ITV

Category: Press Release

  • Vdopia Inc. Ranks as No. 1 Video Ad Network by ComScore

    Vdopia Inc. Ranks as No. 1 Video Ad Network by ComScore

    MUMBAI: Vdopia Inc., the pioneer in mobile and online video advertising, became the first Ad Network in India and South East Asia to surpass 10 million Unique Viewers. ComScore’s Video Ad Metrix ranked Vdopia as the No.1 Ad Network in India for December 2013 with 10.65 million Unique Viewers.

    According to the latest analysis, Vdopia surpassed Yahoo and Times Internet properties in the online video rankings while closing ranks with Facebook with a marginal 12% difference in Unique Viewers.
     

    Preetesh Chouhan, VP, APAC, Vdopia says, “Vdopia numbers released by ComScore are very positive and reaching 10 million unique viewers is an important benchmark for us as an Ad network.  Vdopia always partners with premium content providers to deliver advertisers the right scale and reach for efficient and targeted campaigns.”

    This announcement follows Vdopia Inc.’s 100% global growth announcement, IMPACT’s ‘Digital Power 100’ ranking and a SMARTIES award, as it continues on a wave of global and regional recognition and growth.
     

    India’s consumption for online video has literally doubled with the adoption of devices, technology and content options. Vdopia will continue to strengthen its presence in the APAC region with a focus to make India the global operation hub.

  • FremantleMedia’s ‘Ella the Eelephant’ now available across Disney Junior channel Latin America

    FremantleMedia’s ‘Ella the Eelephant’ now available across Disney Junior channel Latin America

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment today announced that the preschool show, Ella the Elephant, has been sold to Disney Junior Channel Latin America.  Having already sold to 23 children’s TV platforms in more than 50 territories,Disney Junior Channel Latin America is the latest network to fall for the adorable elephant with a charmingpersonality.

    Ella the Elephant is an animated preschool series about an adventurous elephant and her magic hat.  The series is based on the popular books by Carmela and Steve D’Amico and follows the adventures of Ella, the little elephant with a giant heart.  Ella loves to play and explore Elephant Islands with her friends Tiki, Frankie and Belinda, but sometimes their adventures create challenges along the way.  Luckily through a combination of imagination and “hat magic,” Ella is able to transform her hat into numerous objects that can come to her aid.  

    “With its upbeat tone and expression of positive values, Ella the Elephant is sure to be a great addition to children’s programming across Latin America,” said Sheila Aguirre, Senior Vice President, Sales and Development Latin America, Caribbean and Hispanic USA, FremantleMedia International.  “While we have had success with shows such as Merlin and My Babysitter’s A Vampire on Disney XD Latin America, we’re excited to have a show like Ella that’s filled with great messages for preschoolers find a home on Disney Junior Channel Latin America.”

    In addition to the upcoming premiere in Latin America, Ella the Elephant will launch on Disney Junior in the U.S. this spring.  The show also premiered on TVO, Knowledge Networkand Tele-Quebec in Canada and Tiji in Franceandis also currently airing in Poland where it performs well amongst girls aged 4-9, with an average share of 16.4%.  Additional territories expected to begin airing Ella the Elephant during the first half of 2014 include Finland (MTV3 Juniori), Norway (TV2), Australia (ABC), Spain (Clan) and Singapore (Okto), with additional territories to follow later in the year.  

    Ella the Elephant is an animated series produced in CGI against 2D backgrounds by DHX Media in association with TVO Kids and FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment.  DHX Media has international distribution rights in Canada, USA, Middle East and India, with FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment handling the rest of the world.  DHX Media and FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment are also currently exploring multiple opportunities for consumer products programs including toys and apparel.

    Visit FremantleMedia at NATPE 2014 at Fontainebleau Resort in Miami, Tresor Tower, Suite 2-3003 from January 27 – 29.

     

  • Teacher’s reveals new global campaign, celebrates self-belief

    Teacher’s reveals new global campaign, celebrates self-belief

    NEW DELHI: Teacher’s, the flagship brand of Beam Inc, has launched a new international campaign for its brand extension premiered over the weekend in select television channels and expected to expand across national TV this week.

     

    To direct the campaign, Beam has brought on board the popular director duo – Anthony Atanasio and Valerie Martinez. The commercial has been shot in Thailand under the creative vision of Publicis India. The central theme of the TVC is inspired by the famous poetry – IF written by the legendary author and poet Rudyard Kipling.

     

    Beam spokesperson says, “With this new campaign, we intend to endorse the popularity of Teacher’s as a quality brand and a preferred choice for a man who is a self starter, conversant and a well-informed achiever. The new Teacher’s Creative is a story of people from different walks of life highlighting the golden glow of the light which allows them to convert moments of adversity into occasions of triumph. With this new campaign, we want to affirm the popularity of Teacher’s amongst our consumers and reach out to achievers who want to experience brands that reflect their current stage in life; people who believe in genuine quality and are non-pretentious. Teacher’s golden glow remains distinctly lit and reflects who we are today and the brand we aim to be tomorrow.”

     

    The idea of the TVC emanates from the core value of the brand Teacher’s which is “when you have self-belief, it shows”. Teacher’s, a premium brand, universally recognised as the choice of men who are achievers. Delivering on these values through its new tagline – ‘The Light is within’, Teacher’s salutes the spirit of achievement and the golden glow of self-belief within its consumers.

     

    “We wanted to narrate a story about different sets of self Achievers who held their heads high in all situations and whose integrity and characters shine irrespective of the stage of life they are in. Just as we had anticipated, Anthony and Valerie, successfully managed to convey the character and core value of the Teacher’s brand that stands for genuine quality and self-belief”, says Publicis creative director Ullas Chopra.

     

    The TV commercial starts with a ship captain who is neck deep in water with a ship wreck in the background. The man is lit from a source of golden light within the water and says “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you.”

     

    It also features the famous Indian actress and model Kittu Gidwani along with other international talent.

  • Motivator retains Apple media mandate as AOR for iPhone, iPad and Mac

    Motivator retains Apple media mandate as AOR for iPhone, iPad and Mac

    MUMBAI: Motivator, one of the country’s leading media agencies has retained the Apple brand media mandate for the iPhone iPad and Mac product. The account is under the Ingram Micro & Redington account, the exclusive distributors for Apple products in India.

     

    Motivator won the account after a month long pitch process in December. The pitch process included higher weight for strategic strength, ability to think fresh ideas and execute them in alignment with Apple guidelines, Digital capability and precision execution. Motivator was chosen on the basis of strength of its strategic recommendation, its understanding of brand Apple and its executable ideas leveraging Apple’s iconic status without making it populist.

     

    The iPhone account will be handled in New Delhi while the iPad and MAC mandates will be out of the Bangalore office. The agency has been handling the Apple account for the last 14 months. Motivator will also leverage GroupM’s specialist practices- Digital, Mobile, Activation, Social, Search, Analytics, Content and Trading. Apple India spends Rs. 150 Cr. on media including Print, Radio, Digital, Activation and Out of home, with Iphone leading the contribution with more than 70%.

     

    In the last few months, the iPhone grew by 400% on the back of its new product launches and Buy Back offers. Ingram Micro and Redington decided to put the Iphone business on review given their ambitious growth plan.

     

    Rabe. T. Iyer, Managing Partner, Motivator confirmed the news and affirmed that a top team is already in place to deliver from Feb 1st onwards. “Apple’s Iconic status coupled with ‘less is more’ approach puts a huge responsibility in building cutting edge solutions keeping to the brand standard, we have successfully done this for the last 14 months and are confident of pushing the envelope further to win in the market place”. He further added, “This year the emphasis is going to be on powering iPhone sales through innovative digital solutions besides a strong content strategy across platforms. Print’s tactical use will have to be balanced by creative use of media to keep the brand in the desirable space.”

  • Zee Café brings home the biggest show of 2014; House Of Cards

    Zee Café brings home the biggest show of 2014; House Of Cards

    MUMBAI: The American political drama; “House of Cards” is all set for its Indian television premiere this February on Zee Café. Starring Academy award winner Kevin Spacey as the protagonist along with Golden Globe winner Robin Wright, House of Cards is the story of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a politician, who exacts his revenge on those who betrayed him. The show also stars Corey Stoll and Kate Mara in lead roles.

    The show is helmed by noted American playwright and screenwriter, Beau Willimon with Hollywood bigwig David Fincher onboard as one of the executive producers. The first few episodes have been directed by David Fincher, who is well known for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, “The Social Network” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” amongst other Hollywood blockbusters.

    Touted as one of the best political drama series of the year, House of Cards more than proved its mettle with the numerous nominations and wins at prestigious award ceremonies. It garnered a total of 9 Emmy nominations and 3 wins including the prestigious “Outstanding directing for a Drama Series”, creating history with this win as it was the first time that a major category award was given to an online video provider. The show also earned 4 Golden Globe nominations including, best drama, best actors for leads Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright and best supporting actor for Corey Stoll, with Robin Wright bagging the Globe for “Best Actress in a TV series-Drama” category. The show also made a mark at the SAGs with Kevin Spacey’s nomination for the Best Actor in a TV series category. Awards aside the show has also become immensely popular with a massive fan following including the likes of President Obama and Amitabh Bachchan amongst others.

    Anurag Bedi; Executive VP and Business Head, Zee Café states, ‘House Of Cards is a ground breaking show and there is already a lot of buzz and excitement surrounding it.  The content has a universal appeal and the viewers here are definitely going to enjoy watching the show.’

     House Of Cards premieres on Zee Café on 20th February, Monday to Friday at 11.00 pm.

     

  • 10 Million DTH Connections in just 4 years – a major landmark for Videocon d2h

    10 Million DTH Connections in just 4 years – a major landmark for Videocon d2h

    MUMBAI: Videocon d2h, Asia’s Most Promising Brand & Fastest Growing DTH Service has crossed 10 million connections.  The youngest & latest entrant in the DTH industry went pan India in 2010 and has grown tremendously in the last 4 years.  

    On celebrating the success story of 10 Million connections in a very short period of time, Videocon d2h credits this growth and popularity of the brand to the wide range of channels and services, high definition services and impeccable focus on customer service & satisfaction. For Videocon d2h, the encouraging response from the customers is an ample testimonial to the trust placed on the brand and its superior performance.  Videocon d2h has also firmly established itself as the leader in the High definition category.

    Videocon d2h’s success is a reflection of its commitment of ushering in pioneering industry defining propositions to ensure customer delight.  
     

    Mr. Anil Khera – CEO Videocon d2h added, “We would like to thank our customers for reposing their faith in the brand and continuing to support us in achieving 10 million connections.  Our offerings like Maximum Channels & Services, India’s first active 3D channel, India’s 1st 1000 GB Asli HD Recorder, India’s 1st Radio Frequency Remote and many more have brought smiles to millions of households across India. We are continuously differentiating ourselves from competitors by offering quality services and great customer experience.”

     

  • First day of ICC Board meeting concludes with unanimous support for key principles

    First day of ICC Board meeting concludes with unanimous support for key principles

    DUBAI: The first day of the International Cricket Council’s Board meetings concluded in Dubai on 28 January with unanimous support for a set of principles relating to the future structure, governance and financial models of the ICC.

     

    The ICC Board unanimously supported the following principles: 

     

    * There will be an opportunity for all Members to play all formats of cricket on merit, with participation based on meritocracy; no immunity to any country, and no change to membership status.  

     

    * A Test Cricket Fund paid equally on an annual basis to all Full Members (except the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board) will be introduced to encourage and support Test match cricket.

     

    * A larger percentage from the increasing Associate Members’ surplus will be distributed to the higher performing non-Full Members.

     

    * Mutually agreed bi-lateral FTP Agreements which will be legally binding and bankable and will run for the same period as the ICC commercial rights cycle (2015-2023).

     

    * Recognition of the need for strong leadership of the ICC, involving leading Members, which will involve BCCI taking a central leadership responsibility.

     

    * A need to recognise the varying contribution of Full Members to the value of ICC events through the payment of ‘contribution costs’.

     

    * The establishment of an Executive Committee (ExCo) and Financial & Commercial Affairs Committee (F&CA) to provide leadership at an operational level, with five members, including BCCI, CA and ECB representatives. Anybody from within the Board can be elected to Chair the Board and anybody from within ExCo and F&CA can be elected to Chair those Committees. With the ICC undergoing a transitional period that includes a new governance structure and media rights cycle, this leadership will be provided for two years from June 2014 by: a BCCI representative to Chair the ICC Board, a CA representative to Chair the ExCo and an ECB representative to Chair the F&CA.  

     

    * A new company will be incorporated to tender future commercial rights for ICC events.  There will be three major ICC events in each four-year cycle, including the ICC Champions Trophy which will replace the ICC World Test Championship.

     

    * ICC will utilise a more efficient operating model for all ICC events, with a simplified accounting model across ICC income and expenditure to help better manage ICC administrative and event costs.

     

    ICC President Alan Isaac said: “This is an important time for world cricket and it is extremely encouraging that the ICC Board has unanimously supported a set of far-reaching principles that will underpin the long-term prosperity of the global game.

     

    “These principles emphasise the primacy of Test cricket and that for the first time in cricket’s history participation will be based entirely on meritocracy, giving everyone powerful incentives to play better cricket and develop better cricketers. 

     

    “There is more work to be done by the Members in developing their schedules of bilateral cricket while at the ICC we need to work through the detail of the manner in which these principles will be implemented.

     

    “Extensive work will now be undertaken in advance of a follow-up Board meeting next month.”

     

    Isaac also expressed his disappointment with the misconceptions that had been created as a result of a draft position paper produced by three ICC Members being leaked.

     

    “Several months ago I encouraged BCCI, CA and ECB to enter into a constructive dialogue together to help resolve some of the key commercial and governance issues facing the game. These leading cricket nations have worked tirelessly to produce a document which provided the basis for the past few weeks of extremely constructive discussions.

     

    “It is obviously very disappointing that a draft position paper from these Members was leaked as this prompted a debate that ignored the ongoing negotiations between all Members and led to unwarranted criticism of many of those involved in the process.

     

    “The principles agreed today provide clear evidence that through the course of further discussions over the coming weeks we can be increasingly confident in achieving consensus.”

     

    David Richardson, the ICC Chief Executive, added: “An enormous amount of effort has gone into developing a comprehensive set of proposals that include input from all Members.

     

    “The Board has held some very constructive, inclusive, wide-ranging and far-reaching discussions and I am looking forward to bringing to fruition some of the principles that have been proposed and accepted in relation to the cricketing structures of the global game.” 

     

    The ICC Board consists of the chairman or president from each of the 10 Full Members plus three elected Associate Member representatives. Also present at ICC Board meetings is the ICC President, who chairs proceedings, the ICC Chief Executive and the ICC Vice-President.

     

    Alan Isaac                                                      ICC President

    Mustafa Kamal                                               ICC Vice-President

    David Richardson                                          ICC Chief Executive

     

    Zaka Ashraf                                                     Pakistan

    Dave Cameron                                                 West Indies

    Peter Chingoka                                                Zimbabwe

    Giles Clarke                                                     England and Wales

    Jayantha Dharmadasa                                      Sri Lanka

    Wally Edwards                                                  Australia

    Nazmul Hassan                                                Bangladesh

    Imran Khwaja                                                   Associate Member Representative

    Chris Nenzani                                                   South Africa

    Keith Oliver                                                      Associate Member Representative

    Martin Snedden                                                New Zealand

    Neil Speight                                                      Associate Member Representative

    Narayanaswami Srinivasan                               India

  • FremantleMedia International And Young Hollywood Strike Exclusive First Look Deal

    FremantleMedia International And Young Hollywood Strike Exclusive First Look Deal

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia International (FMI) has today announced an exclusive first look content deal with digital entertainment pioneer Young Hollywood. The deal, which extends FMI’s portfolio of multi-platform properties, covers all of Young Hollywood’s half hour and hour long programming, including Young Hollywood’s Greatest… (26 x 30) and Young Hollywood Presents Evolution Of… (26 x 30) which are already part of FMI’s extensive content catalogue.

     

    “Young Hollywood is one of the world’s largest independent producers of exclusive premium celebrity video programming with an unparalleled track record for discovering the next generation of Hollywood stars and we’re delighted to have secured this first look deal with them,” said Hayley Dickson, Vice President of Acquisitions & Development at FremantleMedia. “It signifies FremantleMedia International’s on-going commitment to working with the very best content producers on both traditional and non-traditional platforms and enriches our existing catalogue with a unique approach to celebrity that looks beyond gossip to reveal an authentic individual.”

     

    RJ Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Young Hollywood added: “It’s great to be extending our existing relationship with FremantleMedia International. They are a fantastic partner for the Young Hollywood brand, and their extensive international network will be invaluable in helping to introduce global audiences to our past and future catalogue of exclusive celebrity content.”

     

    FMI currently has distribution rights to two of Young Hollywood’s long-form shows, which have shown strong international appeal since they were launched at MIPCOM in October 2013, having sold to over 30 territories to date. Young Hollywood’s Greatest… gets up close and personal with all the biggest stars in Hollywood by presenting a Top 7 Countdown featuring the best-of moments and experiences with celebrities on Young Hollywood.  Celebrities are showcased in categories such as The Greatest… Action Stars, Heartthrobs, or Next Gen Superstars, and each entry includes clips of impromptu, candid interviews with Hollywood’s glitterati and exclusive moments you can’t find anywhere else. Young Hollywood Presents Evolution Of… features a range of A-Listers that Young Hollywood has been following since the very beginning of their careers.  From past to present, see how your favorite celebrities have developed from wide-eyed hopefuls into bona fide superstars.  Featuring early photo shoots, exclusive interviews and set visits, Young Hollywood shows how these stars have evolved throughout the years. 

  • Gulaab Gang Music Launch: Madhuri crusades for womens rights in the spiritual capital of India

    Gulaab Gang Music Launch: Madhuri crusades for womens rights in the spiritual capital of India

    MUMBAI: Anubhav Sinha’s, Benaras MediaWorks and T-series released the music of the much awaited film ‘Gulaab Gang’ on Friday, the 24th of January in the spiritual centre of the country, Varanasi. Starring actresses, Madhuri Dixit- Nene and Juhi Chawla in all new avatars, the film comes with the hard hitting message of women empowerment and will premiere on International Women’s Day – the 7th of March, in screens across India.

     

    Keeping in mind the spirit and fervor of the film, the makers put together an event in the interiors of the country emanating the true flavor of India befitting the film. The film’s music was presented by producer Anubhav Sinha, director Soumik Sen, Mushtaq Sheikh and the dazzling actress, Madhuri Dixit- Nene in front of thousands of fans donning the gulaabi-topi.

     

    More than Twenty thousand people packed the grounds and showed their support by turning up wearing gulaabi (pink) caps. Female students from various schools and colleges performed at the event with dance’s and drama’s adding a punch to the film’s social message. The highlight was a rally by students which shouted out slogans and were joined by the crowd gathered vibrating the whole arena.

     

    Playing Rajjo Devi a tough activist crusading for woman’s rights in the film, Madhuri fleshed out her character as she took a pledge in favour of every daughter of the country in front of an eager audience. On popular demand, Madhuri even crooned “Rang di saari Gulaabi Chunariya re” a soulful number from the film giving a glimpse of the striking music, from the equally striking film.

     

    Madhuri Dixit-Nene commented “A daughter keeps the balance intact in a family. There should be a sense of equality between a man and woman present in the society. My character Rajjo in the film is fighting for the same cause. The character maybe different from Madhuri as a person. But Madhuri agrees and stands with Rajjo. The story of Gulaab Gang is a piece of my heart. It make’s me very happy and proud to see the support people have given the film and its message”

                                                                                    

    Speaking on the launch in Benaras, Anubhav Sinha said “I am honoured by the love and support shown by the people of my hometown, which is very close to my heart. Gulaab Gang is sure to strike a chord in the hearts of millions and I am equally assured by the response I have got from the music launch here today. Women’s empowerment is a pressing issue in our country and Gulaab Gang is just a step towards addressing it.”

  • Shotformats win for all its wonders in the digital space

    Shotformats win for all its wonders in the digital space

    MUMBAI: At the 5th International Summit & Award Ceremony on ‘Global Business Opportunity’ on this Saturday, Shotformats Digital Works, a new-age, digital media company, bagged the ‘Fastest Growing Indian Company Excellence Award’ for its pioneering work in the digital space.

     

    The Award was presented to Niyati Shah, CEO & MD Shotformats Digital Works by H.E Khun Korn Dabbaransi Hon’ble Former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and Chief Justice of India Mr O P Verma at Holiday Inn, Bangkok

     

    Shotformats Digital Works Private Limited is a promising digital distribution and a new media company that develops innovative digital platforms, products, and content to service and reaches audiences via varied digital distribution streams.

     

    During its six years drive in the industry, Shotformats with its brand Biscoot is a path-breaking contender in the mobile Value Added Services (VAS) space. It also creates and deploy VAS solutions and applications for media houses, telecommunication firms, film companies, labels, application developers and content providers, among others. The company recently launched its e-books & audio books offline apps that also are absolutely consumer friendly supporting the ‘go green’ theory through e-books and educating the segment which is high on illiteracy through audio books.

     

    Niyati Shah, MD & CEO, Shotformats Digital Works, exclaims; ‘International Achievers Conference (IAC) concentrates how the organizations can help the social & economic infrastructural development in and around the country. For a company like ours, this was a perfect forum to be acknowledged and I am glad that they have accredited us on our company motive and efforts. I am honored that IAC considered us for this category and we are looking forward to contribute the best of innovations in the digital space across mediums.’