Tag: Vishal Shah

Instagram introduces Reels to entertain India

NEW DELHI: Instagram today announced the extension of the testing of Reels, a new video format, to India. This format offers a new way to create and share short videos on Instagram, aimed at redefining the future of entertainment on the platform.

With Reels, people can express themselves while entertaining others, whether that’s by trying out a fun new dance or spreading the message on something they care about. People can record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects and new creative tools on Reels; share them with their followers on Feed; and, if they have a public account, make their reels available to the wider Instagram community through a new space in Explore.

Sharing to Reels in Explore gives people the opportunity to access a larger audience, especially since more than 50 per cent of accounts on Instagram globally visit Explore every month. Explore can showcase an entertaining selection of reels made by public accounts on Instagram, which may inspire people to create their next reel.

Facebook India vice president and managing director Ajit Mohan said, “With the rise in video consumption overall and videos making up over a third of posts on Instagram in India, Instagram has a big role to play in unleashing expression in the country. People across the big and small cities of India come to Instagram to express themselves safely, and also to be entertained. With Reels, we’re unveiling the future of entertainment on the platform, in a way that ignites creativity. With the multiple creative formats, whichever way you want to express yourself, it can now be on Instagram.”

Facebook vice president of product Vishal Shah said, "Instagram has always been a place where culture is created, because people come to share the things they care about and be entertained. We’re constantly listening to our community, and have heard that they want to make and watch short-form videos on Instagram and have the opportunity to be discovered by our broader community. We’re excited to expand the test of Reels to India and give the next generation of creators born and bred in India a chance to share their native and cultural context — and be potential global stars."

The feature will start rolling out to users in India from 7.30 pm IST and at the onset, will be populated with content from a diverse set of public figures and creators, such as Ammy Virk, Gippy Grewal, Komal Pandey, Arjun Kanungo, Jahnavi Dasetty aka Mahathalli, Indrani Biswas aka Wondermunna, Kusha Kapila, Radhika Bangia, RJ Abhinav and Ankush Bhaguna.

India is the fourth country, after Brazil, Germany and France, where this new format is being tested. This entertainment experience builds on the work done in the past year to enable expression, such as the vast library of music available on the platform thanks to a partnership with prominent music labels; the Spark AR effects on Instagram that enable more creation and expression on the platform; and the ‘Born on Instagram’ program, which has led to discovery and growth of creators from all across India.

While this is a test, Instagram is committed to getting the experience right and will continue to learn and build as India creates and shares reels. To see reels from India on the day of launch, do follow #FeelitReelit.

To create a reel:

Select Reels at the bottom of the Instagram camera. You’ll see a variety of creative editing tools on the left side of your screen that you can use to create your reel, including:

Audio: Search for a song from the Instagram music library for your reel. You can also use your own original audio by simply recording a reel with it.

AR Effects: Select one of the many effects in our AR library, created by both Instagram, and creators all over the world, to record multiple clips with different effects.

Timer and Countdown: Set the timer to record any of your clips hands-free.

Align: Line up objects from your previous clip before recording your next, which helps for seamless transitions like outfit changes or adding new friends into your reel.

Speed: Choose to speed up or slow down part of the video or audio you selected, which helps you stay on a beat or make slow motion videos.

To share a reel:

With Reels, you can share with your followers and have the potential to be discovered by the huge, diverse Instagram community on Explore. Reels that you post to Feed or Explore will also appear in the Reels tab of your profile. You can also share to Stories or in Direct, though your reel would then disappear after 24 hours, not be shared to Reels in Explore, and not appear on your profile.

If you have a Public Account: You can share your reel to a dedicated space in Explore, where it has the chance to be seen and discovered by the wider Instagram community. You can also share to Feed so your followers can see your reel. When you share reels featuring certain songs, hashtags or effects, your reel may also appear on dedicated pages whenever someone clicks on that song, hashtag or effect.

If you have a Private Account: You can share to Feed so your followers can see your reel. You can also share to Stories or in Direct, though your reel would then disappear after 24 hours.

To watch Reels:

Reels in Explore is a new space to enjoy reels created by the diverse community on Instagram. Discover your new favorite comedian, inspiring advocate, trending dance or beauty trend in a vertical feed customized for you. If you enjoy a reel, you can easily like, comment or share it with your friends.

July 8, 2020
MediaCom announces key leadership appointments in Mumbai

MUMBAI: MediaCom has further strengthened its leadership team, with the announcement of key appointments and role changes in the Mumbai team.

Vishal Shah has joined as managing partner, MediaCom West. In this role, Vishal will be leading MediaCom’s West clients excluding P&G.

Rachana Monteiro has been elevated to lead one of MediaCom’s key portfolios – agency lead on the P&G business.

Shah has been an entrepreneur and was running his own start-up before joining MediaCom. He has also worked with leading agencies like Madison, Starcom and UM extensively on strategic media planning, buying and implementation before moving to the client-side at The Kraft Heinz Company. He has also worked with iconic brands like Carrefour, Ford Motor, McDonald’s, Complan, Glucon-D, Ferrari, Lindt, Asian Paints, Monster.com, etc. Vishal has been responsible for the stellar growths of brands like Nycil and Heinz while heading their marketing teams.

Rachana Monteiro has been associated with MediaCom since 2013, previously as senior business director, a key driver behind the success of team P&G. With over 18 years of experience in media management, Rachana has a deep operating understanding of the telecom, banking, travel categories, apart from FMCG. She has been associated with leading agencies like Carat, Maxus, Lodestar, Starcom and key brands like Philips, Disney, Tata Telecom, Vodafone, Heinz, BlackBerry, Axis Bank, etc. in the past.

MediaCom South Asia CEO Navin Khemka says, “It is great to have such talented leaders in our Mumbai team. Known to be a brand change agent, I am confident that Vishal’s appointment will help grow MediaCom’s existing and potential clients and will add immense value to our media offering. Rachana, on the other hand, has been a passionate leader and I am delighted to see her grow and take on a larger role within the company. I am certain that team P&G is stronger and together this passionate team will help in growth to the next level.”

Vishal Shah says, “MediaCom is known for its people-centric culture. I am looking forward to work with the immensely talented team at MediaCom. My immediate tasks would be drive growth for MediaCom West along with adding more value to the existing clients.”

Rachana Monteiro says, “It’s a pleasure and privilege to be leading a prestigious portfolio like P&G. My stint at MediaCom has been very rewarding and I hope with the support of my fantastic team and client, we can take P&G to the next level of growth.”

April 13, 2020
Storia Foods & Beverages appoints Kiran Giradkar as Strategic Head- Marketing & Communications

MUMBAI: Storia Foods & Beverages Pvt Ltd has named Kiran Giradkar as Strategic Head – Marketing & Communications, effective January 2nd, 2020. Kiran will be reporting to the Managing Director of Storia Foods & Beverages – Mr. Vishal Shah.

Speaking about the appointment, Vishal Shah, Founder and Managing Director, Storia Foods & Beverages Pvt Ltd said, "Kiran is a strong and dynamic leader with the ability to shape brand and business culture and I am delighted to welcome him on board. With his extensive product development brand building experience and intimate understanding of the local markets, Kiran is the perfect candidate to take over the reins of marketing operations.”

Kiran is a seasoned marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in FMCG brand management. At Storia, Kiran will be responsible for strengthening the overall sales of Storia products and the new products that will be introduced in the country. Prior to joining Storia, he was the Head of Marketing at Bisleri International Pvt Ltd. He was also previously associated with brands like Kokuyo Camlin, Bajaj Consumer Care and Parle Products.

Kiran Giradkar, Strategic Head- Marketing & Communications, Storia Foods & Beverages Pvt Ltd said, “Storia is an organization with incredible people and exceptional products and I am delighted to be a part of this esteemed team. I am confident that Storia will be able to win the hearts of an Indian consumer and journey from here on will be full of significant milestones for the brand.”

Kiran holds a master’s degree in management studies from University of Mumbai and is also an alumnus of Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai.

January 7, 2020
Publicis Beehive wins communications mandate for Storia Foods

MUMBAI: Publicis Beehive won the entire communications mandate for Storia Foods and Beverages, a budding entrepreneurial venture in the natural foods space. Publicis Beehive will help in establishing a firm grip in the Indian food market.

The agency was shortlisted after a multi-agency pitch and will manage the entire communication mandate including advertising, brand activation, digital and media. The agency was chosen for articulating a sharp and forward-looking communication plan that seeks to establish Storia Foods as the go-to brand for its multiple natural offerings, reveals Publicis.

Publicis Beehive COO Paritosh Srivastava said, “Partnering an upcoming and entrepreneurial brand like Storia Foods & Beverages presents both an opportunity as well as a challenge. Opportunity lies in leveraging our integrated strength to put our best foot forward in terms of creative, media, digital and activation. The challenge is the trust and responsibility entrusted by Vishal and team upon us to make Storia a success in a tough environment. It’s a great product and we hope that together we will create memorable communication that will result in disproportionate trials and awareness.”

Storia Foods and Beverages founder and managing partner, Vishal Shah said, “It is important that we have a deep understanding of our consumers, how we want our consumers to perceive us and what feeling we want to leave them with. Today’s society is moving rapidly and brands have a small window to interact with their consumers and create an impact through their products and communication. It was thus important for Storia to invest in a partner who could communicate these brand values and create a feeling of belonging for our consumers and Publicis Beehive fit the bill seamlessly. They understand our brand vision and culture and there is immense trust that they will nurture our brand as well as we do.”

The agency is currently working on the first communication message which will be rolled out shortly.

December 6, 2018
iProspect appoints Vishal Shah, Asad Khan as senior directors

MUMBAI: iProspect India, the digital performance agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has appointed Asad Khan and Vishal Shah as senior directors to lead the SEO practice at the agency.

With more than eight years of experience, Khan has chiefly been responsible for expanding business for the Southeast Asian & Oceania markets and leading strategic planning for e-commerce portfolios. His core strengths lie in formulating data driven integrated search strategies using an agile marketing approach.

On joining iProspect, Khan says, “I’m happy to join the iProspect family. The agency’s belief in maintaining an open and transparent work environment, unrestricted access to knowledge and collaborative approach towards decision making is what gives them a competitive advantage and a clear path to continued growth. I'm eager to work with the team and help them grow the business.”

Shah, who has worked across domestic and international markets for more than eight years now, has been instrumental in strengthening core organic search offerings as per technological advancements and market evolution. His ability to plan, execute and deliver in complex brand ecosystems has helped him successfully play the strategic lead on several enterprise clients.

“With a worldwide presence, iProspect has been successful in driving digital performance in every corner of the globe. 20 years of rich digital experience has led the agency to the position that it enjoys today. I look forward to the new set of learnings at iProspect,” adds Shah.

On the new appointments, iProspect India CEO Rubeena Singh mentions, “Reinvigorating the team with new talent is crucial in driving business performance. Both Asad and Vishal have rich experience. With them leading the SEO teams, we hope to strengthen our service suite and accelerate our growth in the next phase.”

Prior to the move, both worked at Performics.Convonix as associate directors.

Founded in 1997, iProspect India offers brands an entire spectrum of result-oriented digital marketing strategies. This includes paid and natural search, performance display, content generation, structured data & feeds, conversion optimisation, data & insights, social media management, lead generation & affiliates, videos and mobile services.

November 12, 2018