Tag: Merlin D’souza

  • Nishant Patil and Bodhisattwa Banerjee clinch winning prizes at Advertising Rocks

    Nishant Patil and Bodhisattwa Banerjee clinch winning prizes at Advertising Rocks

    Mumbai: The second edition of Advertising Rocks, an initiative designed to encourage India’s Advertising, Media, and Marketing professionals to display their musical skills and abilities, kicked off on Day 2 of Goafest 2024. Through Advertising Rocks, individual singers have been encouraged to submit their entries and obtain the chance to entertain audiences at Goafest 2024, South Asia’s largest advertising festival.

    The participants gave stellar performances, enthralling the audiences. The winners were chosen on the basis of jury decision and live audience voting. The winners are as follow:

    Advertising Rocks – Winner – Solo Indian – Nishant Patil from Logicserve Digital Pvt. Ltd.

    Advertising Rocks – Winner – Solo International – Bodhisattwa Banerjee from VML India

    “Our heartiest congratulations to the winners and all the participants. This has been a wonderful platform to showcase the musical talent in our industry. I hope we can make it even bigger next year!” said former BBH CEO and curator of Advertising Rocks Subhash Kamath.

    Havas Media Network India CEO and Goafest 2024 Co-chair Mohit Joshi said, “Advertising Rocks was a big hit this year at Goafest, and the talent demonstrated by all participants has truly impressed us. My sincere congratulations to all winners, and I hope to see more talented performers next year.”

    At Advertising Rocks, four shortlisted performers from each of the two solo categories – Indian and International – showcased their musical talent in front of the esteemed judges: Harshdeep Kaur, Bollywood playback singer; Rajeev Raja, Founder & Soundsmith at Brandmusiq; and Merlin D’Souza, Founding Partner & Principal Composer at Brandmusiq and Music Director. The winners of both categories received cash prizes of Rs 50,000, while the runners-up were awarded with a cash prize of Rs 25,000. All entries were reviewed by Rajeev Raja, Merlin D’Souza, and Subhash Kamath.

  • Harshdeep Kaur to judge Advertising Rocks’ at Goafest 2024

    Harshdeep Kaur to judge Advertising Rocks’ at Goafest 2024

    Mumbai: Goafest’s ‘Advertising Rocks,’ provides India’s advertising and media fraternity with a platform unlike any other. Offering  participants the opportunity to showcase their musical talent, Goafest’s Advertising Rocks is currently in its second season. Raising the bar higher, Goafest 2024 now welcomes Bollywood playback singer Harshdeep Kaur as a judge. Additionally joining Harshdeep will be Brandmusiq founder & soundsmith Rajeev Raja, and music director and Brandmusiq founding partner & principal composer Merlin D’Souza. Nominations for Advertising Rocks can be submitted until Sunday, 19 May 2024.

    Goafest 2024 invites participants to submit their nominations in two categories: Indian soloists and international soloists. Entries received will be shortlisted by Rajeev Raja, Merlin D’Souza, and BBH former CEO and curator Subhash Kamath, ‘Advertising Rocks’. Finalists will be presented with an opportunity to perform for Goafest 2024 attendees in Mumbai and winners will take home prizes up to Rs. 50,000.

    “The Indian advertising and media industry is teeming with talent”, said BBH former CEO and curator of Advertising Rocks Subhash Kamath. “It’s always inspiring for our industry youngsters to perform in front of professionals. Last year we had Papon as one of the judges and this year we have Harshdeep Kaur, who’s a fabulous singer.”

    “Music transcends language, culture, and genre; it’s a universal emotion and given my passion for music, it is an integral part of my life,” said Havas Media Network India CEO and Goafest 2024 co-chair Mohit Joshi. “We were greatly impressed by the talent showcased last year and are incredibly excited to see this year’s performances. Goafest is truly a celebration of creativity, and we are committed to evolving it with new and exciting concepts every year. We encourage all eligible performers to participate and make the most of this wonderful platform to showcase their talent to the industry,” he added.

    Submit your entries for Advertising Rocks here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUKKIsShHz6YwEc71ap_9-wbK1sIavU2lkShgd9-HBhq0row/viewform

    Presented by The Advertising Agencies Association of India and The Advertising Club, Goafest 2024 is scheduled to take place on 29, 30 and 31 May, 2024 at The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake, Mumbai.

  • Hungama Digital brings top female voices as jury members for Women Game Changers – 2024

    Hungama Digital brings top female voices as jury members for Women Game Changers – 2024

    Mumbai: Hungama Digital, India’s leading digital entertainment company, announces the jury panel for the brand’s renowned Women Game Changers 2024 initiative. The annual event returns this year, continuing its efforts to empower women by honouring 50 extraordinary women who are making remarkable achievements across diverse industries.

    This year’s board includes leaders and experts from various industries with each member offering a unique perspective and experience. The achievers for 2024 will undergo careful inspection and rounds of selection conducted by this board. The panel includes stalwarts from the entertainment industry, including Megha Tata – Media consultant, ex-CEO Cosmos, ex-MD Discovery Communications, Kanan Rai – ex business head, Google Play, Merlin D’souza – music director, Nirmika Singh – founder MOX Asia and ex executive-editor Rolling Stones, Raunaq Roy – vice president, Hungama Digital Media, Preeta Sukhtankar – founder, The Label Life, Soumini Sridhara Paul – SVP artist aloud & content Youtube, Hungama Digital Media,  Poornima Seetharaman – director of Design, Zynga and Sonia Parasnis, VP, creative & content programming.

    Speaking on the announcement, Hungama Digital Media Pvt Ltd SVP Raunaq Roy said, “We are proud to have brought together our passionate jury panel representing excellence from the core areas of the entertainment industry across film, music, and gaming. Through this annual program, we plan to spotlight the third cohort of women who are not just breaking glass ceilings but building bridges for others to follow. We proudly elevate their stories, successes, and trailblazing spirit, amplifying their impact on the entertainment Industry.”

    Adding on, Phantom Movies CEO Shrishti Behl said, “These Gamechangers embody the spirit of progress and innovation, and their collective expertise will ensure a fair and empowering platform for all women across entertainment. I am excited about an industry driven by inclusivity and equality.”

    The professionals bestowed with the recognition as ‘Game Changes’ will be announced on Hungama’s website on 1 April 2024, i.e. The Hungama Day. Following the announcement, the winners will be invited to a podcast where they will share intriguing insights from their journeys.

    In the last year of WGC 2023, the Gamechangers were given an opportunity to be a panellist at the Conceit Nexus 2023, an invite to the iOS Developer Conference: Women in App Development, sponsored access to Mumbai’s Tech Week 2024 and early access to the panel plus networking event at IGX (India’s largest gaming expo) 2024.