ITV

Category: Press Release

  • MPL announces Rs 10 crore in revenue payout to its game developer partners

    MPL announces Rs 10 crore in revenue payout to its game developer partners

    Mobile Premier League, India’s largest esports and mobile gaming platform, today announced Rs 10 crore in revenue for 10 of its game developer partners in just a year, from November 2019 to October 2020.

    Game developers and studios publish their games on MPL under revenue-sharing agreements with the gaming platform, where developers can start monetising their games via MPL’s cash tournaments and contests.

    One of these 10 developers, Hyderabad-based Yesgnome publishes its popular Cricket Clash game on MPL. Cricket Clash is one of the most-played games on MPL, especially during the recent lockdown, garnering over 41 million gameplays between April and October 2020. Other developers receiving the payout include Qunami, which publishes the Quiz game on MPL, and BornMonkie, which publishes Auto Raja.

    MPL has onboarded over 70 games on its app since its inception in 2018 and has partnered with established as well as independent game developers from across India, opening up a new revenue stream for them to monetise their games. With over 6 crore users in India, game developers find a ready audience for their games on MPL’s Android and iOS apps.

    “MPL’s unique platform model offers game developers the chance to monetise right from day 1 of publishing. We are privileged to have partnered with talented game developers from all over the country and are glad that our platform helped them monetise their games. We at MPL recognise the tremendous potential that the Indian game developer ecosystem has and thus, have announced a Rs 37-crore fund that game developers can use to build their offerings,” said Shubh Malhotra, Co-founder, Mobile Premier League.

    The Rs 37-crore fund announced by MPL is earmarked for Indian game developers and studios to develop their games for a national and global audience. MPL has also expanded internationally, with over 3.5 million users in Indonesia, thus taking Indian-made games to the world.

    The fund is open to all Indian game developers and studios and they can apply for it by reaching out to MPL. The gaming platform will soon launch a single-window online console for game developers to apply for the fund as well as to submit their games to MPL for screening and publishing.

    “We have released AutoRaja, Bubble Shooter, Block Puzzle on MPL. Thanks to the unique monetisation model on MPL, we are making around Rs 5-8 Lakh every month from these games. MPL has a great team that takes care of the launch and event strategies to boost game revenue which is always great for developers,” said VK Samhith, CEO, BornMonkie.

    “During the lockdown, we have seen a significant increase in our revenues on our games on MPL. The timing of the IPL also helped us in adding a few more titles which resulted in maintaining our revenue at a steady pace. We are excited about the next few months as we plan to release new titles, which we think will help to further improve overall run rate,” said Imtiaz Hussain, COO, Yesgnome.

  • Gozoop wins Public Relations mandate for Pink Belt Mission

    Gozoop wins Public Relations mandate for Pink Belt Mission

    Gozoop – One of India’s leading digital-first integrated marketing companies has won the Public Relations mandate for Pink Belt Mission, an NGO empowering women and children of India Pink Belt Mission, an NGO that does some amazing work to empower women & children in our country, Found by Aparna Rajawat. She is a Renowned Motivational Speaker & feminist activist who has a dynamic sports background of being an International Martial Arts medalist, awarded as 2nd Dan Black Belt, and won numerous national championships in Martial Arts.

    As part of the mandate, Gozoop’s dedicated Public Relations team will be handling brand enhancement and influencer engagement for the brand. Key responsibilities will include strategic counselling and planning, media relations along with amplifying positive stories, crisis management and building an influential community for the brand.

    Commenting on this win, Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO & Co-Founder, Gozoop said, “Pink Belt Mission has been doing a tremendous service to the society. Delighted to partner with them and leverage our experiences to help them increase their impact.”

    Aparna Rajawat, Founder, Pink Belt Mission expresses, “Pink Belt Mission has been my dream project where we aim at providing women with physical, legal and emotional strength for their independent survival. The interests of the women I work with has been my prime responsibility and it is always a pleasure to work with a like-minded partner such as Gozoop who understands the need to prioritize the needs of the people they work with. With this association, I am placing not just mine but the faith of thousands of women that we work with in the hands of Gozoop. I believe it will help us amplify our voice, allow us to reach out to more in need and we can together make this place a better one to live in.”

    “Pink Belt mission required an agency that could best articulate the vision of the NGO and the extensive work they have been doing to create sustainable impact on communities," said Divya Kurup, Associate Director, Public Relations, Gozoop "Gozoop's depth of experience, and knowledge of the social sector is very relevant to the Trusts and we are confident that together we can deliver great outcomes."

  • Big Ganga celebrates Siya Ram Ki Chhath, through its latest festive offering ‘Jai Chhathi Mai’

    Big Ganga celebrates Siya Ram Ki Chhath, through its latest festive offering ‘Jai Chhathi Mai’

    MUMBAI: Celebrating Bhojpuri essence with full gusto and excitement, Big Ganga has time and again launched captivating and engaging initiatives. It has constantly won the audience’s heart by serving them with entertaining and highly resonating content. Delivering a perfect dose of entertainment again while celebrating the biggest festival of the region, the Divine Chhath with its viewers, the channel is all set to take its annual musical event Jai Chhathi Mai a notch higher. Known to set many milestones on its journey to becoming one of the most popular channels in the region, Big Ganga, elevates the fervour of Chatth by celebrating Siya Ram Ki Chathh for the very first time in Bhojpuri entertainment space. This musical extravaganza will be telecast on 20 November from 5-7pm on Big Ganga.

    Widely revered across the region, the devotion that Lord Rama and Goddess Sita attain from their ardent devotees find its foundation deeply-rooted into Bhojpuri culture. The rituals of Chhath hold immense significance to Ram and Sita as per folklore dating back to the ancient time of Treta Yuga. The ancient belief states that Goddess Sita, on returning from exile, fasted and performed Chhath rituals for Lord Rama as he had committed Brahmdosh — the deed of killing Ravana, who was a high-class Brahmin and one of the most-learned men of the three realms. And based on this belief amongst many others, Chhath Puja has become an important Hindu festival which is observed by women in the regions of UP, Bihar and Jharkhand region. With Ram and Sita being the guiding light of our lives, the channel through this festive offering brings on board Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhalia, two personalities who represent the immense faith and the devotion that the region places in these gods. Having a penchant of knowing the pulse of their ardent Bhojpuri-speaking audience better than anyone else, the channel fosters its bond with them in these testing times by showcasing the origins of this ritual and offers them divine motivation through Divine Chhath.

    The show will bring to life the most unique moment of Siya Ram performing Chatth rituals at the Ganga Ghat and receiving Chathi Maiyaas blessings. The unique tale leading upto the Chatth Puja by the divine figures will be brought to life through an extravagant musical narrative show of two hours featuring Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhalia as Ram and Sita, so viewers can relive that special moment which has till date not been brought to life in popular entertainment space. The channel will be raising a motivating musical spiritual show in order to inspire its audience through divine spirit.

    Big Ganga’s shows enthrall and entertain audiences with its unique content, thereby making this platform apt for the whole family. The grand Chhath celebration this year not only motivates the audience to have faith in the divine power but will engage them in the biggest celebration from the safety of their homes. The channel has been enhancing and enriching regional pride through its new offerings. These new Bhojpuri shows are sure to entertain audiences with its unique content and placement, thereby making the channel an apt prime time viewing choice for the entire family. With more series like New Year special, Faguaa Holi special among others, the channel is all set to redefine entertainment and original content for its regional audience.

  • Wiggles makes pets a part of Diwali celebrations with its #TrueBurstOfHappiness Campaign

    Wiggles makes pets a part of Diwali celebrations with its #TrueBurstOfHappiness Campaign

    MUMBAI:Celebrated as one of India’s most auspicious festivals, Diwali calls for family gatherings, sweets, and lights with each member indulging in the happiness of the festivities.  Amidst these festivities, one usually tends to neglect how these celebrations affect the animals around us. Urging Indians to open their hearts and homes to pets and strays this Diwali, fast growing preventive pet care brand, Wiggles launches its Diwali campaign #TrueBurstOfHappiness. The digital campaign #TrueBurstOfHappiness urges one to ponder upon what really is the true essence of Diwali and look beyond simply lights, sweets and firecrackers.

    Centred around three heart-warming videos, #TrueBurstOfHappiness showcases moments of love, joy and happiness shared between family members along with their pets and how making pets an intrinsic part of celebration truly lightens up the atmosphere at home. It is the sound of laughter and the atmosphere of joy during Diwali that is the #TrueBurstOfHappiness for Wiggles and pet parent across the world. The bond that pets and pet parents share truly cannot be explained and it is this bond that also deserves to be celebrated.

    Ushering a pet inclusive and safe Diwali, Wiggles.in founder and CEO Anushka Iyer said, “Our pets have always been our stress busters during our toughest times. And while Diwali is a season of joy and celebration, this is one of the toughest times for them in the year. Bearing this in mind and encouraging pet owners to ensure that their pets are a part of Diwali festivities, we have launched our latest #TrueBurstOfHappiness campaign. The light hearted campaign will connect with not just pet owners but with everyone and urge them to make sure that strays too have a happy and safe Diwali. Through this campaign, we hope to instill a sense of empathy and inclusiveness for all animals around us.”

    With an overarching thought of promoting inclusivity, Wiggles goes an extra mile with its #TrueBurstOfHappiness campaign and hopes to witness pet owners celebrate Diwali and create an environment that positively translates into happiness for their pets too.

  • Bigger, darker and stronger – Aashram Chapter 2 breaks records with 500% higher streams on Day 1 when compared to its first outing

    Bigger, darker and stronger – Aashram Chapter 2 breaks records with 500% higher streams on Day 1 when compared to its first outing

    Mumbai: 12 November, 2020: Having clocked ~ 450Mn streams in the 2.5 months since its release and becoming one of the biggest web shows in the Indian OTT ecosystem, Aashram has returned amidst heightened anticipation with Aashram Chapter 2 – The Dark Side that launched on MX Player yesterday. This second edition has broken records from the word go and has emerged as a runaway hit for the free to use platform. When compared to its first outing, Chapter 2 has witnessed a massive 500% higher streams on Day 1 and is performing exceedingly well on the platform – on every metric. 

    Speaking about the first day reaction, Prakash Jha said, “It seems like the characters and the events fictionalised in the story resonates the experience of people in real life. They definitely have connected to the emotions of the story and that has translated into this massive viewership. Working with MX Player and its team has been a wonderful experience and I look forward to continuing it.”

    Bobby Deol added saying, “After Part 1, we were all excited yet nervous about the launch of Chapter 2. We’ve all put in great efforts and I am overwhelmed by the response. My character has really been greatly appreciated by the audiences and this is a huge encouragement for me.”

    “It is always great to see a content piece you have created to be so widely appreciated. Aashram Part 1 had gone on to break all records and now with Chapter 2 opening with such great numbers, we believe it is set on a similar path of success”, concludes Gautam Talwar, Chief Content Officer, MX Player.

    Coupled with an intriguing narrative, the well-rounded marketing campaign for this crime drama, including impactful print ads, OOH, social & digital experiences, PR and performance marketing has driven the show to achieve such great numbers on Day 1. 

    Watch the series NOW, exclusively on MX Player: https://bit.ly/AashramChapter2 
     

  • Discovery Network launches The Man Who Walked Around the World

    Discovery Network launches The Man Who Walked Around the World

    MUMBAI: Discovery has launched The Man Who Walked Around the World, award-winning director Anthony Wonke’s new feature documentary about Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker.

    The independent film, created by Something Originals and produced by multi-award-winning production company Partizan, tells a powerful story of positivity and resilience – exploring how, over two centuries, the brand navigated floods, flu pandemics and World Wars, while making a stand on racial and gender inequality along the way.

    “This is the story of Johnnie Walker but it’s more than just a story about whisky, it’s about culture and the universal need to be able to look to the future with hope. That’s what makes it so powerful – it’s not a history lesson, it’s a story for where we are today and what we need to go forward”, says Wonke.

    The Academy Award-nominated, Emmy and BAFTA-winning director/producer, whose previous documentary subjects include Cristiano Ronaldo, Star Wars and AP McCoy, has spent a large part of his time in lockdown uncovering previously untold stories and perspectives on how Johnnie Walker has constantly overcome adversity with optimism, to cement its place in culture as a global icon.

    Among a vast roster of contributors is actor, activist and brand ambassador Sophia Bush: “People don’t just want new products that impact their lives; they want brands that impact the world positively. Johnnie Walker has recognised that and continually acted on it through impactful campaigns and programs. They are prepared to tug at the arc of history and help push culture forward and I am deeply proud to have been on this journey with them in support of their gender equality efforts in particular.”

    Bush is joined by the likes of Wu-Tang Clan’s Cappadonna, rock musician Zakk Wylde, 88rising’s Sean Miyashiro, advertising legend Sir John Hegarty and many more as we see the brand’s cultural impact from Myanmar to Brazil, from India to Iraq.

    Discovery VP Content Sourcing and Acquisitions Myriam Lopez-Otazu said: “We’re thrilled to be premiering The Man Who Walked Around the World on Discovery platforms and services this November. It’s a fascinating story and, given where we are in the world right now, a really timely one.”

    Diageo Global Scotch director John Williams added, “Our story is one we’re immensely proud of. We stand for something in Johnnie Walker and that something is progress – we’re always looking to move forward, to make the next day better than the one before. Over two centuries we’ve learned that progress needs resilience and optimism, those are the ideals that lie behind our Keep Walking philosophy and I can’t imagine a time when that philosophy could be any more relevant.”

    Something Originals managing partner Andy Hewitt said, “Imagining, filming and editing this documentary in the context of a global pandemic, with all of the tensions that this year has brought to the surface, gives this story a profound contemporary relevance that I don’t think anybody could have fully appreciated when we first came up with the idea for the documentary. We couldn’t be prouder of the finished product.”

    You can watch the trailer for The Man Who Walked Around the World here: https://youtube.com/channel/UCKdI6o1Rx9BcFaQ1Ul5Xx6A  

    The full film will be broadcast on Discovery’s portfolio of brands and services from 12 November. For more information visit https://themanwho.film

  • Sony Sab set to challenge gender stereotypes with its latest campaign – ‘Sapno ka koi gender nahi hota’

    Sony Sab set to challenge gender stereotypes with its latest campaign – ‘Sapno ka koi gender nahi hota’

    MUMBAI: Sony Sab has been successfully bringing to the fore unique values-driven, positive and progressive content that not only entertains but also inspire audiences. Taking this ideology forward, Sony Sab has unveiled a new campaign around the thought, ‘Sapno ka koi gender nahi hota’ for its upcoming show Kaatelal & Sons. The campaign also features a video that challenges deep rooted gender stereotypes with a message ‘Khol Dimaag Ka Shutter’. The music video, starring show’s protagonists Jiya Shankar and Megha Chakraborty, is set to a foot-tapping number composed by Mayur Jumani who also features in it. Mayur Jumani is a popular music producer who has composed, mixed and produced for a range of projects and is also the man behind several viral mashups. The catchy lyrics of “Khol Dimaag Ka Shutter” take a cheeky spin to question clichéd notions of gender biases in careers and job roles.

    Inspired by a real story, Kaatelal & Sons will narrate a heartening tale about ‘un-gendering’ your dreams. It brings forth the story of two sisters, Garima (Megha Chakraborty) and Susheela (Jia Shankar), who take on their father’s business of running a local men’s hair salon in Rohtak when adversity strikes. While their father, Dharampal, (Ashok Lokhande) believes that his ancestral shop, aptly named Kaatelal & Sons, cannot be passed on to his daughters since girls are not meant to pursue such a profession, the daughters are adamant on keeping the shop in the family and taking the business to new heights.

    The campaign will see a 360-degree integrated marketing outreach through print, digital, outdoor, a strategic promotional plan with Paytm and Big Bazaar. A strong digital plan is in place to promote the show and a focused influencer outreach to spotlight the innovative music video – Khol Dimaag Ka Shutter.

    Sony Sab marketing & communications head Vaishali Sharma said, "Kaatelal & Sons is a beautiful and true testament of Sony Sab’s forward-looking approach where we continue to offer shows that have hope and meaning. With Sapno Ka Koi Gender Nahi Hota campaign, we aim at challenging the deep-rooted stereotypes of gender roles in our society. We want to embody this promise not only through our on-air content but also through our marketing campaign that can be entertaining while raising some meaningful questions that can spearhead a change in people’s lives. Khol Dimaag Ka Shutter is a fun musical take on the concept of Kaatelal & Sons with a thought-provoking message. We are encouraging everyone to #ungender their dreams. "

    Tune in to Kaatelal & Sons and watch Jiya Shankar, Megha Chakraborty and Ashok Lokhande, among others, starting 16 November, Monday to Friday at 7:30 pm only on Sony Sab

  • Celebrate Diwali with Indian Television premiere of ‘Fighting with My Family’ on Movies NOW, MN+ and MNX

    Celebrate Diwali with Indian Television premiere of ‘Fighting with My Family’ on Movies NOW, MN+ and MNX

    Diwali is all about spending time with your loved ones and what better way to bond than watching a movie together? Treating movie aficionados with Hollywood mega-hits this festive season, Movies NOW, MNX and MN+ is all set to add extra sparkle to the celebrations with the premiere of ‘Fighting With My Family’, for the first time on Indian Television screens on November 15, Sunday at 1:00 PM and repeat at 9:00 PM.

    Narrating the incredible real life story of Saraya-Jade Bevis aka Paige, the youngest daughter in the Knight family from a small town in UK who became a WWE star, the heart-warming biopic sports comedy ‘Fighting with My Family’ is based on a 2012 documentary of the same name. The film follows her from the start of her WWE stardom, including all the hardships the whole family had to go through in order for her to succeed and traces Paige’s relationship with her brother Zak Zodiac, who also tried out to train with the WWE but failed to achieve a similar success like his sister.

    Exploring the journey of Paige, the movie delivers some inspiring truths of her life amidst the laughter and fun. Written and directed by Stephen Merchant, best known for co-creating popular sitcom ‘The O­ffice’, this blockbuster is a visual treat featuring a stellar cast including Florence Pugh and Jack Lowden as Paige and Zodiac respectively, alongside Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock). Winner of People’s Choice Awards, COFCA Awards and ample others, Fighting With My Family is a true story of courage and inspiration that breaks stereotypes and refuses to succumb to pressures of societal norms.

    Watch the Indian Television Premiere of Fighting With My Family on Movies NOW, MNX and MN+ on November 15 at 1:00 P.M. and repeat at 9:00 P.M.

  • Celebrity-fan engagement start-up Gonuts raises seed round from Sweta Rau, Archana Priyadarshini, 9Unicorns and others

    Celebrity-fan engagement start-up Gonuts raises seed round from Sweta Rau, Archana Priyadarshini, 9Unicorns and others

    Gonuts, Asia’s largest and most influential celebrity commerce platform has raised 3.5 Crore in seed funding led by marquee investors Sweta Rau and Archana Priyadarshini. 9Unicorns, AngelList, Lets Venture, Pankaj Chaddah( Co-Founder, Mindhouse & Zomato), Ramakant Sharma, (Co-Founder, LivSpace), IIM Indore Alumni Fund, Harshal Morde, (Morde Foods Pvt. Ltd.) and other marquee angels and founders also participated in this round.

    Founded by serial entrepreneurs Vinamra Pandiya and Mayank Gupta along with Media & Entertainment veteran Joji George in March 2020, GoNuts aims to bridge the gap between celebrities and their millions of fans, and democratise talent to the Indian and expatriate Indian diaspora. Gonuts has a long term vision of creating India's largest celebrity experience e-commerce platform.

    GoNuts has a portfolio of over 700 of the leading celebrities, most of them exclusive on Gonuts, across categories like films, television, sports and music, amongst others, available on its platform. This gives users a diverse range of celebrities to choose from to convey personalized messages to their loved ones. The platform has leading celebrities exclusive on the platform which includes Shankar Mahadevan, Hans Raj Hans, Shaan, Kailash Kher, Sukhbir, Talat Aziz, Shibani Kashyap, Hariharan, Sivamani, Shivin Narang, Jonty Rhodes, Sumeet Verma, Ranveer Brar Ashish Vidyarthi and Vicky Ratnani.

    Vinamra Pandiya, Founder, Gonuts said that “Our plan is to strengthen our market leadership and follow through on our vision to be Asia’s largest and most influential celebrity commerce platform. We feel that investments in the right team, technology and other levers of growth is very important and will be our immediate priority. We aim to on-board 5000+ of the most influential and inspirational celebrities by the next financial year and be the unicorn out of India in this category for the rest of the world.”

    Sweta Rau, Angel and Venture Investor, White Ventures said that “Experiences are so much more valuable than anything else. Gonuts is creating category in by building marketplace that help create experiences of joy, excitement and fun.  It is making it easy for fans and influencers/celebrities connect in a deeper way through personalised videos to begin with.”

    Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, MD & Co-founder – 9Unicorns, said, “Indians are quite passionate about the celebrities that they follow. And yet, the influence that they hold over the masses has largely been untapped by brands. The team at GoNuts is creating a disruption in this field by delivering curated celebrity experiences. We are confident in its potential to achieve rapid scale. As brands look to bounce back from the pandemic by using newer ways of engaging with their audiences, we are confident that GoNut’s array of offerings will achieve greater traction in the market.”

    The uniqueness of the platform is its ability to connect the Indian and global Indian diaspora to talent across genres that are multi- lingual and also at multi segmented price points. 

  • Vh1 Supersonic 2021 officially cancelled due to Covid2019 crisis

    Vh1 Supersonic 2021 officially cancelled due to Covid2019 crisis

    MUMBAI: Dear #Superfam, it is with a very heavy heart that we must announce that Supersonic 2021 is officially cancelled. The organizers have been closely monitoring the unprecedented situation and keeping the safety measures in account, it has become clear that a large gathering is not feasible in this macro scenario.

    Right before the onslaught of the pandemic, which got everyone locked indoors with masks, sanitizers and social distancing norms, Vh1 Supersonic gave music lovers an experience of three days of an unparallel musical extravaganza.  Dancing to the tunes of Diplo, Illenium, Machine Gun Kelly, DIVINE, and 95+ top artists, festival audiences submerged into the stunning visual and musical experience. The three day festival featuring an iconic line-up, ended on an even higher note with the announcement of dates for the festival in 2021.

    2020 had other plans and the world came to a sudden standstill. A “crowd gathering” was no longer safe. Consumer Experience & Safety is of utmost priority for the organizers of Vh1 Supersonic which led to the postponement of the 8th edition of Vh1 Supersonic.

    For Vh1 Supersonic, the music won’t stop, and it will return with all its glory in a bigger and better avatar in 2022. Speaking about the postponement of Vh1 Supersonic, keeping in mind the safety of artists, festival goers and the behind-the-scene people who make a festival of this scale happen, Viacom18 Network Sales  head Mahesh Shetty, said, “Vh1 Supersonic has brought artists and festivalgoers under one roof for many years now, always leaving them with countless memories and unforgettable experiences. Unfortunately, our decision to cancel the festival in 2021 and push it to 2022, has come due to the global uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic. Our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of our festival goers and taking that into consideration, we have decided to cancel the 2021 edition. In the meantime, we are leaving you all with a promise that we will be back bigger and better in 2022. Stay tuned and see you guys soon.”

    Festival Curator Nikhil Chinapa added, “As we were preparing to unite our SuperFam for an electrifying 8th edition of Vh1 Supersonic, we’ve had to stop and take stock of where the world stands with respect to Covid2019. Several countries are going into a second lockdown, international air travel is restricted and there is still no news of when a viable vaccine will be available to the public.

    Rather than present a diluted version of the festival we love, which would also put fans at risk, we feel we have no other option but to cancel the 2021 edition. However, Be There, Be Free continues to embody the spirit of the festival and we will look to the future, knowing we have to make up for lost ground and create a larger than life fiesta next time around, at India’s most-loved multi-genre music festival.”

    Until Then #GoSupersonic2022 #BeThereBeFree