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BrandStorytelling and Mipcom Cannes ink deal to deep dive into branded content

MUMBAI: Hold onto your monocles, folks, because a rather smashing partnership has just been announced that’s set to shake up the world of television and streaming content. BrandStorytelling, the doyen of brand-funded programming, is teaming up with the illustrious Mipcom Cannes 2025 for a first-of-its-kind summit on the French Riviera this October.

For a decade, BrandStorytelling, under the astute direction of producer, publisher, and media entrepreneur Rick Parkhill, has been charming the Sundance Film Festival with its ground breaking summits, nurturing the art of brand-funded narratives. Its latest January shindig in Park City, Utah, saw a grand gathering of over 450 industry glitterati, including global brands like Ancestry, L’Oréal Paris, and PepsiCo, alongside platform giants such as WBD, Meta, and YouTube, and even content creators like Sean Evans and the dynamic duo Rhett & Link. They all converged to showcase the finest case studies and strategies for crafting stories that truly boost brand affinity and growth.

Now, the show is coming to Cannes! A jointly programmed, two-day summit will unfold at the Palais des Festivals across Monday, 13 October, and Tuesday, 14 October. This will be a veritable melting pot for brands, content creators, and television creatives, all with the noble aim of conceiving, producing, and financing fresh, brand-led stories. Expect a whirlwind of showcases, networking opportunities, and, crucially, deal-making – because in this business, it’s all about the quid pro quo. Further tantalising details are set to be unveiled in the coming weeks and months.

Mipcom Cannes & Mip Junior director Lucy Smith waxed lyrical about the new venture: “Brands are sashaying beyond traditional advertising, stepping up as bona fide storytellers, both churning out and commissioning their very own series across every genre imaginable.” She added, with a flourish, “This partnership immediately delivers a one-stop-shop for brands, brand studios, and agencies to rub shoulders with over 10,000 entertainment executives from over 100 countries. In turn, it conjures up fresh opportunities for new funding, co-production, and distribution deals for producers and platforms. As the world’s largest content and co-production market, the time is right to create a home for brands at Mipcom Cannes.”

Rick Parkhill, never one to be outdone, chimed in, “Brands are increasingly pulling the strings behind some of the biggest stories gracing our screens internationally. Mipcom Cannes is the unmissable global television market, which makes it the ideal partner and business platform for brands to further integrate into the global content ecosystem, alongside the biggest studios and television companies from around the world. This two-day international summit will explore novel ways to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the ever-evolving landscape of brand-funded content.”

And for those who can’t get enough of this brand-fuelled bonanza, BrandStorytelling also stages ‘Elevate’ at Sundance Mountain Resort. This annual summer retreat, strictly limited to a mere 125 participants, returns from 14-17 July, 2025, promising three days of workshops, screenings, keynote presentations, and an abundance of networking, collaboration, and deal-making opportunities.

Mipcom Cannes, for its part, continues to reign as the world’s biggest and most impactful television and streaming content market, having drawn over 10,500 delegates from more than 100 countries last year. Its week-long programme is nothing short of a defining moment for the TV industry each year.

May 23, 2025
TV Today’s FY 25 financials: The quarter’s triumph and the year’s windfall!

MUMBAI: The bean counters at TV Today Network have been busy, and their meticulous work has unearthed some rather telling figures for both the quarter and the full financial year ending March 31, 2025. It seems the broadcast bigwigs are truly raking it in, with revenues and profits looking healthier than a freshly minted pundit on prime time.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2025, the network saw its revenue from operations climb to Rs 249.17 crores, up from Rs 247.37 crores in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 261.26 crores, a neat bump from Rs 256.47 crores in the prior year’s comparable period. Despite a slight uptick in total expenses to Rs 253.28 crores from Rs 233.31 crores, the company still managed a respectable profit before tax from continuing operations of Rs 7.98 crores, though it was a dip from Rs 23.16 crores reported in the same quarter of the previous year. The net profit for the quarter, however, took a bit of a tumble, landing at Rs 6.23 crores compared to Rs 11.20 crores last year. Basic and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations for the quarter were Rs 1.04, down from Rs 2.84 previously.

Looking at the full financial year ended March 31, 2025, TV Today has certainly been on a roll. Revenue from operations soared to Rs 993.02 crores, a significant jump from Rs 935.91 crores in the previous financial year. The total income followed suit, hitting Rs 1,038.73 crores compared to Rs 973.56 crores in the year prior. While total expenses nudged up to Rs 927.61 crores from Rs 876.97 crores, the company still reported a strapping profit before tax from continuing operations of Rs 111.12 crores, a noticeable improvement from Rs 96.59 crores. The net profit for the year was Rs 74.83 crores, quite the spectacle when pitted against Rs 56.39 crores in the last financial year. This translates to basic and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of Rs 13.86, a rise from Rs 11.90.

It’s worth noting the discontinued radio broadcasting operations, which saw a pre-tax loss of Rs 0.03 crores for the quarter and a yearly loss of Rs 10.54 crores, though this is an improvement from the Rs 19.53 crores loss last year. The after-tax loss from these operations was Rs 0.02 crores for the quarter and Rs 7.89 crores for the year, a marked improvement from the previous year’s loss of Rs 14.61 crores. This means the radio business, which is being sold for Rs 20 crores, is no longer broadcasting negative vibes on the balance sheet.

The chaps at the company are certainly dialling up the good vibes, as their board of directors — led by the ever-present chairman and whole time director Aroon Purie — has just given the nod to a rather fetching final dividend for the financial year ended March 31, 2025. Shareholders are set to pocket a handsome Rs 3 per equity share, a 60 per cent return on the Rs 5 face value. Talk about a cracking payout!

May 23, 2025
Stefi Dsouza hops over to United Breweries as media lead

MUMBAI: Stefi Dsouza has traded one beer giant for another, leaving AB InBev to become media lead at United Breweries Ltd, the Indian arm of Dutch brewing behemoth Heineken. The move caps a career that has seen the media planning specialist work her way through some of advertising’s most prestigious agencies before landing client-side roles at major corporates.

Dsouza’s appointment comes after two years as senior media manager at AB InBev, where she helped the world’s largest brewer navigate India’s increasingly competitive beer market. Her move to United Breweries—Heineken’s local operation—represents a significant coup for the Dutch company as it battles for market share against rivals including AB InBev and Carlsberg.

The media planning veteran brings 12 years of experience spanning both agency and corporate roles. Her CV reads like a who’s who of Indian advertising, with stints at Mindshare, OMD India, MediaCom and MediaVest before making the leap to the client side in 2020.

At Volkswagen India, where she served as media manager and later senior media manager, Dsouza helped the German carmaker navigate the choppy waters of India’s automotive market. She then moved to Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd for a year-long stint before joining AB InBev in 2023.

Her agency background includes a director-level role at Mindshare and a group head position at OMD India, suggesting she knows how to handle large-scale media campaigns. The Cannes Young Lions India shortlist recipient and Social Samosa award winner has built a reputation as what she calls an “Excel nerd”—no small compliment in the data-driven world of modern media planning.

The appointment signals United Breweries’ commitment to strengthening its media capabilities as competition intensifies in India’s beer market. The company, which owns brands including Kingfisher, has been battling for market leadership against AB InBev’s portfolio of premium international brands.

Dsouza’s move also highlights the increasing importance of media planning expertise in India’s consumer goods sector. With digital advertising spend continuing to surge and traditional media becoming more fragmented, companies are placing greater emphasis on hiring specialists who can navigate the complex media landscape.

Her tagline—”bringing brands live on media, one campaign at a time”—suggests United Breweries can expect an integrated approach that combines traditional and digital channels. Given her track record across automotive, electric mobility and brewing sectors, Dsouza appears well-equipped to handle the diverse challenges of marketing alcoholic beverages in India’s highly regulated environment.

The hiring represents a small but significant shift in the ongoing talent war between India’s major consumer brands, as companies increasingly poach senior executives from direct competitors rather than relying solely on agency talent pipelines

May 23, 2025
Akshay Mathur’s new venture promises to turn platform ambition into cold, hard cash across Asia

MUMBAI: After two decades of making other people’s platforms profitable, Akshay Mathur has decided it’s time to build his own money-making machine. The adtech veteran has launched Unpromptd, a revenue infrastructure firm targeting digital platforms across Asia’s most lucrative—and complex—markets.

Mathur, who recently departed his role as chief revenue officer at Tyroo after six years, believes platforms have had quite enough strategy presentations, thank you very much. What they need, he argues, is someone who can actually turn their grand ambitions into recurring revenue streams.

“Platforms don’t need more strategy decks,” Mathur declared while announcing t the launch. “They need real execution, revenue accountability, and a partner who understands the complexity of scaling in markets like India, southeast Asia, and the Middle East.”

The timing is hardly accidental. Asia’s digital advertising market has been on a tear, with platforms scrambling to monetise everything from social commerce to gaming. But many stumble when it comes to the nitty-gritty of revenue generation—precisely where Mathur sees opportunity.

His pedigree suggests he knows whereof he speaks. At Komli Media, Mathur was part of the managing board that engineered a 10-fold jump in net profits before the company’s eventual acquisition by Dentsu Aegis Network in 2017 for an undisclosed sum. At Tyroo, he built monetisation partnerships with the likes of Meta, Twitter, Snapchat, Outbrain and Criteo, helping these global giants crack complex Asian markets.

The 22-year industry veteran has witnessed first hand how the right operating model can unlock value that often sits tantalizingly out of reach. His new venture promises to be the bridge between platform potential and profit realisation.

Unpromptd’s mission is straightforward: become the monetisation partner of choice for every digital platform serious about growth in Asia. It’s an ambitious target in a region where local nuance can make or break even the most sophisticated global strategies.

Mathur’s approach combines hard-won experience with what he calls “precision execution”—a recognition that Asia’s next growth wave will belong to those who move first and move smart. With platforms increasingly desperate to prove their business models beyond user acquisition, Unpromptd arrives at a moment when such expertise commands premium prices.

The venture launches from Gurugram, positioning itself at the heart of India’s digital economy while eyeing expansion across the broader Asian market. For platforms tired of beautiful presentations that fail to move the revenue needle, Mathur’s promise of accountability over aspiration may prove irresistible.

Whether Unpromptd can deliver on its bold promises remains to be seen. But with Asian digital advertising spend continuing its relentless march upward, the demand for Mathur’s particular brand of monetisation magic has never been stronger.

May 23, 2025
Shoumyan Biswas takes the global marketing wheel at Practo

MUMBAI: Shoumyan Biswas, one of India’s most pedigreed marketing minds, has just hung his boots at Tata Digital and laced up for his next sprint—as the global chief marketing and strategy officer at Practo. The move puts him squarely in the driver’s seat of the healthtech player’s next growth phase.

Biswas, known for launching Flipkart Plus, scaling Big Billion Days, and making loyalty glamorous again, isn’t your average CMO. He’s also held P&L roles, built brands from scratch, and juggled strategy, product, and people mandates across unicorns and FMCG giants alike.

From starting out at Pepsi to orchestrating multi-million dollar brand lifts at Hindustan Unilever, scaling kitchen empires at Rebel Foods, advising ICICI Lombard’s board, and leading loyalty and growth at Flipkart and Tata, the man’s résumé reads like a marketer’s bucket list.

At Tata Digital, he wore three hats—CMO, business head, and chief of group loyalty. Now, at Practo, he’s sharpening his scalpel to carve out new-age healthcare narratives, with a dose of data and digital sorcery.
With over two decades of shaping brands and boosting bottom lines, this boardroom giant is now gunning for a healthier, wealthier Practo.

Watch this space—Biswas rarely misses a prescription for impact.

May 23, 2025
Enormous rings up mobile victory as Goafest goes portable

GOA: Day two of Goafest 2025 saw Enormous proving that size matters in the mobile specialist category, though ironically their victory came through modest means rather than massive hauls.

The agency dialled up 12 points to claim the ‘mobile specialist agency of the year’ title with one silver, one bronze and a merit—a performance that was more steady connection than lightning-fast 5G, but apparently quite enough to leave competitors with no signal.

In a delicious twist, the runners-up actually managed to bag the category’s only gold medals. McCann Worldgroup India and VML India each secured eight points with one gold apiece, proving that sometimes having fewer awards but better quality can still leave you runner-up.

BBH Communications India and Mindshare found themselves tied at six points each courtesy of one silver apiece.

The middle order proved that even in mobile marketing, participation trophies still exist. Havas Life Mumbai managed four points with a bronze, whilst The New Thing by Talented also hit four points but did it the hard way with two merits.

Those bringing up the rear weren’t entirely left on silent mode. redBus, BC Web Wise, Cheil India, and FCB India all managed two points with a merit each.

The Abby Creative Awards 2025, powered by The One Show, continued their systematic sweep through advertising’s specialist categories, with broadcaster, PR, digital specialist, design specialist, and direct specialist awards.

May 23, 2025
Y&H designs a path to victory at Goafest in design specialist category

GOA: Day two of Goafest 2025 witnessed Y&H putting pen to paper and coming up with a masterpiece performance in the design specialist category, proving that sometimes good design really is worth a thousand words—or in this case, 52 points.

The agency crafted its way to the ‘design specialist agency of the year’ title with three silvers, eight bronzes and a merit, a portfolio so impressive it left rivals wondering if they’d been using crayons whilst Y&H wielded proper brushes.

Famous Innovations managed to sketch out second place with 44 points courtesy of four silvers and five bronzes—a performance that was undeniably famous, though perhaps not quite innovative enough to topple the leader. Open Strategy & Design rounded out the podium with 30 points from two silvers, four bronzes and a merit, proving that being open about your strategy sometimes pays dividends.

McCann Worldgroup India managed a respectable 18 points with one silver, two bronzes and two merits, whilst Tribes Communication grabbed 16 points through four bronzes—the sort of consistent bronze-winning that suggests they’ve mastered the art of being consistently third-best.

The middle tier was awash with agencies earning their design stripes. Tree Design, EbbXFlo, and Havas Worldwide India each managed eight points. Tree Design and EbbXFlo both secured two bronzes apiece, whilst Havas opted for one silver and one merit—different strokes for different folks, as they say in the design world.

Leo India managed six points with three merits. Meanwhile, tgthr., Grey Group, Enormous, CCL Products (India) and Brave all clustered at four points each.

Innocean Worldwide Communication brought up the rear with two points from a single merit.

The Abby Creative Awards 2025, powered by The One Show, continued their methodical categorisation of creative excellence, with broadcaster, PR, mobile specialist, technology specialist, and direct specialist awards ensuring every possible advertising discipline gets its moment to shine.

May 23, 2025
Leo India goes direct to the top as Goafest cuts out the middleman

GOA: Day two of Goafest 2025 saw Leo India take the direct route to victory in the direct specialist category, proving that sometimes the shortest distance between two points is a pile of shiny awards.

The agency steamrolled to the ‘direct specialist agency of the year’ title with 40 points, built on three silvers, five bronzes and a merit—a performance so direct it made other agencies wonder if they’d been taking scenic routes all along.

Famous Innovations lived up to its name by famously securing second place with 30 points courtesy of five silver medals, though one suspects they might have preferred trading some of that silver for a bit more gold. FCB India rounded out the podium with 26 points, but not before bagging the coveted Grand Prix for its Lucky Yatra campaign for Central Railways—proving that sometimes the best way to reach your destination is by train.
FCB India’s Grand Prix triumph, accompanied by one gold and one silver, demonstrated that railway campaigns can indeed have locomotives rather than just motives.

Enormous managed a solid fourth place with 24 points through one silver, three bronzes and three merits—a performance that was moderately enormous rather than properly massive. Meanwhile, Havas Worldwide India and McCann Worldgroup India found themselves tied at 16 points each, both managing two golds apiece.

The middle order proved that mediocrity comes in many flavours. Grey Group grabbed 12 points with three bronzes, whilst Schbang settled for eight points courtesy of two bronzes. The participation trophy brigade included Mudra Max with four points from two merits, and tgthr. with four points from one bronze.

Those trailing weren’t entirely forgotten. ^a t o m network, BBH Communications India, Digitas, and VML India all managed two points each with a merit apiece.

The Abby Creative Awards 2025, powered by The One Show, continued their systematic conquest of advertising categories, with broadcaster, PR, digital specialist, and design specialist awards ensuring every conceivable niche gets its moment of glory.

May 23, 2025
Enormous lives up to its name as digital dominance gets properly massive

GOA: Day two of Goafest 2025 witnessed Enormous absolutely bulldozing the digital specialist category with the sort of performance that makes other agencies wonder if they’ve been doing this whole digital thing wrong all along.

The aptly named agency lived up to its billing by hoovering up 64 points through one gold, five silvers, six bronzes and a merit—a haul so comprehensive it left competitors reaching for their calculators and then quietly weeping into their keyboards.

Leo India managed a respectable second place with 26 points courtesy of two silvers, three bronzes and a merit, though one suspects they might have preferred a few more zeros on that scoreboard. Meanwhile, ^a t o m network and Mudra Max found themselves locked in a dead heat at 22 points each—^a t o m network with one silver, three bronzes and two merits, whilst Mudra Max opted for one silver and four bronzes.

The gold rush wasn’t entirely monopolised by the winner. Tilt Brand Solutions snagged 18 points with one gold, one silver and one bronze, whilst Schbang grabbed 16 points with one gold and two bronzes. Swiggy Ltd proved that food delivery companies can serve up awards too, bagging 14 points with one gold and one silver.

The middle order was packed tighter than a Mumbai local train. Digitas, Maitri Advertising Works, The New Thing by Talented, and VML India all managed 12 points each—though their routes varied wildly. FCB India scraped together 10 points with one bronze and three merits.

Those trailing weren’t entirely forgotten. Grey Group, Krafton India, and Restless – a division of Magic Circle Communications each managed six points, whilst the stragglers—BelieveTrinity, Havas Life Mumbai, Havas Worldwide India , Interactive Avenues , and Rapidue Technologies —all pocketed two points each.

The Abby Creative Awards 2025, powered by The One Show, continued their systematic dismantling of every conceivable advertising category, with broadcaster, design specialist, mobile specialist, technology specialist, and direct specialist awards ensuring no stone remains unturned in the quest for creative excellence.

May 23, 2025
Leo India and Mindshare tie for tech supremacy as Goafest gets techie

GOA: Day two of Goafest 2025 delivered a technological thriller as Leo India and Mindshare found themselves locked in a perfect 10-point tie for ‘technology specialist agency of the year’—proof that sometimes even the most sophisticated algorithms can’t pick a winner.

Leo India clinched its share of the crown with one silver and two merits, whilst Mindshare matched the tally with one silver and one bronze. It was the sort of neck-and-neck finish that would make a horse race look pedestrian.

The chasing pack managed eight points each. ^a t o m network secured third place with one bronze and two merits, whilst Cheil India, Enormous, Havas Life Mumbai, and Madison Media all bagged eight points courtesy of two bronzes each. Good Morning Films managed the same score with a single gold—which suggests that sometimes quality beats quantity, though not by much.

The middle order was positively stuffed with contenders. BBH Communications India private limited, Hyphen Brands, and Tagglabs Experiential each grabbed six points, with BBH and Tagglabs managing a silver apiece whilst Hyphen Brands settled for one bronze and one merit. Tribes Communication also hit six points, though it did it the hard way with three merits—the participation trophy approach to excellence.

The tail-enders weren’t entirely forgotten. FCB India and Interactive Avenues each scraped together four points with two merits apiece, whilst Hogarth Studios managed the same score with a single bronze. Grey Group and VML India brought up the rear with two points each, courtesy of one merit—hardly the stuff of technological revolution, but at least they showed up.

The Abby Creative Awards 2025, powered by The One Show, continued their relentless categorisation of excellence, with broadcaster, PR, digital specialist, design specialist, mobile specialist, and direct specialist awards ensuring that every conceivable advertising niche gets its moment in the sun.

(Pictures: Top: The Mindshare team, below: The Leo India team)

May 23, 2025