ITV

Category: Press Release

  • WPP opens new campus in Amsterdam

    WPP opens new campus in Amsterdam

    MUMBAI: WPP today marked the opening of its new Amsterdam campus as it continued the roll-out of its global co-location strategy.

    Each WPP campus is designed to provide world-class spaces that bring together its people and agencies into one location, encouraging greater collaboration and giving clients easier access to all of WPP’s talent and expertise.

    Refurbished by WPP’s architectural and design consultancy BDG, the previously derelict Rivierstaete building has been transformed into a 19,000m2 modern working environment that will act as both an innovative workplace and community space for its 1,500 people in the city. VBAT, an international WPP design studio based in Amsterdam, worked with the agencies housed in Amsteldok to name the campus and develop the co-location’s new branding.

    Amsteldok, which was Europe’s largest office building when it was completed in 1973 by renowned architect Huig Aart Maaskant, will be home to 15 WPP agency brands that previously operated from 11 different locations. Located on the river Amstel, the striking, box-stacked structure will be a new centre of creativity in the heart of Amsterdam, boasting impressive new and renovated roof terraces, restaurants, a rooftop bar, a business lounge and an event space.

    At the official opening, Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “I’m delighted to open WPP’s Amsterdam campus, which demonstrates our continued investment in our people and commitment to the Dutch market, which is one of the most dynamic and forward-looking in the world. WPP campuses help us deliver a simpler, more integrated offer to clients by bringing great agency brands together under one roof and providing easier access to our collective talent. Giving our people modern, world-class working environments allows them to do their best creative work, it encourages closer collaboration and it’s an important part of building an open and optimistic culture at WPP.”

    To coincide with the opening of Amsteldok, today Hogarth (WPP’s global creative production network that combines technological skills and creative craftmanship) announced the creation of Hogarth Netherlands. As part of its renewed offer to clients in the region, and operating from Amsteldok, it will deliver end-to-end solutions using the very latest innovations in content production.

    Eric Kramer, WPP Netherlands Country Manager, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the regeneration of Amsteldok into both a fantastic new home for our people and a new creative and social hub for the city. We have an innovative and collaborative culture in Amsterdam, and WPP’s market offering, further bolstered by the creation of Hogarth Netherlands, is stronger than ever as we bring our brands together.”

    Redeveloping existing structures instead of constructing new buildings avoids the emission of thousands of tonnes of embodied carbon – equivalent to over 30% of the building’s lifetime carbon emissions. The new WPP campus has been developed with sustainability at its heart and is aiming for a BREEAM (the world’s leading authority in this area) rating of Very Good or higher. 

  • Courage knows no Gender – Watch Taapsee Pannu introduce the teaser of Prime Exclusive Series Laakhon Mein Ek Season 2

    Courage knows no Gender – Watch Taapsee Pannu introduce the teaser of Prime Exclusive Series Laakhon Mein Ek Season 2

    MUMBAI: Witness a courageous fight against the system in the new season of Prime Exclusive Series Laakhon Mein Ek. Courage as a virtue, has for generations, intuitively and subliminally, been associated with the male gender. Laakhon Mein Ek Season 2 questions this narrative.

    Taaspsee Pannu, actor extraordinaire and a vocal speaker of women’s rights, in the teaser video of Prime Exclusive series – Laakhon Mein Ek, asks some tough questions on the visual and verbal language used to describe courage.

    Taapsee Pannu says, “The phrase I have often heard used to project courage on screen or in real life is ‘Be a Man’, which often disturbs me because I believe women are equally, if not more, courageous. Prime Exclusive Series Laakhon Mein Ek Season 2 is  a series where through Dr. Shreya – the protagonist of the show, we see the fearlessness of a woman as she bravely fights against the system and proves that courage cannot and should not be defined by gender.”

    Taapsee Pannu, known for the fearless characters she plays on screen, introduces the teaser of the show openly calling out societal norms of courage being closely and exclusively associated with the male gender.

    Dr. Shreya is posted in Sitlapur village to conduct a cataract camp. The villagers are not the biggest believers in government aided healthcare due to lack of proper medical supplies thanks to dirty politics, and the medical staff isn't the dream team one would want where one’s health is concerned. Dr. Shreya, portrayed by Shweta Tripathi, decides to fight the system to try and bring about change, but the question is – Will she change the system or will the system change her?

    Amazon Prime Exclusive Series Laakhon Mein Ek – Coming Soon only on Amazon Prime Video.

    Amazon Prime Video has the largest selection of latest & exclusive movies and TV shows, stand-up comedy, biggest Indian and Hollywood films, US TV series, most popular Indian & international kids’ shows, and award-winning Amazon Prime Originals, all available, ad-free, with a world class customer experience. The service includes titles available in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi and Bengali and Gujarati.

    To watch the upcoming Prime Original Series Laakhon Mein Ek and newest releases in Hollywood & Bollywood, the latest US TV shows, kids’ favorite toons and Amazon Prime Originals, please visit www.PrimeVideo.com or download the Amazon Prime Video app today and sign-up for a Prime membership only at ₹999 annually or ₹129 monthly.

  • Star Gold celebrates Ajay Devgn’s 50th birthday with style and aplomb

    Star Gold celebrates Ajay Devgn’s 50th birthday with style and aplomb

    MUMBAI: Superstar Ajay Devgn turned 50 today, and the home of his movies and the biggest blockbusters of the industry – Star Gold – left no stone unturned to make it a memorable one for the actor. 

    The channel created a custom made artwork and presented to him in presence of his fans to mark the actor’s golden jubilee of life. 

    Overwhelmed by this gesture of Star Gold, Ajay Devgn expresses his gratitude by saying, "So humbled by this very thoughtful gesture from Star Gold! The channel has been a home for all my films and today they made me feel like a member of their family. They have truly given me a memory I will cherish for life. I can’t thank them enough for going the extra mile and making my 50th birthday so special, not just for me but also my fans who I got to meet today” 

    Taking the celebrations from off screen to on screen, the channel will also treat the Actor’s fans with a special showcase of his best film with ‘Ajay Devgn Birthday Special’. This day long movie line-up includes Shivaay, Golmaal 3, Action Jackson, Raid, Singham, Golmaal Again and Gangajal and promises to the perfect treat for this quintessential hero’s ardent followers.
     

  • Times bridge and Malaria no more announce partnership to help end malaria in india

    Times bridge and Malaria no more announce partnership to help end malaria in india

    MUMBAI: Times Bridge, the global investments and partnerships arm of The Times Group of India, today announced a strategic partnership with Malaria No More, a leading, global non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure no one dies from a mosquito bite. This partnership with Times Bridge will build on Malaria No More's recent momentum in support of India’s malaria elimination goal and add capacities – particularly as it relates to building coalitions of influencers, strengthening policy advocacy, and producing and distributing regionally adapted, multi-media content- to elevate the issue on the national agenda.

    Established in 2006 by business leaders Peter Chernin and Raymond G. Chambers, Malaria No More works with governments, non-government organizations, communities and the private sector to mobilize the political commitment, funding, and innovation required to end malaria within our generation. As part of the partnership, Times Bridge will rally national and regional influencers from across many subsets of Indian culture to advance mass awareness, promote progress amongst government decision makers, and popularize actions and behaviors individuals must take to protect themselves, their families, and communities from malaria. Drawing on the vast storytelling resources of The Times Group, Times Bridge will also lead the production and distribution of actionable, cross-platform media, including optimization for mobile/digital contexts, that informs and engages at-risk populations in key regions of the country regarding the disease, while also giving a wider swath of Indians an opportunity to take action in support of the campaign.

    The partnership will build on Malaria No More’s innovative work with the central government and the government of Odisha, where malaria cases declined by more than 80% in the last year. These efforts are critical steps toward achieving a Malaria Free India by 2030, a vision Indian Prime Minister Modi set forth at 2015’s East Asia Summit in Malaysia. Among Malaria No More’s Board members are prominent Indian leaders including Walt Disney Asia Pacific President Uday Shankar, former Fortune 500 CEO Surya Mohapatra, and Former US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma.

    Commenting on this partnership, Rishi Jaitly, CEO of Times Bridge and Member of Malaria No More’s India Advisory Board, said, “Times Bridge’s mission is to bring the world’s best ideas to India and share India’s best insights with the world. Malaria No More is a bold, original idea, founded and led by some of the world’s most accomplished social entrepreneurs, with real results to speak of in many countries, including India. We at Times Bridge are honored to bring to bear our resources to advance Malaria No More’s critical elimination mission in India.”

    Martin Edlund, CEO of Malaria No More, said, “India is key to humanity’s ambition to eliminate the disease. It was true for smallpox and polio, and it will be true for malaria. But we can only accomplish this goal if we work hand-in-hand with India’s most entrepreneurial companies and inspire the public to take up this historic challenge. Times Bridge has an unmatched record of bringing innovations to India and shaping consumer culture. We’re convinced they’ll be transformative in helping India to end mankind’s oldest, deadliest disease.”

    According to the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2018, more than half of the malaria-affected world is within reach of elimination. There remains significant work to be done, however, as cases increased in 10 of the 11 highest-burden countries. India was the only one among the highest burden countries to reduce malaria cases, registering a historic 24% decrease in malaria cases.

  • The Quint launches The ‘Bold Bunch’ web series in association with Kohler Co.

    The Quint launches The ‘Bold Bunch’ web series in association with Kohler Co.

    MUMBAI: The Quint – India’s leading mobile-first online news portal, has launched its new and exciting web series – The Bold Bunch, presented by Kohler Co. The talk show brings to light the achievements of handpicked new age Bollywood celebrities, who have broken barriers and created a reverential mark in the industry.

    Hosted by renowned Bollywood film critic and entertainment industry veteran Rajeev Masand, The ‘Bold Bunch’ series presents and celebrates stories of Bollywood personalities from different walks of life, who have gone beyond the conventional to make bold and experimental choices in their line of work.

    The new-age Bollywood celebrities who appear as guests on The Bold Bunch include – Radhika Apte, an actress known for her unconventional and versatile choice of films; Zoya Akhtar, the filmmaker with a Midas touch; Rajkummar Rao, award winning actor; Vicky Kaushal, the promising actor who has already become the flavour of the season; and Rhea Kapoor, the filmmaker who has reiterated the ‘bold is beautiful’ ideology with her blockbuster movies.

    The series was launched with Radhika Apte on March 25, 2019 followed by a brand new episode every Monday evening.

    Commenting on the launch, Ms. Ritu Kapur, CEO and Co-Founder, The Quint, said, “The idiom of storytelling in cinema and on the net has shifted to experimenting with far more nuanced narratives and characters. And the new bold bunch of actors and directors  has infused this change with tremendous talent and confidence. Who better to analyse this than Rajeev, who has tracked cinema through its ebb and flow.”

  • Nickelodeon launches new ‘Back to School’ range; tells kids “School is Fun Nick Toons Ke Sang”

    Nickelodeon launches new ‘Back to School’ range; tells kids “School is Fun Nick Toons Ke Sang”

    MUMBAI: It’s that time of the year again – a new and fun filled school term is set to begin. To make for an amazing start, Nickelodeon launches a new range of their Back-To-School products for children.  From Dora to Motu Patlu to Super kid Shiva, the new range of school-going products will bring all kids close to their most favourite Nicktoons. With an extensive range of trendy bags, colourful water bottles, pencil boxes and many more, kids will have a plenty to choose from to make their new session enjoyable.

    Whether you support Team Shiva or the Motu Patlu Hero Squad, the new product range will make going to school more fun. If you wish to become a curious explorer like Dora or save the world like Paw Patrol, probably be a leader like Peppa or be enthusiastic like Masha, there is something for everyone in this range. Viacom18 will introduce the series of products with #NickToonsAtSchool campaign under the brand Nickelodeon. By making Nicktoons a part of their school lives, the brand envisions to heighten engagement amongst kids.

    The campaign reflects how toons are the best friends to have fun with while highlighting the diversity in the range. The new collection stands out for its display of vibrant colors and distinctly curated designs that will have an instant connect with the kids and their parents.

    Speaking about the launch of the upcoming range of products, Saugato Bhowmik, Head, Viacom18 Consumer Products and Integrated Network Solutions said, “With sustained efforts to cater to kids and their interests, we bring better and more exciting additions to our Back-to-school range. With newly introduced toons like Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and Masha and the Bear, the new range of consumer products will keep the kids hooked onto their favourite on-screen characters.”

    He further added, “From pre-schoolers to kids to teen-tweens, the range offers something for one and all. Like every year, we hope parents and kids opt for these new products to make their school life enjoyable.”

    Viacom18 Consumer Products’ Back to School range will soon be available for consumers across key retail stores and e-commerce websites so that the new school session is worth it!

    What are you waiting for kiddos? Grab your shopping bags and get some cool back to school range for your new school session!

  • Nickelodeon says “Pressure ko bolo Bye”

    Nickelodeon says “Pressure ko bolo Bye”

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon – India’s leading kids’ entertainment franchise is back with their global pro-socio initiative “Together For Good” which this year will raise awareness about the impact of ‘stress’ on children. The International Journal of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences has cited that nearly two-thirds (63.5%) of the students report of stress are due to academic pressure with no significant differences across gender, age or grade. Understanding the parameters that cause stress amongst children Nickelodeon in association with Early Childhood Association is all set to address the issue of constant comparison by parents, academic stress and peer pressure with its campaign, ‘Pressure Ko Bolo Bye’.

    Leveraging the strength of the entire Nickelodeon franchise and using the power of the Nicktoons, the campaign is brought to life with light hearted, child-friendly yet impactful on-air promos, with the message #PressureKoBoloBye’. This edition of Together For Good sets out to address various parameters that are a cause of ‘stress’ amongst children and simple steps to identify and act towards the same.

    As a part of the campaign nickelodeon is creating a two-fold module co-produced by Early Childhood Association, with an aim to reach over 350 educational institutes comprising of private and government schools, NGO’s and Anganwadi’s across the nation, to help them battle the challenges. Motu Patlu, Dora and Shiva will kickstart an extensive awareness-drive across schools through a series of light hearted videos, fun and interactive activities that stimulate changes and motivate children. Experts from ECA will host a workshop for parents and teachers to help understand negative changes and symptoms amongst children and simple measures to bring out the best in children. We will amplify this message further on social media with interactive posts, video memes and a pledge that they can take through our websites and say bye to pressure.

    Commenting on the initiative, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head of Hindi and Kids Entertainment Network, said “As a responsible broadcaster for kids, their wellbeing is at the centre of all our initiatives at Nickelodeon. We have therefore  continuously curated marquee programmes  like Together For Good that endeavour to drive  behavioural change  and  enable  a safe environment for kids,  allowing  them to  be pressure free and inspired.”

    Highlighting   the association, Swati Popat, the President of Early Childhood Association, said, “Having worked in the education industry over three decades, diminishing mental health in children is one of the major concerns of our society. Associating with Nickelodeon for this initiative gives me immense pleasure to churn the wheels of change through Together for Good initiative.”

  • Riya Sen joins existing cast of Mismatch for Mismatch 2

    Riya Sen joins existing cast of Mismatch for Mismatch 2

    MUMBAI: After the success and hype of Mismatch, a comedy series by hoichoi which was streaming in September 2018, the world’s largest Bengali streaming service is now returning with Season 2. They have already brought back many of their Originals for a new season from last year – Hello S2, Dupur Thakurpo S2, Holy Faak S2, Chupkotha S2, Byomkesh S4 and more. 

    Though it is the Season 2 of Mismatch, the story-line has been changed with entirely new characters, having more fun elements than the previous season. The main cast remains the same with Rachel White, Rajdeep Gupta and Mainak Banerjee and even the director, Soumik Chattopadhyay. The exhilarating factor is that actress, Riya Sen returns to the Bengali content world after a long hiatus to star in her debut Bengali web series with hoichoi. 

    The unveiling of the cast was done in Myx, a lounge in Park Street, Kolkata in the presence of media and rest of the cast and crew talking about their excitement to start shooting for Mismatch 2. 

    The story of this season is about two couples: Abir (Rajdeep Gupta), Mishka (Riya Sen) and Anirban (Mainak Banerjee) Aditi (Rachel White). Aditi is Mishka’s boss. Whereas Anirban is a musician. Aditi is a hard taskmaster at her office, and everyone is petrified of her. Abir's sexual fantasies are almost like a nightmare for Mishka. On the other hand, Aditi is a dominating wife who acts and reacts like a boss even with her husband Anirban. Making Anirban scared of her, which ultimately leads to their unhappy conjugal life. When Abir finally persuades Mishka to be the hot wife to his bold fantasies, as luck would have it, the couple gets Anirban as the Bull. But Mishka and Anirban eventually fall in love. Abir gets furious and seeks Aditi's help and they end up being friends. As the plot unfolds Aditi finds out about her husband's infidelity, that creates havoc. Will these two couple clear this mess and end up being together or this is the start of another mismatched journey? 

  • Discovery and BBC sign major global content partnership And agree on future of uktv channels

    Discovery and BBC sign major global content partnership And agree on future of uktv channels

    MUMBAI: Discovery, Inc. and BBC Studios today jointly announce a series of agreements, reigniting their historic relationship with a significant multi-million pound global content partnership spanning a library of premium factual series to power a new global streaming service, and a bespoke development deal for BBC Studios’ iconic genres of natural history, animals, adventure, science, travel, space, history and civilization documentaries.  Additionally, the two companies have concluded the future of UKTV’s channels business in the UK with a structured split that complements the strategic focus and commercial business of both organizations.  

    The new 10-year content partnership, effective in all territories outside the UK, Ireland and Greater China, will make Discovery the exclusive global home of BBC landmark natural history programmes in SVOD, including the Planet Earth, Blue Planet and Life collection of titles, the recently lauded Dynasties and others, as well as future BBC-commissioned landmark series from BBC Studios, following their linear transmission.   Discovery also acquires SVOD rights to hundreds of hours of BBC programming across factual genres.  All of this iconic content will form one of the pillars of a new global streaming service, which will also include some of the best of Discovery’s programming library, original content created for the service, and experiences and offerings that go well beyond video.  The service will launch by 2020 and will form a key part of Discovery’s unique and growing portfolio of direct-to-consumer services that will enable fans to ‘view and do.’  These services will also be made available to distribution partners for retail.   

    Discovery and BBC Studios have also signed a bespoke development deal to create new landmark factual content for Discovery that furthers audiences’ discovery of the world for both linear and digital distribution.   This deal reunites the two media and entertainment brands that worked together on unrivalled natural history series such as Planet Earth, Walking with Dinosaurs, Life and Blue Planet.   The two companies will co-fund a dedicated development team within BBC Studios.
     

  • imd1 (I Am The 1), on-boards VVS Laxman as a Legend for cricket coaching offerings; also joins hands with India’s biggest photography training community DCP Expeditions

    imd1 (I Am The 1), on-boards VVS Laxman as a Legend for cricket coaching offerings; also joins hands with India’s biggest photography training community DCP Expeditions

    MUMBAI: Aidia Technovations’ co-curricular market place for Music, Art, Dance and Sports (MADS), imd1 (I Am The 1) has on-boarded VVS Laxman as a Legend for cricket coaching offerings.

    VS Laxman is one of the most recognized and respected cricketer globally. He is known for his techniques, natural elegance and flair. He has played some of the most remarkable innings in cricketing history. Post-retirement, he has been associated with Indian Premier League (IPL) and is currently mentoring Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is also serving on the panel of commentators and analysts. Last November, he launched his much-awaited autobiography ‘281 and Beyond’ which was an immediate hit in the cricket fraternity.

    Talking about his association with imd1, VVS Laxman said, “I am excited to start my unique journey with imd1. They are working on a disruptive idea for co-curricular learning using digital technology. It can take cricket learning and coaching to a different level. I look forward to impart my knowledge and experience through this association and make a big difference at grass root levels in every nook & corner of India and beyond.”

    Commenting on the developments, Jigish Sonagara, founder of Aidia Technovations said, “We welcome VVS Laxman to team imd1. Our cricket coaching related offerings will have VVS (Very Very Special) touch now! With VVS’s endorsement of cricket curriculum, we will bring unique cricket coaching experience which is digitally driven with brick & mortar model.”

    Aidia Technovations also joins hands with India’s biggest and fastest growing Photography training community DCP Expeditions (www.dcpexpeditions.com).  DCP has a strong panel of experts comprising of most respected mentors and experts comprising of wildlife, travel, food, astro, fashion, macro/micro photographers to photo journalists, digital artists, digital imaging specialists, travelers, writers, divers, explorers, naturalists, conservationists and others. Some of the renowned photographers associated with DCP are Dr. Caesar Sengupta, Amit Rane, YuwarajGurjar, Mohan Thomas, Ashutosh Shinde, Sanak Roy Choudhury, Kiran Poonacha and many others.  DCP regularly conducts photography workshops in more than 100 cities in India apart from photo tours, exhibitions and other initiatives. DCP and imd1 shall work on all aspects of photography, from creating courses, competitions / exhibitions to DCP experts offering standardized courses using imd1 digital platform.

    On this occasion, Dr. Caesar Sengupta, founder & director of DCP Expeditions said, “Joining hands with imd1 is the best click for DCP and Indian photography world! Using imd1 digital platform, we will take photography learning to millions of budding photographers, right from amateur to professionals and students to homemakers. This path breaking idea will help disseminating best of the curated photography curriculum and knowledge across India”.

    Jigish Sonagara added, “We are elated after joining hands with DCP. They are undisputed leaders in photography community with full bouquet of services, best of the mentors & experts and pan India presence. We will combine it with imd1 initiatives and digital technology offering real complete learning and experience.”

    imd1 has already on-boarded celebrity photographer Dabboo Ratnani as a Legend for its photography course offerings and India’s fastest skater, Nikhilesh Tabhane as a Legend for its skating and related offerings earlier. 

    Aidia Technovations is Mumbai and Pune based start-up working on technology enabled innovations. Aidia is working on co-curricular marketplace for MADS (Music, Art, Dance and Sports) under “imd1” with various offerings. It will be a unique combination of brick & mortar and digital to use best of the both to connect all stakeholders with one of its kind technology and providing quality services in this vertical. As part of its initial plan to widen its reach, company has already launched its website www.imd1.co and android app imd1, covering achievers’ stories who can proudly say “I Am The 1” including that of Padma shri, Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award winners and others, market for MADS service providers, MADS specific social media etc.