MAM

Tata Trusts shows that change is noble

Published

6 years ago

February 26, 2020

MUMBAI: It’s a heart-moving video of a young boy on stage describing the everyday ordeal his sanitation worker-father goes through. As a spellbound audience watches, the boy sings the poem ‘Mera baba desh chalata hai’, even as the sanitation worker is shown toiling in the ghetto, cleaning the filth. What a compelling way to describe the oppressive conditions in which India’s sanitation workers toil. And it goes on to make the desired result of making a lasting impact on us. That is precisely what Tata Trusts seeks to achieve through his recent campaign ‘Mission Garima’.

The video stresses the need to provide humane working conditions to sanitation workers who keep our cities clean. The campaign, under the initiative called #TwoBinsLifeWins, urges citizens to segregate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste to make sanitation workers life much easier.

On the inspiration behind launching this campaign, Tata Trusts head, brand and marketing communications Deepshikha Surendran says: “Research with both consumers and the sanitation workers showed that there is a realisation that our lives can be better, our behaviour can impact other people’s lives. The inspiration came from the insight that the invisible man – the worker – needs as much respect and dignity as any other.”

In a multi-agency pitch held by Tata Trust two years ago which included the likes of Lowe Lintas and Mudra, FCB Ulka won the mandate for this campaign. The campaign was initiated a year ago with 15 people working from client servicing, creative’s department and close to 20 people from the production side including the crew, main cast and the DOP. After auditioning 150 people, the main protagonist for the video was finalised.

“Different creative agencies shared their thinking and approach. FCB Ulka had some sharp, emotional triggers to addressing the issue. Finally, the child’s worldview captured through a poem; it was totally on the brief. Basta films, then, worked with the FCB team to bring it to life,” says Surendran.

According to Surendran, the recent campaigns that engage citizens to further brand purpose have shown positive results. The mission of segregating waste too can only be successful if the citizens are conscious and sensitive to driving change. Research reaffirmed the belief that consumers want to participate in social good, and that small but powerful nudges of communication can change behaviour. Hence, the campaign ‘kyunki desh ko desh ka har aadmi chalata hai.’

FCB Ulka national creative director Keegan Pinto believes that there is a need to make people realise that everybody has the right to live with dignity. And when the narrative comes from a kid’s point of view, it makes it even more realistic.

He says: “I don’t think people in India and the world at large know the effects of this job. This is clearly the worst job on the planet. They also die early because they get infested by waste, filth and a whole galaxy of microorganism. The campaign #TwoBinsLifeWins is about the plight of sanitation workers. When the life expectancy of average Indians is 65, the same for the sanitation workers is around 50 to 52. They die early as compared to the rest of the Indians. We thought it will be more impactful if a child makes a plea and say ‘save my father from dying’. While we are giving the message of doing the right thing, we also have been conscious of not just showing his plight, but telling them that we are ashamed of not doing our share of work. What you do is a matter of pride because you are special. We cannot even think of doing what you do.”

Basta Films constructed the entire set as it was difficult to shoot in an actual surrounding considering the dangerous gases present in the sewer. The initial part of the film was shot at Mumbai’s Dharavi region. The classroom shot where the young boy is narrating the story of his father is filmed at Xavier’s College.

Basta Films director Divyansh Ganjoo says: “When you handle such a sensitive issue, conceptualisation is the biggest challenge because you have a huge responsibility while making such content. It required a lot of research because you cannot go and shoot just like that. Taking permission from BMC was difficult at times. We met sanitation workers to understand what they go through in their daily lives. This is the first visual imagery of what actually happens inside it. There were no references to it; we have to actually research to know how to make it more realistic.”

The campaign is promoted by Ratan Tata himself on his official social media handles. Under this initiation, Tata Trusts will provide free personal protective equipment or PPE set up at Kurla in Mumbai.

Surendran adds, “Tata Trusts, with support from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), has developed a model ‘Garima Chowki’ at L-ward, Kurla, to provide suitable workplace amenities to the sanitation workers. The first-of-its-kind Chowki was launched in Kurla, on the same day as the campaign, in the presence of the Joint Municipal Commissioner Ashok Marathe. Chowkis are facilities in every ward where sanitation workers assemble to begin their day and come back to change and rest. The model Chowki at Kurla will serve 70 to 100 workers on a day-to-day basis and comprises office space, separate rooms for men and women staff with improved water and sanitation services, storage, and a functional open space. It is equipped with amenities like a water purification system, microwave oven and a gym, among other, recreational activities.”

Tata Trusts is also working with NGO partners and corporate houses to address health issues of the workers. This multi-pronged strategy will hopefully provide a holistic solution in the years to come.

On the upcoming marketing campaigns for Mission Garima, Surendran mentions: “The campaign has just begun and has already gone viral. Organic reach of this film is already in excess of 2 million views only from our platforms. We intend to boost the campaign with radio and cinema and complement the awareness drive with special housing society activation to help the adoption of waste segregation on a large scale. The teams are also extending the campaign to certain under-serviced pockets of the city where segregation is a challenge both from the perspective of a citizen and the worker. Below- the-line communication strategy with partners like Dialogue Factory has been piloted, and will soon be rolled out.”

Tata Trust believes the campaign and message is a critical pillar of ‘Mission Garima’ programme, and the role the citizen’s play in bringing dignity and eradicating the practice is huge.

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Brands

Netflix India names Rekha Rane director of films and series marketing

Streaming giant bets on a seasoned marketer who helped build Amazon and Netflix into household names

Published

2 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Netflix has put a proven brand builder at the helm of its films and series marketing in India, naming Rekha Rane as director in a move that signals sharper focus on audience growth and cultural cut-through in one of its most hotly contested markets.

Rane steps into the role after seven years at Netflix, where she has quietly shaped how the platform sells stories to India. Her latest promotion, effective February 2026, crowns a run that spans brand, slate and product marketing across originals, licensed content and new verticals such as games.

A strategic marketing and communications professional with roughly 15 years’ experience, Rane has spent much of her career building technology-led consumer businesses and new categories, notably e-commerce and subscription video on demand. She was part of the early push that introduced Amazon.in, Prime Video and Netflix to Indian homes, then helped turn them into everyday brands.

At Netflix, she most recently served as head of brand and slate marketing for India from March 2024 to February 2026, leading teams across media and marketing for global and local content portfolios. Before that, as manager for original films and series marketing, she led IP creation and go-to-market strategy for titles including Guns and Gulaabs, Kaala Paani, The Railway Men* and The Great Indian Kapil Show, spanning both binge and weekly-release formats.

Her earlier Netflix roles covered product discovery and promotion in India and integrated campaign strategy to drive conversations around the content slate, product awareness and brand-equity metrics.

Before Netflix, Rane logged more than three years at Amazon in brand marketing roles in Bengaluru. There she handled national and regional campaigns for Amazon.in, worked on customer assistance programmes in growth geographies and contributed to the go-to-market strategy for the launch of Prime Video India.

Her career began well away from streaming. At Reliance Brands in Mumbai, she worked on retail marketing for Diesel and Superdry. A stint at Leo Burnett saw her work on primary research for P&G Tide, mapping Indian shoppers’ paths to purchase. Earlier still, at Orange in the United Kingdom, she rose from sales assistant to store manager, running a team and owning monthly P&L for a retail outlet.

The arc is telling. As global streamers fight for attention in a crowded Indian market, executives who understand both mass retail behaviour and digital habit-building are prized. Rane’s career sits at that intersection.

For Netflix, the bet is simple: in a market spoilt for choice, sharp marketing can still tilt the screen. And with Rane now leading the charge, the streamer is signalling it wants not just viewers, but fandom.

Brands

Orient Beverages pops the fizz with steady Q3 gains and rising profits

Kolkata-based beverage maker reports stronger revenues and profits for December quarter.

Published

2 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A fizzy quarter with a steady aftertaste that’s how Orient Beverages Limited, the company that manufactures and distributes packaged drinking water under the brand name Bisleri closed the December 2025 period, as the Kolkata-based drinks maker reported improved revenues and a healthy rise in profits, signalling operational stability in a competitive beverage market.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Orient Beverages posted standalone revenue from operations of Rs 39.98 crore, up from Rs 36.42 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 33.53 crore in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 42.24 crore, reflecting consistent demand and stable pricing across its beverage portfolio.

Profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 3.47 crore, a sharp improvement from Rs 1.31 crore in the September quarter and Rs 0.39 crore a year ago. After accounting for tax expenses of Rs 0.79 crore, the company reported a net profit of Rs 2.68 crore, nearly three times the Rs 0.99 crore recorded in the preceding quarter.

On a nine-month basis, the momentum remained intact. Revenue from operations for the period ended December 31, 2025 rose to Rs 117.66 crore, compared with Rs 106.95 crore in the corresponding period last year. Net profit for the nine months climbed to Rs 5.51 crore, more than double the Rs 2.18 crore reported in the same period of the previous financial year.

The consolidated numbers told a similar story. For the December quarter, consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 45.06 crore, while profit after tax came in at Rs 2.06 crore. For the nine-month period, consolidated revenue touched Rs 133.57 crore, with net profit of Rs 4.49 crore, underscoring the group’s improving profitability trajectory.

Operating expenses remained largely controlled, with cost of materials, employee benefits and other expenses broadly aligned with revenue growth. The company continued to operate within a single reportable segment beverages simplifying its cost structure and reporting framework.

The unaudited financial results were reviewed by the Audit Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on 7 February 2026. Statutory auditors carried out a limited review and reported no material misstatements in the results.

In a market where margins are often squeezed by input costs and competition, Orient Beverages’ latest numbers suggest the company has found a reliable rhythm not explosive, but steady enough to keep the fizz alive.

MAM

Washington Post CEO exits abruptly after newsroom cuts spark backlash

Leadership change follows layoffs, protests and a bruising battle over trust.

Published

2 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When the presses are rolling but patience runs out, even the editor’s chair isn’t safe. The Washington Post announced on Saturday that its chief executive and publisher Will Lewis is stepping down with immediate effect, bringing a sudden end to a turbulent two-year tenure marked by financial strain, newsroom unrest and public backlash.

Lewis’s exit comes just days after the Bezos-owned newspaper announced sweeping job cuts that triggered protests outside its Washington headquarters and a wave of anger from readers and staff. While newspapers across the US are grappling with shrinking revenues and digital disruption, Lewis’s leadership had increasingly come under fire for how those pressures were handled.

The Post confirmed that Jeff D’Onofrio, a former Tumblr CEO who joined the organisation last year as chief financial officer, has taken over as CEO and publisher, effective immediately. In an email to staff, later shared by reporters on social media, Lewis said it was “the right time for me to step aside.”

The leadership change follows the announcement of large-scale redundancies earlier this week. While the Post did not officially confirm numbers, The New York Times reported that around 300 of the paper’s roughly 800 journalists were laid off. Entire teams were dismantled, including the Post’s Middle East bureau and its Kyiv-based correspondent covering the war in Ukraine.

Sports, graphics and local reporting were sharply reduced, and the paper’s daily podcast, Post Reports, was suspended. On Thursday, hundreds of journalists and supporters gathered outside the Post’s downtown office in protest, calling the cuts a blow to public-interest journalism.

Former executive editor Marty Baron described the moment as “among the darkest days in the history of one of the world’s greatest news organisations.”

Lewis defended his record in his farewell note, saying “difficult decisions” were taken to secure the paper’s long-term future and protect its ability to publish “high-quality nonpartisan news”. But his tenure coincided with growing scrutiny of editorial independence at the Post.

Owner Jeff Bezos faced criticism for reining in the paper’s traditionally liberal editorial page and blocking an endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 US election. The move was widely seen as breaking the long-standing firewall between ownership and editorial decision-making.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, around 250,000 digital subscribers cancelled their subscriptions after the paper declined to endorse Harris. The Post reportedly lost about $100 million in 2024 as advertising and subscription revenues slid.

While the wider newspaper industry continues to battle declining print advertising and the pull of social media, some national titles have stabilised. Rivals such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have managed to build sustainable digital businesses, a turnaround that has so far eluded the Post despite its billionaire backing.

As Jeff D’Onofrio steps into the role, the challenge is stark, restore confidence inside the newsroom, win back readers who walked away, and prove that one of America’s most storied newspapers can still find its footing in a brutally competitive media landscape.