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Tag: Facebook India

  • ShareChat ropes in Neha Markanda as chief business officer

    ShareChat ropes in Neha Markanda as chief business officer

    MUMBAI: Homegrown social media firm ShareChat (Mohalla Tech) has named Neha Markanda as its new chief business officer, handing her the mandate to scale revenues and deepen advertiser engagement across its flagship ShareChat app and short-video platform Moj.

    Markanda joins from Google, where she spent over three years as head of industry for e-commerce. She earlier led business marketing at Facebook India, and held senior roles at GSK Consumer Healthcare, where she steered brand strategy for Horlicks and family nutrition.

    Her two-decade career spans consumer goods and technology, including stints at HCL Technologies, PepsiCo—where she managed Tropicana, Pepsi Max and Gatorade—and ITC.

    At ShareChat, she will be tasked with sharpening revenue strategy, strengthening advertiser partnerships and pushing growth in a market where short-video and vernacular social platforms are battling for both user attention and ad dollars.

  • Sandhya Devanathan joins Meta India as head and VP

    Sandhya Devanathan joins Meta India as head and VP

    Mumbai: Meta announced the appointment of Sandhya Devanathan as the vice president and head of Meta India. Devanathan will begin her new position on 1 January 2023. She will report directly to Meta APAC vice president Dan Neary.

    Devanathan will transition to her new role on January 1, 2023 and will report to Dan Neary, Vice President, Meta APAC, and be a part of the APAC leadership team. She will return to India to oversee the India organisation and strategy, as per company statement.

    With over 22 years of experience in banking, payments, and technology, Devanathan will focus on aligning the organisation’s business and revenue priorities in order to better serve its partners and clients, while also supporting Meta’s long-term growth and commitment to India. In her current role, she will spearhead the company’s India charter and strengthen strategic relationships with the country’s leading brands, creators, advertisers, and partners in order to drive Meta’s revenue growth in key channels in India.

    In 2016, Meta appointed Devanathan to lead the growth of its Singapore and Vietnam businesses and teams, as well as its Southeast Asian e-commerce initiatives.

    In 2020, she was promoted to lead gaming for APAC, one of Meta’s largest verticals globally. She also has a strong interest in developing female business leaders and is the executive sponsor for women in APAC at Meta, as well as the global lead for Play Forward, a global Meta initiative to improve diversity representation in the gaming industry. She is also a member of Pepper Financial Services’ global board of directors.

    As per media reports, Meta chief business officer Marne Levine said on this new appointment, “India is at the forefront of digital adoption, and Meta has launched many of our top products, such as reels and business messaging, in India first. We are proud to have recently launched JioMart on WhatsApp, which is our first end-to-end shopping experience in India. I’m pleased to welcome Devanathan as our new leader for India. Devanathan has a proven track record of scaling businesses, building exceptional and inclusive teams, driving product innovation, and building strong partnerships. We are thrilled to have her lead Meta’s continued growth in India.”

  • Facebook India onboards Rajiv Aggarwal as director of public policy

    Facebook India onboards Rajiv Aggarwal as director of public policy

    Mumbai: Facebook India on Monday announced the appointment of Rajiv Aggarwal, a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, as director of public policy. He succeeds Ankhi Das, who quit in October last year.

    In this role, Aggarwal will lead policy development initiatives for the company that covers user safety, data protection & privacy, inclusion, and internet governance, Facebook said in a statement.

    He will report to Facebook India VP and MD Ajit Mohan and will be part of the India leadership team, it added.

    “We realise we are deeply immersed in the fabric of India and we have the opportunity to help build a more inclusive and safe internet that benefits everyone in the country,” Mohan said in a statement. “I am thrilled that Rajiv is joining us to lead the public policy team. With his expertise and experience, Rajiv will help further our mission to build transparency, accountability, empowered and safe communities, all of which we recognise as our responsibility,” he added.

    Aggarwal joins the social media giant from Uber where he was serving as the head of public policy for India and South Asia markets for nearly two years.

    He comes with over 26 years of experience as an IAS officer, working from grassroots to the global level, including as a district magistrate in nine districts across the state of Uttar Pradesh. 

    During his tenure as an administrative officer, he steered India’s first national policy on intellectual property rights (IPRs) as joint secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (m/o commerce) and was instrumental in the digital transformation of India’s IP offices, said the statement.

    He has been closely associated with the India-US bilateral trade forum, besides being the country’s lead negotiator on IPRs with other nations, it added.

  • Google’s Aditya Swamy, FB’s Sandeep Bhushan join ASCI board

    Google’s Aditya Swamy, FB’s Sandeep Bhushan join ASCI board

    Mumbai: Director of Google India, Aditya Swamy has joined the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) board and Facebook India head of global marketing solutions, Sandeep Bhushan will be a special invitee to the board, announced ASCI on Friday. 

    As the advertising self-regulatory body shapes the narrative of Indian advertising in a post-COVID world, representation from two of the world’s largest digital companies on its top decision-making body is a landmark step.

    The wealth of experience and insights Swamy and Bhushan bring to the table will not only help the self-regulator formulate better policies and guidelines for the advertising industry, but it will also enable a better understanding of new challenges and their solutions, the organisation said in a statement. “As ASCI works to ensure the protection of consumer interests, along with those of other stakeholders like brands and agencies, having Google and Facebook on the board will help it to sharpen its ability to implement its guidelines as well,” it added.

    Swamy and Bhushan’s appointments strengthen ASCI’s refreshed vision for the future, which reflects in the recent launch of its new logo. The appointments also mark ASCI’s fast-widening focus on digital advertising and platforms, which began last year with a partnership with TAM to monitor 3,000 digital platforms for misleading marketing claims, as well as the launch of the Influencer guidelines and influencer monitoring through an AI platform.

    ASCI chairman Subhash Kamath said, “I am delighted to welcome both Aditya and Sandeep to the board, this is a landmark moment. As we strengthen our roots in the digital space and streamline its functioning, it is extremely important that we collaborate with and learn from the leaders. Google and Facebook are the biggest digital players. We look forward to them helping us become a better conscience keeper of the industry.”

    ASCI, secretary-general, Manisha Kapoor said, “Having Google and Facebook on our board is a great start to the new journey ASCI is embarking upon. It is vital for us to have a keen understanding of digital operations. We will benefit greatly from the expertise that both these companies bring with them.”

    As advertisers’ focus shifts from traditional media to digital spaces, ASCI is ensuring that it stays ahead of the curve and streamlines the shift. 

  • Brands wish Eid Mubarak with messages of hope & togetherness

    Brands wish Eid Mubarak with messages of hope & togetherness

    MUMBAI: Eid ul-Fitr means the occasion of breaking the fast- the day that marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan for Muslims around the globe. This year, more than anything else, the occasion serves as a great reminder to be grateful for what we have and to share with those who may be less fortunate than us.

    Here are a few campaigns that are sure to bring some festive warmth and optimism into these grim times:

    Facebook India | More Together. Hum aaj ek-duusre ka saath denge, toh ek behtar kal zaroor hoga. #MoreTogether

    While all of us watch out for the wellbeing of our loved ones, it’s only a few special ones who look out for those not their own. It is this extraordinary message of looking out for others that Facebook’s latest ‘More together’ campaign brings out beautifully in the backdrop of the Eid ul-Fitr festival.

    The film poignantly conveys hope and a sense of community, sending out the message that if each of us watch out for the other, it would be such a wonderful world.

    Kotak Mutual fund shared a real-life inspiring story of Shahnawaz Shaikh on the occasion and inspire others to follow suit:

    “For Shahnawaz Shaikh and his team, this Eid is about taking care of the community. Kyonki #MadatHiIbadatHai #EidMubarak

    They have been doing their part in the month of ibadat by providing oxygen cylinders to #Covid patients. We applaud their noble deed & wish all of you a safe and blessed Eid.”

    Amul released one of its popular topicals to mark the festive occasion of Eid ul Fitr with the creative ‘Eid together, Eat together- Break Fast, Start Feast’:

    Ashok Leyland made a touching film dripping with warmth, that shows how every celebration begins with caring and sharing:

    OYO stressed the importance of vaccination, through its creative messaging: “The Eidi we all need “ #EidMubarak

    #VaccinAid #StaySafe

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by OYO (@oyorooms)

    Tide India shined a light on those who make this Eid brighter for everyone with the words, “Celebrating everyone who went above and beyond to make the holy month of Ramadan brighter! Eid Mubarak.”

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Tide India (@tide.india)

    McDonald’s creatively depicted the brand’s softie ice cream bitten into, to form the shape of the crescent moon saying, “This Eid, stay safe and celebrate with your loved ones at home.

    Mother Diary talked about coming out stronger together through the darkness with its Eid creative: “May this Eid brings us to hope that we see the light at the end of this and come out stronger!”

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by Mother Dairy (@motherdairy)

    IT giant, Wipro Limited shared wishes on the occasion: “This year, may the end of Ramadan bless you with lots of positivity, courage, and strength to get through the tough times. Wipro Limited wishes Eid Mubarak to all! Stay safe, stay home. #Eid2021 “

    MTR Food Pvt Ltd wished Eid Mubarak to urge everyone to stay home and safe: “MTR wishes you, Eid Mubarak! This Eid, enjoy soft, perfect, and sweet Gulab Jamuns made with MTR- India’s No.1 Gulab Jamun Mix”

    Kansai Nerolac Paints creative spread festive cheer with a dose of care: “This Eid, may the crescent moon shine upon you and your loved ones with blessings of harmony and care.” #Nerolac #ColoursThatCare #EidMubaarak

    Starbucks India and MG India also shared creatives posts on the occasion:

    Attachments area

    Preview YouTube video Ashok Leyland | A Celebration of Sharing | Ramadan 2021 Ashok Leyland | A Celebration of Sharing | Ramadan 2021

  • Centre urges Delhi HC to restrain WhatsApp from implementing new privacy policy

    Centre urges Delhi HC to restrain WhatsApp from implementing new privacy policy

    KOLKATA: The Union government has urged the Delhi high court to restrain messaging app WhatsApp from implementing its controversial new privacy policy, stating that the terms are not in alignment with IT rules 2011.

    “WhatsApp may be restrained from implementing its new privacy policy and terms of service dated 4 January 2021 from 8 February 2021 or any subsequent date pending adjudication by this hon'ble' court," an affidavit by the ministry of electronics and information technology (MEITY) said.

    The ministry also said in the court that the policy does not specify what type of sensitive personal data is being collected. WhatsApp has also failed to notify user details of collection of sensitive personal information under new guidelines, MEITY noted. Moreover, the policy does not leave an option to review or amend information, or withdraw consent retrospectively. Further, it does not guarantee further non-disclosure by third parties.

    MEITY filed the affidavit in response to a petition filed by Dr Seema Singh, Meghan and Vikram Singh. The petition stated that the new WhatsApp privacy policy is violative of the fundamental right to privacy under Article 21. It does not even provide the users to have an option to protect their personal data by opting out of their policy, the petition contended.

    Earlier this week, minister of state for IT and communications Sanjay Dhotre informed the Lok Sabha that the government has asked WhatsApp to review the proposed changes.

    The next hearing in the matter has been posted for 20 April.

    Earlier this month, in response to another petition on the issue, the Centre had sought more time to examine WhatsApp's new privacy policy which is slated to come into effect from 15 May. It had informed the court that the government is already working on a data protection bill. It also suggested that the high court should take note of the differential treatment given to users in regards with the new privacy policy as compared to the instant messaging application's policy in the European Union countries.

    WhatsApp's new privacy policy was introduced on 4 January and was initially expected to come into effect on 8 February, but was later deferred to 15 May amid severe backlash from all corners. The app plans to make it mandatory for users to agree to its new data sharing norms, a key point of which is allegedly sharing data from WhatsApp business chats with Facebook. Since there was no opt-out option, there were apprehensions about privacy which led people to migrate to alternate messaging apps, like Signal and Telegram.

  • Facebook India’s head of public policy Ankhi Das steps down

    Facebook India’s head of public policy Ankhi Das steps down

    NEW DELHI: Facebook India’s head of public policy Ankhi Das has moved on from her current role. She was with the organisation for over nine years and was a core team member.

    A statement by Ajit Mohan, Facebook India's managing director, said: "Ankhi has decided to step down from her role in Facebook to pursue her interest in public service. Ankhi was one of our earliest employees in India and played an instrumental role in the growth of the company and its services over the last nine years. She has been a part of my leadership team over the last two years, a role in which she has made enormous contributions. We are grateful for her service and wish her the very best for the future."

    “When I joined Facebook in 2011, internet growth in the country was woefully low and I often wondered how social and economic asymmetries will be addressed,” Das said in a post announcing her resignation.

    “We were a small unlisted start-up back then guided only by our mission and purpose to connect people in India. After nine long years, I feel that the mission has largely been met. There is an enormous amount I have learnt from incredibly smart and talented people in the company, particularly from people on the policy team. This is a special company and a special group of people,” she added.

    The resignation follows after Das was accused of allowing hate speech and not moderating political content well on Facebook pages. Several human rights commissions were actively pursuing the case and had called on the social media giant to place her on leave until it finishes conducting an ongoing audit of India operations.

    A few days ago, Das appeared before a joint parliamentary committee looking into data protection and privacy, and was reportedly questioned for two hours.

    Facebook was told by the panel that it should not draw inferences from user data for commercial benefit of its advertisers or for electoral purposes.

  • Facebook’s Ajit Mohan & the new world order

    Facebook’s Ajit Mohan & the new world order

    KOLKATA: The SARS Cov2 virus has drastically changed consumer behaviour. Facebook India vice-president & managing director, Ajit Mohan believes that digital influence is not just limited to online buying but offline too.

    Speaking at IAMAI's Marketing Conclave, Mohan said that digitally influenced purchases have gone up by 15-20 per cent for some of the largest consumer goods categories in India such as apparel, mobile phones, packaged consumer goods that traditionally had offline chains. Citing a study by Nielsen, he said that before the pandemic, digital marketing was one of the most effective ways to drive offline sales for Mondelez’s chocolates in kirana stores.

    “The Covid2019 pandemic has crunched a few years of consumer behaviour change into a few months and weeks. Adtech is one sector that has grown during the pandemic,” he added. 

    As the festive season nears, Mohan predicted that a huge chunk of purchases is likely to happen online. According to him, video and virtual experiences are going to be at the heart of festive buying this year.

    He also shared that voice and video calls across all Facebook apps have doubled while live from Facebook page in India has grown three times in June year-on-year. These consumer trends have led to the launch of products like Reels on Instagram and Room on Facebook.

    Speaking about the economic impact, Mohan highlighted that the pandemic is just not a public health emergency but also an economic crisis, which has particularly impacted small businesses across the country. Most of them have shut shop, some are working with reduced workforces, while others are experiencing lower sales.

    Mohan said that he believes Facebook has an important role to play in the recovery of small businesses and the economy. And a lot of its energy is focused on how it works not just with MSMEs but with the entire ecosystem that helps in rejuvenating the economy

    “It’s very clear that the fundamental behaviour of consumers is in a transition mode. And as marketers, I genuinely believe it will be a mistake on our part to look over the next few months in India as growth returns aggressively. It will also be incorrect to replicate marketing models and playbooks that are no longer relevant. The only way forward is to look at models relevant to the world that is coming out of the crisis,” he concluded. 

    (It maybe recalled that earlier this year, Facebook invested $5.9 billion for a 9.9 per cent stake in Reliance Jio Platforms. It had announced that it planned to work with the company to empower 60 million small businesses, including mom-and-pop stores in India. A little later JioMart, a joint venture between Reliance Jio Platforms and Reliance Retail (India’s largest retail chain), started to allow customers to track shipments through WhatsApp.)

  • Facebook introduces official music videos in India

    Facebook introduces official music videos in India

    New Delhi: Facebook today introduced official music videos on the platform and launched a new Music destination on Facebook Watch in India, to allow people to view their favorite music videos and come together through music.

    You will now be able to discover, enjoy, and interact with today’s top-charting tracks to old catalog favorites across various music genres on Facebook.

    Manish Chopra, Director, and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India, said, “Over the past year, we have been working with partners in the Indian music industry to build the foundation of a music video experience for our consumers, and are thrilled to launch official music videos on the platform. We will continue to find opportunities to add more unique social sharing experiences and bring music into the ways people share and connect on Facebook".

    Official music videos on Facebook will create new social experiences that go beyond just watching the video. On Facebook, you will be able to discover new artists and tracks through social sharing, clicking through to a song [from a Music Sticker / Music Video] shared to a friend’s story or a post in News Feed. Without leaving Facebook, you can connect with and learn more about an artist and their creative ambitions, watch the story behind their music on their Page, a label page  and connect through real-time interactions on Facebook Live.

    The music video experience on Facebook is available in India, Thailand, and the US, and you’ll be able to watch your favorites from the country’s top music labels – T -Series Music, Zee Music Company, and Yash Raj Films.

    How to access Music Videos on Facebook:

    Facebook has made it easier to find and discover music videos on its platform. You can access the videos in different ways, including:

    Music Destination on Facebook Watch where you can explore music videos by genre, artist, or mood, as well as theme-based playlists like “Top Bollywood”, “Top Artists,” among others. The music destination on Facebook Watch is available on iOS and Android mobile devices and will be available on desktop soon.

    You can also access and discover music videos directly on your News Feed allowing friends and family to share their favorite music, or through Search. 

  • Facebook celebrates the power of people coming together to support one another in the next phase of its consumer marketing campaign for India

    Facebook celebrates the power of people coming together to support one another in the next phase of its consumer marketing campaign for India

    India, August 01, 2020: Facebook today launched the next phase of its consumer marketing campaign in India – ‘More Together’, to showcase how people across the country can do more together by harnessing the power of their connections on the platform – even more so in the current situation The latest campaign is inspired by real stories and celebrates the people who came together in these trying times to help and support one another.

    As a part of Facebook’s priority of transparently communicating the role its services play in the world, the ‘More Together’ campaign showcases stories that celebrate and highlight the power of connections. The campaign includes four 30 second films featuring young parents, grandparents, two roommates and a doctor and depicts how they found support through their connections to help each other during these extraordinary times.

    Speaking about the campaign, Avinash Pant, Director-Marketing, Facebook India, said, “At the core of this campaign is our brand belief that people can do more together than alone. Over the last several months, all of us have seen and heard many stories of people across India that have been the embodiment of this idea. People who were once strangers, connected with one another through Facebook, and together addressed many challenges that have surfaced in recent times. Through this campaign, we are shining a spotlight on the real stories that have inspired us, and hope more and more of our consumers will recognise that people are indeed each other’s best resources. Sometimes all you need to do is reach out to the world”.

    The core campaign has been conceptualized and executed by Taproot Dentsu, the creative agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) India. As part of the campaign, Facebook will leverage the power of its platform extensively to bring stories to life and has partnered with Dentsu WebChutney to craft the creative strategy and communication across digital and social  media.

    Talking about the inspiration behind the campaign Pallavi Chakravarti, Executive Creative Director, Taproot Dentsu explains, “When it came to looking out for each other in the months gone by, we found that Facebook was a vehicle. People were the fuel. This is the simple truth the campaign tries to capture. When times are tough, we truly can do more together than we can alone.”

    Agency credits:

    ●        Co-Founder, Taproot Dentsu and Creative Chairperson, Dentsu Aegis Network India: Agnello Dias

    ●        Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer: Santosh Padhi

    ●        Chief Executive Officer: Umesh Shrikhande

    ●        Executive Creative Director: Pallavi Chakravarti

    ●        General Manager: Ayesha Ghosh

    ●        Head of Strategic Planning: Shashank Lanjekar

    ●        Senior Creative Director: Neeraj Kanitkar

    ●        Group Head (Copy): Gauri Burma

    ●        Account Supervisor: Ana Iman

    ●        Associate Vice President: Radhika Sabherwal

    Film credits:

    Equinox Films

    ●        Director: Sandeep Modi

    ●        Executive Producer: Manoj Shroff

    ●        DOP: Mikhaeil Shah

    ●        Production Designer: Anna Ipe

    ●        Directors Assistant: Nisarg Vaidya

    ●        Costumes: Maiti Shahani