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Tag: covid-19

  • Times Network unveils Times Fact India Outbreak Report for COVID-19

    Times Network unveils Times Fact India Outbreak Report for COVID-19

    MUMBAI: Times Network in partnership with a global consulting firm Protiviti unveiled Times Fact India Outbreak Report, a comprehensive analysis that highlights the impact of the pandemic in India and projects the possible number of active cases in the weeks ahead.

    Aligned with the Network’s umbrella campaign — Fighting Fear with Facts — the report was featured across network’s news channels – TIMES NOW, ET NOW and Mirror NOW – on 17 April with an exclusive two-hour-long programme that discussed the emerging COVID-19 scenario and its implications with leading experts and policymakers.

    “Times Fact India Outbreak Report is based on three different models, the percentage model, which involves mapping trends from Italy and the United States onto India; the Time Series Model, which involves factors in data across time periods in China and South Korea in addition to two polynomial regression models adapted to Indian data, and the Susceptible Exposed Infected Recovered (SEIR) model which is based on an estimation of a reproduction rate of the epidemic,” reads the official statement of the network.

    Drawing critical information from central government data, state government bulletins, and daily updates provided by the health ministry, the report is a holistic COVID-19 projection for the nation. It also takes into account the healthcare capacity of the nation and its states, to understand shortfall of beds and availability of ICUs, in the event of an escalation.

    Based on a predictive model which leverages verified big data and new technologies for effective decision-making, the report aims to empower the administrative authorities to spot possible hotspots, critical gaps and build capacity to meet the arising situation.

    It captures six national projections and includes individual analysis for eight states and four cities. The study also provides a projection of what could happen if the lockdown is lifted within a certain time-frame.

    Times Network chief executive officer and managing director MK Anand says: “The Times Fact India Outbreak Report is a step aimed to dispel the uncertainty with facts, ably backed by a scientific approach that analyses the impact of COVID-19 in India and throws light on potential lethal gaps in infrastructure which can be a lead indicator of social unrest and disruption in specific geographies.”

    He further says that the current pandemic disruption is probably the most significant event of our lifetime with socio-economic implications. we believe in taking the onus and proactively responding with timely and high-quality information that assists in arresting the adversity.

    “I am confident that this report will act as an important enabler to navigate the evolving scenario of the pandemic with a systematic approach and help in building decisive strategies to flatten the curve,” exhorts Times Network’s CEO and MD.

    Protiviti India director – data and digital transformation Dhrubabrata Ghosh Dastidar says, “The study is an example of how with the help of data, technology and sophisticated analytical algorithms, we can analyze a ‘black swan’ – in this case, a global pandemic, monitor the same on a regular basis to see the various possible paths it can take, and provide insights based on strong modelling outcomes. This will help the nation face the future with confidence.”

  • RB launches nationwide #DisinfectToProtect awareness campaign

    RB launches nationwide #DisinfectToProtect awareness campaign

    MUMBAI:  In order to raise awareness on disinfection to help fight germs, RB’s leading disinfectant brand Lizol has launched anationwide awareness campaign #DisinfectToProtect. The campaign focuses on educating people on the need for keeping surfaces clean and disinfected to help break the chain of infection.

    RB Hygiene South Asia senior vice president and managing director Narasimhan Eswar said,“Post our pledge to donate one million litre of Lizol and Harpic to support the frontline workers and healthcare institutions across multiple Indian states, we are now looking to educate our consumers with the right information that will help them break the chain of infection.”

    The campaign will comprise of several short-educational films all shot at home featuring prominent faces of the film industry including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Ganesh Venktataram and Nisha Venktataram, Twinkle Khanna, Ritesh Deshmukh & Genelia D’Souza urging people to stay at home and disinfect frequently used surfaces.

    Lizol Public Service Message – Saif Ali Khan
    Lizol public service message – Kareena Kapoor Khan

    RB Hygiene South Asia CMO and marketing director Sukhleen Aneja added, “At this point in time, protection and precaution are key to fighting viruses. It has become extremely critical to maintain good hygiene at home by regular hand washing, disinfecting surfaces, maintaining social distancing etc. These are the only way to help break the chain of this deadly infection. With Lizol’s #DisinfectToProtect campaign we would like to raise awareness on the need for disinfecting not just floors but multiple surfaces like tabletops, kitchen counters, door handles etc. We hope that with this campaign we can do our bit in raising awareness and making the world cleaner and healthier.”

    The public service message has been put together by McCann and inculcates necessary steps as has also been suggested by WHO on various platforms such as social distancing, hand washing and home disinfection.

    Commenting on this McCann Worldgroup CEO and COO Prasoon Joshi said, “While we are strictly adhering to the stringent guidelines of staying at home, this public service message is our way of educating people on taking utmost care of their home and their loved ones by keeping surfaces clean and germ free.”

  • Dish TV India’s OTT Platform Watcho sees 50% surge in content consumption

    Dish TV India’s OTT Platform Watcho sees 50% surge in content consumption

    MUMBAI: Leading DTH company Dish TV India has rolled out a variety of short format, snackable original content on its OTT platform Watcho in response to the increase in the viewing needs of their customers,

    Over the past one month, the platform has witnessed a 50 per cent surge in content consumption, leading to a steep hike in their subscriber base and adding 1 million new subscribers in a month bringing it up to 3.0 million. Watcho has also seen a spike in the time spent by viewers on the platform during March 2020. This sudden increase can be attributed to the recently added new and fresh content on the platform and the overall surge in consumption of content during the ongoing lockdown.

    Additionally, during the lockdown period, Watcho’s streaming bandwidth has been better optimized to reduce network load on the internet by reducing the native resolution of the app to 480p without compromising on the quality. The company undertook this move to ensure the delivery of uninterrupted content to the viewers and keep them entertained 24*7. 

    “We are excited to share that Watcho has witnessed solid growth in its customer base and content consumption since January 2020. The rapid growth is
    the result of our strategy to create short, engaging content which is the preference of viewers nowadays. Since the inception of Watcho, we have invested in building a unique content library which includes original series & shows, cutting across genres like drama, comedy and Thrillers. As a result, Watcho is fast emerging as the preferred entertainment destination among young audiences,” DishTV India Ltd executive director and group CEO Anil Dua said.

    Focused on short format storytelling for digital consumption, Watcho offers many original fiction shows like 4 Thieves, Love Crisis, Ardhasatya, Mortuary, Chhoriyan, Rakhta Chandana and original influencer shows like Look I can Cook, Bikhare Hain Alfaaz to name a few. Watcho content cuts across all genres including but not limited to; Drama, Comedy, Thriller, Romance, Food, Fashion and Poetry. 

  • Dineout unveils India’s first end-to-end contactless dining suite

    Dineout unveils India’s first end-to-end contactless dining suite

    MUMBAI: Dining out and restaurant tech platform Dineout  has launched the country’s first end-to-end ‘contactless dining suite’ for Indian restaurants to ensure they have the right seamless plug-and-play technology and sanitation requirements to support no-contact dining for the foreseeable future.

    The brand’s in Resto Contactless Dining suite covers the entire dining experience from pre-ordering to the contactless valet, seating, menu, and payments. Online feedback systems have also been put in place that will collect real-time feedback on the dining experience

    Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra said, “Dineout is on a mission to make restaurants a safe harbour for diners as they re-open for business soon. We believe the role of tech in this post-COVID-19 era is to establish trust and build confidence in the minds of consumers, and our new inresto Contactless Dining Suite would help the F&B industry adjust to the new normal as everything from informing diners about the restaurant’s new safety measures, booking a table, pre-ordering dishes to minimise waiting time, seamless takeaway, contactless payments and ensuring superior hygiene standards are the need of the hour for the entire hospitality industry. Our product suite will ensure complete peace of mind for diners as they enjoy exciting experiences and create new memories at their favorite restaurants in town.”

     Absolute Barbecues CEO Prosenjit Roy Choudhury said, “The Post-COVID decade would be a test for restaurants to earn the respect & trust of their customers. As responsible entrepreneurs, we realise the amount of faith customers put in us when they dine at our outlets, and this product suite by Dineout will help fellow restaurant owners across the country revive their business and adjust to the new demands of the ever-evolving hospitality industry.”

    Besides unveiling the ‘contactless dining suite’ to help restaurants survive and thrive in a post-COVID-19 world, Dineout will also provide a PPE Safety Kit for Restaurants and ensure hygiene measures at the restaurant. Not only should our diners be safe but it applies to all our kitchen and wait staff too. Dineout is also facilitating the COVID-free certification for restaurants through a licensed lab in order to ensure that all the microbiological tests are in place before restaurants restart post the lockdown. Users can see the certified restaurants on the Dineout App with their audit rating. This will help them make an informed decision and are assured of the safety and hygiene standards, which will go a long way in building consumer confidence.

  • How short video apps stepped up in the ongoing war against COVID-19

    How short video apps stepped up in the ongoing war against COVID-19

    With the world adhering to norms like social distancing in the prevailing lockdown and COVID-19 scenario, social media, and short video platforms have helped people come closer, at least virtually. Propelled by the lack of recreation options, activities on such apps have witnessed a surge in the recent past. In addition to offering recreational opportunities, short video apps such as TikTok and VMate have also been playing a crucial role in making the fight against the pandemic more effective.

    Apart from common users, such apps have witnessed increased convergence of doctors and medical professionals, who are making use of the wide reach to spread authentic information related to COVID-19. On VMate for instance, a few doctors, such as Dr. Khushboo Tanwar from Haryana and Dr. Chitra Tamta from Uttarakhand told people about how they could make sanitizers at home using doctor spirit and aloe vera and how they should use the masks properly. Similar activities were carried out on short video app Likee, wherein medical professionals even held live sessions to address queries related to the pandemic.

    Even when Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation to announce the lockdown, and days later its extension, the same was streamed on the world’s leading short video app TikTok. This helped several people who did not have access to television at that time get first-hand information rather than relying on indirect messages that often get distorted and lost in communication.

    Even celebrities from Bollywood and other fields have used short video apps extensively to spread awareness about the pandemic since its outbreak, as many have repeatedly shared videos instructing and reminding people about the Dos and Don’ts related to the novel virus and lockdown. For example, popular Haryanvi dancer Sapna Chaudhary recently performed on VMate Corona Anthem, a foot-tapping number that asserts that the virus will be gone soon and simultaneously raises awareness.

    These apps have specifically been instrumental in busting myths around the novel virus. VMate, for instance, launched an official profile titled ‘Myth Buster’, wherein info sourced from WHO was presented in an interactive and animated format. Keeping the audience base in consideration, clear Hindi text was supported with an audio voiceover reading them out.

    The short video apps have also tried to ensure that they come to the rescue of people battling boredom or scrambling for creative options to spend their lockdown time at home. The apps launched hashtags and challenges that served the purpose and were well received by the users too. TikTok, for instance, launched hashtags such as #boredathome and #thingstodo, which provided activity options to users to make the best of their lockdown days. VMate, which is called ‘Rural India’s TikTok’, too launched a #21DaysChallenge wherein the platform offered a fresh challenge to the users each day. The best videos out of them were featured and rewarded on an in-app H5 page dedicated to the challenge.

    On VMate, users shared videos to showcase how rural India was coping up with the crisis. Some of the videos depicted how authorities were using traditional means such as loudspeakers on bicycles and autorickshaws to inform people about the lockdown and the directives issued by the government. The users also shared several heart-touching moments, such as one Sunny Virdi, whose video showed his mother serving food and tea to an old man who hadn’t eaten anything for over two days. A few others from different parts of India, who distributed food among villagers and children, also shared their videos on the short video app.

    As the world encountered its biggest crisis in modern history, short videos apps stepped up in a variety of ways and undertook initiatives to ensure the absence of gloom around to a great extent. They have fought misinformation, curbed circulation of fake news and at the same time emerged as the best entertainment options when mankind is practically under house arrest by the pandemic.

  • Ogilvy partners India govt in war against COVID-19

    Ogilvy partners India govt in war against COVID-19

    MUMBAI: Ogilvy India has created a distinctive and engaging anti-COVID-19 campaign for the government of India, under the title, ‘Mask Force’. It involves some of India’s most loved and celebrated cricketers talking to the nation, starting with captain Virat Kohli and concluding with Sachin Tendulkar. The lineup also includes women cricketing stars such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Mithali Raj.

    The cricketers, in their short message, make a point that while India has great cricketing teams, the time has come to form a formidable team of 1.3 billion Indians called ‘Mask Force’. A force that is very easy for every Indian to join and defeat the spreading Coronavirus. Simply by making our own masks at home and always ensuring that we do not step out of our home without wearing our masks. Each cricketer leads the way by pulling up their unique mask after inspiring the country to do the same.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1y5giXt2AA   

    BCCI was instrumental in getting together the cricketers required for the campaign. Given the popularity of cricket in India, where it is informally referred to as the ‘national religion’, it was no surprise that the video is being loved and shared with immense swiftness.

    Ogilvy CCO worldwide and executive chairman India  Piyush Pandey said: “For decades now, we at Ogilvy have stepped up to stand by our country’s needs through our CSR, be it for polio eradication, literacy, fighting crimes against women and many more causes. So as soon as the government of India approached us for our effectiveness in spreading messages to the masses, we wholeheartedly jumped in to do our bit. I believed that ‘Mask Force’ would be a likeable term that could be used to galvanise the whole country, hence decided to name this program ‘Mask Force’.”

    Ogilvy has also said that this is the first in the Mask Force series of exercises it is partnering the government on, in India’s war against Covid-19.

  • Star Sports curates special line up of premier league re-runs

    Star Sports curates special line up of premier league re-runs

    MUMBAI: Star Sports Select has started broadcasting an array of Premier league to fill the empty abyss in the lives of the vast number of football fans in India from 18 April. For the first time in the 28-year history of the Premier League, the season came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

    A list of specially curated shows on Star Sports Select namely PL Classic, Soccerbox, PL 100, PL 1-to-11, PL Legends, PL Goals & Reviews will help satiate the appetite of every premier league fan as they try to subsist through these tough and uncertain times.

    Star Sports has curated a special show called PL Legends which will explore the performances and the lives of legends like Paolo Di Canio, Neville Southall, Ian Wright, Thierry Henry, Tony Adams and Gianfranco Zola to name a few.

    The show PL Classic will showcase some of the most nail-biting and the best PL matches. Each fan of premier league clubs will be able to see great performances of their teams especially against the classic rivals.

    Some of the other exciting shows by Star Sports are – Review of the season, a programme that reviews premier league seasons from the last decade; Soccerbox, a show that includes Manchester United’s legend Gary Neville, reliving most gripping matches with his former rivals or teammates.

    PL 100, a show that talks about an elite group of players who have scored more than 100 premier league goals; and 1 to11', a programme where each episode features a different PL legend or current player discussing the best 11 players they have played with and against.

  • Maintain social distancing: BARC India COO Romil Ramgarhia

    Maintain social distancing: BARC India COO Romil Ramgarhia

    While expressing his gratitude towards Covid-19 warriors, BARC India COO Romil Ramgarhia requests people to maintain social distancing. It is essential that we follow this social distancing very religiously at this time. We can only survive only because of the tireless work of doctors, nurses, garbage cleaners, and suppliers who are putting their life on the line, he says, while thanking all of them.

    Watch the video:

  • ZEEL’s Prathyusha Agarwal applauds the champions

    ZEEL’s Prathyusha Agarwal applauds the champions

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) chief consumer officer Prathyusha Agarwal thanks the real heroes – health workers, doctors, policemen, etc. – who are at the forefront of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjusting to the new normal is not easy, but desperate situations call for extraordinary measures, she says. She applauds and salutes all those champions who are stepping out of their comfort zones every single day to ensure that we all stay healthy and safe and our essential services and goods are delivered.  

    Watch the video:

  • COVID-19 a disruptor that comes with great learnings

    COVID-19 a disruptor that comes with great learnings

    NEW DELHI: The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has come as a great leveller to the brands and marketing industry, conceded a panel comprising industry experts during a virtual panel discussion on “How brands are communicating in times of lockdown”, organised on Friday by Indiantelevision.com.

    The panel included Future Retail CMO-FBB Prachi Mohapatra, Timex Group India head marketing Ajay Dhyani, Duroflex Mattresses India VP-marketing Smita Murarka, Shemaroo Entertainment head marketing and communications Rahul Mishra, Dentsu One India president Harjot Singh Narang, and Mirum India joint CEO Sanjay Mehta.

    The panel was moderated by Indiantelevisio.com CEO, founder, and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari.

    The participants agreed that while the pandemic came as a huge disruptor, causing feelings like anxiety and doubt, it gave them a better understanding of how their respective industries function.

    Murarka quipped that she took on the charge of Duroflex just a month prior to the lockdown and while it was challenging, it really helped her figure out the industry and the brand proposition, which wouldn’t otherwise have been possible in such a short span.

    According to Narang, the pandemic also helped great human relationships flourish with teams bonding over the work in critical times and client relationships getting better.

    The panel also agreed that once the situation gets back to the “new normal”, which according to Anil Wanvari would have nothing normal, will come as another disruption in the industry, making people more mindful of their purchases. Mehta said that a young person who might have faced a job loss or pay cut might be thinking about saving more in the coming future and may skip the backpacking trip one took.

    Mohapatra stayed hopeful that the ongoing pandemic might once again result in a lipstick effect for the fashion industry and especially for her brand whose USP lies in its pricing.

    The panellists predicted that the business and life might bounce back to normalcy around September-October, which they are seeing as a great time for the businesses to pick up again, given that it will be the festive season in India.