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Tag: YouTube

  • Pickleball goes under the hammer as GSP sets stage for Season 2 auction

    Pickleball goes under the hammer as GSP sets stage for Season 2 auction

    MUMBAI: The paddles are ready, and so is the gavel. Global Sports Pickleball (GSP) is set to host India’s first-ever live pickleball auction on 7 September 2025 in Mumbai, marking a defining moment for the fast-rising racquet sport. Season 2 of the Pro & Challenger League will see ten franchises bidding for five players each across both categories, making it the biggest player pool ever assembled for an Indian pickleball auction. For fans at home and abroad, the action will stream live on GSP’s official Youtube channel, turning the auction itself into a spectator sport.

    This milestone comes as GSP continues to build a full-fledged ecosystem for pickleball. Over the past two years, the organisation has gone beyond tournaments developing courts, retailing gear, and running grassroots clinics in India and Dubai. Its league calendar already includes flagship events like the Indian Open and the Grand Slam, both designed to put Indian pickleball on the global sporting map.

    GSP chief architect of pickleball growth Hemal Jain explained: “From grassroots clinics to national academies, our vision has been to craft a robust foundation for pickleball in India. This auction for our 2nd season is more than a sporting event, it’s a pivotal step in our shared journey to place pickleball on the world stage.”

    Hindi filmmaker and GSP co-founder Shashank Khaitan added: “Pickleball is no longer the hidden star of the racquet sports world, it’s ready for its moment. With this auction and Season 2 of the League, we’re not just creating teams; we’re creating benchmarks. And a platform where dreams can come true.”

    With ten teams, two categories, and a first-of-its-kind live auction, Season 2 of the Pro & Challenger League promises to be a turning point one where India doesn’t just play pickleball but takes it mainstream.

  • Flash AI clicks with shoppers bringing smart buys to 100 plus countries

    Flash AI clicks with shoppers bringing smart buys to 100 plus countries

    MUMBAI: Shopping just got a supercharged upgrade. Flash.co has unveiled Flash AI, a first-of-its-kind AI Shopping Assistant designed to make buying easier, smarter and cheaper for over 1 billion ecommerce shoppers worldwide. Launched across 100 plus countries, the tool promises to cut through the online clutter and help users make faster, better-informed decisions.

    The Bengaluru-headquartered startup, founded by ex-Flipkart SVP Ranjith Boyanapalli and backed by Blume Ventures, Global Founders Capital and Peer Capital, introduces a clever twist simply add flash.co/ before any product URL, and Flash AI instantly generates an AI-enhanced product page. Shoppers are served an AI summary compiled from sources like Youtube, Reddit and expert blogs, while real-time price comparisons across multiple online stores ensure no one overpays.

    “With Flash AI, we aim to craft a commerce intelligence layer that helps shoppers make better, faster decisions,” said Flash.co founder & CEO Ranjith Boyanapalli. “Built on insights from over 2 billion anonymised data points, Flash AI will lead the global shift into AI-driven commerce, setting a new standard for the industry.”

    The launch comes at a time when global ecommerce is set to cross 7 trillion dollars, with 30 million plus stores and tens of billions of SKUs vying for attention. With 78 per cent of shoppers admitting to feeling overwhelmed by too many choices, Flash AI’s pitch is timely: clear, authentic insights and the best price in seconds.

    Beyond discovery and comparison, the platform also helps shoppers track orders, refunds, warranties and spending. Available via the Flash website, WhatsApp and mobile app, Flash AI is betting that when it comes to ecommerce, intelligence pays literally.

  • Vida unveils agentic AI-powered media factory at IBC 2025

    Vida unveils agentic AI-powered media factory at IBC 2025

    LONDON:  Vida, the London- and Los Angeles-based cloud-native media management outfit, has launched Media Factory, an agentic AI-powered workflow automation engine set to debut at IBC 2025.

    Billed as a “smarter, faster way” to run the digital media supply chain, Media Factory integrates directly into Vida’s content OS and ships with more than 300 pre-built connectors, from AI tagging and transcription to compliance checks and delivery to fast channels, YouTube and social platforms. What once took weeks of bespoke software coding can now be built, tested and deployed in hours.

    “Media Factory is about giving teams the tools to connect content, configure any workflow, and integrate with any business system. The possibilities are mind-blowing,” said Vida managing director Symon Roue.

    The tool uses a visual drag-and-drop interface to let both humans and AI models orchestrate ingest, metadata packaging, age-appropriateness flagging, analytics integration, and trigger-based delivery. Workflows can be fired by events, webhooks, asset changes or file activity. Unlike legacy systems demanding top-tier software engineers, Media Factory is pitched at operations and technology teams asked to do more with less.

    Vida’s customers already manage over 43m assets and 26 petabytes of content on its platform. The new engine will be available to enterprise clients and partners from September 2025. Demonstrations will run at IBC 2025 in Hall 5, stand 5.D50.

  • Sony Pictures’ Juhita Gupta takes lead role on YouTube channels

    Sony Pictures’ Juhita Gupta takes lead role on YouTube channels

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has handed the reins of its YouTube channels to Juhita Gupta, a seasoned media professional with over 16 years of consumer insights and market research under her belt.

    Gupta, who has spent more than a decade shaping programming strategies and audience growth across Sony Sab, Sony Pal, Sony Max and Set, is known for blending data storytelling with sharp commercial impact. Her remit now includes steering Sony’s digital video footprint at a time when streaming platforms are fighting fiercely for attention.

    Before joining Sony, she worked with 9XM, Disney Channel, Hungama, Star Movies and Channel V, giving her a panoramic view of India’s entertainment ecosystem, from kids’ content to blockbuster films.

    She began her career in FMCG research at Nielsen and TNS, tracking categories from skincare to home care. Those early years sharpened her instincts in quantitative and qualitative research, a skill set she later repurposed for television and, now, digital.

    Gupta’s expertise runs the gamut from weekly TV ratings (TAM, BARC) and promo planning to ethnographies, focus groups and social listening. In her own words, she thrives on “insight mining” and translating numbers into narratives, a talent Sony hopes will give its YouTube channels an edge in the battle for viewers.

  • BGMS 4 drops with Rs 1.5 crore loot, fresh faces and fierce inclusivity

    BGMS 4 drops with Rs 1.5 crore loot, fresh faces and fierce inclusivity

    MUMBAI: Drop in, loot up, and get ready for the chaos. BGMS is back, and it’s bigger than ever. Nodwin Gaming has unleashed Season 4 of the Oneplus Android Battlegrounds Mobile India Masters Series, airing live on Star Sports Khel and JioHotstar daily from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM until 14 September, with a staggering Rs 1.5 crore prize pool on the line.

    But it’s not just about the loot this time. The tournament has levelled up with the launch of the Battlegrounds Mobile India Challenger Series (BGCS), the official amateur feeder league into the BGMS. Featuring 24 squads including 2 campus champs from the Oneplus Campus Dominate qualifiers, 1 team from TVS Raider Wicked Battles, 17 invited rosters, and a historic 4 all-women line-ups the Challenger Series is bringing fresh blood and fearless energy to Indian esports. Matches stream live on Nodwin’s Youtube channel from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm every day.

    “BGMS has become more than a tournament; it’s a cultural movement,” said Nodwin Gaming co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee. “Season 4 champions inclusivity at every level, from campus qualifiers to all-women teams on national television.”

    Title sponsor Oneplus is back for another round, powering gameplay with its flagship Oneplus 13 and Nord series. Android continues as co-title sponsor, while TVS Motor Company rides in as official mobility partner for a third year running with its TVS Raider Wicked Battles initiative.

    New faces join the fray too Duolingo English Test debuts as official learning partner, rolling out even a Gujarati-language feed, while Swiggy steps in as official food delivery partner, keeping players and crews fed through marathon matchdays. Red Bull fuels players for a second year, while Bisleri makes its debut as Hydration Partner.

    The BGCS runs till 7 September, setting the stage for BGMS Season 4’s finale stretch. With esports on primetime TV and national brands stacking up behind the action, BGMS isn’t just gaming anymore, it’s India’s newest sporting spectacle.

  • From Netflix to Next-Gen AI, Akash Iyer joins OpenAI India as social lead

    From Netflix to Next-Gen AI, Akash Iyer joins OpenAI India as social lead

    MUMBAI: Lights, camera… AI-ction! After nearly seven years scripting cultural moments at Netflix, Akash Iyer is stepping into a whole new frame as the social lead for OpenAI in India. Iyer, who announced his move on LinkedIn with a mix of excitement and humility, joins at a pivotal moment. India is ChatGPT’s second-largest market after the US, and OpenAI is doubling down on its local presence with its first India office slated to open in Delhi later this year and a new India-only ChatGPT plan priced at Rs 399 per month.

    With over a decade in media and marketing, Iyer has a résumé as eclectic as it is impactful. At Netflix, he masterminded over 100 campaigns, from The Archies to the flagship Playback, scaled Youtube from zero to 20 million subscribers, and grew Instagram from 1 million to 8 million followers. Before that, he sharpened his storytelling craft at Buzzfeed, Sportskeeda, and The Glitch, dabbling in everything from viral video formats to sports explainers.

    His move signals OpenAI’s serious intent to court India’s fast-growing user base especially students, who, according to the company, use ChatGPT more here than anywhere else in the world. OpenAI comms head for Asia Pacific Jake Wilczynski summed it up: “India is not just a big market, it’s a critical one.”

    For Iyer, the leap is more than a career pivot. “It’s an incredible opportunity, but also a deep responsibility to contribute to building AGI for the benefit of humanity,” he wrote. With his cultural instincts and digital flair, OpenAI’s India story may just get the blockbuster treatment it needs.

  • Birla Opus paints the town festive with Ganesh Chaturthi digital film

    Birla Opus paints the town festive with Ganesh Chaturthi digital film

    MUMBAI :  When Bappa arrives, even the walls want to dress up. This Ganesh Chaturthi, Birla Opus Paints part of Aditya Birla Group’s Grasim Industries has unveiled a heartwarming digital film under its Duniya Ko Rang Do philosophy, capturing the spirit of devotion, colour, and community.

    The film, conceptualised by Leo India, tells the simple yet stirring story of a young boy yearning to welcome Lord Ganesha into his home for the first time. Initially hesitant about the extra effort, his family eventually gives in to his determination, deciding to host Bappa and repaint their home, a reminder that festive joy often begins with fresh walls and fresher spirits.

    Ganesh Chaturthi, one of India’s most vibrant festivals, is portrayed not just as a ritual but as an emotion that unites families, neighbours, and entire communities. The film highlights how a fresh coat of paint isn’t merely cosmetic, it’s symbolic of opening doors to divinity and joy.

    Birla Opus Paints head of marketing Inderpreet Singh explained: “Ganesh Chaturthi is a time of celebration, bringing homes and neighbourhoods alive. With this film, we wanted to tell the story through the eyes of a child welcoming Bappa home for the first time. Paints play a unique role on such occasions, transforming spaces and adding colour to the memories that will be cherished for years.”

    Leo South Asia chief creative officer Sachin Kamble echoed the sentiment: “Birla Opus has always celebrated the transformational power of colours in our lives. This film shows how they go beyond beautifying walls to help turn houses into spaces of celebration and love.”

    Streaming across Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin, the campaign is designed to spread festive cheer and inspire families to brighten both homes and hearts this season. Ending with the line “Rangon Ko Khushiyan Phailane Do, Duniya Ko Rang Do,” the film reminds viewers that colour isn’t just what we see on our walls, it’s what we feel in our celebrations.

  • YouTube ropes in Viacom18 cricket advertising veteran

    YouTube ropes in Viacom18 cricket advertising veteran

    MUMBAI: YouTube has hired Shridhar Venkataramana as strategic partner manager for content partnerships, marking a significant coup for the Google-owned video platform in India’s lucrative cricket advertising market.

    The appointment sees Venkataramana move from Viacom18 Media, where he spent three years as senior director of cricket brand solutions. He brings deep expertise in cricket monetisation, having previously orchestrated brand partnerships across marquee tournaments including ICC, BCCI and ACC events during his six-and-a-half-year tenure at Star TV network. At Star Sports, he progressed through roles spanning revenue strategy and key account management, developing pricing models for some of cricket’s most valuable properties.

    Venkataramana’s career trajectory began at PepsiCo, where he cut his teeth as a management trainee before advancing to area sales manager. His LinkedIn announcement cheekily noted the transition from being “on YouTube” to being “in YouTube.”

    The hire underscores YouTube’s ambitions to capture a larger slice of India’s sports advertising pie, particularly as cricket viewership increasingly migrates to digital platforms. With India representing YouTube’s largest market by user base, securing experienced sports media executives has become critical to the platform’s revenue growth strategy.

    The appointment, effective August 2025, positions YouTube to better compete with established broadcasters for premium cricket content partnerships and advertising deals in the world’s most cricket-obsessed market.

  • Disney hires Netflix executive to turbocharge Asia streaming push

    Disney hires Netflix executive to turbocharge Asia streaming push

    MUMBAI: His is a familiar face to Indian music and streaming industry professionals. We are talking about Tony Zameczkowski who used to jet his way to India often first as the executive in charge of YouTube’s music vertical and then as Netflix vice-president and co-head Asia Pacific. 

    Now Zameczkowski  has hopped aboard Disney to spearhead its streaming ambitions across Asia-Pacific, as the entertainment giant seeks to capitalise on the region’s enormous growth potential. His designation: senior vice-president and general manager for direct-to-consumer operations across the region. The appointment signals Disney’s determination to accelerate Disney+ growth in markets where streaming adoption continues to surge.

    Reporting to APAC president Luke Kang and Disney Entertainment’s direct-to-consumer president Joe Earley, Zameczkowski will oversee the expansion of Disney+ across a region that company executives describe as brimming with “immense growth opportunities.”

    His arrival comes as Disney+ builds momentum following ESPN’s successful launch in Australia and New Zealand, alongside a growing slate of local originals from Korea, Japan and Australia. The second series of Japanese live-action thriller Gannibal became the platform’s most-viewed premiere in the second quarter and its fastest title to reach one million streaming hours.

    The streaming wars in Asia-Pacific show no signs of cooling, with local players and global giants alike vying for market share in countries where mobile-first consumption and rising disposable incomes are reshaping entertainment habits.

    Zameczkowski, who previously held roles at Victorious and Warner Bros International Television before his Netflix and YouTube stint, says he has “always admired Disney’s unmatched leadership in the entertainment space and its ability to remain modern and relevant to consumers.”

    New APAC originals including Tempest, Disney Twisted Wonderland: The Animation” and Cat’s Eye are set to debut on Disney+ in coming months as the company doubles down on local content production—a strategy that has proven crucial for streaming success across diverse Asian markets.

  • Google’s quick move to boost brand sales with Commerce Media Suite

    Google’s quick move to boost brand sales with Commerce Media Suite

    MUMBAI: When it comes to India’s shopping habits, “add to cart” is now often followed by “arrives in 10 minutes” and Google is making sure brands don’t miss the ride. The tech giant has launched its Commerce Media Suite, an AI-powered solution designed to help brands and merchants tap into the surging quick commerce and e-commerce markets. The suite works through Google Ads, letting advertisers reach high-intent shoppers across Search, Shopping, Youtube, Display, Discover, and Gmail, directing them straight to product listings on marketplaces like Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto, and Myntra.

    The timing is no accident with the festive season around the corner, competition for eyeballs (and wallets) is fierce. “Today, consumers demand immediacy and convenience, clearly demonstrated by the rise of quick commerce,” said Google India director for omni-channel businesses Bhaskar Ramesh. “Commerce Media Suite opens fresh pathways for discovery across Google and Youtube, driving stronger results for brands during peak demand seasons.”

    Early adopters are already seeing gains worth bragging about. ITC Aashirvaad Select clocked a 4x return on ad spend on Blinkit, while Renee Cosmetics reported an 11.5 per cent bump in sales and a 48 per cent drop in cost per order.

    For Blinkit, the solution is a match made in delivery heaven. “Google’s Commerce Media Suite offers brands a significant opportunity to cut through the noise and connect with the modern consumer,” said Blinkit director of ad monetisation and pricing Anish Acharya calling it a “game-changer” ahead of the festive rush.

    Beyond just reach, brands get Google AI-driven performance, first-party marketplace data, product-level measurement, and self-service transparency effectively marrying campaign spend to actual sales impact.

    Or as Renee Cosmetics head of eCommerce Jitendra Rawal put it: “It’s allowed us to efficiently connect with customers looking for our products and significantly drive incremental sales.”

    With India’s quick commerce sector in overdrive, Google’s latest play might just help brands click with customers in more ways than one.