMS, Mumbai; a leading Indian B-School. Apart from work, Ajay loves reading, quizzing, motorcycling and is an aspiring author.

  • Livspace appoints Joyita Poddar as Chief Human Resources Officer

    Livspace appoints Joyita Poddar as Chief Human Resources Officer

    Bengaluru: Livspace, India’s no. 1 home design and renovation platform, has appointed Joyita Poddar as its Chief Human Resources Officer. Joyita brings to the company over two decades of experience in human resources having worked at leading corporations like Sabre Corporation, eBay Inc., Star India Pvt Ltd, Piramal Enterprises and Saint Gobain. Her key specializations in the field of human resources include organization change management, M&A, culture and people strategies, transformation initiatives, leadership growth and leadership coaching. She will lead critical people strategies and leadership training at Livspace.

    Joyita is focused on the role of optimizing employee performance in shaping business growth and success. She is an expert in introducing and implementing relevant strategies in new-age digital and technology companies. At Livspace, she plans to retain the core of the organization culture, and optimizing the great talent in enabling the company’s growth as it expands to newer markets.

    Commenting on Joyita’s appointment, Anuj Srivastava, Co-founder and CEO of Livspace, said: “The depth and quality of our team has been a key factor in making Livspace a formidable player in the home solutions space. At this point in our growth, we are thrilled to bring in Joyita, a passionate and experienced expert in organizational development, to drive our people strategy. We look forward to her contribution to attracting the right talent and make Livspace the best place for entrepreneurial minds who can take forward our vision of making beautiful homes accessible to everyone through technology.”

    “In a fast-paced digital environment, people and talent are imperative to how a business grows. Livspace is truly unique in how it has been able to build a culture of success with humility, and unparalleled commitment. I look forward to retaining this uniqueness, working alongside some great minds to build a fun, yet competitive work culture that would help the company grow. I am excited to be joining a company that is functioning as a crucial disruptor in the home design and interiors sector. They are doing amazing things and have already built a great business that has made the otherwise cumbersome process of home interior decorating seamless, but more importantly – delightful”, said Joyita Poddar, Chief Human Resources Officer of Livspace.

    The Livspace team has grown over time with passionate and talented individuals, we are excited about where our journey has brought us and where we intend to go, adds Anuj Srivastava, Co-founder and CEO of Livspace.

  • Thomas Cook India inspires travellers to join the Yoga Revolution

    Thomas Cook India inspires travellers to join the Yoga Revolution

    Mumbai, June 21, 2019: Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., India’s leading integrated travel and related financial services company, is championing the spirit of Yoga with the introduction of “Travolution”, on the occasion of International Yoga Day. Giving impetus to physical and mental well-being, its Travolution wellness packages, invite Indians to travel to find inner peace; yoga being an integral component. In support of the Government’s drive towards celebrating health and wellness, the company plans to revolutionize holidays into transformational travel via its unique yoga and wellness experiences.

    According to Thomas Cook India's internal data, the demand for wellness tourism has grown by over 20% YoY over the last 3 years, highlighting the new age traveller’s growing investment in self-care holidays. The touchstone of Thomas Cook India’s Travolution initiative is self-discovery and rejuvenation of the senses- by incorporating some of the most powerful yoga practices set against India’s pristine locales.

    The Company is hence encouraging India to dare to disconnect through detox travel! The domestic market offers strong potential with over 26% growth in demand from metro cities and a 15% from mini-metro and Tier 2 towns. The company’s Travolution products have been designed to appeal to a wide range of consumer segments including India’s Millennials/young working professionals, couples, Gen S/Seniors, B-Leisure and corporate MICE groups

    Thomas Cook India’s customized rejuvenation programmes come with a diverse selection of special yoga sessions, ayurveda treatment, art therapy. Some of the best yoga retreats across the country have been selected, including Isola Di Cocco in Poovar, beauty/ anti-aging therapy at The Lake Village, Kottayam, yoga and well-being programmes in Gokarna and naturopathy at Prakriti Shakti near Kochi among others. In addition, Thomas Cook India’s portfolio incorporates a plethora of spa sojourns at Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore, Udaipur, Delhi, Chennai, Varanasi, Vishakhapatnam, etc. Itineraries are inclusive of meals, accommodation, and transport with emphasis on yoga by trained experts, and a variety of wellness programmes such as ayurveda, meditation, spas, natural therapies, consultations and art therapy, coupled with a special satvik diet for a holistic and enriching experience.

    Thomas Cook India’s wellness packages also focus on India’s women travellers, who are seeking personalized experiences that incorporate meditation, yoga, conventional & infra-red sauna, hot tubs & hydrotherapy and luxurious spa treatments.

    Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., said, “Yoga offers immense tourism potential – a boon to the Travel & Tourism sector with cascading impact to the country’s GDP.
    Given the significant 20% YoY demand in wellness tourism that we have witnessed, and in keeping with the Government’s drive towards yoga and wellness, our aim is to encourage travellers to embark on a journey of rejuvenation via our Travolution initiative. With Yoga’s benefits being passed down to us from ancient Indian texts, Thomas Cook’s Travolution empowers customers to celebrate self-care with a hand-picked range of enriching yoga cum wellness offerings across India.”

  • Eros Now Leads All Major OTT Platforms in Market Share of Small and Regional Cities According to New Research

    Eros Now Leads All Major OTT Platforms in Market Share of Small and Regional Cities According to New Research

    Mumbai: Eros International Plc (NYSE:EROS) (“Eros” or the “Company”), a Global Indian Entertainment Company, announced today that Counterpoint Technology Market Research has recently released an in-depth study on OTT platforms and consumption patterns in India. According to the study, Eros Now has the largest share (59%) of users in the 25-39 age bracket in Tier II/III cities, the highest among all major OTT platforms. In terms of engagement, the study found that Eros Now users had the highest engagement levels compared to other OTT platforms, with 68% of Eros Now users indicating that they watch content on the platform daily. In addition, the survey points out that 9% of Eros Now users watch content on the platform for more than 21 hours per week.

    The Counterpoint Research study highlights several interesting trends and data points, including:

    ·         Content from comfort of home: 96% of Eros Now customers prefer watching content at home

    ·         Smart TV – the new choice: Eros Now has the highest percentage of its users watching content on Smart TV with a total of 27% – highest among all other leading OTT platforms

    ·         Demographic trends: Eros Now has the highest share of business owners as users – over 14%

    ·         Importance of Xiaomi: More than half (53%) of ErosNow users in Tier II/III cities own a Xiaomi smartphone.

    Rishika Lulla Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Eros Digital, commented on the key trends revealed in the survey, saying, “The Counterpoint survey is proof of the success of our endeavours not only to expand the consumer base but also to strengthen our foothold in the smaller cities of India. Our entry into the rural markets of India has played a significant role in the growth of the OTT industry in the country."

    Eros Now continues to thrive through its partnerships in India. Notably, Eros Now has partnered with Xiaomi for pre-installation on Smart TV's in India, a rapidly growing market. Eros Now is currently the only major Indian OTT platform to partner with Apple for its new Apple TV Plus service to be launched globally later this year.

  • Hungama Play premieres ‘For All That You Are’ – an award-winning short film about love and retribution

    Hungama Play premieres ‘For All That You Are’ – an award-winning short film about love and retribution

    MUMBAI: Hungama Play, a leading video on demand platform owned by Hungama Digital Media, today premiered a new short film – For All That You Are. The film explores the relationship between two female ex-lovers from different cultural backgrounds, who happen to reconnect post an abrupt break-up but are unaware of each other’s intentions. Replete with unexpected twists, the film highlights the women’s varied beliefs and shocks the viewers with an unpredictable climax. Besides Hungama Play, the short film will also be available to stream through Hungama Play on Airtel TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick and SHAREit. Additionally, through Hungama’s association with Xiaomi consumers will also be able to watch the film via Hungama Play on Mi TV.

    Appreciated for its unusual theme, the film has won several awards at film festivals around the world. These include Best LGBTQ Film at Top Shorts Film Festival USA, Best Woman Filmmaker at The IndieFEST Film Awards, Best Actress at Actors Award Los Angeles and Accolade Global Film Competition USA along with the Best Short at MedFF. Besides these, the film has also been an official selection at New York Film Awards and a semi-finalist at Nassau Film Festival.

    Speaking on the release of the short film, Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media said, “We take pride in offering our users a multi-lingual and multi-genre library that includes a wide range of Indian and international movies, short films, documentaries, TV shows, kids’ content, original shows and short-format videos. For All That You Are will join our curation of award-winning films and offer our viewers a fresh form of storytelling.”

    The film is directed by Avantika Khattri, who also plays the main lead along with Tatiana Tat. The film has been produced by Avantika Khattri and Dhiraj Sarode under the banner of Mad Hatters.

    Speaking about her film, Avantika Khattri said, “For All That You Are is a film very close to my heart as it’s my directorial debut and has also turned out to be a super success story for my company ‘Mad Hatters’. It explores the relationship between the two leads in an emotionally mature manner. The protagonists are vulnerable, yet act in ways that shock the audience. I am glad that with its availability on Hungama Play, users worldwide will be able to watch my film.”

    Available on Hungama Play starting today, For All That You Are, will join Hungama Play’s vast content library that includes over 5000 films in English, Hindi and regional languages, 1500 short films, original shows, kids’ content, TV shows and over 150,000 short format videos in various genres like music, film gossip, humour etc.