ITV

Tag: covid-19

  • News18 India’s special campaign urges people to get fully vaccinated

    News18 India’s special campaign urges people to get fully vaccinated

    Mumbai: As India speculates the probability of a third wave, immunising the entire population resonates as the only solution to tackle the coronavirus scare efficiently. Fostering the objective to share the pressing health and wellness goals among its viewers, News18 India has launched a special campaign – ‘Vaccine Se Rukegi Teesri Lahar.’ Starting from 3 January, the campaign involves medical practitioners and expert panelists to discuss key interventions that can be taken at both the policy and individual level. 

    The increase in cases in the last few days and the spread of the new variant Omicron is a sign that the country’s vaccination drive needs further reinforcement. Through the campaign, the channel urges its viewers to get fully vaccinated and alongside, take mandatory precautions like wearing masks and maintaining social distance. 

    The channel will also highlight the tireless efforts of medical teams and local administration during the peak of the pandemic period. This will help the viewers comprehend the unwelcome consequences of the pandemic that aggravate because of ignorance and unpreparedness.

    Being the country’s leading Hindi news channel, News18 India has been raising pertinent issues impacting the citizens. India will start giving booster shots to health and frontline workers including those above 60 years of age from next week. Meanwhile, vaccinations for children between 15 to 18 years have already begun. 

    News18 India, through an innovative approach to raising awareness, has garnered unflinching support from viewers in its previous campaigns. The channel aims to further its efforts through regular engagement and high-quality relevant content across various subjects.

  • Inox opens its fifth multiplex at Worldmark Mall in Gurugram

    Inox opens its fifth multiplex at Worldmark Mall in Gurugram

    Mumbai: Multiplex chain Inox Leisure Ltd (Inox) has announced the launch of its fifth multiplex in the city of Gurugram at Worldmark Mall located at Maidawas Road, which is one of the prime hub for IT and corporate parks. The new multiplex has five auditoria with a total of 904 seats, including 33 luxurious recliner seats. 

    With this launch, Inox will expand its presence to 158 multiplexes spanning 667 screens across 70 cities in the country. Inox now operates nine multiplexes with 32 screens in the state of Haryana. 

    According to a statement, the auditoria are equipped with advanced digital laser projection system for razor-sharp visuals. 

    In addition, the theaters also offer a great sound experience from the Dolby system for guests to enjoy a thunderous feel. The immersive ambience of auditoriums compliments the vibrant 3D view, which is powered by Volfoni Smart Crystal Diamond solution. Guests would also get to experience Inox’s vibrant hospitality and gourmet offerings.

    “The people of Gurugram are true connoisseurs of cinema and has a huge interest in watching their favourite movies at the best state of art facilities, and Inox has played a huge role in this journey,” stated Inox Leisure Ltd regional director (North) Lalit Ojha. “With the launch of five screens at the extravagant Worldmark Mall, we will further continue to delight our patrons with the best of INOX hospitality with a convenient location, easy accessibility, state-of-the-art facilities, and high-end technology. We are looking forward to welcoming the cinema lovers of Gurugram to city’s latest entertainment destination.”

    Besides making sure that the cinemas will be operated by a 100 per cent vaccinated team, Inox is adhering to each and every instruction as prescribed in the notifications issued by the state government under its hygiene initiative called #SafetyFirst, said the statement.

  • Enormous melts hearts in new Christmas film for Winkies

    Enormous melts hearts in new Christmas film for Winkies

    December: People’s lives were impacted by the Covid-19 epidemic, particularly those who owned small businesses. Enormous’ new animated Christmas film for Winkies is dedicated to all individuals who have suffered at work in the past year, as well as those who have helped them get through it. 

    The three-minute animated film shows how a barbershop faced closure due to the pandemic. The film reflects the struggles people had to undergo during the pandemic and celebrates how small actions helped save businesses. #BoroDinBoroMonn which is about sharing joy and cheer during Christmas is also the essence of the brand.

    Switzindia brand manager Rahul Deb Saha said, “The movie demonstrates how Covid-19 affected small business owners, but that as things began to normalise, they were able to celebrate the holiday season. It’s part of a wider idea known as Boro Din, Boro Monn, which is about sharing joy and happiness throughout the holidays and is also the brand’s soul.”

    Enormous managing partner Ashish Khazanchi said, “We thought of dedicating a Christmas film for Winkies to the people whose lives were impacted by the epidemic and to all those who helped them get through it when we were producing it. We are ecstatic to be able to conceptualise this film, and we hope to provide joy and happiness this holiday season, as well as hope and optimism for 2022.”

  • Cleartrip’s latest ad gives travellers liberty to ‘Book Abhi, Travel Kabhi Bhi’

    Cleartrip’s latest ad gives travellers liberty to ‘Book Abhi, Travel Kabhi Bhi’

    Mumbai: While people had just resumed their travel journeys, conversations around the new Covid-19 variant have curbed some of the enthusiasm once again, adding to the hassles around planning a trip. Keeping this in mind, online travel company Cleartrip has launched its latest advertising campaign. 

    The campaign reflects the brand as the most flexible travel partner for consumers in times of uncertainty, drawing upon customer-centric flagship products which take care of uncertainties around travel planning.

    Talking about the campaign, Lowe Lintas chief creative officer Sagar Kapoor said, “Cancelling or postponing a vacation or a trip can be a tedious and often expensive affair. This is what stops people from making plans and bookings in advance. And this is where Cleartrip’s features like EzCancel and Flexifly come in – by giving travellers the opportunity to plan travel with complete peace of mind. So, we crafted a campaign that brought alive all the joys of travel planning and negated all the pains and uncertainty associated with it. The cast added charm and believability to the stories. And the treatment drove home the point – don’t just dream about travel, start planning for it.”

    Based on key insights, the latest campaign conceptualised by Lowe Lintas Bangalore, highlights the travel app’s product offerings like offering 100 per cent refund on cancellations and enabling consumers to change plans easily. Launched with the idea of ‘Book abhi and Cancel kabhi Bhi, the offering makes travel plans truly flexible. While cancelling or postponing travel plans were so far costly choices, the Flipkart Group company, through its latest campaign, informs consumers that these options are readily and economically available to them when they book travel plans through the platform.

    “With consumer sentiments at their peak during the holiday season, we predicted travel aspirations to increase as well,” Cleartrip chief marketing officer Kunal Dubey said. “The latest campaign celebrates this excitement of planning a holiday while diminishing the ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. We are confident that this ad campaign will resonate with the travellers and give them the confidence to book their holiday plan without worries.” 

  • India advertising market to see 15% growth in 2022: Magna advertising forecast

    India advertising market to see 15% growth in 2022: Magna advertising forecast

    New Delhi: Advertising revenues swung back to a healthy growth rate of 14 per cent in 2021, rising from Rs 577 billion to Rs 657 billion. The growth is likely to accelerate further in 2022, with a 15 per cent rise in advertising revenue according to the Magna Global Forecasting Report released on Thursday.

    While the digital ad formats grew by 20 per cent to Rs 214 billion this year, the traditional media rose 12 per cent. Ecommerce, Retail, Durables, Beverages, Pharma, Real estate, Finance, and Education remained the most active categories while automobile, government, personal care, and communication brands continued to hold back their spending.

    TV to grow by 11 per cent to reach Rs 294 billion by 2022 end 

    Despite the Covid-led disruptions, television performed well in 2021 with original programming and Live sports events including the IPL and ICC T20 World Cup which boosted its revenue growth. With IPL media rights coming up in 2022, valuation this time is going to be even higher with the increase in the number of teams and the number of matches. With this factor, coupled with a few critical state elections, TV is expected to maintain momentum and grow by +11 per cent to reach Rs 294 billion by the end of 2022, according to the forecast.

    Video and Social Media to lead Digital ad-spends

    Digital advertising is currently the second-largest segment at 33 per cent market share. As per the forecast, Video and social platforms are likely to gain significant advertising share followed by audio and display. Overall, digital advertising revenues are expected to grow 18.5 per cent next year to top Rs 250 billion, as per the forecast.

    Growth of print to be broad-based

    In 2021, overall print grew +12 per cent from a low base (2020: -40 per cent), despite the slowdown in business. Growth has come from Retail, Durables, Finance, Real Estate, and Government spending. 2022 growth is expected to be broad-based, with most categories increasing spends and elections in a few large states helping to drive an increase of +14 per cent. With all Covid-19 restrictions lifted, the wedding season (which typically begins in October and lasts through March/April) will present another opportunity for print to thrive.

    Radio to witness growth of 21 per cent in 2022. 

    Radio is expected to gain back the transit audience listeners lost during the lockdowns. Growth in both listenership and revenue is expected to come from tier 2 and tier 3 markets. Overall, radio advertising revenues grew +20 per cent in 2021 to reach ₹16 billion, nearly 70 per cent of the pre-Covid market size.  Growth was driven by e-commerce, food, pharma, and retail advertising. Growth of +21 per cent is expected for 2022. 

    OOH growth to accelerate

    OOH traffic numbers are already reaching pre-Covid levels, with passenger footfall in airports and the metro increasing rapidly. OOH, (digital & static, not including cinema) revenues rebounded by +17 per cent in 2021 and an acceleration (+20 per cent) is expected in 2022, with revenues reaching 67 per cent of 2019 pre-Covid market size at the end of the year. Automobile, real estate, OTT and finance are a few categories driving OOH advertising growth.

    Major Sectors

    According to the forecast, travel & hospitality will see a resurgence in 2022, with the relaxation in travel regulations. The automobile and handset sectors that experienced supply-side issues will bounce back, too, along with education, realty, retail, and fashion sectors. Traditionally TV-heavy categories, like FMCG, personal products, and food are expected to increase their share of digital advertising. Advertisers will also pursue every shoppable moment to offer “anywhere commerce” to their consumers. With local players in Reliance and Tata e-commerce platforms gaining more traction, the sector will further increase its share of advertising. 

    IPG Mediabrands India CEO Shashi Sinha said, “Waning fear of the virus, along with the opening of economic and leisure activities, has given a boost to demand and improved business sentiment. The Indian advertising marketplace is experiencing recovery and accelerated adoption of non-conventional methods by all forms of media to engage consumers is helping along the recovery path. Though the second Covid wave in 2021Q2 disrupted the momentum, ad revenue in 2021 will grow at a healthy rate after contracting -22 per cent in 2020

  • Zee 24 Taas to host ‘Udaan – Dare to Dream’

    Zee 24 Taas to host ‘Udaan – Dare to Dream’

    Mumbai: Zee 24 Taas is set to host ‘Udaan – Dare to Dream’ event that aims to shine a light on emerging businesses that are achieving excellence through innovation. The event will celebrate and acknowledge the inspiring stories of achievers, champions, and entrepreneurs who have exemplified leadership, innovation, and perseverance by disruption.

    In the last one and a half years, the pandemic has completely shaken the whole world, but some people gathered the strength in those bleak times and kept pushing to attain perfection in their respective fields. The event will host a panel of industrialists and entrepreneurs who will speak about the complications faced during covid and after covid, and how they have kept up their businesses and helped the employees in that difficult phase.

    The event will be attended by the member of Rajya Sabha Sharad Pawar; union minister of micro, small and medium enterprises Narayan Rane; union minister of State for finance Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, and PWD minister Ashok Chavan among others.

    “Zee Hindustan launched the Udaan – Dare to Dream series earlier this year from the Nation’s Capital City – Delhi. We Come to Mumbai in the next leg of this series where Zee 24 Taas shall be proud to celebrate the people who gave wings to the economy and have inspired everyone with their fighting spirit in such difficult times,” stated Zee Media Corp Ltd CRO Manoj Jagyasi. “By hosting the Udaan – Dare to Dream event we salute and thank them for their wonderful contribution. We shall continue to honour Individuals and Businesses in our line-up of Udaan – Dare to Dream events in Udaipur on 28 November and in Ahmedabad on 30 November.”

  • GUEST COLUMN: How digital marketing is growing post Covid-19

    GUEST COLUMN: How digital marketing is growing post Covid-19

    Mumbai: Technology is fast infesting all of the world’s processes in today’s day and age. Digitisation has become the norm of the day and is fast-changing the way we see the world. The simplest and most regular of activities have now transitioned into a virtual format. In this scenario, the advertising and marketing arenas are no exception, as digital marketing has surfaced as the prime form of marketing in the 21st century.

    Even though digital marketing as an industry has been on the rise for the better half of the decade, one cannot overlook the significant contribution that Covid has made in accelerating its growth. As per a report by Statista, the Indian digital marketing industry that valued at Rs 47 billion in 2015 had reached the value of Rs 199 billion in 2020. The report further went on to predict that the industry will continue on this remarkable trajectory and reach a staggering Rs 539 billion by 2024.

    Since a principal reason for such paced growth of digital marketing as a field is the pandemic, one has to speculate its existence and growth after the pandemic is over as well. Especially with preventive vaccines rolling out and the probable end of the crisis approaching, an evaluation must be done with regard to what a firm operating in the industry can expect in the post-Covid era. Some trends as expected to dominate the landscape of digital marketing in the year 2022 are listed as follows-

    Growing importance of content quality

    ‘Content is king’ is a popularly accepted phrase now. A company is primarily known and recognised by the content that is available on various platforms under its name as that is what a large chunk of prospective customers interact with. Thus, it is vital for the content to be top-notch as a brand’s image and potential business largely depend on the first impression it makes. Good quality content will captivate the reader’s attention and lure them in to glance at the products and services that you offer.

    The quality of the content is, in fact, so crucial when it comes to making a mark on the potential customer and interesting them in your brand that it can prove to be a make or break factor for your digital advertising campaign’s success. Digital marketers are expected to note this steadily growing trend of content importance and capitalise on it in the approaching year to gain customer trust and attention.

    Influencer Marketing

    The attention span of people is reducing by the day in this day of technology and fast entertainment. Nowadays, the prime priority of consumers is quickness and efficiency in all fields of life. Additionally, as the internet population grows more diverse and scattered, it becomes increasingly harder to capture their attention, even for a limited time. There is thus a need for digital advertising to be done in a manner that conveys all vital information in a crisp and engaging manner.

    Additionally, there is also a need for marketing agencies to pick carefully the manner and the platform on which a particular offering will be advertised based on the target customer group. Influencer marketing is one tool that is fast picking up in today’s time due to its several benefits such as existing customer trust in their favourite influencers, affinity to popular platforms, and proven effectiveness. This trend is expected to escalate in the year 2022 as well owing to these and more perks that it carries.

    Growing need and importance of virtual assistants

    Technology is at the core of all innovation and is thus an integral part of ‘the way forward.’ AI has been ruling all industries for the greater part of this decade and is only expected to continue the streak. Automation and Chatbots have now made their way into most of the B2C communication that goes on in today’s date, thereby making these processes quick, efficient, and economic. It is critical for digital marketing firms to infuse the use of automation and AI in their daily processes to enhance their efficiency and results.

    Summing Up

    The digital marketing industry has experienced enormous growth in the wake of the Covid pandemic. However, as the pandemic is coming under control and drawing to a possible end, the industry is bound to undergo some substantial changes. In this scenario, it is important for a firm functioning in this industry to assess the trends that are expected to dictate the approaching times. Some of the principal trends as such were discussed in the scope of this article.

    (Amol Roy is the founder of The Shutter Cast. The views expressed in the column are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)

  • As theatres reopen, PVR Pictures set to rekindle India’s romance with cinema

    As theatres reopen, PVR Pictures set to rekindle India’s romance with cinema

    Mumbai: The pandemic had rendered entertainment to become a largely indoor affair, with content consumption confined to household spaces. However, as the world begins to open up, cinema can be enjoyed on the big screen again and PVR Pictures is leaving no stone unturned to make sure audiences are spoiled for choice when they return to theatres.

    Celebrating cinema’s homecoming in grand style, PVR Pictures is slated to release big-ticket Hollywood flicks like “The Contractor,” “Spencer,” “Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre,” “Moonfall,” “C’mon C’mon,” and “The 355” are also set to hit theatres via PVR Pictures.

    Amongst this list, some of the notable names are:

    The 355

    The edge of the seat spy saga features some of the best female talents from Hollywood with “Zero Dark Thirty” fame Jessica Chastain, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, as well as Penélope Cruz and Diane Kruger headlining the star-studded cast.

    Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre

    The action extravaganza sees Jason Statham play a daring and elite secret agent who is forced to recruit a Hollywood superstar (Josh Hartnett) in order to save the world. The film marks Jason’s fifth collaboration with Guy Ritchie. Known for his quirky and out-of-the-box directorial style, Richie might just reinvent the action genre with this adrenaline-filled ride.

    Moonfall

    Roland Emmerich is renowned for helming epic disaster spectacles right from “Independence Day” and “Godzilla” to 2012. The filmmaker turns to space for his next adventure, and if the buzz is anything to go by, this will be his biggest one yet.

    C’mon C’mon

    Mike Mills has brought together a brilliant cast of Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffman, and Woody Norman in a story of how a man and his young nephew forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together.

    “Our upcoming arrays of big-ticket films are targeted towards making sure the audiences fall in love with the magic of movies again,” stated PVR Ltd joint MD Sanjeev K Bijli. “As a brand, PVR is known to back content that is intriguing, and our latest releases imbibe the same philosophy. The importance of content that is impactful is greater now than ever to breathe back life into the cinemas.” 

    With their firm commitment to world cinema, PVR Pictures will also bring films from other parts of Asia to Indian shores. While “Blackpink: The Movie” chronicles the journey of South Korea’s most beloved musical girl band, Japanese productions like “My Hero Academia: Movie 3”, “Kimetsu Orchestra Concert” and “Fate/Grand Order – Final Singularity” shall serve as a unique treat for anime fans.

    “As a company, we always believe in giving audiences an exciting array of films to choose from. Our upcoming lineup of releases ensures that there is everything for someone and something for everyone when they return to the movies after a long wait,” said PVR Pictures Ltd CEO Kamal Gianchandani

  • Innovation, design & experience tech needed to meet consumer expectations in new normal: Report

    Innovation, design & experience tech needed to meet consumer expectations in new normal: Report

    Mumbai: It is widely accepted that Covid-19 has accelerated digitisation across every industry in every market. 2020 saw marketers double down on innovating their products and services specifically to pivot in response to Covid-19. 83 per cent of marketers agree that there can no longer be any disconnect between what a brand promises and what it delivers for its customers, communities, and employees, according to a new annual study by global creative experience agency Isobar, assessing the evolution of customer experience design.

    The report ‘Isobar CX Survey 2021: The Rise of Connected Experience’ with insights from over 800 global CMO’s indicates clear agreement between CMOs globally of a permanently transformed approach to marketing post-covid. 86 per cent of marketers agree that every touchpoint can and should tell the brand story, from comms to commerce. Innovation, integration of the brand promise, and delightful interactions enhanced by technology were named as the top three key ingredients needed in the creation of brand experiences. 82 per cent of marketers revealed they are investing or have already invested in creativity and digital technologies to create brand differentiation. Research was conducted in August 2021 via online questionnaires completed by 800 CMOs and marketing directors in eight markets, including India, for this purpose.

    Alternative sensorial brand experiences are on the rise with 86 per cent of marketers saying creating brand design systems for a multi-sensory world is increasingly important, and 36 per cent asking specifically for new craft skills designed for a multi-sensory world from their agency partner. In a first for the industry, Isobar has validated some of these assumptions with CMOs stating that creativity is critical to differentiation in this digital world, with the boundaries of content, commerce, and culture blurring irrevocably.

    The results reveal a ‘new normal’ for marketers, with the overwhelming majority in agreement that innovation, design, and experience technologies are needed to meet consumer expectations post-covid. The results overwhelmingly show an increase in creating new sensorial experiences, delivered through experience technologies and demanding a new set of craft skills that are imperative to creating differentiation.

    Touch-free technologies, gestural technologies, voice interfaces, and virtual brand properties including avatars, idols, products experiences, and configurators are all being increasingly adopted. This is an extension of the findings of the report from 2020 that saw significant marketer adoption of ‘experience technologies’ such as voice, AR, and IoT alongside a significant increase in the value CMOs placed on ideas and innovation in shaping CX strategy. 

    “What stands out is that experience has become an even bigger focus for how consumers are making choices around the brands they invite into their lives. The connected future has arrived—innovation and new experience technologies are now critical in creating differentiation and growth. But it’s a connected experience – creativity that crosses touchpoints, senses, and communities, and that is driving this future. This survey is a call to arms for everyone in the industry to step up or be lost in a sea of sameness,” said dentsu head of innovation and design and Isobar managing partner Sven Huberts.

    Authored by Isobar’s global teams of creative and innovation experts, the report aims to offer insight into how the marketing industry is responding to the changing needs of brands today and to provide inspiration and tools to help the creation of delightful and differentiated experiences of tomorrow.

    “The term ‘Experience’ has changed forever. In a post-pandemic world, for a brand to lead from a customer-centric position, experiences can no longer afford to be one-dimensional. The findings of the survey published in ‘The Rise Of Connected Experience’ report, will give readers a more comprehensive view of a customer’s journey and deep insights into what is driving customer experience,” added dentsu Creative India CEO Amit Wadhwa.

    The report describes the fundamental changes to the way brands are increasingly being built and uses global case studies from Isobar’s client partners including KFC, Philips, Beats, and Volkswagen to illustrate how marketers are shifting strategy. Some of the key changes are that there can no longer be any disconnect between what a brand promises and what customer experiences, and virtual experiences will become as real, human, and valuable as offline experiences. It also summarised that the boundaries between content and commerce, shopping, and storytelling will be blurred beyond recognition. The report also predicts that as digital experiences are called on to build distinctive brand encounters, a new skill set will be needed at the intersection of craft and innovation.

    “The pandemic upended a marketer’s playbook, challenging leaders to position themselves at the forefront of the longer-term shifts in consumer behaviour that result from disruption. However, even at this time of flux, it’s possible to regain a strong foothold and find familiarity by keeping a real-time pulse on evolving customer preferences. Customers are more trusting of what technology can do and they are seeking new experiences that line up with their renewed way of life. I believe the Isobar CX Survey is the ideal destination to source for insights on driving growth in a post-Covid world,” Isobar India group CEO Heeru Dingra commented. 

  • Cinema halls, drama theatres to reopen in Maharashtra from 22 Oct

    Cinema halls, drama theatres to reopen in Maharashtra from 22 Oct

    Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced that cinema halls and drama theatres in the state will be allowed to operate starting from 22 October. Theatres will have to adhere to the norms set by the government to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

    The state government is going to issue a standard operating procedure for theatre owners soon.

    Thackeray convened a meeting of Covid-19 task force attended by Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and filmmakers Rohit Shetty and Kunal Kapoor. Theatre personality Makarand Deshpande and Marathi actors Subodh Bhave, Aadesh Bandekar among others were also present.

    Theatre owners and associations such as the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) have been actively campaigning, urging the Maharashtra government to relax restrictions on theatres. According to the association, Maharashtra cinema exhibition industry was staring at a monthly loss of Rs 400 crore and were suffering mounting losses with the prolonged shutdown of theatres. Theatres have been shut since mid-March 2020. Restrictions were relaxed briefly in the months of October and November only to be tightened once again with the onset of the second wave.

    Meanwhile, Karnataka has also announced its decision to operate cinema halls and auditoriums at full capacity from 1 October, months after being run at half capacity due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government guidelines mandate a minimum of one dose of vaccine along with other social distancing norms.

    Maharashtra recorded 3,286 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, out of which 446 were from Mumbai. As many as 51 people lost their lives to the disease in the last 24 hours. The total number of total active cases in the state stand at 38, 491, at the time of filing this report.