Tag: Sochi Winter Olympics

  • India to lead increased ad spends in BRIC countries: Warc

    India to lead increased ad spends in BRIC countries: Warc

    NEW DELHI: Global advertising expenditure is forecast to grow by 5.6 per cent at current prices in 2014, rising to 5.3 per cent in 2015.

    According to Warc’s latest International Ad Forecast, the BRIC countries led by India are expected to post the largest ad spend increase this year, although their impressive rates of growth are forecast to be much lower in real terms once inflation is taken into account.

    Ad spend growth is forecast to rise 14 per cent in India (5.6 per cent adjusted for inflation), 12.4 per cent in Brazil (6 per cent), 12.3 per cent in China (9.5 per cent), and 8.6 per cent in Russia (2.2 per cent).

    In its previous report published in October 2013, Warc anticipated global growth of 4.4 per cent in 2014 based on its analysis of 12 leading markets – Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US.

    However, improved trading conditions, greater economic stability and an expected stimulus from major sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup and the Sochi Winter Olympics has led to a more positive outlook.

    In the more established markets, the UK is forecast to record the highest rate of growth on 5.8 per cent (3.8 per cent adjusted for inflation), closely followed by the US at 5.6 per cent (3.8 per cent).

    At current prices, they will be followed by Canada (3.2 per cent), Australia (2.9 per cent), Japan (2.3 per cent), Germany (2 per cent), Italy (0.7 per cent) with France trailing on 0.2 per cent projected growth.

    “This year is set to record the highest annual rate of growth since 2010, when the industry was bouncing back from recession,” said Warc data and journals director Suzy Young.

    “This is largely because the outlook for the global economy is now stabilising and advertisers are starting to feel confident about making additional investments,” she explained.

    Looking to 2015, all 12 markets are expected to show growth in ad spend at current prices, with India increasing its ad spend at the fastest rate of 13.5 per cent. 

  • First Footage of Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken released

    First Footage of Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken released

    MUMBAI: Complimenting the current ongoing Sochi Winter Olympics, Universal Pictures has just released the first footage of the upcoming feature film adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s bestseller, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

     

    Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie directs and produces Unbroken, an epic drama that follows the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini, played by Jack O’Connell (Skins) who, along with two other crewmen, survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII—only to be caught by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.

     

    Adapted from Laura Hillenbrand’s enormously popular book, Unbroken brings to the big screen Zamperini’s unbelievable and inspiring true story about the resilient power of the human spirit.

     

    Starring alongside O’Connell are Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 & Part 2) and Finn Wittrock (All My Children) as Phil and Mac—the airmen with whom Zamperini endured perilous weeks adrift in the open Pacific—Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) and John Magaro (Not Fade Away) as fellow POWs who find an unexpected camaraderie during their internment, Alex Russell (Carrie) as Zamperini’s brother, Pete, and in his English-language feature debut, Japanese singer turned actor Miyavi as the brutal camp guard known only to the men as “The Bird.”

     

    The film is produced by Jolie, as well as Matthew Baer (City by the Sea), Erwin Stoff (The Day the Earth Stood Still) and Clayton Townsend (This is 40). Leading the accomplished behind-the-scenes crew is 10-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Roger Deakins (Skyfall).

     

    Academy Award winners Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men) rewrote the screenplay from earlier drafts by William Nicholson (Les Misérables) and Richard LaGravenese (HBO’s Behind the Candelabra). 

     

    The following preview of the film that marks Jolie’s sophomore entry into film direction includes new footage from the film along with commentary by the 96 year old Olympian himself, Louis Zampereni and narration by Tom Brokaw, the former NBC Nightly News anchor.

     

    Click here to watch the inspiring footage: Unbroken – Olympics Preview