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Tag: Nipun Marya

  • iQOO appoints 25-year-old as chief gaming officer; offers Rs 10 lakh

    iQOO appoints 25-year-old as chief gaming officer; offers Rs 10 lakh

    MUMBAI: iQOO appointed Vedang Vikas Chavan, a 25-year-old eSports coach and gamer from Mumbai, has been named as iQOO’s new chief gaming officer, emerging victorious in a three-month-long search that drew over 80,000 participants from 400+ Indian cities and towns. Vedang has been tested on his gameplay skills, gaming knowledge, personality, and communication along with the other participants. As part of this role, he will take home a remuneration of Rs 10 lakh.

    Hailing from Navi Mumbai, Vedang’s journey is a story of relentless passion and perseverance. A chess prodigy in his early years, Vedang discovered gaming at age 10 and soon found himself captivated by esports. From sneaking into gaming cafés during college to representing India at international PUBG PC tournaments in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Australia, his hustle never stopped. When he transitioned to coaching, he set out to give aspiring gamers a real shot at experiencing competitive esports. He handpicked grassroots talent and built teams from scratch, coaching them to podium finishes at top esports events. From being told he wasn’t good enough to become a sought-after leader, Vedang carved his space in a tough industry and helped others rise alongside him.

    Expressing his excitement, Vedang said, “I’m genuinely overwhelmed and grateful to be named iQOO’s new Chief Gaming Officer. When I first came across this opportunity on LinkedIn, I saw it as the perfect way to challenge myself, a chance to grow, upgrade my skills, and do something meaningful in the esports space. And the fact that it was coming from a brand like iQOO made it even more exciting. I knew I had to give it my all. I never imagined it would take me all the way here. The competition rounds were intense, and the finalists I met along the way were all incredibly talented. I’ll never forget the video call with Nipun sir congratulating me, that’s a moment I’ll always treasure. This journey has been surreal, and I’m thankful to iQOO, the jury, and everyone who believed in me. I’m excited to now take this passion forward with iQOO and give back to the community that shaped me.

    Welcoming Vedang, iQOO CEO Nipun Marya said, “This is yet another iconic moment for the Indian smartphone industry, and we are proud to welcome Vedang as our new Chief Gaming Officer. Vedang perfectly embodies the spirit of ‘I Quest On and On’. His journey from grassroots gaming to leading top teams reflects the passion and perseverance we value at iQOO. With his experience as a player, coach, and mentor, we believe he will bring a sharper understanding of the gaming community and a fresh perspective to our gaming initiatives. All of us at iQOO are excited to have him join the family, and we are  confident he will make a meaningful impact in this role.”

    From competing against 80,000+ passionate gamers to impressing a power-packed jury panel featuring Nipun Marya, Rannvijay Singha, Payal Gaming (Payal Dhare), and 8bit Thug (Animesh Agarwal), Vedang has emerged as the winner of CGO 2.0. As CGO, Vedang will work closely with iQOO’s leadership, offering insights to enhance the smartphone gaming experience and  connect with the esports ecosystem. The position will also give him the opportunity to collaborate with top gamers across India and earn a prize of Rs 10 lakhs.

    In addition to strengthening its presence in the esports space, iQOO has appointed Harshvardhan as its official caster. A passionate storyteller and presenter, Harshvardhan began his casting journey two years ago and quickly made a mark by winning the Nodwin Gaming Talent Hunt three times, including during BGIS 2024. Beyond the mic, he brings a well-rounded understanding of the esports ecosystem, skilled in production, match analysis, editing, and design. With his deep connection to the gaming community and evolving expertise, Harshvardhan will serve as a strong voice for iQOO’s gaming initiatives across platforms.

  • Iqoo plays its ace, hunts for a gen z gaming guru with Rs 10 lakh bounty

    Iqoo plays its ace, hunts for a gen z gaming guru with Rs 10 lakh bounty

    MUMBAI: Hold onto your controllers, Gen Z gamers—Iqoo has decided it’s time to level up your gaming obsessions into something that pays real cash. The tech brand known for smartphones faster than your pizza delivery has now set out to find India’s ultimate gaming pro. The reward? A jaw-dropping Rs 10 lakh. Forget bragging rights; we’re talking serious gamer currency here!

    Iqoo has kicked off the epic quest for its 2025 chief gaming officer (CGO), a role packed with more perks than a cheat code. The chosen gaming genius will help co-create new smartphones, steer the brand’s ambitious eSports vision, and hobnob with India’s gaming elite. Sounds better than a power-up mushroom, doesn’t it?

    The CGO gets exclusive first dibs on the latest Iqoo gadgets and the chance to represent the brand at epic global gaming events. Better start practising those winning speeches and perfecting your gaming stance—your big break might be just a button-click away.

    Iqoo India CEO Nipun Marya says, “We have always believed in the power of India’s gaming community, and the phenomenal response to our previous CGO hunt reaffirmed this. After receiving countless requests from our community, we knew we had to bring it back. At Iqoo, we are committed to empowering young gaming enthusiasts by giving them a platform to step into the eSports industry and shape the future of mobile gaming in India. With CGO as an I.P, we continue to create opportunities for Questers to turn their passion into a profession and be a part of the vision.”

    With registrations open on Iqoo India’s website until 30 March 2025, young gamers aged 18-25 are invited to apply for this dream gig. The CGO will not only strategise with Iqoo’s top brass but also interact closely with over two million Questers from Iqoo Connect, the brand’s vibrant community.

    The Indian gaming community is exploding like popcorn in a microwave, growing at 14.6 per cent annually from 2018 to 2024, according to IMARC. India now boasts nearly 48 crore gamers—a number larger than some countries’ entire populations!

    Iqoo has already made waves, teaming up with gaming legends like Dynamo Gaming, GamerFleet, Mortal, Payal Gaming, Scout, Shreeman Legend, and UnGraduate Gamer. These superstars have stress-tested Iqoo’s devices, ensuring they’re battle-ready for the toughest gaming showdowns.

  • Iqoo levels up mobile gaming with India’s top gamers on board

    Iqoo levels up mobile gaming with India’s top gamers on board

    MUMBAI: Iqoo is taking mobile gaming to the next level, forging a power-packed alliance with seven of India’s biggest gamers, Dynamo Gaming, Gamerfleet, Mortal, Payal Gaming, Scout, Shreeman Legend, and Ungraduate Gamer. Together, they will test, refine, and certify Iqoo smartphones, ensuring a next-gen gaming experience built by gamers, for gamers.

    Kicking off this high-stakes collaboration is the Iqoo Neo 10R, the first smartphone tested and certified by these gaming legends. Armed with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor and India’s slimmest 6400mAh battery, the Neo 10R is set to launch on 11 March 2025, promising unparalleled gaming endurance and performance.

    As part of this industry-first initiative, these gaming stalwarts will not only stress-test every Iqoo device but also use them as their primary smartphones during live YouTube streams. By directly incorporating their insights, Iqoo ensures its smartphones meet the intense demands of pro and casual gamers alike.

    “These gamers are the real questers, the catalysts behind India’s Esports culture,” said Iqoo CEO Nipun Marya. “By collaborating with them, we are ensuring iQOO smartphones push the boundaries of Android gaming, delivering an experience gamers truly deserve.”

    With the Indian gaming market projected to reach 9.2 billion dollars by FY’29 (Lumikai-Google report), Iqoo is doubling down on its commitment to Esports, solidifying its position as a key player in the industry. The brand has already made significant strides, including partnering with six BGMI Esports teams and over 100 gamers in December 2024, onboarding a 23-year-old Gen Z chief gaming officer in 2023 to gather firsthand gaming insights, and serving as the official mobile phone partner for Esports in the 2022 Asian Games.  

    This gamer-driven innovation strategy positions Iqoo as a key player in shaping India’s Esports future. With cutting-edge devices and gaming champions at the helm, Iqoo is not just playing the game, it’s changing it.

     

     

  • New age careers are becoming number one choice for youth today: Nipun Marya

    New age careers are becoming number one choice for youth today: Nipun Marya

    Mumbai: iQOO has launched ‘The Quest Film’ directed by Shoojit Sircar featuring Bhuvan Bam which was premiered at the PVR Directors Cut, Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. Conceptualised by Ogilvy India, “Keep Questing” aims to inspire the youth to explore their passions, and follow their dreams and aspirations. The film further delved into the quest of the youngest boy of the family who aims to make it big in his life despite multiple hurdles.

    Futhermore the brand has also unveiled The Quest Report 2024’ which encapsulates insights from 6,700 respondents, aged between 20-24 years, 7 countries- India, United States of America, United Kingdom, Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The report covers three broad areas: Gen Z Questers’ spirit & motivation to fulfil their dreams, obstacles & barriers that disrupt their quest for passion, and career choices that drive their interests.

    Executed by iQOO with CyberMedia Research (CMR), the report decodes Questers’ drive, passion and ambition through a quantitative metric- Quest Index, or “QI”. The results showcase India’ s QI as 9.1 followed by Malaysia with 8.7 QI, Thailand & USA with 8.2 QI, Indonesia with 8.1 QI, United Kingdom with 8 QI, and Brazil with 7.8 QI.

    Indiantelevision.com at the sidelines of this event, caught up with iQOO India CEO Nipun Marya, where he shared some vital details into the process of making this film, some additional insights on the report and much more.

    Edited excerpts

    What inspired you to create The Quest Film and collaborate with Shoojit Sircar?

    We prepared this film on the back of the findings which we got from the Quest report. In which we talked and surveyed 6,700 people across seven countries in the age group of 20-24. When we asked them, we found some very interesting findings. First is new age careers. They are really shaping up and becoming the number one choice for the youth of today. Second that we saw was that at one level, new age careers are becoming prevalent amongst the youth, but they still find very high societal pressure. So when we saw that, we thought why don’t we combine the two and make a film. We discussed with our creative agency Ogilvy and we were able to create a film which also depicts at one level what is the interest amongst the youth and at the same time how do they feel challenged when they express their choices.

    What are the key trends about Gen Z did the report uncover?

    Lot of trends actually! Firstly how audacious your dreams are. We found out that Indian youth are among the highest in the world in dreaming big. What is more heartening is even though dreaming big is one thing, the Indian youth are also hustling twice the global youth. Which means they are taking double the amount of steps to reach their goal. It also means whether they are taking courses or internships etc, whatever they are doing, they are trying to somehow learn more. Then gender also came out where we found out that women expressed the cause of the gender difference. Twice the number of women feel more challenged than men. Lastly societal pressure is still quite high and as a society if we can do something around it, I think it would be better.

    How does the research in the global report inform iQOO’s strategy and product development?

    When we discussed about this report, it gives us more insights into when we are communicating with Gen Z, like how we should do it and what are the aspects which we should touch upon when we communicate with them. At the product development level, it also shows us what are the key areas we should focus on when we have to think about our products like how new age careers are becoming important and critical and how can we enable better usage through our phone. Esports is one example, content creation is another example.

    How do you plan to leverage the findings of this report in its future marketing and product strategies?

    Firstly, this campaign is not necessarily for product marketing. We don’t intend to sell more products through this report. It is more about sharing our brand’s perspective.

    Any specific outcome you hope to achieve with The Quest Film and the report?

    We believe its a long journey. But its a first step towards taking this journey. We are just hoping we put our best foot forward and let’s see how the results come. 

  • The #FullyLoaded iQOO Z7 Pro 5G gets launched with a #FullyLoaded digital film

    The #FullyLoaded iQOO Z7 Pro 5G gets launched with a #FullyLoaded digital film

    Mumbai: iQOO, the high-performance smartphone brand has recently unveiled its new offering, the iQOO Z7 Pro 5G. iQOO has collaborated with Havas Worldwide India for the launch film that celebrates the hustle-mode of the youth who are always on the quest of exploring the new. Being #fullyloaded with technologically advanced features makes it the best choice for today’s youngsters.

    The launch film has highlighted how this new market entrant is India’s fastest and power packed smartphone in its price segment with powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7200 5G processor and an AnTuTu score of 728K+. It’s also India’s slimmest smartphone in its price segment, providing the consumers with an unmatched experience of 3D Curved 120Hz AMOLED Display. Another major highlight is the 64MP Aura Light OIS Camera that comes with superior image processing capabilities to deliver ultra-sharp images even in low-light environments. While being quite low on weight, the iQOO Z7 Pro 5G is heavy on performance.

    Speaking about the campaign, iQOO India CEO Nipun Marya said, “At iQOO, we recognize that Gen Z is at the forefront of innovation and change. Our collaboration with Havas Worldwide India enables us to communicate with this dynamic audience in a language they resonate with. iQOO Z7 Pro 5G is the answer to what the Gen Z desires since it provides groundbreaking performance and pushes the boundaries of smartphone capabilities in the segment. The campaign reflects our commitment to not just meeting but exceeding their technological aspirations.”

    Havas Worldwide India CCO Anupama Ramaswamy said, “The iQOO Z7 Pro 5G is the perfect example of what the Gen Z wants and deserves. A smartphone that matches their spirit to do everything, be everywhere and not miss out on anything. That’s why we decided to set the film in a college campus and have a protagonist who represents the generation aiming for the maximum. And to launch this #fullyloaded smartphone, there’s nothing better than a visually stunning film with the infectious energy of the #fullyloaded life.”

  • Nipun Marya takes over as iQOO India CEO

    Nipun Marya takes over as iQOO India CEO

    Mumbai: Smartphone brand iQOO on Monday announced the appointment of Nipun Marya as chief executive officer for India. As iQQQ India CEO, Marya will be responsible for driving the growth of the brand and its operations in India as it focusses on growing its market share to cement its position in the premium performance smartphone segment, said the company in a statement.

    According to a statement, iQQQ has witnessed a staggering growth of 671 per cent in Q3’21 vis-à-vis Q2’21 and it aims to double its online market share in the mid-premium space from five per cent to 10 per cent in India by 2022. Prior to iQOO, Marya worked with vivo India as director of brand strategy for the last five years.

    “Nipun has successfully led vivo’ s expansion and brand evolution in the India market. His deep understanding and consistent focus on consumer understanding have helped vivo grow its brand strength and preference over the years,” stated vivo India CEO Jerome Chen. “We are delighted to see him assume charge as iQOO’s CEO and are confident he will play a pivotal role in cementing the brand’s position within the India market.”

    Under the leadership of Marya, the company aims to accelerate the pace of innovation and address the demand of the ever-evolving consumers. Witnessing the dynamics of the Indian smartphone market, he will also focus on strengthening the premium and mid-premium portfolio for iQOO in India, said the statement.

    “iQOO India is at an exciting juncture right now. Our smartphones like iQOO 7, Z5 and Z3 have been the highest-rated smartphones in their respective segments on Amazon. This inspires us to further strengthen our ambitions to bring a bold line of breakthrough innovations in future products,” said Nipun Marya. “I am looking forward to driving this next phase of growth for the brand and double the online market share in the mid-premium segment.”

  • Vivo’s new campaign #SwitchOff urges mobile users to cherish relationships

    Vivo’s new campaign #SwitchOff urges mobile users to cherish relationships

    MUMBAI: In light of the changing human behavior due to excessive use of smartphones, vivo, the global innovative smartphone brand today announced a campaign- #SwitchOff with their brand ambassador, Aamir Khan. The digital campaign aims to encourage smartphone users in India to switch off from their mobile devices and spend quality time with family and friends.

    As per a recent survey conducted by vivo and CMR, it was found that 75% of the respondents agreed to have owned a smartphone in their teens and of them, 41% were hooked to phones even before graduating from high school. From showcasing the benefits to the depth of addiction, the vivo ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ study tries to understand the behavioral changes pertaining to smartphone usage.

    In an emotionally captured video starring Aamir Khan, vivo intends to showcase how smartphone users fail to interact with their surroundings due to continuous mobile usage. The recent vivo-CMR study “Smartphone and their impact on human relationships” revealed that more than 95% of smartphone users have only virtual conversations with friends and relatives/ meeting them perhaps once a month. The same study also highlights that more than half of all smartphone users have never tried to switch off from their social handles and profess to not being able to live without their phones. This showcases the extent to which mobile devices have impacted human lives.

    Speaking on the need to #SwitchOff, vivo India director brand strategy Nipun Marya said, “We as a brand believe that technology can immensely improve our consumer’s life, but like all things good, should be used cautiously. And as a Smartphone player, it was essential we ask ourselves the fundamental questions, how much is too much? Thus we commissioned this campaign that urges users to temporarily switch off and give time to relationships."

    "With smartphones becoming ubiquitous in our lives, the excessive usage of them is now impacting human behaviors and thus there is an urgent need to temporarily disconnect. While we all want to be connected with the world 24*7, it’s important to keep aside a few hours for our family, friends or just spend time doing what we enjoy apart from using the smartphones,” he added. 

    The campaign showcases how a child looks forward to spending time with his father but is not able to do so because the father is always occupied with his smartphone. Through a very subtle message, vivo aims to urge all smartphone users to switch off their devices and get connected with your immediate world by increasing human interactions.

    Corroborating the idea shared through the campaign, Max Super Speciality Hospital Department of mental health & behavioral science director and head Dr. Sameer Malhotra said, “Over time, we have witnessed a steep surge in patients, suffering from multiple psychosomatic problems, majorly stemming from smartphone addiction. And because people are so hooked on their devices, their human interactions in terms of spending time with family or friends have reduced significantly. In the long run, this addiction can lead to loneliness and depression. As an immediate and essential cure, balanced usage and at times digital detox is a must for a person’s well-being.”