ITV

Category: Press Release

  • Are you a Secret Keeper yet?

    Are you a Secret Keeper yet?

    MUMBAI: When you are passionate about something, success is inevitable. An initiative that was born out of such love and care, a movement that was long overdue in India – #StarMoviesSecretScreening. The reason for its success is testimony to the power and drive of its Secret Keepers – the elite community of movie lovers from across the country.

     

    The initiative began a few months ago and its first installment saw Star Movies launch the first ever #StarMoviesSecretScreening communication only on social media with one intention – celebrate good cinema with a great experience.

     

    The first #StarMoviesSecretScreening showcased ‘The Maze Runner’, two weeks before the international release starting off the cult movie movement. They repeated the experience again with another Hollywood masterpiece – ‘The Gone Girl’.

     

    Now in its third edition the secret was bigger than ever, the experience; grander than before. #StarMoviesSecretScreening along with Fox Studios treated the Secret Keepers to the cinematic brilliance of Ridley Scott’s EXODUS – a journey that set the screen ablaze on 3rd December 2014 in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. This film is an interpretation of the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt as led by Moses and related to the Old Testament Book of Exodus.

     

    The movie starring Christian Bale, Ben Kingsley and other mighty actors narrates the epic story of one man’s courage to take on the might of an empire. The Secret Keepers were thrilled to be a part of this journey and their love parted the twitter feeds as #StarMoviesSecretScreening was trending nationally.

     

    On the occasion, Kevin Vaz, General Manager – English Cluster, Star India said, “At Star Movies we’ve always tried to create new and exciting experiences for our viewers. The Secret Screening was a result of great consumer insight meeting the perfect idea. We’ve had great response from our Secret Keepers and we are certain that this property will continue to intrigue and thrill audiences.”

     

    Shikha Kapur, CMO, Fox Star Studios India, added – “Exodus: Gods and Kings is as epic a movie as it gets. Mounted on a lavish scale with some stunning visual display, soldered with top notch performances from a solid cast, and with the solid reins in the hands of the master director Ridley Scott, this film has had audiences waiting for its release with peaking anticipation.

     

    #StarMoviesSecretScreening was just the right platform to debut this colossal movie experience with the legions of fans across cities. May the tribe of Secret Keepers flourish! We are confident that Fox Star Studios will be there at every secret screening, enthralling and exciting all, with our cinema.”

                                                                                                                                                                                              

    Secret Keepers rejoice. Our journey has just begun. Together, we shall and we will build our brotherhood, one secret at a time.

     

    #StarMoviesSecretScreening… Ssshhhh… it’s still the best kept secret!

     

  • Discovery Channel launches ‘Revealed: Rann of Kutch in Gujarat’

    Discovery Channel launches ‘Revealed: Rann of Kutch in Gujarat’

    MUMBAI: The salt desert of the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is one of the world’s greatest wildernesses and a significant attraction for people across the world. Discovery Networks Asia Pacific executive VP and general manager – South Asia & Southeast Asia Rahul Johri, presented the programme ‘Revealed: Rann of Kutch in Gujarat’ to the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel, at her office in Gandhinagar.

     
    Commenting on the launch, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific executive VP and general manager – South Asia & Southeast Asia Rahul Johri said, “The viewers will get a first-hand experience of wetlands, thorn forests, grasslands and marshes that surround this salt land and together make the incredible biosphere of the Rann of Kutch.”

     
    Showcasing the breathtaking beauty of the mystique Rann, Discovery Channel will premiere Revealed: Rann of Kutch on Monday, 8 December at 9 pm.

     
    While on the face of it, the Rann does seem to be deserted, there is much more to it than meets the eye. The Rann and the areas around it support a staggering diversity of life and cultures. Discovery Channel’s Revealed: Rann of Kutch explores some of them like never before. It features some rarely filmed and curious creatures of the Rann, like the subterranean dwellers, the Desert Jird, the elusive Desert Fox and the extinct volcano, Dhino Dhar.

     
    The programme reveals the diverse groups of ethnicities that nest in The Rann of Kutch. Viewers will meet innovative tourist guides in a horse safari, intrepid honey gatherers negotiating a hive of wild rock bees, village artisans and craftsman, salt-pan workers and high tech wind farm technicians.

     

  • Yacine Brahimi voted BBC African Footballer of the Year 2014

    Yacine Brahimi voted BBC African Footballer of the Year 2014

    MUMBAI: Algeria and F.C. Porto player Yacine Brahimi is the winner of this year’s BBC African Footballer of the Year award. He is the first Algerian player to win in the competition’s 23 year history.

     

    Brahimi emerged as the most popular player in a competitive shortlist that included Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon and Borussia Dortmund), Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria and Lille OSC), Gervinho (Ivory Coast and Roma) and 2013 winner Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast and Manchester City).

     

    This year’s BBC African Footballer of the Year was the most successful competition to date since the award first launched in 1992 as BBC African Sports Star of the Year. Hundreds of thousands of football fans voted in the 2014 competition from around the world.

     

    The BBC’s Peter Okwoche presented Brahimi with his trophy today, Monday 1 December, during a global simulcast across radio and television. The results were revealed on the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, which aired from 1730 GMT on BBC World Service and BBC World News.

     

    Yacine Brahimi says: “It is a huge honour for me to receive this wonderful trophy. I owe it to my country, Algeria; and to all the people who voted for me. It is also a trophy for the whole of Africa, because it rewards an African player”.

     

    “This trophy is going to give me more strength, more desire to work, to get better and to learn, so that I can keep having great performances. Both the African Cup of Nations and the Champions League are coming, as well as the Portuguese League. These are big opportunities for me. I hope I will be able to achieve big things this year both with my national team and my club”.

     

    “I am sharing this trophy with my family, with all the African countries and with all the Algerians who have always supported me”.

     

    Vera Kwakofi, Current Affairs Editor, BBC Africa says: “Yacine Brahimi has had an incredible year representing Algeria and F.C. Porto. We are excited that his talent has been recognised and endorsed by fans of African football from around the world who have voted him their BBC African Footballer of the Year. The competition’s popularity continues to grow and this year we saw a record number of votes from BBC audiences globally. This annual award is a testament to the BBC’s continued support for African football.”

     

    Having played for the French national youth teams, Brahimi was a late addition to Algeria after switching nationalities in 2013. He showed maturity and leadership at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where Algeria qualified from the group stages for the first time in their World Cup history. Since then he has helped to secure his country’s qualification for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations. He has also blossomed in his club career at Porto showing panache in midfield and impressive form in front of goal.

    Previous winners of the BBC African Footballer of the Year award include: Yaya Touré (2013), Christopher Katongo (2012), André Ayew (2011) and AsamoahGyan (2010).

  • Tata Sky and UNICEF join hands to promote ‘Child-Friendly Schools and Systems’

    Tata Sky and UNICEF join hands to promote ‘Child-Friendly Schools and Systems’

    MUMBAI: Tata Sky, the leading Direct-to-home service provider in the country and UNICEF today announced their joint initiative to promote quality learning in a protective environment using the ‘Child-Friendly Schools and Systems’ (CFSS) package.

    Supporting the UNICEF cause, Tata Sky will offer its platform to raise funds from subscribers facilitating the CFSS package. Tata Sky subscribers would be able to donate either Rs. 20/- or Rs. 50/- per recharge by simply giving a missed call on the two numbers (090154 90154 and 09015690156 respectively) allotted specifically for this cause.
     
    With the launch of this three month long initiative, Tata Sky reinforced its philosophy, of focusing on creating a platform for children’s educational and holistic development. For Tata Sky, supporting UNICEF’s program on improving the quality of learning in a protective environment is another step in that direction.
     
    “This initiative is an enabler as it leverages the wide outreach of Tata Sky in remote parts of the country and raises mass awareness on the need for quality education and inclusive learning. It is an opportunity to engage with the growing middle class in India – the majority of Tata Sky’s clientele – to contribute in creating a joyful and conducive school environment for children,” said Louis Georges Arsenault, Representative, UNICEF India.
     
    UNICEF India Celebrity Advocate, Kareena Kapoor Khan will support the communication campaign for the initiative which includes promotional films, mailers, and social media and advocates that every child should have the right to quality education.  
     
    Launching the partnership, Kareena Kapoor said, “I recently visited quite a few schools with UNICEF to see child-friendly schools and to meet some of the girls and boys that are benefitting from these programmes. I was inspired to see spaces which are child-friendly. These are places where children are full of joy when they interact with teachers, where children feel safe and secure and where interactive and creative tools are used to ensure that children are happy and learning.”
     
    She added, “Kisi aur ka sapna apnake dekho, achcha lagta hai!” (Own someone else’s dream, it feels good).

     

  • The Ultimate Combat of Good Vs Evil

    The Ultimate Combat of Good Vs Evil

    MUMBAI: With Zee TV’s latest superhero series grabbing eye balls and all set to be a game-changer in the weekend primetime band, the channel has decided to go one step further to enhance your ‘Maharakshak Aryan’ experience – While you enjoy the show on air, you can now play it as a game on your mobile phones too! Creating an additional window for consumer engagement, the all-new interactive gaming app of Maharakshak Aryan offers you a chance to step into the young superhero’s shoes virtually. The app is available for download on Android device , is also hosted on http://www.zeetv.com/maharakshak-aryan/game/  and is coming soon on all iOs platforms.. The game is designed and developed by Bigtrunk Communications, a specialised full-service mobile advertising agency.

     

    With a blend of vibrant graphics that recreate the ethereal world of the show on your mobile phones, multiple levels of difficulty and variation, the game is aimed at providing young teenagers an engrossing gaming experience. It will be a multi-level game, where every level will have a new enemy from the show, like Kumbha, Vishkanya and Challa amongst others. Remember that each demon is unique in his evil powers and more formidable than the last. Each level is only unlocked once the villain is defeated by the user.

     

    Having only recently launched on Zee TV, the superhero series Maharakshak Aryan, has already found a distinct following with its slick production design, cutting-edge graphics, spectacular visual effects and above all, the relatable story of a reluctant, adolescent superhero stumbling upon his super powers at and rising to the responsibility of saving the world that he has now been entrusted with. The manner in which he combats a new villain each week and the triumph of good over evil has won over audiences of all ages, however, the show is especially popular amongst kids.

     

    Sorbojeet Chatterjee, Marketing Head – ZEE TV said, “ZEE TV has constantly been at the helm of digital innovation. Given its action-thriller genre, Maharakshak Aryan, our superhero series, that captures the battle of Good versus Evil, was launched aggressively in the digital space. The show lends itself beautifully to being extended into an exciting game. The idea is to offer an interesting avenue for followers of the show to step into the shoes of our superhero and experience his world.   So, we hope that they not only watch the show on air but enjoy it as a game too.”  

     

    Bharat Subramaniam, Founder – BigTrunk Communications said, “Our endeavour has been to create a user-friendly interface that seamlessly creates an additional layer of consumer engagement by connecting with consumers through elements of the show in an offline platform. While playing the game the consumer gets a chance to walk through the journey of a superhero and celebrate the triumph of Good vs. Evil.

     

     

    Zee TV has always been at the forefront of innovation in the digital space, be it the virtual temple app created for Ramayan that let netizens pray on the go, the e-book and mobile game created for Jodha Akbar that made history fascinating for even the younger demographics or the Dance India Dance apps that offered dance tutorials from the skippers and LIVE chats with the judges of India’s most sought after dance reality show. So, it’s now time for you to protect the MANI from the evil forces. To download the app SMS ‘Aryan’ to 57575 or simply search for ‘Maharakshak Aryan’ in the google playstore and use your catapult to save the world.

  • Eureka Mobile to launch Video on Mobile

    Eureka Mobile to launch Video on Mobile

    MUMBAI: Eureka Mobile a leading live engagement platform on mobile brings another first in the form of video on mobile. Mobile has now become the first screen,but watching videos on the mobile screen is an excruciatingly painful experience. The user spends a lot of time waiting for buffering and for a data connection. Which is where Eureka’s technology team, in its constant endeavor to innovate, has launched an exciting asset, VIDEO on Tap. No more waiting ….no need for an active data connection at the time of watching the video, all one has to do is just tap the mobile screen and enjoy the VIDEO without any buffering and interruptions.

     

    With the increase in watching video content online amongst many Indians on their smart phones and PC, the Indian video advertising market is expected to more than double this year, according to IAMAI estimates.  In 2013-14, the market was $55 million and the latest IAMAI estimates put the 2014-15 numbers at $115 million. Globally, the video advertising market was estimated to be $4.15 billion in 2013, according to eMarketer.

    From a brand point of view it will help to target both the B2C and B2B audience. In the case of B2C the advertiser can target their audience any time anywhere with precision. While for B2B audience it can reach both the internal and external stakeholders with relevant messages to stay connected and engage with them constantly.

    According to Ganapathy Viswanathan, Senior Vice President, Eureka Mobile Advertising, VIDEO on Tap is one of its kind. “We have addressed some of the major challenges a viewer faces while viewing video on mobile. Our primary objective was to delight the customer with great viewing experience, which we have successfully attainedand we have also received some excellent reviewsand feedback from many of the prospective advertisers. We are now in talks with several brands to leverage our platform and engage live with the audience on the go.”

    Eureka is a leading engagement platform on the Mobile. We leverage the idle screen of the smartphone to send out precise marketing communication to the opt-in audience. With Mobile fast becoming the Screen of choice, Eureka provides the advertisers an opportunity to reach out to their target audience in the intimacy of their mobile devices at the time of their choosing. Eureka’s proprietary technology provides advertisers an opportunity for guaranteed engagement with the audience and the analytics engine is able to track the life-cycle of the copy served to the opt-in audience.

     

  • Sab launches a fantastical comedy show – ‘YAM HAIN HUM’

    Sab launches a fantastical comedy show – ‘YAM HAIN HUM’

    MUMBAI: Sab, India’s most loved family channel is all set to launch a new fantastical comedy show inspired from the mythical character of Yamraj – ‘Yam Hain Hum’.  This new offering which features Yamraj, the God of death as per Indian mythology will show the character in a unique and different perspective. Yam Hain Hum is a wholesome humorous family entertainer and shall hit the small screen on 15th December at 10 pm exclusively on SAB TV.

     

    SAB TV lifts the genre of comedy and entertainment to completely new heights with the introduction of their brand new show ‘Yam Hain Hum’ on the tube. The show produced by Swastik Productions, is a distinctive light hearted comedy on the magical and comical journey of Yamraj on the abode of the living. The story revolves around the concept of how humans perceive Yamraj and due to which he decides to visit earth along with his trusted companion Chitragupt to try and understand why and also change the image humans’ harbor about him and his duties.

    Both the celestial beings descend on Earth to educate people about the true role and duties of Yamraj which involves numerous adventures that shall both be heart-touching and humorous to bring a smile to everyone’s lips. ‘Yam Hain Hum’ will depict the adventures of Yamraj and Chitragupt together as they take a tour of the streets of Earth in the 21st Century.

     

    Mr. Anooj Kapoor, Senior EVP & Business Head – SAB TV said, “SAB TV has always offered its viewers a variety in genre and forms within the comedy space. With Yam Hain Hum, we present yet another interesting story about the famously dreadful mythical character of Yamraj. We hope our audiences like this fresh concept which revolves around Yamraj’s attempts on earth to bring a change in the perception about him. The show also follows our principle of ‘Differentiation with Innovation’ since it’s the first show of its kind and we are confident the show will be enjoyed by the entire family.”

     

    Manav Gohil who shall enact the role of Yamraj added, “I would say this is one of the most interesting roles that I have signed on till date. A mythological character dreaded by one and all in a completely new avatar to make people smile and change their perspective about himself. It’s a different concept from all angles, right from inception to designing and character moulds. Every aspect has to be thought through carefully and executed with perfection. The entire team is working towards making this series a huge success and I am absolutely positive that viewers shall love this funny and loving version of Yumraj.”

  • Firstcry.com hits 100 stores in India

    Firstcry.com hits 100 stores in India

    MUMBAI: Firstcry.com, Asia’s largest online baby products portal today announced that it has now got 100 franchisees on board. As part of the vision to create the ultimate parenting eco-system in India, Firstcry now has a presence across Tier I, II and III towns. The 100 stores expand the retailers presence to a staggering 82 cities.

     

    Consistently growing at more than 100% growth rate, Firstcry.com had announced this year to reach 100 stores by end of December 2014. Not only has Firstcry achieved this faster than planned, it has also become the largest e-commerce player with an omni channel business model with a focus on mobile, physical store and web.

     

    All Firstcry.com stores are standardised and display more than 500 brands across 20 categories. The carpet area of stores range anywhere from 1000 sq ft to 2000 sq ft. There has been a franchisee investment of about Rs. 3,000 per square ft in store all across the cities. Continuing to keep the novelty aspect intact, ‘Kiosk innovation’ at Firstcry stores, is a unique concept which acts like a catalogue allowing customers to look through the 70,000 and above products on a 32 inch touch screen in stores, order online on spot, and find the product available at the store in 2-3 days. The Kiosks have enabled to increase conversions by 10% and now by default part of all new upcoming store format across the country.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Supam Maheshwari, Founder and CEO, Firstcry.com said “Owing to the outstanding success of our offline stores, we have extensively increased our offline presence. With 100 stores, we have crossed a milestone but we have considerable distance yet to travel.  At Firstcry, we believe in creating a seamless experience, offering purchasing flexibility for parents through the mobile, web and offline store formats. With the omni channel strategy, we are best placed to build the best relationship with the mother and bring her the largest and most appropriate range of products.”

     

    By making a strong offline presence in baby product market, Firstcry is consistently fine-tuning processes by studying purchasing patterns and demands of parents across all tiers. People in India and around the world display balanced buying behaviour in terms of online and offline. There is a huge opportunity in integrating the two, what is termed as O2O – online to offline or omni channel strategy – and is seen as a trillion dollar opportunity globally.

     

    Thus, holding a clear vision of reaching 400 stores by December, 2017 Firstcry.com aims to be the only one stop solution in this market of baby & kids products.

     

  • Universal Music announces U2 iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour 2015

    Universal Music announces U2 iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour 2015

    MUMBAI: The dates for U2’s upcoming iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour 2015 have been announced today. The iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour which begins in 2015,will see U2 play indoor arenas for the first time in a decade, in 19 cities worldwide during it’s first year with pairs of shows in each city. Tickets for all shows will go on general sale on Monday 8th December. In addition, special shows are being planned for Dublin for the end of next year – to benefit the U2-initiated Music Generation project – details of which will be announced as soon as they are finalised.

     
    The tour follows the recent release of U2’s thirteenth studio album Songs of Innocence by Island Records, which was given to U2.com subscribers and gifted by Apple to over half a billion iTunes Music Store customers worldwide. To date, songs of Innocence has been streamed 81m times and has been downloaded by 30m fans.

     
    -“We are going to try to have a completely different feeling from night one to night two” said Bono, “and have some fun playing with the idea of innocence and experience. More to be revealed!”

     
    “The anticipation for a U2 tour is always extraordinary, as it should be,” said Arthur Fogel | President – Global Touring and Chairman –Global Music.“Following the record-setting 360° Tour I’m amazed that they still want to be ground-breaking, this time on a more intimate scale.”

     
    Tickets for the U2 iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour 2015 go on general sale beginningMonday, December 8th.  As usual, there is an exclusive priority presale for U2 Fan Club subscribers at U2.com, from Thursday, December 4th at 10am through Saturday, December 6th at noon (all times local). Tickets will be general admission on the floor and reserved seating in the stands.

     
    UPS is the logistics supplier to the tour. Ron Rogowski, UPS Vice President, Global Brand and Sponsorships said -“We’re excited to work closely with U2 and Live Nation on this amazing tour in the most sustainable and environmentally responsible manner while providing them speed, efficiency and reliability.”

     

  • ISE 2016 to become a four day exhibition

    ISE 2016 to become a four day exhibition

    MUMBAI: Integrated Systems Events has announced today that its 2016 event will take place over four consecutive days at the RAI exhibition centre in Amsterdam – an increase of one day on previous exhibitions held at the venue.

     

    This decision, stated ISE Managing Director Mike Blackman, was largely due to the exhibition’s “rapid rise in size and prominence.”

     

    ISE is widely recognised as the world’s most popular event for professional AV and electronic systems integration. With 950+ exhibitors already booked into ISE 2015, attendance is confidently expected to rise above the 51,000 people that came to the 2014 edition.

     

    “This move has largely been driven by the demands of our exhibitors and attendees,” Blackman commented. “Quite simply, the extremely high attendance at the show, particularly on the first two days, saw increasing requests from exhibitors to have more time to spend with attendees.

     

    “For attendees, we need to ensure that the show remains comfortable to attend,” he explained. “This announcement allows us to meet both objectives.”

     

    Blackman said that the 2016 event will continue to evolve to deliver an increasing mix of pre-show and on-site events to compliment the vibrant exhibition halls. “There will a lot of exciting developments,” he said, “The extra day will allow ISE to become an even more rewarding experience for everyone at the show.”

     

    At ISE 2015 a wide range of events will be taking place before and during the show. Pre show on the 9 February visitors can attend the third annual Smart Building Conference, which will explore the continued evolution of smart building technology in the commercial and residential sectors.

     

    On the same day the keynote address will be presented by renowned futurist Lars Thomsen. Thomsen specialises in advising businesses strategically on anticipated 10 year shifts in society and markets. The keynote will explore: 520 Weeks into The Future: Trends and Tipping Points in the Electronic Systems Industry.

     

    During the show, The Capital Summit conference on 11 February will bring together AV/IT industry entrepreneurs seeking investment capital with financial and business professionals from the worlds of investment, mergers and acquisition.

     

    The popular ISE Theatres will return to the show floor with the addition of the Unified Communications Theatre. The Theatres will complement the wide range of training courses being hosted by ISE co-owners InfoComm and CEDIA.

     

    ISE 2015 will also see a host of first time exhibitors. These include: Microsoft; Intel; Dolby Atmos; Ricoh; Outline; AEQ; Oblong Industries Siedle, Outline, Ledcom and Fibar Group amongst others.