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  • Kia shifts into top gear with Atul Sood as new sales and marketing head

    Kia shifts into top gear with Atul Sood as new sales and marketing head

    MUMBAI: From driving growth at Toyota to taking the wheel at Kia, Atul Sood is all set for his next ride. Kia India has hit the accelerator on its leadership transformation, appointing Atul Sood as senior vice president of sales & marketing, effective 11 July 2025. A veteran of the Indian auto sector, Sood will lead Kia’s pan-India sales operations and marketing strategy, reporting directly to chief sales officer Joonsu Cho.

    Bringing with him nearly 30 years of industry experience, Sood was most recently president and director at Toyota Mobility Solutions and Services India (TMSS), where he played a key role in steering innovation and business expansion. His previous stints at Toyota Kirloskar Motors and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific further cement his reputation as a strategic leader with a deep understanding of both market dynamics and customer needs.

    Kia India’s MD & CEO Gwanggu Lee welcomed the appointment saying, “Atul’s proven track record in customer-first innovation and dealer network development makes him the ideal candidate to guide Kia through its next growth chapter. We’re confident his leadership will further our brand promise and strengthen our foothold in India’s mass-premium segment.”

    An engineer from Thapar Institute and a PGDM holder from SCMHRD Pune, Sood brings a rare mix of operational rigour and marketing flair. His leadership comes at a time when Kia India is looking to expand its market share, grow its product footprint, and deepen customer relationships across metros and emerging markets alike.

    Speaking on his new role, Sood said, “Joining Kia at such a pivotal moment in its India journey is truly exciting. The brand’s commitment to innovation, design, and customer delight aligns perfectly with my own values. I look forward to building on its strong foundation and driving sustainable growth across the country.”

    With this appointment, Kia India signals its intent to keep up the momentum in one of the world’s fastest-evolving auto markets and if Sood’s track record is any indication, the ride ahead is going to be anything but ordinary.
     

  • Balaji Telefilms goes big on movies and OTT, trims TV bets

    Balaji Telefilms goes big on movies and OTT, trims TV bets

    MUMBAI:  Balaji Telefilms is flipping its script. In a year marked by a strategic overhaul, the Ekta Kapoor-backed entertainment house has declared a decisive pivot from television towards high-growth verticals: movies, digital streaming, and branded content.

    Addressing analysts on its FY25 earnings call, group chief executive and CFO Sanjay Dwivedi outlined a transformation roadmap: “Movies will be our growth engine, digital will scale next, and television—once our mainstay—will become the third line of business.”

    The studio reported consolidated revenue of Rs 453 crore in FY25, down from Rs 625 crore the previous year. Yet net profit surged to Rs 84.6 crore from Rs 19.4 crore, largely due to a rights-heavy strategy in film and digital. The PAT margin stood at 18.7 per cent, and the company ended the year with Rs 172 crore in cash and mutual funds.

    Balaji’s OTT platform ALT Balaji saw a turnaround. Once burning Rs 120–145 crore a year, its cash burn has now dropped to just Rs 35 lakh a month. The platform added 3.29 lakh subscriptions in Q4 FY25, with total active subscribers crossing the 2 million mark.

    The company is also phasing out its pure SVOD model in favour of a hybrid SVOD–AVOD play, supported by a short-form vertical content app called Kutting. YouTube strategy and advertiser-funded content (AFP) are set to bolster revenue.

    Crucially, Balaji sealed a long-term content partnership with Netflix, spanning original films, binge series, telenovelas, and reality formats over 3 to 7 years. “This is not a one-off deal—it’s a foundational alliance for the future,” said Dwivedi.

    Balaji is betting on movies to power future growth. It has de-risked the vertical by recouping up to 90 per cent of production costs via pre-sales and co-production deals. In FY25, films contributed 30 per cent to revenue.
    Its upcoming slate includes Vrushabha (starring Mohanlal), the Priyadarshan-directed Bhoot Bangla with Akshay Kumar, and Vvan, a collaboration with TVF featuring Sidharth Malhotra.

    The studio targets 6 theatrical releases per year and is building on a franchise playbook with sequels like Dream Girl, LSD, and Shootout.
    TV content production touched 133 hours in Q4, with four shows on air. However, broadcaster yields remain 25 per cent below pre-Covid levels, and Balaji is cautious about further TV expansion.

    “TV is a volume game now. Rates aren’t recovering. We’ll stick to 6–8 shows a year, with a cap around Rs 350 crore,” said Dwivedi.

    New shows include Bade Achhe Lagte Hain – Phir Se and a reboot of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
    The company is also experimenting with AI-led production, launching a series titled Kalnagri on its platform. Regional expansion is on the cards, starting with Tamil and Telugu.

    On YouTube, Balaji hit 1 million subscribers in a month, banking on a mix of new shows and IP-retained repurposed content—especially as Indian viewers seek alternatives to banned Pakistani serials.

    Balaji has a Rs 300 crore B2B order book from leading OTT platforms. It expects digital to contribute 20–25 per cent of revenue in two years. The company is not planning a spin-off of the digital business for now, but hints at unlocking value once scale justifies it.

    “We are storytellers, not just platform owners,” Dwivedi said. “Our job is to find the next big content wave—whatever the screen.”

  • Jupiter banks on experience with Akhilesh Jha in the driver’s seat

    Jupiter banks on experience with Akhilesh Jha in the driver’s seat

    MUMBAI: If money talks, Jupiter Money just made a power move by bringing banking veteran Akhilesh Jha into the conversation. In a strategic hire that signals its next phase of growth, Jupiter Money has appointed Akhilesh Jha as senior vice president for banking and partnerships. With over 20 years of experience in retail banking and digital strategy most recently as head of retail banking portfolio at DBS Bank Jha steps in to amplify Jupiter’s push toward becoming India’s go-to money platform.

    At a time when fintechs are rewriting the rules of personal finance, Jupiter’s move shows it’s doubling down on what it does best: combining digital ease with meaningful banking experiences. In his new role, Jha will lead the charge on deepening collaborations with banks and financial institutions, helping Jupiter scale its offerings across savings, credit, and payments.

    “We are building a platform that simplifies money for millions of Indians,” said Jupiter Money president, Rohit Kumar Pandey. “Akhilesh brings the perfect mix of legacy banking and fintech edge. As we grow, his insight will be vital in shaping impactful partnerships.”

    Jha echoed the sentiment, noting the “mutually beneficial ecosystem” that fintech-bank alliances can create. “Customers get intuitive, digital-first products; banks unlock new channels and revenues; and Jupiter becomes the bridge that makes it happen,” he said.

    The announcement comes at a time when Jupiter Money is riding strong tailwinds. In the last quarter alone, it secured key regulatory clearances, expanded its credit footprint, and maintained steady user growth. With an eye on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, the company is working to unlock financial access for underserved digital users.

    Jupiter’s product suite already includes an all-in-one savings account (powered by Federal Bank), a Rupay credit card with CSB Bank that integrates with UPI and offers cashback, and an upcoming prepaid wallet after receiving RBI nod. Jha’s appointment adds muscle to Jupiter’s ambition of turning its platform into a full-stack, digital-first banking experience, one that’s as easy as it is empowering.

    As Indian consumers grow savvier and seek smarter ways to manage their money, Jupiter Money’s latest leadership bet might just prove that experience is, in fact, the best investment.

  • Samar Khan takes on additional role as chief content officer for DocuBay and EpicOn

    Samar Khan takes on additional role as chief content officer for DocuBay and EpicOn

    MUMBAI: Veteran filmmaker and journalist Samar Khan has been appointed chief content officer for IN10 Media Network’s DocuBay and EpicOn, effective July 2025. This new responsibility comes in addition to his current role as chief executive officer of Juggernaut Productions, also a part of IN10 Media.
    With over 25 years of experience in content creation, writing, directing, and producing for television and films, Khan is set to spearhead the content strategy for the two specialized platforms.

    As CEO of Juggernaut Productions since April 2019, Khan has been instrumental in developing a robust concept bank. His extensive background includes pioneering entertainment journalism with India’s first 20-minute entertainment news program, “Bollywood News,” heading the TV division at Red Chillies Entertainment, and leading the OTT platform for Sahara Group. He is also the author of “SRK – 25 Years of a Life” and has creatively produced numerous acclaimed shows for both OTT and television.

    This dual leadership position underscores IN10 Media Network’s commitment to strengthening its content offerings across its diverse platforms under Khan’s seasoned guidance.

  • Scents of purpose as Mangaldeep expands its ‘Sixth Sense’ fragrance panel

    Scents of purpose as Mangaldeep expands its ‘Sixth Sense’ fragrance panel

    MUMBAI: Who needs sight to sense greatness? At Mangaldeep, fragrance creation is being reimagined, one heightened sense at a time. ITC Mangaldeep, India’s leading incense brand, is proving that scent goes beyond sensory pleasure, it can also be a catalyst for purpose, pride, and inclusion. With the expansion of its “Sixth Sense Panel” to 180 visually impaired individuals, the brand is building a fragrance development process where ability, not disability, takes centre stage.

    Launched in 2021, the initiative taps into the clinically established superpower of the visually impaired: an enhanced sense of smell. Now comprising panelists from Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata with academic and professional credentials to match this one-of-a-kind team is actively shaping Mangaldeep’s latest offerings. So far, it has influenced hits like Sandal, Rose, Lavender, and Marigold incense variants.

    In June 2025, 30 new panelists completed a specialised olfactory training programme, where they fine-tuned their scent articulation across fragrance families from fruity to floral, woody to oudh. With access to Mangaldeep’s in-house experts and structured evaluation tools, these panellists are now key contributors to product innovation, turning scent into a shared language of dignity.

    “This is no CSR tokenism. The Sixth Sense Panel has become integral to how we develop fragrances,” said ITC Ltd divisional chief executive for agarbatti & matches business Gaurav Tayal. “It brings us perspectives we’d otherwise miss.”

    The initiative draws inspiration from research at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute, which found that the visually impaired often possess superior olfactory faculties, a super-skill Mangaldeep is now mainstreaming into the fragrance industry.

    Former Blind Cricket World Cup winner Mahender Vaishna, now a panellist, called the experience “empowering and dignifying,” while Radio Udaan co-founder Minal Singhvi  credited the programme with helping her rediscover joy, confidence, and creative purpose.

    At its core, Mangaldeep’s inclusive innovation is about rewriting the narrative around disability not through sympathy, but through strength. In the process, it’s proving that the soul of scent lies not in how it’s seen, but in how deeply it’s felt.

    As brands across sectors explore meaningful inclusivity, Mangaldeep is lighting the way, one fragrant step at a time.

  • TV9 Bangla honours Bengal’s real-life healers with flair and fanfare

    TV9 Bangla honours Bengal’s real-life healers with flair and fanfare

    MUMBAI: On the eve of Doctor’s Day, TV9 Bangla pulled out all the stops to salute Bengal’s bravest in white coats. The fifth edition of the Suswasthya Health Awards & Conclave aired Sunday, July 13 at 11:30 am, celebrated not just doctors, but also disruptors in research, frontline caregivers, and even filmmakers championing health awareness.

    The glitzy gathering was kicked off by TV9 Bangla’s managing editor and business head, Amritanshu Bhattacharya, consulting editor Anirban Choudhury, and the ever-revered medical veteran, Dr Sukumar Mukherjee.

    The big applause was reserved for the big names. The lifetime achievement honours went to ophthalmology icon Dr I.S Roy and dermatology Dr Subrata Malakar. In a nod to innovation, professor Suman Chakraborty, director of IIT Kharagpur, was recognised for his pathbreaking research in healthcare tech.

    TV9 Bangla also added gravitas with two new awards named after legends—dr Subhas Mukhopadhyay, who pioneered India’s first test-tube baby, and dr Kadambini Ganguly, the country’s first female physician. Their spiritual successors—dr Subhankar Chowdhury and dr Geeta Ganguly Mukherjee—were celebrated for carrying forward that torch of excellence.

    Calcutta Medical College’s department of gynaecology and obstetrics took a bow for bridging science and the sacred process of birth. Elsewhere, Dr Kousik Lahiri and dr Debashish Bhattacharya added more sparkle to the winner’s list.

    The unsung heroes didn’t go unnoticed. Dr Tapas Kumar Das, Dr Samarendranath Roy, and nurse Dolly Biswas were quietly applauded for their tireless work away from the limelight.

    TV9 Bangla even tipped its hat to storytelling for a cause—filmmaker Kamaleshwar Mukherjee and actor Kaushik Ghosh were honoured for shining a cinematic light on public health and well-being.

    And just when you thought doctors only healed with their hands, a few grabbed the mic and took to the stage, adding some drama, rhythm, and laughs to an already dazzling do.

    Catch the full spectacle again on TV9 Bangla, where medicine met magic, and the healers had their moment in the sun.

  • Belgian Waffle Co stirs up National Waffle Day with #WhatsYourDrill campaign

    Belgian Waffle Co stirs up National Waffle Day with #WhatsYourDrill campaign

    MUMBAI: The Belgian Waffle Co is flipping National Waffle Day on its head this year. No more boring 1 August – the company has rescheduled it to the third Wednesday of July, with this year’s big day falling on 16th July. And as ever, they’re pulling out all the stops with a pre-buzz campaign that’s as playful as their menu.

    Enter #WhatsYourDrill, a campaign that taps straight into the brand’s fanbase’s obsession with their waffle rituals. Fans are asked to share their National Waffle Day plans – or rather, their ‘drills’ – in a bid to turn a humble date shift into a nationwide cultural moment. But here’s the twist: The campaign kicks off with a cheeky hoax – National Waffle Day is Cancelled! Cue panic from waffle lovers, before the big reveal: “Nope, it’s just rescheduled, folks!”

    “As we celebrate 10 incredible years of The Belgian Waffle Co, National Waffle Day holds even greater significance for us this year. What began as a single-store idea has now become a national movement across 660+ stores, bringing smiles to millions every day.

    Day is not just a day— it’s a celebration of our loyal community, our partners, and the culture we’ve built together. As India’s largest waffle brand, we remain committed to expanding access to quality desserts while staying rooted in innovation, consistency, and customer delight,” said The Belgian Waffle Co executive director and CEO Ankit Patel.

    This tongue-in-cheek fake-out set the stage for the full-scale campaign, which is all about intrigue, humour, and pulling fans deep into the waffle web. Highlights include ‘Mission Announcement – The Gimmick,’ where all orders – both online and in-store – came with “classified” mission slips and 3D glasses that, when worn, revealed the new date: 16 July. How’s that for immersive?

    Some meme that created a wave for the campaign:

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by NAUGHTYWORLD (@naughtyworld)

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by NAUGHTYWORLD (@naughtyworld)

    Meanwhile, loyal fans received ‘Post Office Mission Letters’ and were inducted as Waffle Lieutenants, tasked with spreading the word. On the digital front, influencers will hijack timelines to show how they’re prepping for the big day.

    On 16 July, all Waff-wiches and Waffle Crisps will go for just Rs 100 at over 660 stores across 220 cities. It’s the kind of crispy celebration fans live for – and this year, it’s got that extra crispy zing.

    #WhatsYourDrill isn’t just about waffles, it’s about turning a random Wednesday into a movement. So, what’s your drill for National Waffle Day?

  • Swiggy serves up LOLs as it swaps menus for memes on the ‘gram

    Swiggy serves up LOLs as it swaps menus for memes on the ‘gram

    MUMBAI: Once known for delivering food, Swiggy is now delivering punchlines and the internet’s loving every byte. Somewhere between “order now” and “out for delivery,” Swiggy pulled off a rebrand no one saw coming. What began as a food delivery app is now dishing out cultural currency in bulk, using meme-first content, creator collabs, and moment-led mayhem to claim a spot as one of India’s most culturally fluent brands online.

    Gone are the days of the polished influencer integration. Swiggy’s digital strategy is now built on a different recipe: creators who feel real, trends that begin in group chats before boardrooms, and humour that’s more Instagram DM than advertising brief.

    Remember the viral “croissant” mispronunciation? What could’ve been just another fleeting laugh became a nation-wide earworm, thanks to creator Prashant and Swiggy’s impeccable meme timing. Then came the “Tedhe Medhe Guy”, the blank-staring student Shagun, Pakistani creator Abuloo, even lookalikes of Virat and Rohit, all roped into the brand’s ever-expanding ‘content kitchen’.

    Swiggy’s collab with internet oddballs Famous Ram and Khushi for the IPL season, or its chaotic creator-led push for Group Ordering, shows its refusal to play it safe. This isn’t content engineered for awards, it’s built for shares, comments, chaos and connection.

    “We don’t just create content, we co-create with the internet,” said Yukti Satija, who helms Swiggy Food’s social media. “Participating in trends is not enough, we’re here to start them.”

    It’s working. With millions of organic views and minimal ad spend, Swiggy’s feed has morphed into a digital dhaba for India’s meme-hungry audience. No filters, no frills just hyperlocal humour that hits harder than a 3 am paratha craving.

    “There’s often a tendency to dismiss unpolished creators as ‘cringe’, especially those outside the metros,” Yukti notes. “But we’ve learned that the internet rewards honesty over polish. Realness beats reelness.”

    Swiggy’s Instagram bio sums it up: khaana khau raat bhar, crazy collabs karu har baat par. In a digital world full of filters, this food app is staying deliciously unfiltered and redefining what it means to be a brand online.

  • Russhabh Thakkar on cracking India’s CTV code, one immersive ad at a time

    Russhabh Thakkar on cracking India’s CTV code, one immersive ad at a time

    MUMBAI: For Russhabh Thakkar, founder and CEO of Frodoh, held a curiosity back in time about where technology intersects with media CTV, DOOH, and the systems behind how ads really work. He knew that he wanted to build something of his own in that space. Frodoh came from spotting the gap between how people watch today and how brands still plan. The goal was simple, build for the way attention actually works now, not how it used to.

    Perched in his no-frills office in the heart of Lower Parel, Thakkar was all set for a deep-dive chat, coffee brewed and insights loaded. But in true Mumbai fashion, the city’s legendary traffic had other plans. Yours truly arrived fashionably late (read: embarrassingly delayed), much to Thakkar’s polite but unmistakable dismay.

    Still, being the sport he is, we squeezed in a zippy 20-minute power convo before he dashed off for an urgent client meet. “No worries,” he smiled, “I’ll put pen to paper or well, fingers to keyboard and send over the rest.” And just like that, what started as a botched in-person interview turned into a digital dialogue packed with CTV gold.

    With the mantra “Don’t just get viewed, get noticed,” Thakkar and his team are helping brands ditch passive impressions for precision engagement. “We saw the gap early,” says Thakkar. “People were watching content differently, but ads hadn’t caught up. Frodoh is built for the way attention works now and not how it used to.”

    According to the FICCI-EY 2025 report, India has over 30 million CTV sets, with viewers clocking 40+ hours per month on smart TVs. But Thakkar believes this isn’t just about reach, “It’s where scale meets intent in real time.” With tier 2 and 3 towns joining the CTV party thanks to affordable smart TVs and bundled OTT deals, the viewing landscape has exploded. But most brands, he says, are “still fumbling with legacy playbooks.” Yes, Frodoh is helping them unlearn.

    Old-school demographics don’t work in today’s CTV ecosystem. Thakkar explains, “It’s not about who is watching, but why, when, and how.” His team helps brands track viewing behaviour, content types, and time-of-day data to serve dynamic creatives, sequential stories, and context-rich moments.

    To supercharge this, they built Frodoh Forge, an AI-powered campaign planner that takes a brand brief, decodes audience signals, suggests channels, and builds a media plan in minutes. “No extra forms. No lag. And everything’s tracked live,” he adds.

    While many still see programmatic CTV as a shiny new buzzword, Thakkar insists it’s “the backbone of how smart media gets delivered today.” As a supply-side platform (SSP), Frodoh curates inventory across niche OTTs, regional OEMs, and long-tail content players—making them DSP-agnostic and giving agencies the flexibility they crave.

    And with India’s ad market pegged to hit Rs 1.64 lakh crore according to GroupM’s TYNY 2025 report, CTV is no longer a footnote. “It’s the bridge between scale and precision,” says Thakkar. “We’re already seeing brands move from testing to long-term bets.”

    Frodoh sees shoppable TV, QR overlays, and pause ads as the next big frontiers—formats that turn the screen into a point-of-sale without breaking immersion. “We’re not just watching CTV anymore, we’re starting to use it,” he says.

    Thakkar is clear-eyed about the road ahead. “India’s CTV shift isn’t a trend, it’s a tectonic change. Some are adapting. We were built for it.”

    With the right blend of technology, talent, and timing, Frodoh World is ensuring brands don’t just survive this bonfire, they shine through it.

  • Mission Sponsor Possible as Special Ops 2 locks in 14 brand partners

    Mission Sponsor Possible as Special Ops 2 locks in 14 brand partners

    MUMBAI: Espionage has never looked so marketable JioHotstar’s Special Ops 2 is back, and it’s bringing more than just bullets and secrets to the screen this 18 July. It’s bringing brands. Fourteen of them. Special Ops 2, the latest instalment of the hit thriller franchise, is already making headlines before its premiere not just for its high-stakes cyber warfare plot, but for its impressive brand line-up. With 14 marquee sponsors on board, the show has set a new benchmark in branded entertainment for scripted Indian OTT content.

    From automobiles to FMCG, and personal care to mutual funds, Special Ops 2 has attracted a cross-sectoral advertiser base that includes Hyundai, Jaquar & Co, Directors Elaichi, Asian Paints, UTI Mutual Fund, Envy, Philips, Lux Industries, Domino’s, JK Cement, Oppo, Swiggy, Toothsi, and Sony Bravia. This marks the highest-ever sponsor count for a title under the Specials banner on JioHotstar.

    “With Special Ops, we’ve built an iconic IP that delivers both cultural impact and business value,” said JioHotstar head of revenue entertainment & international Ajit Varghese. “This kind of brand response speaks to the power of premium storytelling and the platform’s ability to deliver engaged, meaningful audiences at scale.”

    Returning to the screen is Kay Kay Menon as Himmat Singh, the stoic intelligence officer at the centre of the action. But this time, he’s stepping into a more shadowy world of cyber espionage, system sabotage, and faceless digital enemies, a timely theme in an age of digital vulnerability.

    The rise in sponsorships also underscores how advertisers are shifting focus towards long-form, high-quality original series as strategic storytelling platforms. JioHotstar’s previous original, Criminal Justice Season 4, similarly drew widespread brand attention, signalling a growing trend in content-backed advertising integrations.

    Special Ops 2 premieres on 18 July exclusively on JioHotstar, and if the buzz (and brand budget) is anything to go by, this mission’s already a success before its first intel drop.