Category: Music and Youth

ET NOW celebrates India’s most promising SMEs at the 7th Season of ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ Conclave and Awards 2018

Mumbai, September 26, 2018: ET NOW, India’ leading English Business News Channel, hosted the 7th season of ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ (LOT) Conclave and Awards 2018 in Mumbai. India’s biggest platform for SMEs, ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ (LOT) showcases, empowers and recognises India’s most promising Small Business Entrepreneurs (SMEs). The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO – NITI-Aayog, theme address by Mr. V. Vaidyanathan, Founder & Chairman – Capital First and the special address on ‘Right to Win’ was delivered by Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Founder & Chairman – Marico India.
This year, LOT Conclave & Awards 2018 was attended by global business icons and corporate leaders from various industries who led the conversation on what it takes to leapfrog SMEs to the Sensex. The stellar line-up of speakers included Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD & CEO – BSE, Partha Sinha, VC & MD – McCann Worldwide, Sam Subramaniam, CEO – Brand Capital, Pradeep Parameswaran, President – Uber India & SA, Debjani Ghosh, President – NASSCOM, Vijay Karia, Chairman & MD – Ravin Group and Prabodh Thakker, Chairman – Global Insurance Brokers amongst others. The sessions through various discourses and deliberations reflected on a range of topics including Open Innovation, Smart Marketing, Local to Global, The Digital Front amongst others.

Commenting on the occasion, M. K. Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network said, “Leaders of Tomorrow Conclave and Awards in its 7th season salutes the spirit of SME leaders who are actively contributing to India’s growth. We are proud to provide a platform that honors and celebrates their determination and passion to bring alive ideas and, in the process, create inspiring stories for budding entrepreneurs. Embodying ET Now’s ethos – ‘Rise with India’, I firmly believe that India’s most coveted platform for SMEs, will inspire new stories of entrepreneurial success that contributes to India’s growth.”
Delivering the keynote address, Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI-Aayog said, “MSME’s contribute close to around 45-50 per cent in manufacturing, exports and jobs. The two imperatives of growth and jobs, both which are critical for India, come from the MSME sector. We have done away with a lot of rules, regulations and procedures that were prevalent over the past 70 years so that it becomes easier for MSMEs to do business. That is the reason why we have jumped up 42 positions in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Global Ranking.”

He further added, “The future of SME and MSMEs lies in digitisation. Digitisation and formalisation will be the crux which will throw up a huge amount of data, leading to financial inclusion. 98.3 per cent Indians pay income tax online, which is result of the government shifting to digitization and technology, which will prove to be a huge asset in the way MSMEs do business. India’s economy has got formalised thanks to the GST. In one year of GST, we have 47 lakh new formal enterprises in India. Unlike any other country, the Ayushman Bharat scheme launched by the Honorable Prime Minister will link up 150,000 primary health centres to the district health centres which will enable 42% of India’s population to have access to medical insurance of about 5 lakh rupees. All MSMEs must be part of the global supply chain and must lead with design and innovation for the future. My belief is that the future of India lies in the hands of the MSMEs and we need to create the right ecosystem, for India’s economy to grow at 9-10%.”

The conclave was followed by an award ceremony to honour the great leaders of tomorrow. The winners were shortlisted after a month-long nomination process across nine exciting categories. Pioneers from various industries were felicitated based on the criteria including their unprecedented display of sharp business prowess, clear understanding of the market and their deep focus on innovation and driving change. Clensta International won the ‘SME of the Year Award’, following the elevator pitch made to the eminent jury comprising MK Anand, MD & CEO – Times Network, Suresh Narayanan, Chairman & CEO – Nestle India, Madhusudan Kela, Market Veteran & Founder -MK Ventures, Pradeep Parameswaran, President – Uber India & SA, Sam Subramaniam, CEO – Brand Capital, Debrati Sen, MD – 3M India & Sri Lanka and Saurabh Srivastava, Co-Founder & Chairman – Indian Angel Network.
The 7th season of Leaders of Tomorrow Conclave & Awards 2018 was presented by Capital First, Partner, Brand Capital, On Ground Partner, Broadcast 1 & GM Online Media, Associate Partner, ICSI, Knowledge Partner, India SME Forum, Ecosystem Partner, TiE India and Supported by MSME India. The entire event will be aired on ET NOW in the coming weeks.
The ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ Awardees are:

September 26, 2018
MTV beats is the fastest growing hindi music channel since launch

MUMBAI: It is no secret that Indians love their Movies and Music. Hence, MTV Beats is stepping up the festive tempo with the launch of an array of differentiated content offerings as well as unique consumer led properties that the category hasn’t experienced before!

Sharing his excitement with us, Ferzad Palia, Head-Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom 18 said, “MTV Beats has expanded its viewership by 51% in the last year, reaching over 470 Mn consumers. The brand has successfully differentiated itself in this very competitive category and we have a lot planned to build on this fast-paced growth of MTV Beats.”

MTV Beats will engage its viewers in three well-crafted spaces through the next few months.

Music: Introducing the Best in Hindi Music Content

Riding on the success of Baba Ki Chowki, which has reached over 250 mn viewers cumulatively over 50 episodes, the channel is launching Secret Side With Akasa on Mon 17th September – India’s first show to bring the unseen side of popular musicians to viewers. Hosted by the popular Akasa Singh of Thug Ranja fame, the show will feature acclaimed musicians like Sonu Nigam, Armaan Malik, Mika Singh, Kumar Sanu and many more every month.

You would’ve enjoyed the uplifting tunes every day on Ad Free Mornings on MTV Beats. Now the channel is ready to launch India’s first LIVE Request show “MERA WALA SONG” in September where your requested song will play on-air shortly. The show will air every day from 9 am to 11 am.

Starting with Ganesh Chaturthi, the channel will play curated playlists as part of the special festive programming, geared to keep your foot tapping right through the Navratri fervor.

Movies: The Biggest Bollywood integrated partnerships

For the first time, MTV Beats has partnered with the biggest Bollywood movies coming up in the festive season. The stellar line-up includes Helicopter Ela, Manmarziyan and Laila Majnu, where the channel will take the viewers behind-the-scenes like no one else.

From partnering with a first-of-its-kind 6-city Manmarziyan concert tour to Kajol sharing her morning playlists on ‘Kajol Ka Kabza’, Sanket taking the movies’ cast on a ride in Baba Ki Chowki, the viewers can feast on the biggest Bollywood celebs thanks to innovative movie integrations.

Mazedaar Moments: MTV Beats will go to the streets, and closer to you.

Building on the palpable excitement around Ganesh Chaturthi, Bappa Beats will up the tempo with chartbusting songs on the channel. The MTV Beats Mobile in Mumbai will take the party to the streets, engaging the devotees at the biggest Ganesh Pandals with some scintillating tunes, special guests and lots of surprises, delivering a rousing Visarjan to our beloved Bappa.

Celebrations are never complete without food, fashion and foot-stomping Bollywood numbers. MTV Beats Swag Nights will curate 400 + Bollywood Nights across India, ensuring that you never run out of music and masti!

To unearth the next big Youth Superstar, MTV Beats plans to initiate a talent discovery platform MTV Beats Ke Desi Kalakar, scouting for the next big sensation – singer, rapper, dancer or musician – across the top colleges pan India.

And what’s more, you will be able to enjoy your Favorite Hindi Music Channel at over 1100 bars, gyms & hangouts pan India, so that you never have a dull moment.

September 17, 2018
Shemaroo Entertainment Releases a Digital Film on the Eve of Raksha Bandhan

MUMBAI: In a recent development, Manish Aggarwal has been elevated as business head of Zee5 India, the OTT platform of Zee Entertainment Enterprise (ZEEL). Prior to this, Aggarwal served as CMO at Zee5.

Before joining Zeel, Aggarwal was vice president of marketing communications with the Chinese multinational corporation LeEco. He has also worked with Myntra as VP marketing and head of monetisation and also worked with the reputed companies like SGA private Ltd, Coca Cola, P&G and Mindshare.

Zee5 was launched in the mid of February and since then it has been gaining a growth across the viwership metrics of MAUs, video views and engagement levels.

ZEEL claims that it is already among the top five entertainment platforms in the country.

The OTT platform has recently come up with its original content called ZEE5 originals, were it has released 14 ZEE5 Originals across six languages and have 20 more originals lined up for release.

August 24, 2018
BARC Week 28 : Aaj Tak leads Hindi news genre

MUMBAI: The Broadcast Audience Research Council data for week 28 showed Republic TV continuing to dominate the English news genre, whereas Aaj Tak led in Hindi genre. Meanwhile, News Nation stepped down to fourth position in Hindi news genre.

English News

Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV continued its spree with 777 impressions (000s) sum as compared to 970 impressions (000s) sum last week. Times Now was at second position with 695 impressions (000s) with India Today Television at third position with 292 impressions(000s) as compared to 258 impressions (000s) sum last week. Mirror Now and CNN News18 were at fourth and fifth positions with 246 impressions (000s) sum and 189 impressions (000s) sum.

English Business News

CNBC TV 18 found itself at top position with 537 impressions (000s) sum as compared to 527 impressions (000s) sum last week. ET Now is at second position with 235 impressions (000s) sum, followed by BTVI and CNBC TV18 Prime HD at fourth and fifth positions with 62 impressions (000s) sum and 12 impressions (000s) sum.

Hindi news (U+R)

Aaj Tak continued to lead in Hindi news genre (U+R) with 125034 impressions (000s) sum as compared to 114295 impressions (000s) last week. This week ABP News found itself at second position 85738 impressions (000s) sum, followed by Zee News at third position with 84053 impressions (000s) sum as compared to 83543 impressions (000s) last week.

Meanwhile, India TV stepped down to fourth position with 83068 impressions (000s) sum and News18 India was at fifth position with 82907 impressions (000s) sum.

Hindi News Rural

Aaj Tak retained its top slot in Hindi (R) with 54097 impressions (000s) sum, followed by ABP News at second position with 38253 impressions (000s) sum.

News18 India interchanged its third position at third position with 33289 impressions (000s) sum as compared to 31568 (000s) impressions sum last week. News Nation stepped down to fourth position with 32969 impressions (000s) sum followed by India TV at fifth position with 32221 impressions (000s) sum.

Hindi news urban

Aaj Tak maintained its top position in Hindi news genre (U) with 70936 impressions (000s) sum. Zee News found itself at second position with 53445 impressions (000s) as compared to 54456 impressions (000s) sum last week. India TV and News 18 India maintained their third and fourth positions with 50847 impressions (000s) and 49619 impressions (000s) sum. ABP News was at fifth position with 47486 impressions (000s).

August 21, 2018
Zoom Studios launches its second series, ‘Ready 2 Mingle’

MUMBAI: After the resounding success of The Reunion, The Zoom Studios, the original content arm of zoOm styled by Myntra is back with its second series- Ready 2 Mingle. The show which has already captivated the interest of the audiences with its promo is all set to hit the television screens on Saturday, August 11 at 7.30pm on zoOm styled by Myntra & on The Zoom Studios YouTube Channel . Directed by the very talented, Rishabh Seth, the show features the popular actors – Aahana Kumra and Amol Parashar, who will be seen together for the second time.

‘Ready 2 Mingle’ is a series about ‘everyday relationships’ of millennials and the constant search to find their true love. The focus of ‘Ready 2 Mingle’ are the modern-day love gurus Myra and Nirav who, through their exceptional talent of hosting the perfect singles parties, unite those in search of true love. But soon, enough, they start to lose grip on love in their own lives. The show deals with issues that each one of us face in our lives at some point but there is ample amount of fun and frolic that keeps it engaging and breezy.

Myra, played by Aahana Kumra and Nirav, played by Amol Parashar are poster couple who are out to connect singles seeking true love. The two of them have extremely contrasting personalities, Myra being very controlling in nature whereas Nirav is a party animal. But as they say, opposites attract. But the question is, how long can opposites stay together!

Speaking on the new series, Ready 2 Mingle, Nikhil Gandhi, President, Times Network says, “We are excited to launch our second series, Ready 2 Mingle, which is a unique take on relationships of today’s generation and promises a never-before journey of fun, parties and everyday struggles of today’s youth. At Zoom Studios, it is our continuous attempt to offer real, conversational and engaging content that reflects the changing consumption pattern of the youth. I’m sure Ready 2 Mingle will immediately resonate with the audience.”

Director Rishab Seth says, “The feedback to our promo is exceptionally encouraging for the team. The whole concept of ‘Ready 2 Mingle’ is relatable to every single one of us and the cast have played their parts flawlessly, bringing the characters alive. I cannot wait for the show to premiere.”

Aahana Kumra says, “The storyline of ‘Ready 2 Mingle’ is a refreshing take on today’s relationships and I am very excited for the viewers to see what we have to offer. It was great working with such a hardworking team. We have put in our all to put forward a great show and I hope the audience will like it too.”

Amol Parashar says, “The response that we have got from the viewers for the promo has been extremely thrilling. We had a great time shooting for ‘Ready 2 Mingle’. I am sure the audience will enjoy watching the show as much as we enjoyed shooting for it.”

August 13, 2018
MTV Splitsvilla ropes in 10 sponsors for its eleventh season

MUMBAI: It’s that time of the year again! MTV, India’s No. 1 youth brand is back with the most watched dating reality show, Splitsvilla. The show returns with a refreshing take on dating – Emotions vs Science, that captures the fate of the contestants’ love-life. The eleventh edition, OPPO MTV Splitsvilla XI powered by Denver Deodrants, Alo Frut Juice, Manforce, Vega Hair Styling Appliances, Beauty Partner Lotus Make Up and Celebration wear partner Manyavar has attracted an array of sponsors. MTV VJ Rannvijay Singha and Bollywood Beauty, Sunny Leone once again take on the reins to host the eleventh season of Splitsvilla starting 5th August, every Sunday at 7.00 PM as couples make tough choices to stay in the game.

Splitsvilla has redefined the dating reality show in India leading to a consistent rise in popularity from its very first season. The growth in viewership accompanied by the sponsors it attracts is a testament of the show’s reach and influence amongst the youth of India. The last season garnered a phenomenal growth of 25% over the previous seasons. The eleventh season will revolve around a social experiment where the contestants can rely on an oracle – a mathematical algorithm or follow their heart to find the ideal partner. The theme has been conceptualized to stay relevant to the youth while delivering content that is entertaining and interesting.

On the success of the show, Ferzad Palia, Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “MTV has always been a pioneer in creating reality show concepts. Splitsvilla being one of our most successful franchises continues to grow in leaps and bounds. With every successive season, it is encouraging to see growth on both television as well as on VOOT. Continued support and growth in sponsor revenue on the show clearly demonstrates the popularity Splitsvilla enjoys. Rannvijay and Sunny are the darlings of the youth, we are confident that our viewers are going to enjoy this new season of Splitsvilla where science plays a pivotal role in one’s love life.”

Speaking on the association as the title sponsor, Will Yang, Brand Director, OPPO India said, “OPPO has always focused on being present across all touchpoints to offer the best kind of experience to all our consumers and that is the reason why we insist on integrated marketing to connect better with the youth. Millennials today are the drivers of the society as they are the primary growth factors to a brand and being an integral part of the youth through various platforms, entertainment being one of our key focuses. Our associations are keenly mapped keeping in mind what’s popular amongst the youth. We are extremely excited to be the presenting sponsors for Splitsvilla. Platforms like Splitsvilla help us in establishing a connect with our audiences across cities in the Indian market.”

Immense popularity of the show amongst the youth has led Splitsvilla to successfully grab lucrative deals with some of the most prominent brands in India. The show has meticulously created seamless tasks integrating sponsors which adds value to both the brands.

To reach out to the youth across the nation the show will be supported by a 360degree marketing push with multiple touch points using mediums like TV, outdoor, print, radio, brand associations and digital.

August 2, 2018
T-Series Chooses PPL As Its Exclusive Partner!

MUMBAI: Super Cassettes Industries India Pvt Ltd (T-Series), the leading Indian record label once again chose Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) to manage its public performance license in India. This is an exclusive arrangement with PPL. All Bollywood party anthems be it “BomDiggy” or “Abhitho party shuruhuihai” will be part of the PPL licensing bouquet. With T-series on board, PPL controls the lion’s share of the Indian music market , as they already have major Indian players like Saregama, Sony Music, Universal Music, Venus, Aditya, Lahari Music etc. PPL exclusively represent all international Majors in the Country thereby offering a complete bouquet of International, New Hindi Film, Old Hindi Classics and Regional Hits to its License Holders.

Public performance license is taken by hotels, clubs, retail stores, for events and background music usage so as to play their choice of music at the venue or event. Payment of such usage by obtaining a license from PPL is enshrined in the Copyright law. The tariffs for various usages are published on their site.

Mr.Bhushan Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, T-Series said, “We have had a long association with PPL and are further very happy with the positive changes taking place under the new management. I am honoured to be able to add value to the running of the Company by coming on the Board at this juncture when the Organisation is poised to harness its true potential in the coming years”

Speaking about the tie-up Mr. Rajat Kakar, Managing Director, PPL said, “We are delighted to renew our association with T Series for Public Performance Licensing in the Country. With its aggressive marketing, T Series is a powerhouse of Hits and no party is a success without playing hits from their roster. As we increase our licensing footprint, renewal of this mandate was eagerly awaited by our teams and licensees alike. This year also marks a decade of our partnership with T-Series. We also welcome Mr.Bhushan Kumar, MD of T-Series on the PPL board of directors. With him on board, we look forward to PPL scaling further heights in the years to come”

August 2, 2018
“We focus on digital to promote non-film music” – Vinit Thakkar

EMI Records India recently launched its own unique platform VYRL Originals which completed six months on 12 July. Every month, a single was released with the latest being Aaya Na Tu by Arjun Kanungo and Momina Mustehsan.

EMI Records India was launched in May 2015 by Universal Music Group in collaboration with film director Mohit Suri. This venture marked the return of the iconic EMI label to India, which developed a new platform to promote non-film music.

Indiantelevision.com spoke to Vinit Thakkar, the senior vice president, Universal Music Group India & South Asia about the idea behind launching VYRL Originals, challenges they faced and their marketing and promotional strategies.

What is the main idea behind launching VYRL Originals?

The idea behind launching VYRL Originals was to create a unique platform to promote non-film music. Through this unique platform we have been releasing one brand new song every month which launches simultaneously across all platforms- digital, TV and radio. The property launched on 12 January 2018.

What kind of mentorship or support does VYRL Originals provide to the debut artists?

I believe that our partner, Mohit Suri is one of our biggest strengths. Up until May, most of the artists we’ve worked with have been newcomers. He’s been a great mentor to all the artists who have created content for VYRL Originals. Right from the composers, lyricists to the singers, each of them have been carefully worked on and handpicked by the director himself. Also, all the technical infrastructure and support that is required for an artist to create world-class content is provided by EMI records India.

What are the challenges you faced in the music industry and how did you overcome it?

We started EMI Records India almost three years ago when there wasn’t as much non-film music being released. Very few non-film songs actually made it to the mainstream commercial charts across platforms. Traditional mediums like television and radio were also giving preferential treatment to Bollywood music. So one of the biggest challenges we have faced so far is to reach a larger set of audience in India.

But thankfully with a lot of support from audio streaming platforms and our exclusive partner Fever FM for VYRL Originals, we have been able to reach out to a wide audience. Effective use of social media platforms has also helped us a lot.

What are EMI’s promotional and marketing strategies to stand out of the crowd?

Every song has a different story to be told. We do a complete integrated marketing campaign. Our main focus is digital as we believe that our target audience is active on digital platforms and it’s really important to reach out to today’s youth who use these platforms to discover new content. This is followed by television and radio promotions. We also engage with a lot of influencers who help us create a buzz around the song and the artist.

What is the cost of releasing one single?

It is difficult to put a number to it as there are many elements involved in putting together a single. There are several costs attached, right from the audio to the visuals to the marketing and promotional spends.

How do you keep a track of the song being played overseas?

We are a global company with a global footprint. All our content is deployed through a global supply chain and that helps us with all the information that is needed with regards to the content.

July 22, 2018
zoOm styled by Myntra’s ‘The Reunion’ garners more than 30 million views across platforms

MUMBAI: The Zoom Studios first series, The Reunion on zoOm styled by Myntra has created a record over the course of its one month run. The smash hit finite series has garnered more than 30 million views across platforms, while being greatly adulated by the viewers and Bollywood brigade alike for its fresh approach to storytelling, relatable characters and stylish direction. This simple yet ground-breaking series immediately struck a chord with fans and took over the internet in no time since its launch. The show garnered critical acclaim as well as millions of views for its refreshing content. Reunion is also one of the few series in India to create a first-of-its-kind content innovation, with a special rendition of Arjun Kanungo & Momina Mustehsan’s song ‘Aaya Na Tu’, which received an overwhelming response.

As a strategic approach, The Reunion was purely marketed on content and the storyline, which successfully resulted in an organic success of the show crossing 30 million views, a remarkable milestone for a new series. The finale episode of Reunion was led by a unique innovation, the rendition of ‘Aaya Na Tu’ that captured the chemistry between Dev and Deva, played by Anuj Sachdeva and Shreya Dhanwanthary. The episode trended on twitter along with conversations on other platforms, where the viewers sentiments and reactions were overwhelming. The finale has been the most successful episode, with many viewers confessing that it was the best series that they have watched.

Not just fans, even the Bollywood superstar, Salman Khan, posted on Instagram that he loved the trailer which received more than 2 million views. Katrina Kaif and Ali Abbas Zafar, too, took to social media to congratulate Karishma Kohli, on her directorial debut. Starring some of the most popular faces on television including Sapna Pabbi, Anuj Sachdeva, Veer Rajwant Singh and Shreya Dhanwanthary, the story has set a benchmark in content uniqueness and engaging storytelling.

Speaking on the series success, Times Network, President, Nikhil Gandhi said, “The Reunion, is only the beginning of a spectacular content line-up from the Zoom Studios and we are delighted with the overwhelming response from our viewers. Zoom’s refreshed brand identity reflects real, conversational and multi-lingual entertainment that viewers in India are looking for. Our attempt is to continue to drive conversations that reflect the changing consumption patterns of the youth. We are happy that the new Zoom brings the ‘wow’ factor that engages viewers across platforms”.

‘The Reunion’ is about a group of friends from Bourbon High’s class of 2008 who reunite after 10 years at a hill station. Unresolved issues surface and play the party pooper, highlighting the fact that sometimes to look forward, it is important to rewind and see how far you’ve come. Fans of the show have been raving about Aarya’s fashion sense, Gaurav’s killer looks and Dev and Deva’s superb chemistry. A crazy rollercoaster ride, the series brings back nostalgia and memories from one’s days of fun and laughter in school and college. The show successfully captivated viewers with its cinematic-like narrative and climbed the heights of success since its launch.

July 10, 2018
Eros Now, Gold’s Gym announce partnership in India

MUMBAI: Eros Now, India’s premiere Video OTT platform and Gold’s Gym, have announced a new partnership in India. The company will offer Gold’s Gym fitness enthusiasts entertainment on the go, with a line up of their best films, music and originals that can be watched on their devices during sessions.

The partnership offers Gold’s Gym members a flat 60 per cent off on Eros Now’s annual subscription, otherwise priced at INR 999 (approximately $14.50). The offer is available for existing as well as new customers at Gold’s Gym’s 134 fully equipped gyms across 85 cities in India, until 11 December 2018. The association will give users access to Eros Now’s extensive catalogue of over 11,000 Bollywood and regional language films, music videos, originals and entertainment shows.

Eros Digital CEO Rishika Lulla Singh said, “Eros Now’s partnership with Gold’s Gym is a fitting example of a brand integration that aims at uplifting the lifestyle choices of people. We are delighted to extend our entertainment library to the customers who use Gold’s Gym’s services across the country. Through this partnership, we hope that consumers have a dynamic fitness experience while consuming entertainment, anytime, anywhere.”

Gold’s Gym India COO Nikhil Kakkar said, “Eros Now is raising the bar in the field of digital entertainment. Gold’s Gym is extremely delighted to partner with Eros Now and we believe that offline and online meeting of synergies can definitely help take brand building to an all new level.”

July 9, 2018