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  • Actimedia’s Trupti Vasudev joins Travel Lifestyle Network board in global first

    Actimedia’s Trupti Vasudev joins Travel Lifestyle Network board in global first

    MUMBAI: Actimedia PR & Digital’s chief executive, Trupti Vasudev, has been appointed to the global board of the Travel Lifestyle Network (TLN), making her the first-ever representative from India to hold the role. She will represent the Asia-Pacific region, spanning India, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, GCC, Indonesia and Japan.

    The appointment comes as TLN – a coalition of 25 top-tier independent communications agencies – celebrates its 20th anniversary with an expanded mandate and a more globally integrated structure. Known for steering campaigns across luxury travel, hospitality, airlines, wellness and lifestyle, TLN is sharpening its focus on consumer storytelling and cross-border collaboration.

    “The Travel Lifestyle Network is a prime example of the power of collaboration – both for the participating agencies and clients who choose to work with a TLN agency. Specialist agencies are offering agility and deeply localised solutions for lifestyle brands and travel tourism brands with the professionalism of a global network, and as such are offering up a stiff competition to international conglomerates. The APAC region represents one of the world’s most dynamic consumer markets and offers unparalleled opportunities across lifestyle, travel, and luxury segments. I’m excited to leverage the network to create greater opportunities for each of the members and also to expand TLN further into other Asia Pacific markets” said Vasudev.

    Also joining the new-look board is David Zapata, founder of US-based Zapwater Communications, who steps in as executive chair. He’s joined by Marilyne Levesque of Marelle Communications representing the Americas, and Virginie Le Norgant of GroupExpression for Europe. TLN founder Hanna Kleber continues as honorary chair.

    “Our agencies represent a remarkable group of entrepreneurial and innovative leaders deeply embedded in their local markets. Moving forward, we will place greater emphasis on new offerings, services and industries – all while maintaining the high standards of excellence that have defined TLN for two decades,” said Zapata.  

    For Vasudev and Actimedia – TLN’s exclusive Indian agency partner – the move marks a bigger role in shaping global strategy in one of the most competitive segments of PR: lifestyle, hospitality and tourism.

    TLN’s message is clear: 20 years in, the network isn’t slowing down – it’s going global with more force than ever.

  • Yuki Chiba teams up with Riot Games for new VCT Pacific anthem

    Yuki Chiba teams up with Riot Games for new VCT Pacific anthem

    MUMBAI: What happens when one of Japan’s hottest rap voices joins forces with gaming giant Riot? You get an anthem that slaps harder than a last-round clutch. Riot Games has teamed up with Japanese rapper and singer Yuki Chiba for ‘Shinpai Muyou’, the official music anthem of VCT Pacific. It marks Chiba’s first venture into gaming music, and the collab couldn’t have come at a more hype-fuelled moment just ahead of the league’s Stage 2 kickoff.

    Dropping globally on 11 July via Coup D’Etat Recordings, the track blends a punchy bassline with feel-good flow, carried by Chiba’s signature cadence and packed with lines that are bound to echo across Discord servers and stadiums alike. A music video will also premiere on the VCT Pacific YouTube channel the same day.

    “Shinpai Muyou is a reminder to myself and my fans to not worry and always believe in yourself,” said Chiba, whose laid-back swagger and lyrical optimism are front and centre in the track. “There’s no need to stress when you can just vibe.”

    And that message couldn’t be more timely. Valorant Champions Tour Pacific is heading into Stage 2 from 15 July in Seoul, with the much-anticipated Grand Finals roadshow making its Japan debut on 30-31 August in Tokyo.

    Valoerant Esports Head of APAC Jake Sin called the anthem “a dream project,” saying: “We’re thrilled to work with someone as talented as Yuki Chiba, especially as we gear up for our first-ever Finals roadshow in Japan.”

    The stakes are high, two teams from Stage 2 will qualify directly for Valorant Champions Paris, with two more determined by their cumulative 2025 Championship Points. With both music and esports fans tuning in, ‘Shinpai Muyou’ is set to become the sound of the season.

    Ticket details for the event will be announced shortly on the Valorant Esports website. Until then don’t stress, just press play.

  • Fenesta’s new #ShutTheShor campaign turns down the volume on mental noise

    Fenesta’s new #ShutTheShor campaign turns down the volume on mental noise

    MUMBAI: In a world fuelled by pings, pressure and perpetual pace, Fenesta is asking India to do the radical: pause. The country’s leading windows and doors brand has launched the latest edition of its thought-provoking campaign, #ShutTheShor, reframing noise as more than just a decibel problem—it’s emotional clutter.

    The film, conceptualised by TwoHmp and produced by eipi media, dials into the silent stressors of modern life—burnout, digital fatigue, and that ever-buzzing inner monologue. With a meditative pace and no heavy voiceover, the short film tugs gently at a shared cultural nerve: the craving for stillness in a noisy world.

    By releasing the campaign on International Yoga Day, Fenesta aligns itself with mindfulness and balance. Just as yoga centres the body and mind, the brand suggests its well-insulated windows and doors can help centre your home—and your head.

    Speaking of the campaign, Fenesta head of marketing, Sumita Nag said, “At Fenesta, we’ve always stood for comfort, clarity, and creating spaces that offer a sense of calm. With #ShutTheShor, we aim to shift the spotlight to the constant noise that surrounds us. In the clutter of digital chatter, mental overload, and the pressure to stay always connected, this campaign captures how the spaces we design can offer quiet relief, helping people pause, reset, and feel grounded. It’s a natural extension of what we stand for as a brand, thoughtfully built environments that provide complete insulation, support balance and well-being in everyday life.”

    Live across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, the campaign champions a quieter, more thoughtful way of living. And it doesn’t shout about it either. It simply whispers: sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is shut the shor.

  • The Script Room appoints K. Ramakrishnan as an independent director

    The Script Room appoints K. Ramakrishnan as an independent director

    MUMBAI: The Script Room, an independently owned, bespoke creative agency, founded by Ayyappan Raj & Rajesh Ramaswamy (Ramsam), onboards K. Ramakrishnan (Ramki), managing director – South Asia at Kantar Worldpanel, as an independent director on its board. With over three decades of experience in marketing, branding, and business strategy, he has held leadership roles at companies like Lenovo, Café Coffee Day and TVS Motor Company. In his new role, Ramakrishnan will participate in the strategic business decisions of The Script Room bringing his deep market knowledge, experience and thought leadership to the table.

    Known for its commitment to enjoyable scripts across formats, The Script Room has always championed storytelling that connects. With Ramki’s mentoring, the company takes a significant step forward in its journey of shaping their business with both soul and structure.

    Reflecting on the decision, The Script Room co-founder Ayyappan Raj shared, “Two years ago, when I first conceived the idea of establishing a Board of Directors and shared it with Ramsam, Ramki was the very first name on the list. I had the privilege of meeting Ramki in 2005 when he was a client at TVS Motor Company, and since then, he has played a significant role in both my professional and personal journey. It is with great pleasure that we announce his appointment as an Independent Director on our Board. Ramki is widely regarded as a trusted advisor and mentor – his innate capacity for leadership and guidance, coupled with his expanding sphere of influence, make him a valuable addition to our governance and strategic thinking.”

    K. Ramakrishnan shared, “It is a pleasure and honour to be able to serve as an independent director on the board of The Script Room. I am happy to work with bright and creative professionals such as Ramsam, Ayyappan and the others. I hope to provide professional counsel and promote a lot of dialectic thinking as The Script Room continues to scale up in its Creative Business journey”.

    Now in its sixth year of operations, The Script Room is excited about the future with Ramki joining as an Independent Director and will soon announce its full board of directors. With this guidance, the company is poised to continue delivering outstanding stories across all formats while building a cheerful and inspiring environment for its team and partners alike.

  • DreamSetGo hits the right note with ‘Sound of Sports’ for World Music Day

    DreamSetGo hits the right note with ‘Sound of Sports’ for World Music Day

    MUMBAI : DreamSetGo has dropped a rousing new digital campaign for World Music Day 2025 titled “Sound of Sports Experiences”. The 80-second music video turns the adrenaline of elite sporting moments into a rhythmic celebration — quite literally.

    Built entirely from the sounds of sport — think leather meeting willow, tennis grunts, the shriek of Formula 1 tyres, and crowd roars — the campaign blends sonic artistry with slick visuals to spotlight the emotion behind DreamSetGo’s luxury offerings across cricket, motorsport, tennis and football.

    “As someone deeply passionate about both music and sport, I’ve always found both to be that one uniting factor, the things that bring us together and make us emote together. With ‘Sound of Sports Experiences’, we’ve brought that emotion to life—an anthem for sports fans and music lovers alike. I’m thrilled with the creative output of the music video. It’s a beautiful celebration of music and a grand homage to sport,” said DreamSetG co- founder & CEO, Monish Shah

    The film, now live across the brand’s social platforms, is a sensory pitch for how sports, like music, speaks straight to the soul. With “Sound of Sports”, DreamSetGo hits a high note in storytelling that’s as immersive as its on-ground experiences.

    dreamsetgo.sports

    DreamSetGo

    DreamSetGo

  • Saumya Agarwal is appointed as vice president – Madison Media Plus

    Saumya Agarwal is appointed as vice president – Madison Media Plus

    MUMBAI: Madison Media Plus, a unit of Madison World, is delighted to announce the appointment of Saumya Agarwal as vice president. He will report to Madison Media Plus COO Mimi Deb.

    Saumya brings over 18 years of diverse experience in Integrated Marketing Communications. He has previously held leadership roles across GroupM, Dentsu and Publicis Groupe, and has worked with marquee brands such as Nykaa, HUL, Jaguar Land Rover, ICICI Group, HDFC Bank, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, Allied Blenders and Spotify. Prior to joining Madison Media, he served as AVP at Starcom. Along with his deep brand-building expertise, Saumya brings a strong passion for new business initiatives, nurturing talent and crafting purpose-driven narratives.

    “As our client portfolio continues to expand and brand needs evolve, we are realigning our team structure to stay agile, strategic, and future-ready. Saumya’s addition to the leadership team marks a significant step in this direction, strengthening our capabilities to deliver impactful solutions and drive sustained business growth,” said Deb.

    Sharing his excitement, Agarwal said, “I’m excited to join Madison Media Plus at such a dynamic time of growth and transformation. The energy of the team is truly inspiring. I look forward to contributing meaningfully to our clients.”

  • Lauki meets cooker in Panchayat’s spicy Season 4 campaign blitz

    Lauki meets cooker in Panchayat’s spicy Season 4 campaign blitz

    MUMBAI: What do you get when lauki meets pressure cooker? A full-blown election dhamaka, of course. But this time, the cooker isn’t in the kitchen, it’s on billboards, in street installations, and it’s whistling louder than Phulera’s political tempers. Ahead of Panchayat Season 4’s release on June 24, Prime Video is turning up the heat with a brilliantly desi OOH campaign across cities. At Patna’s Marine Drive, Indore’s Chappan Dukan, and Lucknow’s buzzing 1090 Chauraha, unsuspecting passersby were met with massive laukis being squashed by equally massive pressure cookers or vice versa. The lauki isn’t going down without a fight.

    The high-decibel marketing complete with hoardings that blow a real seeti every few hours plays up the season’s central conflict: Kranti Devi vs. the OG Pradhan. The quirky slogan game is also strong: Banrakas ka Vaar, Ya Pradhan ka Prahaar? and Kaun Hogi Phulera Ki Queen? echo across installations, channeling every bit of small-town poll drama with spicy flair.

    It’s political theatre with a legume twist, reflecting the heartland chaos Panchayat fans love. If lauki symbolises old-school values and calm, the cooker is all pressure and power play and Phulera’s streets are the new battleground.

    Returning with its signature warmth and satire, the series stars Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik and more. Created by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Chandan Kumar, the show is ready to serve a fourth helping of heartfelt hilarity. And if the campaign is any hint, this season’s narrative will be just as cooked, crisp, and chaotic.

    So mark the date, because Panchayat isn’t just streaming, it’s steaming. 

  • Dentsu reveals it tipped off CCI in ad cartel investigation

    Dentsu reveals it tipped off CCI in ad cartel investigation

    MUMBAI: Who blew the whistle on Indian advertising’s best-kept secret? Turns out, it was the house of Dentsu. Three months after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) swooped down on the country’s top ad agencies over alleged rate-fixing, Japanese media conglomerate Dentsu has confirmed it was the one to pull the plug—filing a suo motu disclosure under CCI’s leniency framework in February 2024. The move, Dentsu claims, wasn’t about crisis control, but about triggering “reform from within.”

    In March, CCI teams raided nearly 10 locations, targeting big-league players including GroupM, Publicis, Havas, IPG, and Madison, along with industry associations like AAAI, ISA, and IBDF. The focus? Alleged cartelisation through fixing ad rates, discounts, and possibly stifling competition, an apparent violation of Section 3(3) of the Competition Act, 2002.

    While the industry speculated, Dentsu in a statement to Storyboard18 said, “We had a choice to remain passive or drive change… This was a decision to support reform from within.”

    Dentsu also claimed to have already implemented stricter audits, tighter controls, and sharper governance. “Change can’t be effected by walking away,” it added, calling this a turning point for the entire sector.

    CCI’s leniency programme, a powerful tool in its arsenal, incentivises cartel members to come forward in exchange for reduced penalties. Think immunity for honesty, if you snitch first. This has been critical in cracking covert coordination, especially in complex industries like media buying where cartels may not leave an obvious paper trail.

    Legal experts say proving cartelisation under Section 3(3) isn’t just about similar pricing, it requires evidence of intent. That can come from emails, meeting notes, or even circumstantial cues like identical bid patterns or synchronised rate shifts via industry associations.

    What’s next? If the CCI finds strong evidence, the repercussions could be seismic: hefty penalties, shattered reputations, and a fundamental reordering of media-buying norms. Already, industry stakeholders are watching this case as a litmus test for regulatory muscle in India’s high-stakes ad market.

    As one industry veteran put it off the record: “This isn’t just an investigation, it’s a wake-up call.”

    In an industry where everyone knows everyone, Dentsu’s move may have ruptured long-standing silences. Whether it ends in punishment or reform, one thing is certain: Indian advertising’s old ways just met a very public reckoning.

     

  • Hello Kitty rolls into India with cute new wheels for kids

    Hello Kitty rolls into India with cute new wheels for kids

    MUMBAI: Sanrio’s global pop icon Hello Kitty just got her own ride in India, and it’s got kids buzzing. In a purr-fect collaboration, tech-enabled Indian manufacturer Bidso has launched a new line of Hello Kitty-themed 3-wheeler scooters, designed for safety, fun, and some serious playground style.

    The range includes three delightfully designed SKUs that blend the charm of Hello Kitty with durable, child-friendly engineering. Manufactured in India and priced to please—starting at just Rs 899—the scooters promise quality without breaking the piggy bank.

    Now available exclusively on Flipkart, the launch makes it easy for families across the country to bring home some Hello Kitty joy, with doorstep delivery options and a seamless checkout experience.

    Bidso co-founder & head, Aditya Krishnakumar shared, “Partnering with Hello Kitty, a brand with a joyous global presence is an honor. At Bidso, we’re passionate about creating innovative, high-quality products, and this collaboration allows us to offer something truly special to families in India. We’re excited that these scooters will capture the hearts of both children and parents.”

    Bidso’s latest move signals its intent to become a key player in the child mobility segment, with a sharp focus on fun, affordability, and homegrown manufacturing. For Hello Kitty fans, it’s time to scoot in style.

  • Live Times clocks in as No. 1 in ATS, making news worth watching

    Live Times clocks in as No. 1 in ATS, making news worth watching

    MUMBAI: No noise, just news and viewers are tuning in longer than ever. In a remarkable broadcast milestone, Live Times, India’s first global multicast news hub, has emerged as the No. 1 channel in Average Time Spent (ATS) across six key Hindi-speaking markets, according to BARC Week 23 data (HH Universe).

    The channel recorded an impressive ATS of 59 plus minutes across Bihar/Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra/Goa (TG 15–21), with an overall viewership rating of 1.07 in HSM markets leaving long-standing legacy news brands trailing behind.

    In television news, where impressions often steal the spotlight, ATS is the true test of content quality and viewer loyalty. While many channels compete for eyeballs, Live Times seems to have captured hearts and attention spans. With viewers sticking around for nearly an hour, it’s clear that substance is winning over sensation.

    What makes the feat more impressive is the channel’s youth. In an arena long dominated by veteran networks, Live Times is still relatively new but it’s already made a big impression. Its formula? Fact-first journalism, minus the noise, drama, or bias. In a cluttered media landscape, Live Times is emerging as the quiet but powerful voice of truth.

    Live Times, founder Dilip Kumar Singh said, “We set out to create a news hub that puts authenticity above all else. This milestone 59 plus minutes of ATS and No. 1 position across six key markets tells us that viewers are responding to that vision.”

    With audiences clearly hungry for fact-based reporting, Live Times might just be setting the tone for a new era in Indian news: one where credibility holds attention and earns it too.