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Tag: Anushka Rathod

  • Pocket Aces plays new card with Finnet investment

    Pocket Aces plays new card with Finnet investment

    MUMBAI: From filters to finance: Pocket Aces cashes in with Finnet. The Saregama-backed digital entertainment company has announced an investment in Finnet Media, a rising star in managing creators across finance, infotainment, and healthcare.

    Finnet, which represents more than 40 influencers including Anushka Rathod, Chandralekha, Shankar Bhalla, and Dr Pal, has worked with over 500 advertisers and built a 50-member team since its humble beginnings in Bhopal. With this deal, it now finds itself on a bigger stage, supported by one of India’s most dynamic media players.

    For Pocket Aces, the move marks a strategic expansion of its creator management arm, Clout, which already works with over 240 talents in entertainment, comedy, fashion, food, and wellness. Together with Finnet, the portfolio now stretches further into finance and health, categories booming with Gen z audiences looking for trustworthy voices.

    Finnet’s founder and CEO Ayush Shukla reflected on the journey: “I started out with no connections, no backing, just belief in creators. Today, to be invested in by Pocket Aces is validation of that belief. With this partnership, we’re set to go deeper into BFSI and health, driving trust, scale, and growth.”

    Pocket Aces co-founder and CEO Aditi Shrivastava echoed the enthusiasm, “Finnet’s creators are the voice through which millions of young Indians understand money, entrepreneurship, and wellness. We believe the creator economy will only grow bigger, shaping how people learn, shop, and engage.”

    From Filtercopy’s viral sketches to Dice Media’s hit shows and now Finnet’s finance-first storytellers, Pocket Aces seems intent on proving one thing, in India’s creator economy, the house always wins.

  • PR industry continues to grow at 20 per cent, reaching ₹2,500 crore

    PR industry continues to grow at 20 per cent, reaching ₹2,500 crore

    Mumbai: The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) hosted the third edition of its flagship thought-leadership forum, PRologue 2024 on 25 July in Gurgaon.

    At this event, PRCAI presented initial findings of SPRINT 2024*, its annual industry survey in collaboration with IPSOS, which estimates a growth of 19.6 percent in FY 2022-2023 for the industry. PRCAI presented and deliberated on an optimistic projection for the Indian PR industry, reaching 2,500 crore from 2,100 crore in FY 2021-2022.

    The event saw panelists engage in dynamic discussions on the theme ‘Reimagining Communications in a Turbulent World.’ With changing demographics in India, influence of technology and AI, economic trajectory, the PR industry is experiencing changes at a fast rate, from skills required in the industry, to greater attention to PR by C-Suite, to innovation in audience outreach, to shaping narratives, to services and specializations offered to be ready for the future of communications. These themes were explored at the recent PRologue 2024, which was attended by 300 communication and business professionals.

    India is home to the largest Gen Z population, earning trust from this dynamic group is vital for brand success. Diving into the evolving behaviour of new-age consumers, PRCAI guest speakers included Tata Starbucks CEO Sushant Dash, content creator Anushka Rathod and Edelman India lead advisor, brand marketing & communications Ashutosh Munshi who talked about how to ‘Crack the Gen Z Code’ at the event.

    Tata Starbucks CEO Sushant Dash said, “Gen Z’s unique expectations and strong opinions, shaped by their digital nativity, challenge brands to innovate. At Starbucks India, we engage with this dynamic group daily, finding their perspectives both refreshing and inspiring. Their insights drive us to continually adapt and improve our communication approach.”

    Emphasizing trust and engagement, the panel underscored public relations’ crucial role in navigating rapid technological advancements and widespread misinformation. The second panel with guest line-up including, Staqu Technologies CEO & co-founder Atul Rai, Medianama founder and editor Nikhil Pahwa, HT Media Group business head Yatik Naik, and The Indian Express COO Nandagopal Rajan discussed strategies to ‘Navigate The AI Tightrope,’ balancing the dilemma of innovation versus misinformation.

    The most awaited industry event is a combination of trend discussions at PRologue 2024, followed by the global SABRE South Asia Awards, that celebrated the most creative and interesting work in the field of public relations. More than 50 awards were given to compelling campaigns. SUGAR Cosmetics co-founder and CEO Vineeta Singh was awarded the top honour of CEO of the year at the SABRE South Asia 2024 Awards.

    SUGAR Cosmetics CEO & co-founder Vineeta Singh said, “I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the Best CEO of the Year at SABRE South Asia 2024 Awards hosted by PRCAI. I dedicate this award to my mother and SUGAR’s workforce, especially 3000+ women employees, beauty enthusiasts, and stakeholders at large. This award recognition underscores our focus to redefine the Indian beauty landscape whilst saluting the indomitable spirit of women who embrace their most authentic selves.”

    PRCAI VP Kunal Kishore said, “PRologue and SABRE SA have become the industries’ most awaited moments of learning and recognition. Our goal is to focus on authentic conversation and reimagine every year our ever-changing environment that can constantly up the game for the industry.”

    ‘This year at PRologue 2024, PRCAI partnered with the Guinness World Records (GWR) and created a new record for the most signatures collected on a t-shirt in 60 minutes. It called upon the attendees and industry professionals to pledge to the power of “Educate, Elevate, Empower” and for each one of them to commit an hour this year to upskill the next generation of talent in the industry.

    PRCAI CEO Deeptie Sethi remarked, “The industry is witnessing a healthy growth and PRCAI is committed to help the industry strive for excellence with platforms to upskill, standardizing guidelines to build a world-class workforce and stronger industry practices for both today and tomorrow. We are excited about the first-ever Guinness World Record for PRCAI, that symbolizes our commitment to encourage each member of ours as an integrated part to cultivate a more skilled and innovative workforce for the future.”

    To elevate the industry standards and cultivate a more professional and collaborative environment for collective success, PRCAI has a new client-consultancy partnership charter and code of conduct guidelines, which will be announced soon to build an even stronger ethical, professional, and progressive PR industry.

  • SBI Life Insurance launches its very first ‘LifeVerse Studio’

    SBI Life Insurance launches its very first ‘LifeVerse Studio’

    Mumbai: In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the next generation of the internet- ‘metaverse’ represents a paradigm shift in the way people connect, interact and experience in the online world. SBI Life Insurance, one of the most trusted private life insurers in the country, recently launched its very first ‘LifeVerse Studio’, on Metaverse to connect with the next wave of young internet users and revolutionize consumer experience in an immersive virtual world. The objective behind the move is to connect, empower and engage with today’s new age consumers and reshape brand interactions. To further strengthen its commitment towards empowering both the employees & consumers at large, the company aims to launch its presence on metaverse in phases, SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’ being the first phase.  

    By seamlessly incorporating a spectrum of technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and other innovative digital mediums, being available on metaverse continues to transform consumer its transformative journey across diverse industries. In this wave of innovation, the life insurance sector stands as no exception.

    SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’ is designed for the users to create their avatars to connect with a diverse set of audiences. The users can select from a wide range of interesting avatars and showcase their creative self on the platform through their avatars. This new initiative presents captivating content and stories featuring personalities such as Anshula Kapoor, Durjoy Datta, Anushka Rathod, and Tejas Joshi, allowing users to immerse themselves in inspirational narratives about these influential individuals and liberate them to fulfil their aspirations while they take care of their existing responsibilities. Furthermore, the Avatars can interact in real-time, fostering vibrant communities of like-minded individuals.

    At the launch of SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’, SBI Life Insurance chief of brand, corporate communication & CSR Ravindra Sharma said, “As a customer-centric organization, we, at SBI Life are committed to advancing digital innovations that enhances customer experiences. We have always been looking forward to take progressive steps to connect with our customers wherever they are present and available for interaction. Foraying into Metaverse by launching SBI Life’s very first ‘ LifeVerse Studio’, we embark on a new & transformative journey that not only reshapes perception towards life insurance but also redefines brand-consumer interactions. In the era of digital transformation, the metaverse emerges as a beacon of innovation, revolutionizing online engagement. SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’ represents our enthusiastic foray into this innovative space, promising a positive impact on our valued customers and cultivate meaningful engagements.”

    He further added, “Through SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio,’ we embrace the new platform to empower our customers, enabling them to connect, explore, and be inspired in a truly immersive manner. We also aim to transcend conventional boundaries, overcome geographical barriers and extend our reach to every corner of the country, employing imaginative and making a meaningful impact on consumer’s financial well-being.”

    Dentsu Creative president digital experience Sahil Shah said, “Metaverse is not just a technological evolution; it’s a paradigm shift in how we connect and engage online. With SBI Life’s ‘ LifeVerse Studio’, we are stepping into the future of brand communication where passions unite and immersive interactions bring people together like never before. Phase 1, i.e. SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’, is just the beginning of our journey to create a virtual space that fosters meaningful connections between passion chasers and our audience in the metaverse. It’s an exciting step towards building a community that thrives on shared interests and experiences.”