ITV

Tag: edutainment

  • Puntoon Kids levels up with safe and fun learning-through-play gaming app

    Puntoon Kids levels up with safe and fun learning-through-play gaming app

    MUMBAI: Puntoon Kids, one of India’s fastest-growing fun-learning platforms with over 9 million subscribers, has expanded beyond Youtube with the launch of its first gaming app and the numbers are already impressive. In just one month, the Puntoon Kids games app has crossed 1,05,000 organic downloads on the android play store.

    Built around the brand’s flagship characters Gattu and Chinki, the app is designed for children aged three and above, offering a mix of storytelling, puzzles, and interactive play that also sharpens logical thinking, memory, hand–eye coordination, creativity, and problem-solving.

    Safety and credibility remain at the core. The app has earned Google Play’s teacher approved badge, sits within a select pool of child-safe apps vetted by educators, and is fully COPPA compliant with multiple levels of authentication.

    Puntoon Kids, ceo and founder, Sourabh Kumar said, “At Puntoon Kids, we believe fun and learning are inseparable. Guided by our 3C philosophy: Culture, Curriculum and Curiosity, the app ensures children not only enjoy themselves but also develop important skills and values through play.”

    Priced at Rs 699 a year (Rs 58 a month), the subscription offers premium access to exclusive games alongside free content for all users.

    The launch marks Puntoon Kids’ evolution from a Youtube-led storytelling platform into a broader edutainment ecosystem. For brands, it also opens up meaningful collaboration opportunities in a safe, parent-trusted environment.

  • Tarandeep Singh Sekhon rejoins KidZania as chief business officer

    Tarandeep Singh Sekhon rejoins KidZania as chief business officer

    MUMBAI: In the vibrant world of tiny professionals and big dreams, KidZania India is stepping into 2024 with a blockbuster twist straight out of a storybook. As the bustling indoor theme parks in Mumbai and Delhi gear up for another exciting year, the spotlight shifts to a familiar face returning to lead the charge.

    Tarandeep Singh Sekhon, the seasoned strategist with a knack for weaving magic into brands, has rejoined the $554.8 million company, KidZania, as chief business officer. With his sights set on crafting new adventures, forging strategic partnerships, and elevating the brand to new heights, Sekhon is set to write the next thrilling chapter in KidZania’s journey.

    The ultimate playground of imagination is ready to dream bigger and soar higher—one little leader at a time.

    After previously serving as KidZania’s Marketing Director, where he played a key role in shaping the brand’s identity, Sekhon is rejoining with a renewed vision to enhance KidZania’s value proposition. During his earlier tenure, he created impactful experiences for children and families, which set benchmarks in the edutainment space.

    In his new role, Sekhon aims to steer the brand toward new heights by fostering innovation and building meaningful collaborations. “I’m thrilled to return to KidZania in a new leadership capacity at a pivotal time in the brand’s journey,” said Sekhon. “With a clear vision for growth, I look forward to collaborating with our partners to unlock fresh opportunities, drive innovation in strategic partnerships and sales, and solidify KidZania’s position as a leading global brand. Our mission remains clear: to be the preferred edutainment destination in each market and continue to create impactful experiences for children, families, and brands, while reinforcing our commitment to excellence and long-term value creation.”

    Sekhon brings over 20 years of experience in leisure, entertainment, and experiential marketing. His expertise includes strategic brand partnerships, leadership, and creating unparalleled consumer experiences. His stint in the sports and entertainment industry saw him deliver significant business growth, further solidifying his reputation as a dynamic leader.

    KidZania operates in 30 locations across 20 countries, catering to over 10 million visitors annually. Sekhon’s leadership is expected to enhance the brand’s global footprint and reinforce its position as the top edutainment destination for children and families.

    With his focus on innovation, strategic partnerships, and long-term value creation, Sekhon aims to steer KidZania towards becoming the preferred choice for edutainment in every market it serves.

  • Seekho raises Rs 3.75 crore in seed round led by We Founder Circle

    Seekho raises Rs 3.75 crore in seed round led by We Founder Circle

    Mumbai:  Investment platform We Founder Circle (WFC), led by a global community of founders and strategic angels, has led a seed round worth Rs 3.75 crore in an edutainment startup, Seekho. Many strategic angels have banded together to propel the start-up to new heights.

    Seekho said that it aims to define an entirely new category of edutainment content by combining educational content with entertaining byte-sized videos, building a “Netflix for Learning.” Seekho plans to use the investment to expand into new languages and expand their already diverse premium content library.

    The current round witnessed participation from We Founder Circle and SucSEED Innovation Fund, along with Toppr co-founder Hemanth Goteti and other executives.

    IITK alumni Rohit Choudhary, Keertay Agarwal, and Yash Banwani founded the company in 2020. The startup is already backed by PointOne Capital, 3one4 Capital, First Cheque, Callapina Capital and entrepreneurs including Anupam Mittal (People Group), Gaurav Munjal (Unacademy), Ramakant Sharma (Livspace), Zishaan Hayath (Toppr), Dinesh Goel (Aasaanjobs), Alok Mittal (IAN), Miten Sampat (CRED), Aakrit Vaish (Haptik), Harsh Shah (Fynd) and Harpreet Singh (Cocubes).

    We Founder Circle co-founder Gaurav VK Singhvi said, “At We Founder Circle, we are pleased to have invested in Seekho since they have demonstrated the will and smart ideas required to run a start-up. The start-up has the potential to revolutionise the education system and benefit society in a great way. We pledge our mentorship and support to Seekho, and we intend to cover all aspects of their development, including business strategy, product development, community building, and connecting with potential business mentors.”

    Seekho founder and CEO Rohit Choudhary added, “At Seekho, we are thrilled to have WFC and SucSEED as strategic investment partners, especially at this time when we are seeing really promising early results from the launch of Seekho PLUS subscriptions. With such strategic angels on board, we intend to scale up quickly and reach one lakh paying subscribers in the next six months.”

  • USP Studios’ Kids TV receives Diamond Play Button from YouTube

    USP Studios’ Kids TV receives Diamond Play Button from YouTube

    MUMBAI: USP Studios' flagship channel, Kids TV, has surpassed the 10 million subscribers mark, creating a strong community of loyal viewers. To celebrate this achievement, the video-sharing giant YouTube has honoured USP Studios with the prestigious Diamond Play Button.

    The Diamond Play Button is a top honour conferred by YouTube, next only to the Ruby Play Button for the 50 million mark.

    USP Studios founder Uday Singh said, “It is a proud moment for us to receive the Diamond Play Button from YouTube and we couldn’t be happier. The button is a quality certification, a mark of the immense work that every member at USP Studios has put in to reach this subscriber base and an encouragement to keep striving for more. It is also a huge responsibility because our animations and our characters are reaching millions of people around the world. By working closely with our platform partners, we will continue to grow our global community and entertain new audiences from all around the world.”

    USP Studios received a letter from the YouTube CEO, Susan Wojcicki which stated – “The fact is, you’re no longer just a great channel. You’re a movement. You’ve clearly touched a nerve in the world, and you’ve found a legion of fans that expect – and receive – great things from you. You amaze us and inspire us every day. Keep it coming.”

    USP Studios has been constantly expanding its subscriber base through new content, partnerships, and collaborations making a strong foothold in the kids’ content industry

  • Euro RSCG Worldwide named the Global Agency for 2006

    MUMBAI: Euro RSCG Worldwide, integrated marketing communications agency, has been recognised as the best global agency in the industry by two leading advertising trade publications – Advertising Age in the United States and Campaign in the United Kingdom.

     
    Advertising Age announced that Euro RSCG Worldwide is the 2006 Global Agency of the Year. The agency was selected based on several criteria, including international business growth, thought leadership and innovation by agency management, and creative and effective marketing campaigns for their clients.
    Last month, Campaign selected Euro RSCG Worldwide as its choice for Advertising Network of the Year, also highlighting the agency’s strong leadership by its senior management, and impressive streak of new business wins around the world, informs an official release.

     
    “2006 was a terrific year for the agency and it is extremely gratifying to be recognised by the media on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Euro RSCG Worldwide Global CEO David Jones. “We believe that it’s possible for an agency to be both truly global and highly creative and I think these accolades are support for that point of view.”

     
    In the past 18 months, Euro RSCG Worldwide has experienced $3 billion in new business growth in the form of competitive new business pitches and existing business expansions.

    The fall 2005 win of the global Jaguar account started off a winning streak for Euro RSCG, which included the global accounts for Veolia, Reckitt Benckiser, and Sanofi-Aventis, as well as EDF Energy in France, Alcatel-Lucent, Danone, Disney Theme Parks, LG, Harley Davidson, and Dell. The Benefiber (Novartis) and Vivendi accounts both expanded as well, adds the release.

    Jones added, “I would especially like to thank all of our clients, as the awards are a reflection of the work we’ve done in partnership, and our staff of 11,000 around the world for their dedication and commitment.”

  • SPE Networks Asia walks away with 5 awards at PROMAX/BDA 2006

    HONG KONG, 30 June, 2006: The SPE Networks Asia creative team continued to make inroads into the world of TV on-air promotions and marketing with another fine showing at PROMAX/BDA. Held in New York, USA from 20 – 22 June this year, the team bagged a total of 5 medals after wowing the judges with eye catching works. PROMAX/BDA Awards recognises the top marketing and promotional campaigns in the media industry from around the world.

    “We are extremely proud with our win at this year’s PROMAX/BDA. The Gold award was especially sweet for us as this was our first entry in the category that we were competing in. Our win in the various categories is clear testimony that we are truly a 360° integrated marketing force. Even though we were up against some seasoned broadcasters from around the world, our team went in brimming with confidence to create the buzz in the media industry with their creative works.” Says Ricky Ow, General Manager of SPE Networks Asia Pte. Ltd.

    SPE Networks – Asia clinched 5 Awards for the following categories:
    Gold Award
    Best Outdoor Static Display     – Lost
    The outdoor static display for Lost was created as a tongue-in-cheek billboard message telling frustrated drivers to “Get Lost” while they were stuck behind massive jams in Makati, Philippines.

    Silver Award
    Best Art Direction and Design: Topical Promo – The Shield Tarot Cards
    The creative use of Tarot cards was used to recap and foretell the developments of The Shield. The highlight of this promo is how the cards are animated to show the relationship between the characters.

    Bronze Award
    Best 3-D Promotional or Sales Kit     – CSI: NY
    Working on a small budget, the 3-D sales kit for CSI: NY called for something totally out of the box. Using an apple as reference to New York, the direct mailer invites the viewer to take a bite of the apple, thus creating interaction with them.
    Best Online Advertising Banner – CSI: V
    The online advertising banner for CSI: V effectively captures the spirit and horror of the finale by providing the user a similar experience to what the characters in the show go through when they view their colleague through a computer screen.

    Best Other Design Application Displays – CSI: NY
    The CSI: NY display called for the clever use of distinctive yellow coloured crime scene tape and props in the heart of town to announce the premiere of CSI: NY.

    Ricky Ow added that “Winning at PROMAX/BDA is the equivalent of winning an Emmy for TV or Oscar for movies. SPE Networks- Asia commends the hard work of the young team who are driven with passion to create an impact among the viewers and not settle for anything less than ordinary as the winning formula for success. The creative team comprising of Tracy Wong, Ying Hui, Eugene Wong and Angeline Teo have executed impressive and original creative works in a cost effective manner that is setting the benchmark for on-air and off-air promotion in the cable and television industry.”

    PROMAX/BDA is the professional association for promotions and marketing executives in electronic media throughout the world. Members of the association include all the major terrestrial, cable and satellite television stations and associated media, advertising and production companies.

    Held annually, PROMAX/BDA brings together the best of marketing, promotions, and creative excellence in the media industry. They showcase and recognise creativity and share innovative, groundbreaking and inspirational ideas. Above all, they promote best practice in the expanding world of marketing and promotion in the electronic media.
     
  • Paheli becomes the top rated premiere of 2006 on Hindi movie channels

    Paheli becomes the top rated premiere of 2006 on Hindi movie channels

    Mumbai, … Star Gold has begun the year with a Bang. Paheli which premiered on the channel on 29th January, has become the Highest Rated Premiere of 2006, with a TVR of 2.6 (CS4+, HSM). What’s more, this makes it the third biggest premiere in the last six months, right behind Swades (TVR of 3 on premiere) and Hulchul (TVR of 2.7 on premiere), which were also on Star Gold. During the airing of Paheli, Star Gold reached out to 6.9 million viewers and had a commanding channel share of 58% in the category, dwarfing, Zee Cinema with 25% and Max at 17%

     

    With Paheli, it has been proved once again movies get bigger on Star Gold. Swades and Paheli which were considered commercial disappointments on their theatrical release rated much higher than movies like Waqt (TVR of 1.5 on premiere) and Lucky (1.6 TVR on premiere) which were considerable box office successes. Even more interestingly, Hum Tum the smash theatrical hit, rated lower (2.5) on its premiere on SET than Swades, Hulchul & Paheli did on their premiere on Star Gold.

     

    In the last six months, Star Gold has clearly walked away with the laurels. Six Star Gold premieres: Swades, Hulchul, Viruddh, Khullam Khula Pyar Karenge, Black and Paheli, made it to the list of top ten movie premieres in the Hindi movie genre with the top three going to Star Gold. Not only this, Star Gold has been uniquely successful in attracting the cream of the audiences with 6 of the top 10 movies among SEC A viewers being aired on Star Gold – with Swades and Paheli delivering whopping 4.5 and 3.8 TVR’s respectively in this SEC. And if that were not enough, Star Gold also delivered the most top rated premieres in the last one year with eight out of top fifteen premieres in the Hindi Movie Genre airing on the channel.

     

    Ever since the revamp in July 2005, the channel has consistently kept its promise to the viewers of getting them closer to Bollywood than anyone else. Not just the premieres of the big movies but properties like Jabardast Janamdin and Uncut Premiere have got viewers up close and personal with the world of Hindi movies. Not to mention the annual Sabsey Favourite Kaun, the nation’s only barometer to recognize the absolute popularity of stars; and exclusive tie-ups with the most acclaimed hits, from Black at the start of the year, to Bluffmaster at the end, and many more in between

     

    Said, Puneet Johar, Sr. Vice President Marketing & Communication, “ The ratings for Paheli prove once again that movies get bigger on Star Gold. Premieres of fresh titles, backed by promotional blitz have delivered rich rewards for us, and for the brands on Star Gold. With the Pure Gold Triple Premiere of the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya coming up this month, we are confident that Star Gold will continue the winning trend”

     

    And with Schwarzkopf Palette Sabsey Favourite Kaun to hit the airwaves soon, there is no doubt that Star Gold will continue to delight audiences throughout the year in 2006

    ABOUT STAR

    STAR is a leading media and entertainment company in Asia. STAR broadcasts over 50 television services in nine languages to more than 300 million viewers across 53 Asian countries. STAR channels cover all genres including general entertainment (Star Plus, Xing Kong, Star Chinese Channel, Star One, Star Utsav, Star World, Vijay, Phoenix Chinese), sports (ESPN, Star Sports), movies (Star Chinese Movies, Star Gold, Star Movies), music (Channel [V]), and news and current affairs (Star News, Star Ananda, Phoenix InfoNews Channel). STAR controls over 20,000 hours of Indian and Chinese programming and also owns the world’s largest contemporary Chinese film library, with more than 600 titles, featuring superstars including Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Bruce Lee. In partnership with leading companies in Asia, STAR businesses extend to filmed entertainment, television production, cable systems, direct-to-home services, terrestrial TV broadcasting, wireless and digital services. STAR is a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation. www.startv.com

  • The Man’s World Show wins ‘Best Entertainment Programme’ at 2006 Asian Television Awards in Singapore

    Mumbai: AXN, the action and adventure channel for Indian viewers, received international recognition for its top rated series The Man’s World Show when it won the heavily contested “Best Entertainment Programme” category at the 2006 Asian Television Awards ceremony held last Thursday in Singapore.

    The Man’s World Show was a first-of-its-kind television programme in India that was focused on issues that matter to men in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. Irreverent and cheeky, the show was hosted by Ash Chandler and Vrajesh Hirjee, who interviewed top celebrity guests, and also gave advice about fashion, cars, gadgets and new trends, all while keeping the viewers laughing for the length of the show.

    Says Sunder Aaron, Creator of The Man’s World Show and Country Head of AXN, “AXN over the years has built a large and loyal viewership base in India. Creating an AXN original production for our viewers was the next step in meeting viewers’ needs and will help us solidify our leadership of the English entertainment genre in India. With The Man’s World Show, we were consciously trying to produce a show for men that would be different from all else seen on Indian television. Of course, we wanted all the women out there to watch too.”

    Adds Ricky Ow, General Manager of SPE Networks – Asia, is delighted with the win, “For our one-year-old AXN production unit, we cannot ask for a better start. Not only did The Man’s World Show win the ‘Best Entertainment Programme’ in Asia, but Mondo Magic Singapore was also highly commended for its entertainment efforts. Both shows have a unique and bold approach in ensuring that the entertainment value on AXN is high and yet is different from what others are doing. The awards have confirmed the quality of AXN original productions along with top flight international series such as CSI, The Amazing Race, 24 and Nip/Tuck.”

    Targeting an upwardly mobile male audience, The Man’s World Show provided the Indian viewers with advice, answers, options and ideas for their evolving cosmopolitan lifestyles. With its real life cast and characters (and a little bit of chaos mixed in), this AXN Original Production presented each episode with a different theme of importance.

    The two quirky hosts livened up the show with their fast talk and quick wits, and with the help of regular figures like Sonia the Bartender, Doctor Love, and Benny the thirty-year-old virgin, who helped shed light on everything that a man wants or needs to know.

    The audience was treated to episodes with themes such as “The Art of Seduction”, “The Rules of Success in the Workplace”, and “How to be the Perfect Lover”. The appearance of celebrity guests like Hollywood superstar – Will Smith combined with a bevy of Bollywood beauties like Tanishaa, Celina Jaitely, Amrita Arora, Mandira Bedi, Minisha Lamba among a host of others increased the glamour quotient on the show by leaps and bounds! The celebrities on the show were seen in a new light when they gave the viewers their very personal views on love and life.

    Says Sunder Aaron, “News of the award is especially exciting for us because it perfectly sets the stage for Season 2 of The Man’s World Show, launching on AXN in January, 2007. More on that later!”

    About AXN

    Delivering top rated series, blockbuster features, adventure-reality and first-run lifestyle sports programming, AXN is a leading international television destination among young adults 18-34. AXN is seen in 50 countries across Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and is part of Sony Pictures Television International’s diverse portfolio of over 40 global networks. Sony Pictures Television International is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

    AXN Asia is available to more than 78 million households 24-hours daily throughout Asia in Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, South Korea, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Nepal, Maldives, Mongolia and in hotels and VIP compounds in China. AXN can also be seen in 40 million cable television households on time-block basis in China. More information about AXN can be found online at www.axn-india.com.

    For media enquiries, please contact:
    Deepa/ Kehkashan/ Shahnaz
    LinOpinion
    #9820453418/ 9821131138/ 9323894697

  • Bid a joyous adieu to the year 2006 with STAR News

    Bid a joyous adieu to the year 2006 with STAR News

    MUMBAI: The year 2006 is coming to an end and its time to pop open the bubbly and celebrate, its time to make new resolutions and drop old ones, its time to welcome a new year with pomp and party.

    But this is also the time to ‘retrospect’, to think of the year gone by – muse over the moments that made this year memorable. Keeping this spirit in mind, STAR News ushers in the New Year with a slew of programming that will wrap up the year gone by in ‘delectable bites’.

    The channel has planned a series of specials that will capture, in the most interesting and unique format, all that made news in 2006 across genres like sports, politics, entertainment, crime, films, and many more.

    STAR News has always successfully packed in variety, style and novelty with a dash of wit and ‘tongue-in-cheek’ humour in its year-end specials and this year is certainly no exception.

    Starting from the last week of December, the channel will feature tailor-made specials that will effectively encapsulate the year 2006, bringing to the discerning viewers the best and the worst from all facets of the society.

    Below is a brief on what you can expect on STAR News capping off an eventful 2006:

    Saal Dhamaal

    [Dec 25 – 30; 9.30 – 10.00 pm / Dec31; 9.30 – 10.30 pm]

    A tongue-in-cheek look back at the year, with special focus on various walks of life like entertainment, cricket, politics, etc. The first six episodes of the programme will be anchored by Great Indian Laughter Challenge Champion – Sunil Pal. The special episode on 31st Dec would be anchored by a number of comic extraordinaires like Suresh Menon, Purvi Joshi, Sonya, Gaurav Gera, Kikoo, Kunal and Rakesh Paul.

    Best Of Saas Bahu Aur Saazish

    [Dec 25 – 31; 2.30 – 3.00 pm]

    The year that was for various GEC’s (Sony, Sahara, STAR Plus, Zee TV, SAB TV) with focus on new programme launches, serials going off air, on and off air happenings through the year, and most importantly recap of major serials across all channels.

    Zero No.1

    [Dec 25 – 31; 10.30 – 11.00 pm]

    This segment will aim to determine the ‘Zeros’ of 2006, i.e. all people who have been in the news for the wrong reasons. People’s responses will be gauged through SMS polls. Each day, there will be a poll on one of the following categories: cricket, politics, entertainment, convicts, and even spoilt brats. Thereafter, there will be a SMS poll conducted to adjudge winners of each category and also to adjudge a sole winner among all categories. This winner will be crowned zero number one of the year.

    Countdown Special

    [Dec 31; 11.00pm – Midnight]

    As the name suggests this special would be a countdown to the New Year and would capture the happening parties that are being hosted around the country, other outdoor festivities and astrological predictions of the progression of the year 2007.

    Kiski Khulegi Pol

    [Dec 30 & 31; 8.30 – 9.00 pm]

    This special programme will aim to identify people from various fields like politics, sports, entertainment, etc. who are most likely to come under the Pol Khol scanner in the upcoming New Year.

    Dekhoge To Hasoge

    [Dec 31; 1.00 – 2.00 pm]

    A one-hour special by the wacky and crazy comedian Suresh Menon, spoofing the memorable moments of 2006…

    So, as we prepare to usher in another year of well being, success and fulfillment, STAR News bids adieu to the year 2006 and offers a well-deserved tribute to the year gone by. Watch the Year-End Specials, starting December 25th 2006, only on STAR News.

  • FILMY Flashback 2006

    MUMBAI: As FILMY faces its first year end, it’s putting on display for the viewers the best and worst of Bollywood 2006, with its special three part series FILMY Flashback 2006 from Dec 29 – 31, 8 PM onwards.

    FILMY Flashback 2006, will feature the biggest box office hits of 2006, along with which films FILMY feels were the best films of the year. The year also saw its share of some painfully bad movies, which will get listed in the worst movies of the year section. Another interesting feature of the series will be the listing of the most popular ‘characters’ in films of 2006.

    The show will also take the viewers on a journey of what made news in Bollywood in 2006. Hosted by the glamorous and effervescent TV host Shweta Salve, FILMY Flashback will be a treat for Bollywood fans.

    FILMY Flashback 2006 is a continuation in the efforts of the channel to provide meaningful, unique and entertaining film content to its viewers along with showcasing some of the biggest hits of the year like Khosla Ka Ghosla, Gangster, Malamaal Weekly etc.

    Shailesh Kapoor, Head Marketing and Content, FILMY says, “2006 has been an extremely eventful year for Indian cinema. As a part of FILMY’s continuing efforts to showcase the highs and lows of the film industry, the channel will present its take on the year in FILMY flashback 2006”.

    FILMY is more than just a Hindi film channel. Currently the channel also launched the FILMY Person of the Year 2006, which has five of the most successful individuals of Bollywood – Aamir, Shah Rukh, Hrithik, Himesh and Abhishek, contending for the title, with the deciding factor being viewer votes. Other innovative launches over the year have been FILMY Stock Exchange, Firangy FILMY, Short films on FILMY and FILMY Hot Breaks.

    So enjoy the FILMY year-end treat, all the happenings of Bollywood, only on FILMY starting December 29 to year end at 8 PM.