ITV

Tag: Avneesh Khosla

  • VI’s people-first initiative helps reunite families at Kumbh Mela

    VI’s people-first initiative helps reunite families at Kumbh Mela

    MUMBAI: At every Kumbh Mela, thousands of people become separated from their families in the vast crowds. In 2013, around 70,000 individuals were reported lost at Prayagraj Kumbh. This year presents similar challenges, with over 250 people reportedly lost within the first few hours of the event’s opening day.

    To address this issue, India’s leading telecom operator, VI, has introduced the ‘VI Number Rakshak’ initiative, ensuring that no one feels lost or disconnected. Recognising that many, especially the elderly and children, may not own mobile phones or struggle to recall contact numbers, VI has set up a dedicated booth near Swami Ramanand Acharya Shibir akhada.

    At this booth, pilgrims can receive complimentary Rudraksh and Tulsi bracelets engraved with emergency contact numbers of family members or companions. This simple yet effective solution provides a reliable means of reconnecting without the need for mobile phones or internet access.

    Speaking on the initiative, VI chief marketing officer Avneesh Khosla highlighted the company’s commitment to people-first solutions. “VI Number Rakshak showcases how the simplest ideas can make a significant impact. We are not just a telecom provider, but a people-first partner, ensuring connectivity when it matters most,” he said.

    VI Number Rakshak aligns with VI’s broader philosophy of ‘Be Someone’s We’, which promotes fostering connections and collective care—previously highlighted in campaigns addressing urban loneliness among youth and senior citizens.

    In addition, VI has significantly bolstered its network infrastructure at the Maha Kumbh, installing 30 new sites at Triveni Sangam, along with 40 high-powered small-cell and macro sites across key locations. The company has also deployed 32 km of fibre to enhance backhaul connectivity, ensuring seamless voice calls, uninterrupted video streaming, and high-speed data access for VI users in the densely crowded areas.
     

  • Vi Movies & TV app strengthens entertainment offering with Zee5

    Vi Movies & TV app strengthens entertainment offering with Zee5

    Mumbai: In line with its continuous endeavour to cater to the growing consumer demands of bringing more entertainment at an affordable price, a leading telecom operator Vi, had launched their content aggregator app i.e Vi Movies & TV in it’s new avatar earlier this year. In addition to existing top players like Disney+ Hotstar, Vi has announced a new partnership with one of the leading OTT players – ZEE5. With this new addition, Vi Movies & TV App now offers access to 17 OTT Apps in one single subscription, at 248 per month. Vi users can binge on their favourite content on top OTT apps such as Disney+ Hotstar, Sony LIV, ZEE5, and others all with a single subscription to Vi Movies and TV, on their Mobile & TV.

    Vi users will be able to enjoy a wide range of movies, shows, and popular titles such as the Vidya Balan starrer – Do Aur Do Pyaar, the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, regional blockbusters such as Manjummel Boys, Aranmanai 4 and many more on the Disney+ Hotstar app; UEFA Euro Cup, ‘Gullak Season 4, India Tour of SriLanka Scam 2003, Rocket Boys etc. from Sony LIV and shows like ‘Sunflower’, ‘Broken News’, TAJ and movies such as ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’, ‘Kadak Singh’ ‘Veer Sawarkar’ , ‘Sam Bahadur’, ‘Hanuman’, and more from ZEE5.

    Vodafone Idea CMO Avneesh Khosla said “At Vi, we understand that convenience and great value are two critical factors influencing buying decisions in India and we are committed to offering solutions that meet the needs of our customers. Our content aggregator platform, Vi Movies & TV App, offers access to 17 OTT platforms with a single plan. This not only reduces the cost of entertainment consumption but also eliminates the hassle of subscribing to multiple OTT apps separately.”

    He further added, “We are confident that Vi Movies & TV App will strike a chord with our consumers for its cost-effectiveness and convenience, opting for a seamless entertainment experience over multiple independent subscriptions. Our aim is to make high-quality entertainment accessible to our users and enhance their overall viewing experience through strategic partnerships with various OTT platforms. We will continue to expand our offerings by bringing the best entertainment experience for our users.”

    With the rise in connected devices and diverse content preferences, Vi Movies & TV App in its new avatar offers value for money plans providing an unmatched entertainment experience. Users now have:

    1   More content to enjoy with over 17 premium OTT platform subscriptions, including Disney+ Hotstar, Sony LIV, ZEE5, regional content platforms including: Klikk (Bengali), Chaupal (Punjabi), Atrangi (Desi Hindi content), Manorama Max (Malayalam), NammaFlix (Kannada), Playflix for Korean shows dubbed in Hindi. It also enables access to 350 Live TV Channels like Aaj Tak, ABP News, Republic and premium lifestyle channels like Eurosports, TLC etc.

    2   One plan, one subscription to access everything seamlessly.

    3   Convenience to stream favourite shows and movies anytime, anywhere on any device. Vi Movies & TV App can be paired with connected TVs, smart TVs, mobile – be it Android/Google TV, Android mobile, Samsung TV, iOS mobile, Amazon Firestick TV, and the Web. By subscribing to Vi Movies &TV, users can also get to watch two simultaneous streams on all OTT platforms.

    4   Big savings: Vi Movies & TV one subscription plan reduces cost by almost 50 percent compared to subscribing individually to 17 different OTT platforms.

    Vi also announced two new subscription plans -Vi Movies & TV Plus and Vi Movies & TV Lite.

    1   Vi Movies & TV- Plus: Priced at Rs 248 per month, offers unlimited access to 17 OTT apps, 350 live TV channels, and various content libraries. This plan can be accessed on two devices—TV and mobile—and includes an extra 6GB of data for prepaid users.

    2   Vi Movies & TV- Lite: Special plan for prepaid users at Rs. 154 per month, provides easy access to 16 OTT Apps for an array of extensive content catalogue on a single mobile device, with an additional 2GB of data.

    These plans are in addition to the Vi Movies & TV Pro plan, which offers 13+ OTT apps at Rs. 202 per month for prepaid users and Rs. 199 per month for postpaid users. This plan can be accessed on two devices—TV and mobile. The Vi Movies & TV Pro prepaid subscription also offers an extra 5GB of data.

    With these new offerings, Vi continues to strengthen its position as a leading provider of digital entertainment in India. By leveraging strategic partnerships and distinct subscription models, Vi aims to deliver an enriched viewing experience to its users, ensuring they have access to a vast array of content at their fingertips.

  • Vi urges all to ‘Be Someone’s We’ in their new campaign

    Vi urges all to ‘Be Someone’s We’ in their new campaign

    Mumbai: Humans have inherently been social beings. Since the evolution of mankind, humans have always been together to survive and thrive. However, today’s world poses new types of challenges. Several studies indicate that people from all walks of life, especially the GenZ and millennials are struggling with challenges such as loneliness and social isolation impacting their overall well-being. This underscores the crucial need to establish genuine emotional connections in our ever-evolving phy-gital world.

    Bringing together the best of both worlds where physical and digital realms intertwine, Vi, one of the leading telecom operators, launched its new emotionally appealing creative campaign – ‘Be Someone’s We’, rooted in the company’s vision of being a partner to its customers; in building a better today and in building a brighter tomorrow. The campaign is designed to deliver a powerful message of supporting one another through both good and challenging times, even with the smallest of actions. It draws inspiration from everyday life scenarios to illustrate how a network can serve as a bridge for forming human/social bonds, promoting inclusivity and fostering a sense of togetherness.

    It showcases that even a small gesture of a call or message is enough to make someone feel less left out, less lonely and loved and cared for. Establishing Vi as the trusted partner, this 360-degree ‘Be Someone’s We’ campaign seeks to connect, engage, and uplift the mood of this young audience segment.

    Commenting on the unique issues pertaining to our times, Vodafone Idea CMO Avneesh Khosla said, “Loneliness is a growing concern in India, especially amongst the youth. We believe as a brand designed to aid connectivity, we have a strong role to play in addressing this concern. Our new campaign ‘Be Someone’s We’ is designed to reflect our philosophy of inclusivity, helping the world become less lonely.”

    Conceptualized by Ogilvy India, the campaign comprises of different slice of life stories that focuses on situations that may make us feel left out or lonely. The commercials also use the song ‘Akele Akele Kahaan ja rahe ho’ in a new and interesting way to tell the story.

    Story 1: Dandiya: This film shows a boy feeling a bit left out, watching his college mates practicing Dandiya for a fest. Suddenly, he gets a video call as one of the students practicing Dandiya calling him “Bhai…Dandiya dekhte hi rahega ya fir seekh ne bhi aaega?” inviting him to join. The boy smiles and joins them, with the feeling of being included.

    Story 2: Kheer: This film shows a new joinee, tad nervous and lost trying to find a seat for herself in a crowded cafeteria. She finds an empty seat in a corner. Shortly, she receives a message “Hey! yummy Kheer here… join us?”. Through the crowd she sees a girl waving at her with a lunchbox. She smiles and joins a bunch of colleagues as they welcome her and make space for her.

    Commenting on the campaign, Ogilvy CCOs  Harshad Rajadhyaksha & Kainaz Karmakar said, “Loneliness is one of the biggest silent killers of our time. The campaign shows how a simple phone call, a text or a connection in any way, can change how another person is feeling. Each story of the campaign addresses a different aspect of loneliness – from the first day at work to being a student in a city you don’t belong to. Rohit Dubey, who heads creative for Vi at Ogilvy has crafted the stories and Amit Sharma from Chrome films has brought them to life. Here’s wishing “Humari duniya mein akelepan ki koi jagah na ho”

    The campaign goes on air on 5 October 2023 first on the World Cup. In addition to the world cup, the films would also be on surround channels and digital. Apart from the films, the campaign will also be backed by Digital, OOH and Retail.   

  • Vi elevates Anveesh Khosla as CMO, Kavita Nair moves on

    Vi elevates Anveesh Khosla as CMO, Kavita Nair moves on

    New Delhi: Vi, a leading telecom player, has elevated Avneesh Khosla as the new CMO of the brand. He will be spearheading the overall marketing activities of the new brand entity Vi.

    Khosla is an old hand at Vodafone and has been with the organisation for over 12 years and served in multiple roles. In the last role, he was serving as the director of marketing for the brand.

    The development comes after Vi chief digital transformation officer moved on from the organisation. She is also an old hand at the telecom brand and has been associated with it for over 20 years.

    She successfully spearheaded the Vi launch in the Indian market.

    She has led different roles such as Marcom, data business, enterprise marketing, retail digital and customer experience. Nair will be soon moving out of the organisation and is said to have chosen a different career path for herself in the future.

    The company has confirmed both the developments.  

  • Mobile-based safety service Idea Sakhi launched exclusively for women

    Mobile-based safety service Idea Sakhi launched exclusively for women

    MUMBAI: To address the increasingly-felt, safety-related concerns of women who wish to step out and do more, brand Idea has designed a unique mobile based solution, Idea Sakhi. It is free of cost service available to all women customers using either prepaid or postpaid services of Idea, across the country. Accessible on both smartphones and basic feature phones, Idea Sakhi offers three extremely useful features – emergency alerts, emergency balance, and private number recharge.

    Launched during the International Women’s Week, this service has already been made available to women customers of Idea across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Assam and North East, Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Kerala, Gujarat, J&K, Maharashtra and Goa, Madya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and Delhi. It will be extended to all 22 circles within this month.

    Launching the Idea Sakhi service, Vodafone Idea Ltd operations director – marketing Avneesh Khosla said, “Technology can help overcome barriers and solve problems in the life of the consumer. With almost half of our population being women, and 59 per cent of them using a mobile phone, we are in a unique position to extend the benefits of technology for their safety and security. With Idea Sakhi, we are taking forward our long-term commitment of driving inclusion and deploying technology to serve a social purpose.”

    Speaking about the Idea Sakhi service Idea, Vodafone Idea Ltd national brand head Sunita Bangard said, “Brand Idea has always championed causes that help change lives. With Idea Sakhi, Brand Idea wishes to give women the freedom to live their lives and pursue their dreams and understand the need for women to feel safe when they step out of their homes. On this special occasion of International Women’s Week, we are happy to offer Idea Sakhi to the women of India, to feel more confident and safe – Ab idea Hai Udne Ka.”

  • Hathway, Voda Play to stream YuppTV channels, movies, shows

    Hathway, Voda Play to stream YuppTV channels, movies, shows

    MUMBAI / NEW DELHI: Vodafone’s entertainment destination will contain video content. Vodafone Play has announced a partnership with OTT player for South Asian content YuppTV to make available an extensive basket of live TV channels and movies etc.

    YuppTV has also announced a content sharing partnership with the broadband service provider Hathway, which will offer monthly subscription plans for the former.

    In addition to popular movies and shows, YuppTV’s prowess in the regional content will enable Vodafone Play to strengthen its content offering, while YuppTV intends to reach out to Vodafone’s wide customer base across India.

    Yupp TV has 250+ live TV channels in 14 national and regional languages. The association is in accordance with the advent of small-screen viewership and India’s transition towards a mobile-first economy.

    Vodafone India associate director – consumer business Avneesh Khosla said: “With mobiles becoming the preferred screen for entertainment, the average time spent on smartphones daily is significantly higher than TV, demonstrating that the engagement levels provided by smartphones remain unparalleled. Our customers are constantly seeking diverse content options, especially regional content. Through this partnership, Vodafone Play subscribers get a wider choice.”

    YuppTV founder and CEO Uday Reddy said: “We are excited to present Vodafone users with our extensive services and entertainment solutions. Now, Vodafone users can simply select from the collection of YuppTV’s snackable content on-the-go.”

    “The entertainment control has shifted to the consumers who can decide what they want to watch at their convenience on multiple devices. The key is high-speed broadband and affordable price point,” Hathway MD Rajan Gupta said in a statement.

    While Vodafone and Hathway are spread across India, YuppTV has an enviable collection of entertaining content in multiple languages.