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Tag: Aparna Purohit

  • Prime Video celebrates the power of women in storytelling with a powerful video message

    Prime Video celebrates the power of women in storytelling with a powerful video message

    Mumbai: Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, has unveiled a contemplative video dedicated to the role of women in entertainment. The video features Prime Video’s key global, as well as Indian leadership team who articulate Prime Video’s undeterred commitment to gender equality and the invaluable contributions of women in storytelling and beyond.

    The video features Kelly Day, vice president – International, Prime Video; Gaurav Gandhi, vice president, Asia Pacific & MENA, Sushant Sreeram, country director, Prime Video India and Aparna Purohit, head of Originals – India & Southeast Asia, Prime Video; who come together as a collective voice to convey the service’s gratitude and admiration for the countless contributions and the significant impact made by women through the power of storytelling at Prime Video.

    The engaging video takes the viewers into the world of Prime Video and how it has evolved into a home for female talent, where they can proudly display their diverse skills and capabilities in their respective fields of expertise. Narrated by the voices of its leaders, the video emphasizes the significant contribution of Amazon Originals in presenting a wide array of female-centric narratives. These stories are powerful, inspiring, loud, magical, real, uncomfortable, and unapologetic – mirroring the complexity and diversity of the world we live in. Each story is designed to spark conversation and inspire change, highlighting Prime Video’s commitment to elevating female voices and perspectives.

    Prime Video is known for bringing relatable stories of women and by women to life, and the video shows scenes of some of fan-favourites and acclaimed titles featuring women characters in pivotal roles such as the International Originals like Citadel, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, Fleabag, The Wheel of Time, as well as Indian Originals such as Dahaad, Made in Heaven, Maja Ma, Hush Hush, Four More Shots Please! Suzhal – the vortex, to name a few. The video ends with an enticing glimpse of two of the highly anticipated titles premiering soon on Prime Video – Amazon Original series Big Girls Don’t Cry, a coming-of-age all-girls high school drama that premieres on 14 March; and Amazon Original movie Ae Watan Mere Watan, an untold story of a young woman revolutionary based during pre-independent India era, starring Sara Ali Khan that premieres on 21st March. The video concludes with a powerful declaration: Prime Video honors women daily through its dedication to storytelling that places women at the forefront. The previewed titles represent only the beginning. Throughout every moment, day, week, and month of 2024, Prime Video promises a line-up of captivating stories that spotlight strong, inspirational, and relatable female characters, showcasing the service’s commitment to celebrating and empowering women through innovative narratives.

  • Prime Video unveils the trailer of the original reality series Mission Start Ab

    Prime Video unveils the trailer of the original reality series Mission Start Ab

    Mumbai: Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, today unveiled the captivating trailer of its upcoming Original competitive reality series – Mission Start Ab.  The series has been conceptualized as part of Prime Video’s partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. Mission Start Ab is a first-of-its-kind series that celebrates innovative, grassroots ideas. The show meticulously evaluates 10 early-stage founders and entrepreneurs under the mentorship of three distinguished investors – investors Kunal Bahl (co-founder Snapdeal and Titan Capital), Anisha Singh (founder She Capital, founder and ex-CEO, MyDala), and Manish Chowdhary (co-founder WOW Skin Science). During the course of this competition, the competing founders also face challenges featuring prominent faces from the business and entertainment world such as Ritesh Agarwal (OYO), Rohit Shetty (Filmmaker), Riyaaz Amlani (Impresario Entertainment Hospitality), Zeenah Vilcassim (Zomato Live Entertainment), Nilesh Kothari (Trifecta Capital) and Saikiran Krishnamurthy (xto10x Technologies). Executive Produced by Indrajit Ray, directed by Srimanta Senguptta, this Endemol India production is written by Bhavesh Mehta, and hosted by Masaba Gupta and Cyrus Sahukar. The series is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on 19 December. Mission Start Ab is the latest addition to the Prime membership. Prime members in India enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership for just Rs 1499/ year.

    Enthralling, engaging and inspiring, the trailer of Mission Start Ab, introduces audiences to the three top investors along with ten extraordinary early-stage founders. Each founder confronts formidable challenges that test their entrepreneurial mettle. Promising a ‘deal of a lifetime’ for the winner, the trailer heighten anticipation for the series launch on December 19 enticing viewers to discover the last-standing founders and potentially witness the birth of India’s next Unicorn.

    “India is a land of billion-plus dreams, and these dreams encapsulate infinite possibilities. Mission Start Ab is a series that aims to fuel the dreams of an increasingly entrepreneurial India,” shared Prime Video head of Originals, India & Southeast Asia Aparna Purohit. “At Prime Video, we are committed to telling stories that are rooted, relatable, and designed to entertain, inspire and provoke. Mission Start Ab goes beyond storytelling; it embodies the very essence of dreams, aspirations, and brilliance scattered across the length and breadth of India. As storytellers, we believe there is nothing more compelling or inspiring than the stories of resilient individuals using their unwavering grit, determination, and tenacity to achieve success. The core philosophy of Mission Start Ab aligns with Prime Video’s overarching vision of serving as a catalyst, actively contributing to the economic growth and development of the nation. We are confident that audiences, not only within India, but across 240 countries and territories will be inspired and entertained by it.”

    Elaborating on the role that series like Mission Start Ab can play in furthering the growth of India’s startup ecosystem, Shri Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India said, “I am extremely happy to see Prime Video has developed episodes on the storyline shared by Office of PSA for future startups to learn through OTT on skill sets required to lead as founders of startups. Scalable capacity building can be achieved through such breakthrough interventions.”

    “Entrepreneurship is an intense, transformative journey, and I’ve witnessed this through the lens of being a founder, mentor, and investor,” said Bahl. “The startup sector in India buzzes with brilliant minds and innovative ideas that have immense potential to accelerate our nation’s economic growth. To catalyze their success, we need a robust ecosystem that provides them with the necessary resources, support, and guidance. This is where Mission Start Ab steps in, marking a significant leap towards building a stronger foundation of knowledge and support for our aspiring entrepreneurs and startups. Each of the 10 founding teams on the show represent the youthful energy and diverse talent of our nation, embodying not just skills but an insatiable hunger to succeed against all odds. I am elated to be a part of this journey, sharing my experiences and insights, and acting as a guide and mentor to these passionate individuals who are scripting their own stories of struggle and triumph across India.”

    “When people look at a founder’s life, especially a successful founder’s life, people assume it is an easy ride. But founder life is hard, and everyone needs to work crazy hard on each little thing. Having been a founder for most of my life, I deeply respect founders who can stick to their values and show grit.” said Anisha Singh, founder She Capital, founder and ex-CEO, MyDala “Mission Start Ab is unlike any other startup show – it is a boot camp that gives a bird’s eye view into the real ‘founder’s life’.

    The best part about it is that you get to see how Bharat’s start-up ecosystem and founders have evolved. They are building from Bharat for Bharat and from Bharat for the world. I am thrilled to be part of a series that shows just how cool these founders are, and how the pressure they deal with on the show makes them diamonds.”

    “Mission Start Ab is not just another reality series, it is a potential gamechanger for the Indian startup economy,” said Manish Chowdhary, co-founder WOW Skin Science. “It offers deep insights into the kind of challenges and opportunities our innovators face, and at the same time, what the investor community looks for, while evaluating investment in a startup. I am immensely proud to be a part of such a pathbreaking show and grateful to Prime Video for this unique opportunity. As investors, incubators, and mentors, we cannot reach out to every aspiring entrepreneur, but with this show, every budding entrepreneur will have a better insight into the right measures they need to take to grow in their space.”

  • Prime Video releases the new edition of O Womaniya! report

    Prime Video releases the new edition of O Womaniya! report

    Mumbai: Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, today released the latest edition of O Womaniya! report, the most definitive study on female representation in Indian entertainment. Researched and curated by media consulting firm, Ormax Media, India’s leading entertainment journalism platform, Film Companion, and championed by Prime Video, the study evaluates the statistical journey of women in various facets of content production, marketing and corporate leadership within India’s entertainment industry. This year, the report analyzed 156 films and series, across streaming and theatrical released in 2022 in 8 Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali and Gujarati) to arrive at a comprehensive picture of the change that the industry has seen since 2021.

    Along with Prime Video, the report has been supported by other partners from the industry including Clean Slate Filmz, Emmay Entertainment, Excel Entertainment, Jio Studio, Producers Guild India, RSVP, SonyLiv, Tiger Baby, and Zee5. Additionally, this year also saw industry leaders, including studio heads, filmmakers, actors, and more come forward to lay down actionable steps towards improving female representation in their personal and professional capacities. These pledges are expected to serve as guardrails that can guide the entire industry.

    Key findings of the report include:

    ●    Creative Talent – Only 12% of the 780 HOD positions analyzed across key departments of direction, cinematography, editing, writing, and production design were held by women. While this is slightly more than 10% in 2021, the growth has entirely been led by streaming films and series, while theatrical films have remained stagnant since 2021. On a positive note, 31% of the properties had a female commissioning in-charge behind them, vis-à-vis 25% in 2021.

    ●    Content – While in 2021, 55% of the properties analyzed passed the Bechdel Test1, the number has gone below the half-way mark to 47% now. The biggest drop here has come from theatrical films; while 46% passed the test in 2021, only 34% managed to pass it in 2022. Series and films like Guilty Minds, Four More Shots Please! Season 3, Delhi Crime Season 2, Maja Ma, Gangubai Kathiawadi, among others, emerged as the properties with maximum scenes to pass the Bechdel Test.

    ●    Marketing – Women still get only 27% talk time2 in trailers; the number is the highest for streaming films with 33% talk time in trailers being allocated to women. Series and movies like Hush Hush, Gehraiyaan, The Fame Game, Ammu, A Thursday, Sita Ramam, among others, performed the best with at least 50% of talk time in trailers given to female leads.

    ●    Corporate Talent – Of the 135 Director/ CXO positions studied across 25 top M&E firms in India, only 13% were held by women.

    Sharing his thoughts on the latest findings in O Womaniya!, Shailesh Kapoor, Founder & CEO, Ormax Media said, “While there has been a slow but steady improvement in a few key parameters, the report has thrown light on the need to take a look at inclusion with a serious eye. Like the previous edition of the report, streaming continues to pave the way for female representation, however, the sub-par performance of theatrical films should serve as a wake-up call for the industry. I am glad to see the industry take note of the data and come together to pledge better representation, underscoring their genuine desire to see a positive change.”

    Speaking about the report, Anupama Chopra, Founder & Editor, Film Companion said, “Entertainment is a powerful medium which can and must highlight inclusivity and diversity. O Womaniya! is our attempt to push the needle to move faster. We are thrilled to see greater participation from the industry, with key individuals taking on specific targets and actions to take this conversation forward. The steps taken to bring change may seem small but each step, each action matters, and with every edition of the O Womaniya! report, we believe we are moving a step closer to a more equitable ecosystem. I am grateful to Prime Video and Ormax Media for partnering with us on this unique initiative.”

    “At Prime Video, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion, is not just needed, it is essential. As an organization, we have always believed in equitable representation, not just within Prime Video and in our content, but also within the wider creative industry. By nurturing and empowering talented women within our industry, we can create a ripple effect of positive change in the wider ecosystem,” said Aparna Purohit, head of Originals, India & Southeast Asia, Prime Video. “O Womaniya! represents a collective effort to unite the industry and collaborate on enhancing female representation. The latest edition of the report strongly underscores the urgency of accelerating these transformative efforts. It’s heartening to witness not only the committed support of partners but also the active participation of influential figures from the industry, including both men and women. They have not only pledged their personal commitment but also made broader corporate level commitments to champion greater female inclusivity.”

  • Prime Video: A Unified APAC Strategy or Bespoke Country Approaches to Win?

    Prime Video: A Unified APAC Strategy or Bespoke Country Approaches to Win?

    Mumbai: APOS, the defining voice and global platform for the Asia Pacific media and telecoms industry, took place from 26-28 September 2023, at the Ayana Estate in Bali, Indonesia.

    Created & curated by Media Partners Asia, APOS is the ultimate destination for deals, partnerships and thought leadership with a focus on content, connectivity and commerce sectors.

    APOS was established in 2010 and is attended by global, local, and regional industry leaders.

    The speakers of the panel discussion on ‘Prime Video: A Unified APAC Strategy or Bespoke Country Approaches to Win?’ were Prime Video VP Asia Pacific Gaurav Gandhi, Prime Video director Southeast Asia David Simonsen, and Prime Video head of originals – India and SEA Aparna Purohit.

    On your long-term strategy and on applying insights from your successful ventures in India

    Aparna: I’m thrilled about my expanded role overseeing Originals in Southeast Asia. First, looking back at the past seven and a half years in India, where we pioneered premium cinematic content. It was a journey of breaking new ground and convincing filmmakers to join us in creating something unprecedented. We learned and grew together, and our shows like “Inside Edge” became cultural phenomena, demonstrating our long-term vision and creative commitment. We invested time and creativity without hesitation and championed gender balance both on and off-screen. Our India team continues to excel.

    Now, in Southeast Asia, I see endless possibilities. Meeting creators there highlighted the universal power of storytelling, transcending language and culture. Our strategy is to craft authentic, locally rooted stories that resonate with each unique audience. We’ll build upon the strong foundation laid by our exceptional teams on the ground. It’s an exciting journey, tailoring content to our customers’ preferences and connecting through the art of storytelling.

    On some successes, challenges, and your broader ambitions

    David: In our first year, we’ve seen significant success in building a strong team in Singapore. We’ve made excellent hires, fostering diversity and expertise within our team. Our regional infrastructure, active for the past six months, has further bolstered our capabilities to reach millions of customers across the region. We’ve been strategizing for customer engagement and acquisition.

    On the flip side, we’ve encountered challenges related to product and consumption events. However, we’ve stayed committed to our plans and adapted as needed. The introduction of three new modes in Q2 this year has had a substantial impact on our business, positioning us favorably.

    We view this year as foundational, having established valuable relationships in the market and forged new partnerships in programming and production. Looking ahead, we’re excited about the opportunities the next few years hold.

    On approaching significant markets like Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand, especially considering Thailand doesn’t have a standalone service yet

    David: Certainly, Prime is a significant aspect of our business, and we’re diving into it in greater depth in our priority markets. Quality and customer experience are paramount, and this remains consistent across our various offerings. Rather than viewing it as a barrier, we see it as an opportunity to cultivate and expand a brand-new subscription service in markets where we haven’t made our mark yet.

    On your strategies driving scale in both past and present market landscapes and lessons from these experiences that can be applied to markets like Thailand and the Philippines

    Gaurav: Amazon’s approach always centers on understanding customers’ needs and creating value. We start by identifying white spaces in each market, seeking ways to win local customers across key segments. In Japan, our success lies in being the go-to destination for local content, including films and unscripted formats. We’ve also excelled in sports, particularly baseball and boxing. Our channels business thrives, forming a robust entertainment ecosystem for a vast customer base.

    When we began, we were clear about not limiting ourselves to a single language but scaling across languages simultaneously. We focused on two key dimensions: original content and a personalized user experience. These differentiators have been instrumental in our success. We’ve also looked at the business-to-customer category, addressing the overwhelming amount of content and the need for a better user experience.

    Another key aspect is our commitment to breaking barriers and creating categories where opportunities exist.

    Our collaboration with T-Mobile in India is a prime example of expanding beyond language silos, and it has been remarkably successful, showcasing the potential for creators and offering a richer experience for customers. These strategies are part of our ongoing efforts to innovate and cater to diverse customer preferences.

    On navigating different scenarios, you’ve competed with Netflix in Japan to build the category. India appears to be developing a global category, while Netflix dominates in Southeast Asia.

    Gaurav: We’re certainly excited about being a beloved content service for our customers, offering a diverse range of programming pillars. We program our content while also partnering with others.

    Our service encompasses a wide variety of content, including movies, shows, and sports, catering to diverse emotional experiences. Collaboration with our partners is key to this approach. As we venture into Southeast Asian territories, some of which are in the early stages of development, we aim to play a significant role in shaping the creative economy. We envision not only contributing to the existing category but also expanding it through our offerings.

    On mentioning Prime Video as a one-stop entertainment destination and elaborating on how this strategy will unfold in APAC, especially considering the significance of live sports and the convergence of live sports, channels, and television in this region and  it enhancing the overall user experience

    Gaurav: We’re actively involved in live sports in various parts of the world, with a stronger presence in Japan, where we’ve had success in baseball and boxing. We’re exploring channel content as well, and it’s an exciting part of our offerings.

    In terms of sports programming, we evaluate it on an event-by-event basis to provide our customers with a compelling experience. Additionally, sports plays a crucial role in our channels offering, complementing the digital wallet approach.

    We’ve seen strong demand for video-on-demand sports content, especially in India. Our strategy varies by country, taking into account the market’s maturity. In India, we’ve adopted a curated strategy with a focus on live sports events and a vast catalog of recent movies. The response has been highly positive, with deep engagement and customer satisfaction.

    We collaborate with global and local partners, creating a comprehensive spectrum of offerings. We’re open to discussing partnerships with anyone interested in expanding their reach, whether they are global or local partners.

    On your strategy for engaging with pay TV operators and telcos in the region and are there any early successes or partnerships you’d like to highlight

    David: Overall, we’re diligently working on each chapter, ensuring our retail funnel remains in top shape. We’re actively pursuing partnerships with a clear goal in mind: engaging and retaining customers through these collaborations. Expanding our reach is of paramount importance to us, providing customers with various gateways to access and enjoy the Prime service.

    In addition, we have dedicated teams managing relationships with our partners across the board. We prioritize the onboarding process, striving to get customers onto the service swiftly and efficiently. Our focus is on building relationships where Prime Video complements the broader B2B ecosystem. You can expect to hear more from us on this front as we continue to make progress, even though we may have been relatively quiet in this space in the past.

    On envisioning potential opportunities in Indonesia and expanding this model across the region and globally and are there specific areas you believe require further attention and development

    Aparna: We’ve witnessed how some of our international shows gain popularity and travel across Europe and beyond. India shows have seen up to 20 per cent of their viewership come from outside their home country. The diverse linguistic palette is striking, with viewers comfortably consuming content in more than three or four languages. I firmly believe that the next wave of global content innovation will emerge from this region.

  • Promax India 2023: Celebrating excellence in entertainment marketing & design!

    Promax India 2023: Celebrating excellence in entertainment marketing & design!

    Mumbai: Promax India, the leading community in the nation’s entertainment market, successfully hosted the 21 edition of the ‘Promax India Awards 2023,’ commemorating remarkable accomplishments in the realms of entertainment marketing and design. The Promax India Conference & Awards 2023 was held on 25 August at Mumbai’s Radisson Mumbai Goregaon, featuring informative sessions led by renowned global speakers. Ahead of the primary event, on 24 August, Promax India organised a creative boot camp – ‘The Anatomy of a Clip-Based Promo,’ along with a senior leadership luncheon.

    The grand event had industry media personality Amazon Prime Video head of India originals Aparna Purohit, as the awards chair along with Vidyanath Vaddi, head/on-air promotions, SPNI English Channels, English and Bangla Channels, Sony BBC Earth, Pix & Sony Aath; Shravanty Roy, Sr. vice president marketing, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd; and Rupesh Kashyap, partner & chief content officer, Hotcult Branded content as the advisory board members.

    Day one of the event featured industry experts who shared their insights on the latest industry trends, fostering stimulating conversations and the exchange of ideas among attendees. It started with an enlightening session on the topic ‘The Great Streaming Pivot’ by Lee Hunt who is a New York-based strategist and industry thought leader for media companies around the world. In his session, he shared details and stats about the changes that the world will see in the digital and entertainment landscape. Subsequently, a Senior Leadership Luncheon was hosted for the esteemed dignitaries which was followed by another discussion on the topic ‘Harsh Realities of the Future Workforce’ by David Shing (known as “Shingy”) who is an Australian futurist, speaker, creative director, strategic digital consultant, and entrepreneur. He engaged with the panel through a slew of activities to educate big brands about the unique opportunities afforded by emerging digital, social, and mobile technologies.

    Additionally, the creative boot camp, titled ‘The Anatomy of a Clip-Based Promo,’ took place at Atlas SkillTech University. Helmed by Vikki Stephenson, a senior creative consultant with 20 years of experience in creating award-winning campaigns for renowned brands, this boot camp was open to all professionals aiming to elevate their creative bar and produce world-class promos. The highly anticipated event witnessed prominent brands from all over the nation vying for the coveted awards.

    The second day’s conference began with Lee Hunt leading a session on ‘New Best Practices 2023,’ examining the competition between linear and streaming media, their new strategies, and how consumers continue to sample new entertainment services. Subsequently, Tamagna Ghosh, MD, APAC at Trailer Park Group, presented ‘World Gold,’ showcased some of this year’s incredible crop of Promax Gold winners in design and promotion. Another session by Sudipto Saha from PwC highlighted the use of analytics and AI to gain profound viewer insights. Additionally, ‘The Connected Human,’ a session by Shingy, a creative director, strategist, and futurist, delved extensively into the incredible process of connecting the brand with the world.

    Engaging in a fireside chat with Viacom18 head of brand and creative marketing Shagun Seda award-winning director Prasoon Pandey shared his thoughts on how he gets the ideas for his projects and commented, “When we get an idea, we keep dropping it because something is not surprising enough, I am looking always for ideas that keep surprising me first because if they do not surprise me they will not really surprise the audience and once you find it then you keep polishing it, keep looking at it from various sides and to keep polishing it. Once I feel this overall structure has been polished then I open and then I like layering my commercials because even if they want to be there just 10 times people should find something new, they should discover something new every”.

    ZEEL, chief channel officer, Bhojpuri bluster, Amarpreet Singh Saini said “Promax Workshop 2023 was invigorating for any creative spirit in the field of media. On the one hand, it gave an excellent landscaping of the evolving media world with directions to the future, it also blended in creative breakthrough sessions with amazing speakers like Shingy. It mixed knowledge with fun so well. Will look forward to more from their plate as it helps us get such fresh perspectives.”

    Some of the winners of the prestigious awards are best brand image campaign(In-house), won by Disney+ Hotstar for their Thoda Ruk Shah Rukh campaign; Best social media campaign for a channel or brand by Meta for Meta- creator day campaign; Best movies promo by Shemaroo Entertainment for Bahubali 1 & 2 stop motion; Best children’s promo by Zee Entertainment for Dance India Dance Li’L Masters, Best originated promo(out-of-house) by Sony Entertainment Television for Kaun Banega Crorepati S14; Best drama campaign by Sony Liv for Rocket Boys – The Mad Scientists; Best holiday/festival promo by Viacom 18(Nick-India) for Nickelodeon Dusshera Ident; Best entertainment promo by Sony Sports Network for WWE- Lootera Film Ft. John Abraham & Drew McInTyre; Best reality promo by Disney Star – Star Vijay for Big Boss 6 promo amongst others.

    The full winner’s list can be viewed at

     

  • Promax India 2023 showcases innovation and insight

    Promax India 2023 showcases innovation and insight

    Mumbai: The realm of entertainment has been making waves all over the world with its extraordinary content creations. Recognising the most trailblazing ideas, the Promax Awards stands as the country’s premier celebration of outstanding achievements in the M&E industry. Promax India will mark the pinnacle of success for leading brands in entertainment marketing and design as it hosts its latest edition on 24 & 25 August in Mumbai. The Promax India Awards 2023 will continue the tradition of honouring leading brands across 60 categories for their innovation and foresight, including the ‘Arnab Chaudhuri Rocket Award’ in memory of the animation legend and promo genius, Arnab Chaudhari, director of India’s most iconic animated feature, Arjun the Warrior Prince. This award not only recognises rising stars in the world of promotions but also comes with prizes totalling Rs 1.6 lakh, proudly sponsored by TRZY.

    Promax India goes beyond celebrating the best creative brands in entertainment, marketing, promotion, and design. It also provides a platform for industry professionals to gain valuable insights and skills. The two-day event features prominent speakers who will ignite valuable conversations on the challenges faced in the M&E industry and how to stay ahead of the game.

    Newly introduced this year, the Senior Leadership Luncheon, an exclusive event open only to upper management, will be held on 24 August at The Club Mumbai. This full-day event features three industry experts, Lee Hunt, David Shing, and Prasoon Pandey who will share their insights on the latest industry trends, fostering stimulating conversations and the exchange of ideas among attendees. Simultaneously is the creative boot camp, titled “The Anatomy of a Clip-Based Promo”, at Atlas SkillTech University. Helmed by Vikki Stephenson, a senior creative consultant with 20 years of experience in creating award-winning campaigns for renowned brands, this boot camp is open to all professionals aiming to elevate their creative bar and produce world-class promos.

    The conference and awards show will be held on 25 August at the Radisson Hotel Goregaon. The conference features the highly anticipated session, ‘New Best Practices 2023’ by Lee Hunt, which analyses how the industry continues to be reshaped by the competition between linear and streaming platforms. The Digital Prophet, David Shing, will enlighten us on the impact as we rapidly and extensively connect to the digital world. India’s very own visionary, Tamagna Ghosh, will curate and showcase the best of the best design and promotion from across the globe in another popular session, WORLD GOLD. Returning to this year’s Promax India Awards Show are the dynamic duo from RED FM, RJ Rocky and RJ Purab, who will host the event.

    Promax India extends its heartfelt appreciation to its sponsor, Zee Bangla, for their valuable support. Their partnership has been instrumental in the success of Promax India.

    Commenting on the occasion, Andy Chua, Conference Director of Promax India, said, “The Promax India Awards 2023 is where we recognise and celebrate the remarkable achievements of the Indian M&E industry. For over two decades, we have witnessed the industry’s incredible growth and innovation. So must we in Promax India to continue to evolve  and meet the needs of the community we serve. We look forward to welcoming you all to an improved and extraordinary event filled with inspiration and insights to meet the challenges ahead.”

    Promax India 2023 awards chair & head of India Originals, Prime Video India Aparna Purohit said, “To celebrate stories that intrigue, engage, inspire, and help build not just the brands but also contribute towards the cultural zeitgeist of our times is indeed a huge honour. Promax Awards commemorate the rich and diverse creative excellence by recognizing the minds behind some of the most spectacular brand and marketing campaigns. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go through some of the finest creative work from India, and award them for their contribution to the world of entertainment.”

    “The Promax Awards are enriching because exchanging ideas multiplies them, and that is how culture is nourished”, said Corcoise Films director Prasoon Pandey.

    “The Promax Awards celebrate the power of creativity in the realm of entertainment and content marketing. It’s a testament to the industry’s ability to captivate and engage audiences through innovative campaigns that leave a lasting impact. These awards recognize the brilliance that fuels the magic of storytelling” said Trailer Park Group managing director APAC Tamagna Ghosh.

  • Nikhil Madhok joins Amazon Prime Video as original content head-Hindi

    Nikhil Madhok joins Amazon Prime Video as original content head-Hindi

    Mumbai: Nikhil Madhok, former executive vice president & head of original content of Disney+ Hotstar has joined Amazon Prime Video as its new original content head (Hindi). 

    Under his leadership, he will oversee the growth and expansion of its original content, which will facilitate Prime Video to expand its original content footprint in Hindi.  Amazon Prime Video plans to utilise Madhok’s rich experience across TV and digital ecosystems to ramp up its original content offering. He will report to Aparna Purohit-Head of India Originals who continues to lead the charge in developing original series and movies across multiple Indian languages.

    In addition, the company’s spokesperson said, “In its content upfront in April, the company showcased over 40 titles that will stream on the service in the next 18-24 months and we understand that there are 70 titles under production/ development.”   

    During his stint at Disney+ Hotstar’s Madhok led the conception and launch of Hotstar’s foray into original content titled Hotstar Specials. He was responsible for the entire slate of specials from content strategy, ideation, curation, script development, production, and launch. 

    Disney+ Hotstar has produced original shows such as Special Ops, Aarya, Criminal Justice, Human, Grahan, and Ghar Waapsi under his leadership.

    Sharing his farewell posts on social media Linkedin, Madhok said, “ It is an extremely special feeling when you build something from scratch. I was fortunate to get that opportunity 4.5 years ago when I was asked to lead Disney + Hotstar’s foray into original shows. What started as an exciting but uncertain initiative soon blossomed into a strategic agenda. Ideas grew from one line and scripts to shows and franchises.”

    At the end of the note, he added, “ I am incredibly excited about the next challenge at one of the most innovative companies of all time, where I start very soon. I am even more excited about the confluence of consumers, content, and technology in our incredible country and the bright future ahead.”

    Embed:https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6970577608191152128/

    Previously, he worked at Star India for over five years, he was executive vice president of content and developed the use case & business strategy for Hotstar’s foray into original content. Madhok held several positions at Star, including vice president of network marketing, head of programming strategy, marketing & on-air promotion for Star Plus, and business head of Star Bharat.

    He later worked for Discovery as the head of products in the Asia Pacific region, where he was in charge of the company’s linear TV and digital products across APAC. Madhok began his career at Unilever as global marketing manager from 2005 to 2008. He left Unilever to become senior director of marketing at Turner (now WarnerMedia).

  • Promax India Conference and Awards 2022: Zee, Disney+Hotstar, Sony Liv bag awards

    Promax India Conference and Awards 2022: Zee, Disney+Hotstar, Sony Liv bag awards

    Mumbai: Promax India recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its “Promax India Conference & Awards 2022,” which recognized excellence in entertainment marketing and design.

    Several workshops, sessions, and one-on-one interactions with some of the most well-known international speakers were part of the event, which was held at the Taj Santacruz in Mumbai on 10 and 11 August.

    Megha Tata was conference chair of the two-day grand event, and Amazon Prime Video India originals head Aparna Purohit, awards chair, welcomed the delegates to a physical show for the first time in two years.

    The new promo 10 commandments workshop, which covered the 10 commandments for creating concise, well-planned campaigns with global trends and examples, was led by the multi-talented, promo genius Rob Middleton on Day 1.

    Rob Middleton said, “An effective marketing strategy will increase brand recall for your audience, produce leads, and bring in new clients. It’s crucial to ensure that your marketing campaign’s creativity and methods are strongly connected to your strategy and organisational objectives. Think about the science of persuasion when you develop your campaign ideas. These are tried-and-true strategies that affect people’s behaviour.”

    After that, Sheetal Sudhir led a practical workshop on “design in motion” where she discussed the theory and foundations of motion and how it can be applied to strengthen brand messaging.

    Sheetal Sudhir said, “The design industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. It is constantly changing, with new trends emerging and developing each year. With technology continuously pushing the conventional disciplines of art and design into an ever-increasing digital presence, motion design has evolved into a crucial skill set for every creative designer. I believe that this skill set is crucial for quick connection with the target audience and boosting a brand’s value and identity in the minds of viewers.”

    Tim Hughes’ masterclass workshop and session for all broadcast marketing professionals, which dissected tried-and-true strategies for enhancing brand awareness and advertising campaigns, was one of the event’s highlights.

    FX Network EVP marketing & on-air Stephanie Gibbons gave the opening keynote address on the second day of the conference. Trailer Voice Artists Agency owner Brent Hagel and Comedy Central’s voiceover artist Rahul Mulani, participated in a number of sessions on the developments and trends in the voiceover industry. Lee Hunt founder Lee Hunt deliberated on the topic ‘New Best Practice, it’s Linear vs. Streaming.’

    Some of the winners of the prestigious awards are: Best Brand Image Campaign, won by Zee Cinema for their “Rehna Hain Sath Sath campaign”; Best Ident, won by Nickelodeon for its “World Environment Day” ident; Best Social Media Campaign by Disney Star for its #BreakTheLoop; Best Drama Promo-clip Based, won by Sony Pictures Networks—Sony liv for the whistleblower announcement; Best Drama Campaign, won by Amazon Prime Video/White Turtle Studios for Mumbai Diaries; Best Themed Campaign won by Sony Pictures Networks—SET for Shark Tank India Season 1 Launch; best marketing video/sizzle reel/presentation won by Warner Bros. Discovery/cartoon Network for CN sales AV 2021; and best sound design, won by Shemaroo Entertainment for its Bollywood X’mas jingle, amongst others.

  • Amazon Prime Video’s India talent focus that’s working miracles

    Amazon Prime Video’s India talent focus that’s working miracles

    MUMBAI: At Amazon Prime Video HD, if there is one war cry that’s being heard loud and clear it is: India ahoy! There’s a reason behind it, according to a report in US publication Deadline. Head of Originals James Farrell, at an event announcing the launch of its biggest slate in Mumbai, said that one of five (or 20 per cent) of its subscribers outside of India watch content produced by Indian creators. He gave full credit for this success to the head of Indian originals Aparna Purohit and her team.

    A beaming Purohit who joined the international team on stage pointed out that she truly believes India is a land of storytellers — in every nook and cranny. “This is almost like the renaissance of Indian entertainment and amidst this multitude of stories, to find one that can connect and resonate with the audiences here and across the world is a challenge,” she added. “We just want to create a home for talent; a safe space where creators feel supported and that we’re willing to invest in them.”

    According to Farrell, that support is coming in the form of the format of shows such as One Mic Stand being remade in Germany.

    Amazon Studios president Jennifer Salke believes that what sets Prime Video apart from the other streamers is its razor sharp focus to be the home for talent. “What this means is that we have to have the best teams on the ground to cultivate the talent in the regions. Talent wants to be part of the Amazon Prime family and make incredible shows for people to enjoy not only in India but all over the world. We stand apart in that away,” she said.

    International operations vice-president Kelly Day highlighted that India is one of Amazon Prime Video’s fastest growing markets and has some of the streamer’s most engaged customers. “The future of global streaming services is about global expansion and moving much more ambitiously to serving customers in international markets and truly, India is really leading the way for us,” she said.

    Are the suits at Netflix who have relatively cooled off on India listening?

  • Amazon Prime Video and MAMI launch ‘Maitri: Female First Collective’

    Amazon Prime Video and MAMI launch ‘Maitri: Female First Collective’

    Mumbai: Amazon Prime Video has partnered with Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI) to launch ‘Maitri: Female First Collective.’

    The aim of the initiative is to build a community for women in media and entertainment where they can come together on a quarterly basis to discuss their experiences, challenges and successes and offer their perspective and advice on how to bring about a positive shift, said the statement.

    The highlights of the sessions will be available on Amazon Prime Video India’s YouTube channel and MAMI’s YouTube channel and their respective social media platforms.

    The first episode featuring 16 women who participated in the debut session went live on Friday. These women include Junglee Pictures and Times Studios Originals CEO Amrita Pandey; screenwriter and hairstylist Ayesha DeVitre Dhillon; screenwriter and author Bhavani Iyer; filmmaker Gayathri; filmmaker Jeeva; screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi; filmmaker Kunjila Mascillamani; actor and TV host Mini Mathur; filmmaker Nupur Asthana; actor and producer Richa Chadha; filmmaker Rintu Thomas; actor and producer Shweta Tripathi Sharma; comedian, actor, writer, creator, and CE-HOE founder Sumukhi Suresh; filmmaker and author Tahira Kashyap Khurrana; Amazon Prime Video head of India Originals Aparna Purohit, and artistic director of MAMI Smriti Kiran – who curated the room and moderated the discussion.

    “At Amazon, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion, is not just needed, it is essential, and we are constantly trying to go beyond intention to institutionalize processes and mechanisms to create an ecosystem that mirrors true diversity,” said Prime Video’s Aparna Purohit. “Maitri means friendship or kinship, and the idea behind this initiative was to create a space for women to get together as friends, contemporaries and colleagues to collaborate, communicate and pave the way for others to follow.  I believe that making an impactful change takes time, and can only happen when we begin to have a conversation regularly and repeatedly. I am glad that we have taken this small, yet significant step with the help of MAMI.”

    “I have immense faith in collaboration, community building and shared experience,” said Maitri creator and curator Smriti Kiran. “It was invigorating to bring the first room for Maitri: Female First Collective together. The idea behind Maitri is togetherness. Very grateful to Aparna Purohit and Amazon Prime Video for seeing value in this vision and giving Maitri the support that it needs to soar.”

    In June last year, Amazon Studios had released the inclusion policy and playbook, which is being gradually rolled out across the organisation.