ITV

Tag: Blush

  • Kaunsal takes centre screen as NMH’s new marketing head

    Kaunsal takes centre screen as NMH’s new marketing head

    MUMBAI: From customer care cubicles to commanding campaigns Ajit Singh Kaunsal’s journey has come full stream. Kaunsal has been appointed as vice president & head of marketing at New Media Holding (NMH), a move he confirmed via a Linkedin post. In his new role, he will helm the marketing strategy for one of India’s most dynamic digital media ecosystems home to brands like One Digital Entertainment, Blush, Being Indian, Instant Bollywood, and Social Nation, among others.

    With over 20 years of experience in media, research, and digital growth, Kaunsal brings a toolkit honed across major media houses. Most recently, he spent five years at MX Player, navigating the platform through intense competition in the OTT space. Before that, he clocked nearly six years at Sony Pictures Networks India, where he shaped digital and analytics strategies for SonyLIV, helping steer its early digital transition.

    But it wasn’t all front row from the start. Kaunsal began his career in 2005 as a customer service agent at First Source Pvt. Ltd., before stints at Harapa International and TAM Media Research. That hands-on foundation spanning data, customer experience, and content makes him a uniquely well-rounded fit for a company as multifaceted as NMH.

    NMH, with its diverse play across content, creators, and commerce, is at the centre of India’s evolving media zeitgeist. Kaunsal’s appointment signals a sharper focus on marketing leadership as the company scales its brand ecosystem and influence in pop culture and the creator economy.

    In a digital-first world where attention is currency, Kaunsal’s brief is clear: keep NMH at the top of feed and mind.

  • One Digital Entertainment launches new short film on content platform Blush

    One Digital Entertainment launches new short film on content platform Blush

    Mumbai: Digital media company One Digital Entertainment has released a new short film titled “Sunkissed – Babyface” on its recently acquired content platform – Blush. The short film directed by Dixshant Gaurav Kala depicts the love journey of a young couple and how their love marriage falls apart with all the toxicity and domestic violence.

    The film tells a story of a girl next door who builds all whims and fancies around her marriage and continues to be a victim of domestic violence without voicing it. The film takes a visually poetic tone to explore emotions with purity and subtlety. It gradually expands to show the dilemma of love and relationship create and how it affects our ability to choose what is right for us.

    “Unfortunately domestic violence has been part of society for a long time. With the onset of this pandemic, the mental, physical and sexual abuse cases have increased manyfold. In most cases, victims usually refrain from voicing it out and consider it a normal chore and develop the mindset that it would change with time,” said One Digital Entertainment co-founder Gurpreet Singh. “Through this short film, we want to convey to all the victims to stand up and fight this for themselves. We are glad to launch this short film brilliantly directed by Dixshant on our recently acquired content platforms Blush.”

  • Nykaa’s new video with Blush for Karva Chauth

    Nykaa’s new video with Blush for Karva Chauth

    MUMBAI: Nykaa, in collaboration with Culture Machine’s digital channel Blush, has released a video titled Qaid featuring India’s first transsexual model Nikkiey Chawla.

    The video is set against the backdrop of Karva Chauth, and showcases the start of a new tradition, one with a deeper meaning.

    We are all trapped in our own cocoons, the very skin we wear sometimes feels alien to us. The quest to identify and understand who we really are is a continuous process but a road that doesn’t need to be traveled alone. Entangled in this theme, lies the story of Anusha and Kabir, a young urban couple who undergo one of the biggest changes in their relation which not only helps them understand who they are both individually and together, but also leads to strengthening their bond.

    The thought that drives the struggle in ‘Qaid’ is that of gender as a defining identity and how it dictates the way we celebrate our rituals, especially how the bond of marriage is viewed through a tradition like Karva Chauth. The overarching learning the video aspires

    to drive home is that, it is essential to ‘Celebrate You’ in any and every aspect of life.

    ”The mark of a great society begins with how deeply it acknowledges and cares about the challenges of its most exiguous minority groups. While the nation celebrates liberty for the L,G and B, let us not forget the ‘T’. Today, people need to understand the plight of nearly 21 Million strong gender dysphoric population- a number equivalent to the population of Australia. With this film, we want people to see that the difference between transsexual and transgender is the same as the one between a body and a soul. Since time immemorial, gender definition has been influenced by culture, class, and race but this idea needs an overhaul,” says Nykaa chief marketing officer Hitesh Malhotra.

    Culture Machine vice president for brand solutions Sharique Khan adds, “Gender diversity has existed throughout history and across the globe. One of the most fundamental aspects of a person’s identity, gender deeply influences every part of one’s life. Where this crucial aspect of self is narrowly defined and rigidly enforced, individuals who exist outside of its norms face innumerable challenges. This does not have to be the case. Through a thoughtful consideration of the uniqueness and validity of every person’s experiences of self, we can develop greater acceptance for all. Not only will this create greater inclusion for individuals who challenge the norms of gender, it will create space for all individuals to celebrate who they are. With this common objective of creating awareness about gender dysphoria, harmoniously brought Nykaa’s vision and the storytelling of Blush together for this video.”

    The video also features television actress Aakanksha Singh.

  • Blush’s latest video titled ‘The Choice’ in association with Indira IVF

    Blush’s latest video titled ‘The Choice’ in association with Indira IVF

    MUMBAI: Indira IVF, in collaboration with Culture Machine’s digital channel ‘Blush’, released a video titled ‘The Choice’, as a part of Blush’s on-going Mothers & Daughters series.

    Every married woman faces tremendous societal pressure to become a mother. But becoming a mother should always be a matter of choice. Indira IVF empowers women to make this choice even at a later stage in their life. This new video by Blush captures the message beautifully through an honest and candid dialogue between a mother and daughter. 

    Blush released the following statement about the video, “The purpose is to raise awareness among women on alternative choices that modern-day technology has made available, IVF being one of them. The idea is to encourage women to explore non-traditional choices with ease, and bravely discover them sans prejudice and inhibitions”.

    Director Marketing- Indira IVF, Nitiz Murdia comments, “In India, childbearing is the primary goal of marriage, and women are expected to begin having children shortly after they’ve married. Oblivious of scientific methods, these women experience immense stress, eventually leading to an emotional breakdown and physical suffering. Through our association with Blush, we aim to dispel myths surrounding IVF treatment and educate those women who have decided and have made the choice to experience the joy of motherhood”.

    The video features Indian film, stage and television actress Sheeba Chaddha along with Auritra Ghosh.

  • Blush and ITC Vivel collaborates with Pad Man present

    Blush and ITC Vivel collaborates with Pad Man present

    health at immense risk during menstruation. From using mud & ash to dirty clothes, menstrual hygiene takes a backseat due to financial constraints and inaccessibility to clean products.

    Culture Machine’s digital channel ‘Blush’ along with ITC’s Vivel collaborated with the cast of Pad Man to create a video titled ‘#AbSamjhautaNahin – The Shopping List’. An eye opening, spoken word piece, listing alternatives to sanitary pads that women in most parts of the country resort to during periods. What may seem like an innocuous list of household items on a shopping list for some, is unfortunately a de facto substitute to hygienic sanitary napkins for a majority of women in India.  Right from old & dirty rags to unsafe objects like ash, coconut husk and hay, Sonam Kapoor & Akshay Kumar bring attention to the grave situation of menstrual hygiene in the country. The video concludes with the lead actors requesting viewers to donate a minimum of Rs. 400 to The Vatsalya Foundation in order to facilitate a year-round availability of sanitary pads to women in various parts of the country.  

    Rooted in its core brand philosophy Ab Samjhauta Nahin, Vivel, continues to empower and educate women to challenge stereotypes and help enable self-action. It firmly believes that no one should have to compromise on their dignity or be discriminated against. Vivel actively stands in support of equality and believes that for a more equal life, awareness and education is the first step to empowerment. This is reflected in the recent launch of www.absamjhautanahin.com, a website designed for a simplified understanding of laws and rights that women should be aware of. Vivel Ab Samjhauta Nahin is working relentlessly towards women empowerment with its continued support to organisations like Apne Aap Women Worldwide fighting to end sex trafficking of women and girls and Azad Foundation to help empower women feminist leaders at the grassroots level.

    Culture Machine’s digital channel ‘Blush’ that stirred a debate with the release of a video around First Day of Period in the past says, “Blush Originals is reviving the conversation on menstruation.  But this time, the purpose is much larger, and the canvas, bigger.  We’d like to take the conversation beyond metros and air-conditioned offices.  Vivel with its brand philosophy of Ab Samjhauta Nahin enables purpose and a deep rooted conviction to make changes at the grassroots level. This collaboration brings together some of the most influential voices to take the conversation about menstrual hygiene, methods of managing menstruation, cost of sanitary pads, ease of availability, taboos and habits, lifestyle choices and overall well-being to the masses. Conversations that lead to awareness, awareness that leads to knowing one’s rights, knowing that leads to action – and there’s only one action, that needs to be achieved: a perfect menstrual health card for this country.”  

    The Vatsalya Foundation, Director, Ms. Swathi Mukherjee, comments, “Inaccessibility to sanitary pads is one of the primary reasons for young girls and women to drop out of schools and work, respectively. The Vatsalya Foundation is focused on needs of our young women. It encourages a performance based livelihood with a dual purpose of enabling access and empowering women through financial independence. We are glad that menstrual hygiene is now set to become mainstream with a feature film focused on the issue and brands like Vivel supporting the initiative. With the funds raised through this video, we will be purchasing and distributing Sakhi Pads to underprivileged women.”

    Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah25qCdEpG8

    Donation link on Ketto: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/absamjhautanahin

  • Culture Machine reorganises sales team

    MUMBAI: Digital media network Culture Machine has reorganised its sales team. Siddharth Narula, who served as the president – revenue, has been promoted to chief revenue officer. He will overlook the expansion of the firm’s technology sales footprint in international markets, starting with South East Asia and North America. He will continue to report to Culture Machine CEO and co-founder Sameer Pitalwalla.

    Aditya Aima has joined as the business head – ASEAN for Culture Machine, operating out of Malaysia. Aima will overlook the expansion of Culture Machine’s Intelligence Machine and Video Machine offerings to its brand and advertisers. Minal Sharma has joined as the national sales head, overlooking all sales for Culture Machine’s Studios and media brands. She joins the team with over 16 years of experience across leading media and entertainment brands.

    Both, Aima and Sharma will report to Narula.

    Pitalwalla said, “Our Indian media brands lead the charts in each of their verticals, and the core technology platforms that have helped scale them are already in use by Fortune 500 clients globally, with large demand the world over. We are excited about growing this opportunity, while continuing to focus on our domestic Media business.”

    Narula added, “2016 has been one of the most active years for Culture Machine in terms of revenue escalation and content creation. We created trendsetting videos which have led to hundreds of global and local brands to collaborate with us, resulting in award winning campaigns. In the embryonic days of digital entertainment and technology, the addition of Minal and Aditya will help catalyse the process.”

    Since its inception, Culture Machine’s vision of using technology and storytelling to build great media brands that people love has led the way in the digital content revolution that the country is currently witnessing. Culture Machine’s digital brands Being Indian, Blush, Put Chutney, Viva and Awesome Sauce have carved a distinctive identity and an undisputed space among the top three in their respective genres.

  • ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’: Big B tells women in Blush’s new video

    ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’: Big B tells women in Blush’s new video

    MUMBAI: After scoring gold with Dove’s ‘Change The Rhyme’ video, Culture Machine’s digital channel Blush has roped in Vivel as the sponsor for its latest video titled ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’ featuring Amitabh Bachchan. The video inspires women to say no to a life of compromise.

    In a narrative by Bachchan, the UnBlushed video shouts out to all women to challenge time-worn mindsets that stereotype and, at times, impede their lifestyle choices. The video encourages women to stop accepting any biases and empower them to live a life equal to their male counterparts. It features women from all walks of life who are facing an inner conflict with their real emotions.

    Vivel’s integrated brand campaign ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’ is a fresh, nuanced perspective of self-confidence that personifies the woman of today. The brand message goes beyond a beauty discourse to address attitudes and behaviour towards women. The campaign is designed to encourage discussion around age-old gender biases, inspire young women to question the limits that they have been conditioned into accepting and empower them to live fuller lives.

    In the video, Amitabh Bachchan says, “A right can never be silenced.”

    Culture Machine’s digital channel Blush released a statement, “It’s very important to voice your opinion and believe in yourself. This belief is lost somewhere; we aim to revive this trail of thought. Vivel was the best brand to partner with as the concept is a perfect blend with their brand ideology.

    Watch the video on:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd5PHICXi-8

  • ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’: Big B tells women in Blush’s new video

    ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’: Big B tells women in Blush’s new video

    MUMBAI: After scoring gold with Dove’s ‘Change The Rhyme’ video, Culture Machine’s digital channel Blush has roped in Vivel as the sponsor for its latest video titled ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’ featuring Amitabh Bachchan. The video inspires women to say no to a life of compromise.

    In a narrative by Bachchan, the UnBlushed video shouts out to all women to challenge time-worn mindsets that stereotype and, at times, impede their lifestyle choices. The video encourages women to stop accepting any biases and empower them to live a life equal to their male counterparts. It features women from all walks of life who are facing an inner conflict with their real emotions.

    Vivel’s integrated brand campaign ‘Ab Samjhauta Nahin’ is a fresh, nuanced perspective of self-confidence that personifies the woman of today. The brand message goes beyond a beauty discourse to address attitudes and behaviour towards women. The campaign is designed to encourage discussion around age-old gender biases, inspire young women to question the limits that they have been conditioned into accepting and empower them to live fuller lives.

    In the video, Amitabh Bachchan says, “A right can never be silenced.”

    Culture Machine’s digital channel Blush released a statement, “It’s very important to voice your opinion and believe in yourself. This belief is lost somewhere; we aim to revive this trail of thought. Vivel was the best brand to partner with as the concept is a perfect blend with their brand ideology.

    Watch the video on:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd5PHICXi-8

  • Blush and Castrol Activ Scooter joins to make ‘Chal Udte Hain’

    Blush and Castrol Activ Scooter joins to make ‘Chal Udte Hain’

    MUMBAI:Culture Machine’s digital channel ‘Blush’ and Castrol Activ Scooter collaborate to celebrate the beautiful bond between a brother and sister. A brother is your first best friend and your partner in crime, he loves you unconditionally, inspires you, motivates you and most importantly he empowers you! ‘Chal Udte Hain’ tells a heartfelt story of a brother becoming the wind beneath his sister’s wings!

    Featuring popular digital star Mithila Palkar, the video follows the love-hate relationship of a brother and sister by showcasing some of their most memorable moments while growing up. Encouraging women to take charge of the tougher things in life and becoming more independent, Blush propagates that the sister can protect and pamper her brother just as much as he does to her through the video ‘#ChalUdteHain’.  The video is a montage of flashbacks about the life lessons a sister learns from her brother which eventually gives her the confidence to face the world on her own. On the occasion of RakshaBandhan, the sister exudes self-confidence making her brother proud.

    Speaking about the film, Culture Machine’s digital channel Blush released a statement, “People always treat women as delicate beings who need to be looked after and protected. There is also this wrong stereotyping of how women cannot do well in certain ‘male dominated’ domains. We want all the women to know that they are just as independent and capable as their male counterparts and for men to realise that the biggest contribution to their sister’s lives would be to encourage them to not only be self-sufficient but also push these so called boundaries. There can be no better gift a brother can give his sister.”

    Castrol India Ltd Head, Brand and Communications Kedar Apte, – commented, “The greatest benefit that a scooter gives the woman rider is independence. When given the right positive reinforcements throughout childhood – this independence is showcased everywhere including the vehicle she chooses to ride and its upkeep and maintenance Through this campaign on Rakhshabandhan we are trying to show how strong and interdependent brother-sister relationship is. In the video -the brother is chief ally, who encourages his sister to break barriers and inspires her to take full responsibility of her scooter including its maintenance…it’s a progressive & forward-looking narrative.”

    Mindshare Client Leadership Anita Kotwani said, “We have always believed that if you are able to build content around cultural relevance and bring in a new dimension to the storyline then it definitely resonates with the audiences. We are confident that this video will touch the hearts of millions of brothers and sisters in India and bring them closer to Brand Castrol Activ Scooter.”

    Mithila Palkar spoke on her experience, “Women, in general, have been taught for centuries that they need to be protected by their male guardians. Chal Udte Hain is a thought provoking video about brothers protecting women by making them self-reliant and taking confidence in their independence. I had a wonderful time working with the Blush team and take pleasure in being associated with this inspirational video. I’m sure the audience will love it.”

    To all the brothers- help your sister believe she can and she will. Here’s to looking at Raksha Bandhan in a whole new way!

  • Blush and Castrol Activ Scooter joins to make ‘Chal Udte Hain’

    Blush and Castrol Activ Scooter joins to make ‘Chal Udte Hain’

    MUMBAI:Culture Machine’s digital channel ‘Blush’ and Castrol Activ Scooter collaborate to celebrate the beautiful bond between a brother and sister. A brother is your first best friend and your partner in crime, he loves you unconditionally, inspires you, motivates you and most importantly he empowers you! ‘Chal Udte Hain’ tells a heartfelt story of a brother becoming the wind beneath his sister’s wings!

    Featuring popular digital star Mithila Palkar, the video follows the love-hate relationship of a brother and sister by showcasing some of their most memorable moments while growing up. Encouraging women to take charge of the tougher things in life and becoming more independent, Blush propagates that the sister can protect and pamper her brother just as much as he does to her through the video ‘#ChalUdteHain’.  The video is a montage of flashbacks about the life lessons a sister learns from her brother which eventually gives her the confidence to face the world on her own. On the occasion of RakshaBandhan, the sister exudes self-confidence making her brother proud.

    Speaking about the film, Culture Machine’s digital channel Blush released a statement, “People always treat women as delicate beings who need to be looked after and protected. There is also this wrong stereotyping of how women cannot do well in certain ‘male dominated’ domains. We want all the women to know that they are just as independent and capable as their male counterparts and for men to realise that the biggest contribution to their sister’s lives would be to encourage them to not only be self-sufficient but also push these so called boundaries. There can be no better gift a brother can give his sister.”

    Castrol India Ltd Head, Brand and Communications Kedar Apte, – commented, “The greatest benefit that a scooter gives the woman rider is independence. When given the right positive reinforcements throughout childhood – this independence is showcased everywhere including the vehicle she chooses to ride and its upkeep and maintenance Through this campaign on Rakhshabandhan we are trying to show how strong and interdependent brother-sister relationship is. In the video -the brother is chief ally, who encourages his sister to break barriers and inspires her to take full responsibility of her scooter including its maintenance…it’s a progressive & forward-looking narrative.”

    Mindshare Client Leadership Anita Kotwani said, “We have always believed that if you are able to build content around cultural relevance and bring in a new dimension to the storyline then it definitely resonates with the audiences. We are confident that this video will touch the hearts of millions of brothers and sisters in India and bring them closer to Brand Castrol Activ Scooter.”

    Mithila Palkar spoke on her experience, “Women, in general, have been taught for centuries that they need to be protected by their male guardians. Chal Udte Hain is a thought provoking video about brothers protecting women by making them self-reliant and taking confidence in their independence. I had a wonderful time working with the Blush team and take pleasure in being associated with this inspirational video. I’m sure the audience will love it.”

    To all the brothers- help your sister believe she can and she will. Here’s to looking at Raksha Bandhan in a whole new way!