SEBI cracks down on unregistered finfluencers, but loopholes remain

Modenik Lifestyle ups ad spends by 25 percent; to double revenue growth in three years

Warner Bros. Discovery threatens legal action against NBA over media rights

Meta ordered to delete AI-generated photographs of public individuals

Esports industry divided over forming anti-poaching body

Representational image via Unsplash

Relief for advertisers as MIB restricts SDC for ads to food and health sectors only

Why are Indian brands advertising in NYC's Times Square?

What Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick teaches us about leadership

Advertising is in the position where tobacco was: IPG's Arun Kumar 

Biz Moves: Interactive Avenues, Verve Media, Foxymoron and Grapes

There is an opportunity for building a better agency, not just a different one: Manja's Prajato Guha

Paris Olympics to garner 150 million viewership on Digital, 120 million on Linear TV

Publicis Groupe to acquire Influential for $500 million

Google has a new competitor - SearchGPT by OpenAI

News influencers to be called 'digital news broadcasters', proposes new draft of Broadcasting Bill

Piyush Pandey

SC directs MIB to file affidavit within three weeks with recommendations on SDC | Ampverse shuts 7Sea Esports

Sachin Tendulkar, Adar Poonawalla-backed JetSynthesys to exit from Skyesports?: Exclusive

Quick-commerce players' ad revenue stream grows; a key investment focus for advertisers

FSSAI cancels licences of 111 spice producers due to high levels of ethylene oxide found in samples

The CRED Point: Relying on advertising virality without product virality?

Time to 'Share The Spotlight': Storyboard18's one-of-a-kind initiative to bring together women sparking change

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Shekhar Kapur known for films such as ''Mr India'', ''Bandit Queen'', and ''Elizabeth'', has been appointed festival director for the International Film Festival of India.

Kapur will lead the 55th and 56th editions of the Goa-based festival, which is conducted yearly, according to a statement from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

"With the approval of the Competent Authority, it has been decided to appoint Shri Shekhar Kapur as the Festival Director for the 55th and 56th editions of the International Film Festival of India, Goa," the notification stated.

Kapur, 78, is an iconic name in Indian cinema and one of the first directors to make a name for himself in Hollywood with his films "Elizabeth" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."

He has directed films such as ''Masoom'', ''Mr India'', and ''Bandit Queen'' in India.

He most recently directed the British comedy ''What's Love Got to Do with It? Kapur was the chairperson of the International Competition Jury at the 54th IFFI.

He also chaired the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune from 2020 to 2023.

Shekhar Kapur appointed festival director for International Film Festival of India

Swiggy's quick commerce vertical, Swiggy Instamart has appointed Himavant Srikrishna Kurnala as Senior Vice President (SVP) and Head of Product. 

Before this Kurnala was Chief Product Officer for JioMart where he oversaw Product, Program, Design, Analytics, and Marketplace trust functions.

Kurnala has also worked with companies like Amazon and Microsoft in his more than 20-year-long career.

Separately, Mayank Rajvaidya has joined as the Vice President (VP) of Fruits & Vegetables at Swiggy Instamart. Rajvaidya previously led Amazon’s Consumables Private Brands in India, where he expanded Amazon Pantry to over 300 cities.

Additionally, Manu Sasidharan joined Swiggy Instamart as Associate Vice President (AVP) of the FMCG Category. He has over 12 years of experience, predominantly in the e-commerce sector. Previously with Flipkart and Clertrip, Sasidharan was responsible for business development, setting up businesses, PnL management, and customer demand management.

The online food delivery platform has also appointed Kumar Rahul as AVP of development for Lynk. Rahul previously worked at Google, Disney+Hotstar, and Flipkart.

Swiggy announces three appointments for Swiggy Instamart

Everstone Group on Wednesday appointed Sujoy Bose as Chief Executive Officer-Investment Management. According to the investment group, Bose will spearhead capital formation, deal sourcing, fund governance, and ESG and impact initiatives. Bose's responsibilities also include managing capital-raising efforts, strengthening relationships with Limited Partners (LPs), and enhancing the firm’s deal flow across various sectors. 

"I am delighted to join the Everstone Group, one of the few home-grown and resilient multi-asset class fund managers in Emerging Markets, at a moment when it is on the verge of a significant growth phase.  There are several aspects of Everstone’s investment approach that I find exciting, including, its focus on India".


"I look forward to contributing my global experience to make a meaningful impact and help take Everstone to the next level," Bose added.

Sameer Sain from Everstone Group said, "We are delighted to welcome Sujoy to the Everstone family. Sujoy brings a long and proven track record of leadership and success, both in India and globally".

Bose will play a role in shaping Everstone's strategic direction and investment decisions as part of the Investment Committees and Executive Committee, the investment group said.

Bose has three decades of experience in fund management, infrastructure investment, and strategic leadership. Before joining Everstone Group, he led India's National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) as Managing Director and CEO. Prior to NIIF, Sujoy Bose spent 23 years at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he held pivotal roles such as Global Co-Head of Infrastructure and Natural Resources and Chief Investment Officer of IFC Asset Management.

Everstone Group appoints Sujay Bose as CEO-Investment Management

Bajaj Electricals Ltd today announced the resignation of its Managing Director and CEO, Anuj Poddar, who shall be moving on to pursue an external opportunity. The Board has accepted his resignation while recognising and acknowledging Poddar's contributions in formulating the transformation and growth journey of the Company over the past five and a half years. His last date with the company is 30th September, 2024.

Poddar led the organisation through a tumultuous phase and has been the architect of its overhaul and turnaround, the company said. He also brought in a consumer-first approach, while driving a long-term growth strategy, it said, adding that the company achieved several significant milestones, notably becoming net-debt-free in March’22 (a first for the company), relaunching its flagship brand ‘BAJAJ’, establishing the ‘House of Brands’ architecture, expanding the portfolio with a new, premium brand (Nex), signing a long-term licensing agreement for the ‘Morphy Richards’ brand, reorganising the Lighting Solutions business, launching a slew of products to premiumise
the portfolio, rolling out a new ERP system, and attracting strong talent to the organisation.

Before joining Bajaj Electricals, Poddar was a member of the Leadership Team at Viacom18 Media Private Limited and one of its key founding team members. During his over 13 years with the company he played an integral role in the growth of the company including its foray into mass entertainment with Colors, its expansion into international territories, the acquisition and launch of its motion pictures business as well as its foray into the regional language networks business. He also led strategy for MTV Networks Asia, based out of Singapore. 

Prior to Viacom 18 Media, Poddar spent nearly a decade with Arthur Andersen and KPMG and was involved in a range of consulting, mergers & acquisitions and assurance services to a range of clients across financial services, consumer, IT & ITES and other sectors.

Bajaj Electricals Limited is a Indian Consumer Appliances and Lighting Solutions company headquartered in Mumbai with a turnover of Rs 4,641 crores (FY 24-25). It is a part of the $100 bn multinational conglomerate Bajaj Group founded by Shri Jamnalal Bajaj. The Company was established in 1938. 

Bajaj Electricals MD and CEO Anuj Poddar resigns

Founder of the stationery brand Camlin, Subash Dandekar, died at 86. Dandekar was serving as the chairman emeritus of the Kokuyo Camlin. He was ill for the past few days and took his last breath at Hinduja Hospital.

According to PTI news agency, citing family sources, Dandekar was cremated in central Mumbai on Monday, and a condolence meeting will be held on Thursday.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid his tribute to Subhash Dandekar and said that the state has lost a "grandfather figure" who has brought fame to the industries in Maharashtra.

“Subhash Dandekar not only built the Camlin industry but added colour to the lives of thousands of youths by providing employment. He gave great priority to the preservation of values,” he said.

“While growing the industry, they preserved value and people. He always insisted that labour should get dignity,” Fadnavis added.

Dandekar received several awards for his contribution to art, entrepreneurship, and social awareness. He was the recipient of the Game Changers of Maharashtra award Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dandekar is survived by his son Ashish and daughter Anagha.

Camlin founder Subash Dandekar dies at 86

Consumer appliances and lighting solutions company, Bajaj Electricals Ltd has appointed Vishal Chadha as chief operating officer of its Consumer Products Division. Chadha will join the Bajaj Group company on August 1. 

Chadha brings with him 28 years of experience across organizations like Britannia, Nokia, Snapdeal and Kohler, with functional experience in sales, category management and marketing,

An IIM-Lucknow alumnus, Chadha has been in General Management roles since 2016, first at Snapdeal where he was the Chief Business Officer, followed by a brief stint at Reliance Brands before joining Kohler as Managing Director - India and South Asia where he ran the entire India business. He has experience across FMCG, consumer devices, and e-commerce.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/bajaj-consumer-care-appoints-sanath-r-pulikkal-as-cmo-34515.htm">Read more: Bajaj Consumer Care appoints Sanath R. Pulikkal as CMO</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/bajaj-auto-along-with-nitin-gadkari-launch-worlds-first-cng-motorcycle-36351.htm">Read more: Bajaj Auto along with Nitin Gadkari launch world's first CNG motorcycle</a>



Bajaj Electricals appoints Vishal Chadha as COO - Consumer Products Division

Meta has rolled back some restrictions that it had applied to former US President Donald Trump's accounts on Instagram and Facebook. The social media juggernaut had indefinitely suspended Trump's accounts following his praise of people who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. In January 2023, Meta ended the suspension of Trump’s accounts with new guardrails to deter repeat offenses. 

Former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties, Meta said in an updated blog post on July 12, 2024. 

The big tech firm said, "Today we are making a change to the updated protocol we announced in January 2023. To ensure people can hear from political candidates on our platforms, we will review accounts subject to this protocol on a periodic basis to determine whether heightened suspension penalties for Community Standards violations remain appropriate. We will make this determination by weighing our responsibility, as outlined by the Oversight Board, to “allow political expression” against our responsibility “to avoid serious risks to other human rights.”

It added in the blog post, "With the party conventions taking place shortly, including the Republican convention next week, the candidates for President of the United States will soon be formally nominated. In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis. As a result, former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties. In reaching this conclusion, we also considered that these penalties were a response to extreme and extraordinary circumstances, and have not had to be deployed. All US Presidential candidates remain subject to the same Community Standards as all Facebook and Instagram users, including those policies designed to prevent hate speech and incitement to violence." 

Meta rolls back restrictions applied on Donald Trump's Instagram and Facebook accounts

Billionaire Elon Musk has donated to a super political action committee working to elect Donald Trump to the White House, a Bloomberg report stated, claiming that the move is "a major gambit by the world’s richest person to make his imprint on the US political landscape." 

The report doesn't state the exact size of the contribution to the low-profile Super PAC called America PAC, except to say that it is sizeable. 

The Tesla boss and owner of X (formerly known as Twitter) has yet to publicly endorse a candidate in the 2024 US Presidential race. "...but his decision to open his pocketbook presents an opportunity for him to become a financial juggernaut for Republicans," the Bloomberg report stated.  

A political action committee (PAC) in the US is a tax-exempt 527 organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. 

Super PACs (independent expenditure only political committees) are committees that may receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other PACs for the purpose of financing independent expenditures and other independent political activity.

In May this year, Musk tweeted in support of Trump hours after he became the first US president to be convicted of a crime when a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.

“Indeed, great damage was done today to the public’s faith in the American legal system. If a former President can be criminally convicted over such a trivial matter – motivated by politics, rather than justice – then anyone is at risk of a similar fate,” Musk posted on X. 

Billionaire Elon Musk opens his wallet for Donald Trump's campaign in US prez race

Nikon India is planning to leverage the festive season in the country to enhance its revenue growth. The camera and imaging equipment maker expects a revenue growth of 10-12 percent compared to last year. India’s festive season generates around 35 percent of revenue for Nikon India due to high demand. Despite the growth, Nikon India has no plans to set up manufacturing units in India and will continue importing cameras and imaging equipment.

Nikon India recently expanded its mirrorless camera range with the launch of the latest Z6III full-frame mirrorless camera in India. Currently, mirrorless lenses and mirrorless bodies constitute 80 percent of Nikon India’s product sales. Against the backdrop of this launch, Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director of Nikon India, spoke to Storyboard18 and said, “We as a brand are looking at almost 10-12 percent growth in terms of absolute value. In our country, mainly winter weddings are the biggest seasonal period which starts just after Diwali. There is also festive demand by August which starts onwards from Onam.”

Nikon India generates around 35 percent of its revenue during festive seasons. Kumar said, “We see a lot of demand during Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja as well. We see an upward tick during wildlife seasons and we are expecting that this coming wedding period will be really good."

Today multiple companies have set up manufacturing units in India while Nikon India continues to import camera and imaging equipment. When asked if Nikon India has any plans to set up manufacturing plants in India, Kumar said, “No, not at this stage. Currently, our absolute numbers or customer base is too small for this industry to set up a manufacturing unit."

He further said, “Looking at the demand in our country and our population I think this number is small. Yes, that offers a lot of opportunity but that I think we need to see. But currently we don't have any plans (to set up a manufacturing unit).”

According to a Mordor Intelligence report, the global digital camera market size is estimated at USD 5.39 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 6.83 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.85 percent during the forecast period (2024-2029). The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest growth due to the current photography trend in Asia-Pacific which fuels the desire for digital cameras. Photography has grown more user-friendly and economical, supporting the region's demand for digital cameras.

India ranks number 4 in terms of revenue contribution to Nikon Corporation. Talking about the market share, Sajjan Kumar said, “Currently we have a 30 percent market share in India and we are expecting a growth of 2 percent. Nikon India achieved Rs 973 crore revenue last year and this year we are looking to clock around Rs 1050 crore.”

Elaborating on the global revenue contribution, Kumar said, “Globally, only in the imaging segment of Nikon, India is number 4. Our contribution should be around 4-5 percent to the global revenue contribution to Nikon Corporation. The major countries which contribute to Nikon are the US, China, Germany, and India. At times we are very close to the numbers with Germany.”

Nikon India entered the healthcare segment which contributes around 5 percent of its revenue. Kumar said, “We are looking at almost 20 percent growth in the healthcare segment in this fiscal year and we have just entered this category a year and a half back. We are seeing the focus and spending from the government towards healthcare as a segment. The conducive environment and efforts by the government are offering us more opportunities as a brand as we operate in a niche segment of just the biological range of microscopes when it comes to healthcare in India, catering to research institutes, educational institutes, or even IVF labs. For our healthcare division, we are investing in teams to meet the consumer's requirements and expectations from us in sales and service.”

With a footprint of 1500 stores across retail, Large Format Retailers, and experience zones, Nikon India says that their intent is to make their products widely available. Kumar said, “Nowadays, when a customer is buying a camera or lenses, they are either a serious hobbyist or a professional. For offline, in our 140 Experience Zones, we offer varied services to our customers. We do 700 plus workshops across 250 plus cities.”

Our advertising and marketing strategies are a mix of online and offline. We have understood that now, a good mix of online and offline activities will help. We are not into outdoor or TV in a big way. He added.

Nikon India sticks to imports amid growth, aims to cross Rs 1000 crore revenue mark

HCLTech, global technology company, announced that Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCLTech has been conferred the "Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur" (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by France. The award recognises her contributions to the business world, constant endeavor to promote economic ties between France and India, as well as her unwavering commitment to social and environmental causes.


Instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour. 

The award was conferred on the HCLTech Chairperson by H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, on behalf of the President of the French Republic, during a special ceremony at the Residence of France in Delhi.


Malhotra said, “It is my privilege to receive this honor and it underscores the strategic relationship between India and France. HCLTech has a longstanding presence in France, which is a strategic market for us. We are committed to scaling our operations in the country and supporting the digital transformation of French businesses through our differentiated portfolio of services.”


Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said: “I am delighted to confer the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur on Ms Roshni Nadar Malhotra whose exceptional leadership qualities have helped her carve her own niche in both the corporate and the philanthropic worlds. Under her forward-thinking mindset focused on emerging technologies as AI and cybersecurity, HCL has remained at the cutting-edge of the industry, and has been recognized as an active promoter of business relations between France and India. The French Republic acknowledges today not only Ms Nadar Malhotra’s professional achievements but also her impact on society and her commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/cxo-moves-exec-movements-across-intel-groupm-unilever-adobe-and-more-36402.htm">CXO Moves: Exec movements across Intel, GroupM, Unilever, Adobe and more</a> 



HCLTech's chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra conferred with the 'Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur'

On December 3, Helen Anchan, advertising veteran and a former account director at Lintas, breathed her last. She was the former head of media planning at Lintas. Anchan’s has been a role model for many young media professionals in India. She was one of the few women in advertising in the 1950s.

Former Lintas professional Prem Mehta fondly remembers Anchan as one of the stalwarts of Lintas who held the media department together. According to Mehta, Anchan was one of the best media planners of her time. 


Lynn D'souza, former director-in-charge of media and chairman and CEO of Lintas, tells Storyboard18 that Anchan will always be a part of Indian advertising history. She will always be regarded as one of the pioneers of media planning, says D'souza. She remembers the time when Anchan helped her out at work and baked for her.

 
Anchan retired from advertising in 2003. In 2004, the Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon her at the Emvies.

Ad veteran Helen Anchan passes away

Former Lintas professionals Prem Mehta and Lynn D'souza remember Helen Anchan as one of the best media planners of her time.

<em>"Don't miss out! You have only 5 minutes left to enroll at the current price. The course price will rise to Rs 50,000 after that, so act now!"</em>. 

Have you also come across such advertisements? Are you someone who acted promptly and purchased the course?

The internet is inundated with innumerable below-average courses on the stock market and investments that target gullible investors by charging exorbitant fees. 

Last month, the market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) cracked down on unregulated financial influencers who might be giving misleading investment advice. However, Sebi allowed people to educate others about investing, as long as they're not giving specific advice or promising guaranteed returns.

Storyboard18 checked the background of some of the finfluencers (someone who shares money management advice on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and others) who are not Sebi-registered but are selling "certified paid courses" on trading. Most of them have changed their intro to 'educationist', and 'digital creator ' and have disabled the comment section.


Pratyush Kumar, whose Instagram handle name is Stock Burner, has put a disclaimer in posts that read, "All information on this page is for educational purposes only. We are not Sebi registered. We only try to provide important information. We do not want to invest/trade based on our posts. You must consult your financial advisor. We will not be responsible for any of your profit/loss". Several other similar accounts have started adding disclaimers. 

Kavitha Menon, a Sebi-registered investment advisor, appreciated the market regulator's decision but said protecting the retail investors is a long way off.

Menon said,"They have only made one important change and left the other one open. Education is a subjective and open-ended term leaving to being manipulated at a whim. I have always maintained that any educator must be qualified by education and experience. We don't hire teachers in our schools without basic training and qualifications, so why allow anybody and everybody to run courses on investing".

<strong>Do online courses add value?</strong>

Storyboard18 spoke to some of the retail investors who purchased courses from financial influencers such as Akshat Srivastava (2.13 million YouTube followers), CA Rachana Phadke Ranade (4.97 YouTube followers), and Sharan Hedge (3.1 million YouTube followers). The responses were subjective- both critical and laudative. 

An individual, who wishes to remain anonymous, purchased a personal finance course by The 1% Club, co-founded by Sharan Hegde. The individual said, "I paid between Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 fee, and the course offered guest lectures of certified people. It was a good beginner course perhaps I had higher expectations".

Digital marketer Harshit Agarwal enrolled in one of the courses by YouTuber Akshat Shrivastava in June 2022. Agarwal said, "Before joining Akshat Shrivastava's course, I was randomly investing in stocks and mutual funds. I did not know how to build a portfolio. However, after I purchased Srivastava's course, I learned about investing in stocks that otherwise I would never have done on my own. I also learned about investing in different sectors, as well as, on international stocks such as Alphabet, Apple Inc, Meta, etc". Agarwal said he purchased the course for Rs 23,000 and had one year of access to it. He claimed that he booked 135% of profit in around 18 months by investing in Meta and 117% of profits in nine months by investing in HDFC MC.

Notably, Srivastava is not a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Last year, in a post on X, he mentioned that becoming an RIA was a "hyper complicated process and required massive compliances". 

Some of the individuals have taken the ed-tech platform routes to become financial coaches. A working professional showed Storyboard18 how to become a trainer on the American learning platform Udemy. Shockingly, the platform never checks the educational records of the educators.

An official from Udemy responded to Storyboard18's query on signing into the platform as a coach. Scott Rogers, Senior Vice President, Instructor & Content Strategy at Udemy said, "Although signing up is designed to be simple and accessible because we want to encourage knowledge sharing, only the most insightful and well-prepared content stands out".

In case of inappropriate content, Rogers added, "If an instructor violates any of Udemy’s policies, their account will receive strikes and immediate action will be taken. These actions can range from mild measures, such as warning emails, to severe consequences, such as blocking or removing their course or account".


<strong>Problem for regulated educators</strong>


Raghav Gupta, co-founder at The 1% Club told Storyboard18 that they onboard experts after doing a background check, like inspection of content, taking reviews of former students, and conducting multiple rounds of interviews. Gupta acknowledged the need to regulate the online courses on trading and investment. However, the issue arises when an uncertified individual creates a substandard course on investment and absolves himself of any responsibility in case of financial loss to his student, he added.

SEBI Registered Research Analyst Sumit Shrma said, "There should be some eligibility requirement for selecting a teacher to teach a particular subject. Online platforms should disclose the qualification of the educator and potential conflict of interest".

Nevertheless, Shrma added the rising interest in the stock market and the mass followership of influencers are likely to overshadow regulated entities. He said, "The market share of finfluencers selling courses will eventually increase and regulated courses will struggle to match numbers as they are bound by compliances".

However, Menon suggests, "SEBI in conjunction with National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) should offer a mandatory training program for anybody who wants to run a course on investing," the investment advisor added that "Institutions who are into training should only hire such qualified professionals".

Shrma added, "The best solution to prevent people from financial course-related traps is to restrict and regulate the advertising and marketing of such courses. The crackdown is required on social media and internet platforms where these sorts of courses are being provided".

<em>(Note: We have updated the story by adding a quote from Scott Rogers, Senior Vice President, Instructor & Content Strategy at Udemy)</em>


With the Paris 2024 Olympics starting from Friday, Viacom18 Sports is set to provide an immersive viewing experience on Sports18 and JioCinema. Experts predict that the Paris Olympics will attract 150 million viewers on the digital platform and 120 million viewers on linear TV. Compared to the Tokyo Olympics, there's a 70 percent increase in advertisements and sponsorships, indicating growing brand interest in non-cricket sports events.

Experts also note that, for the first time, digital and TV ad rates are similar for the Paris 2024 Olympics, at approximately Rs 1,40,000 per 10 seconds for both Standard and High Definition TV channels. Around 100-120 million viewers are expected to tune in to Sports18 Network, and about 150 million viewers are anticipated to watch the Olympic Games on JioCinema. 

Viacom18 Sports has onboarded SBI and JSW Group as co-presenting sponsors, Thums Up and Herbalife as associate sponsors, and Aditya Birla Life as the highlights partner. Other brand partners include AMFI, MRF, Bacardi Martini, Punjab National Bank, and Reliance Foundation.


<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C94oCRQvjaz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C94oCRQvjaz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C94oCRQvjaz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by JioCinema (@officialjiocinema)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>



Several well-known brands have already launched their advertising campaigns in anticipation of the event. For instance, JSW has initiated a robust campaign, setting the stage early. Similarly, brands like Britannia, Thums Up, and Omega are gearing up, ensuring their presence during this global sporting spectacle.


“We are expecting significant growth in terms of CTV viewership. We are very excited about CTV as a medium. Viewers will surely enjoy the CTV experience that we are building during Olympics”, said Siddharth Sharma, Head of Content for Viacom18 Sports. 
  
JioCinema will stream 20 concurrent live feeds for Olympics which includes 17 sports-wise feeds and 3 exclusively curated feeds dedicated to the Indian Contingent in Paris, Global Action, and a special focus on Women Athletes. Viewers can watch India specific feed in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. 

When asked about the response from advertisers, Sharma said, “Response from advertisers is a testament of how there is an appetite for sports as a whole and even beyond cricket. Advertiser interest for the event is up by 70 percent of the previous edition. Also, performance of Indian contingent in last Olympic has raised interest of advertisers and sponsors towards non-cricket sport for both TV and Digital as a medium.” 

Sharma said, "Brands advertising on TV are also opting for Digital and we have received a great response from the advertisers. Our effort towards Paris Olympics will provide immersive experience to the audience." 

<strong>Ad inventory sold out? </strong>

Rashi Bhushan, AVP – Digital Media Planning & Buying, Mudramax elaborates on why advertisers are investing in non-cricket sport and says, "The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which faced unique challenges and offered distinct opportunities for advertisers, which also significantly influenced revenue outcomes. The expected viewership reflects projections estimating around 150 million digital viewers and an additional 100-120 million tuning in on linear TV.”

Elaborating on the ad rates, Bhushan said, "On television, ad rates currently start from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.2 lakh per 10 second. These rates can vary significantly from the initial card rates offered, which are typically influenced by the scale of commitment made in the overall advertising deal. In contrast, on OTT platforms such as Jio Cinema, Connected TV (CTV) options the prices range between Rs 70,000 to Rs 75,000. The cost per thousand impressions (CPM) for handheld devices is priced between Rs 220 to Rs 225, demonstrating a strategic pricing model designed to cater to various advertising needs and platforms.” 

Multiple brands have already initiated their campaigns featuring non-cricket stars, Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, Global CEO and Co-Founder, GOZOOP Group said, "Olympic players are the best talent in the world, any association with them will garner a lot of respect and recognition for brands.” 

JioCinema has also collaborated with ShareChat and Moj for providing diverse and multi-lingual content to the audience via the homegrown short video format platform. Bhushan said, "Media platforms has already been sold, underscoring the high demand. The peak concurrency rates, which are expected to be significant, will likely lead to a sold out status for remaining inventories as the event progresses. Additionally, strategic partnerships with short-form content platforms such as ShareChat and Moj are set to enhance the advertising impact, aiming to deliver a uniquely engaging experience. These collaborations highlight the evolving dynamics of media consumption and the increasing importance of integrating traditional and digital advertising strategies." 

With a substantial increase in both viewership and advertiser interest compared to previous Olympics, showcases the evolving behaviour of audience towards consumption of sports content in the country. 

Alphabet-owned video platform YouTube has continued to grow at a double-digit clip in the second quarter of 2024, posting $8.66 billion of ad revenue as per exchange filing.

YouTube reported a 13% Year-on-Year rise in its ad revenue in Q2 as compared to $7.66 billion in the same period in 2023.

In the first quarter of the current year, YouTube's ad revenue stood at $8.1 billion. Notably, the advertising figures exclude subscription revenue from YouTube's business).

Overall, Alphabet's revenue stood at $84.7 billion up from $74.6 billion a year ago. While Google search made up the majority of the revenue, the other platforms and devices business (YouTube TV, NFL, YouTube Premium) accounted for $9.3 billion of the revenue.

YouTube reports a 13% surge YoY in ad revenue to $8.66 billion in Q2

The Union Budget 2024 allocated Rs 4,342 crore to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), with Rs 1,089 crore designated for information and publicity. Under social services, a capital outlay of Rs 38 crore has also been allocated for information and publicity. Compared to last year, there is no significant difference in the advertising and publicity budget for this fiscal year.

According to the budget expenditure report for 2024-2025, the government has allocated Rs 36.93 crore for Art and Culture and Rs 2,959.94 crore for Broadcasting. Furthermore, the government has allocated Rs 23 crore to the National Film Development Corporation. The budget for Prasar Bharati stands at Rs 2,509.94 crore this fiscal year, compared to Rs 2,644.02 crore last year. The government has allocated Rs 409.90 crore for the establishment expenditure of the Center for information and publicity.

Funds for the Broadcasting Infrastructure Network Development are implemented through Prasar Bharati. The scheme aims at the digitalization and FMization of the AIR Network, upgrading the capacity of the DTH platform to accommodate more channels, and enhancing the viewer experience.

In FY23, Rs 1,078 crore was allocated for information and publicity, while in FY22, Rs 1,001 crore was allocated. However, the current allocation of funds does not show a significant difference in the government’s ad spending.

A senior media analyst said, “TV gets the major chunk of the ad spends from the government’s publicity budget. With a few months left for the completion of the fiscal year and very little spent on advertisement during the first half, the government will utilize the funds in the upcoming months, boosting the AdEx.”


Union Budget 2024: Government to spend Rs 1,089 crore for information and publicity

Google is planning to keep third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, after years of pledging to phase out the tiny packets of code meant to track users on the internet, as per reports.

The major reversal follows concerns from advertisers - the company's biggest source of income - saying the loss of cookies in the world's most popular browser will limit their ability to collect information for personalizing ads, making them dependent on Google's user databases, as per reports.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority had also scrutinized Google's plan over concerns it would impede competition in digital advertising.

"Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they'd be able to adjust that choice at any time," Anthony Chavez, vice president of the Google-backed Privacy Sandbox initiative, said in a blog post.

Since 2019, the Alphabet unit has been working on the Privacy Sandbox initiative aimed at enhancing online privacy while supporting digital businesses, with a key goal being the phase-out of third-party cookies.

Cookies are packets of information that allow websites and advertisers to identify individual web surfers and track their browsing habits, but they can also be used for unwanted surveillance.

In the European Union, the use of cookies is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which stipulates that publishers secure explicit consent from users to store their cookies. Major browsers also give the option to delete cookies on command.

Chavez said Google was working with regulators such as the UK's CMA and Information Commissioner's Office as well as publishers and privacy groups on the new approach, while continuing to invest in the Privacy Sandbox program.

"Advertising stakeholders will no longer have to prepare to quit third-party cookies cold turkey," eMarketer analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf said in a statement.

Lena Cohen, staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said cookies can lead to consumer harm, for instance predatory ads that target vulnerable groups. "Google's decision to continue allowing third-party cookies, despite other major browsers blocking them for years, is a direct consequence of their advertising-driven business model," Cohen said in a statement.



Google to keep third-party cookies in its Chrome browser

Brendan Conan Pereira, the co-founder of Chaitra Advertising, now known as Leo Burnett, passed away at the age of 96. Pereira played a significant role in launching Vimal, working closely with Dhirubhai Ambani.

Pereira's journey in advertising began in 1945 when he enrolled at the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, where he studied block-making, lithography and photography. In 1949, he joined L.A. Stronachs Advertising as an apprentice before moving to D.J. Keymer (now O&M) as a visualiser and assistant to the art director.

In 1956, Pereira moved to the UK for further education and experience, joining Rapier Design and later Baron Moss as Art Director.

Returning to India in 1960, Pereira joined Aiyars Advertising to work on the Beechams account. He spent a year in London with Beechams to understand their products and global marketing strategies. By 1961, he was back in India as Aiyars' creative director, eventually joining the board when Aiyars linked with LPE, London.

In March 1972, Pereira co-founded Chaitra Advertising (now Leo Burnett) with Walter Saldanha. He left Chaitra in 1983 to establish his consultancy, Glima. Later, he supported the formation of Nova Advertising Palace.

Pereira was the president of the Communication Arts Guild (CAG), Mumbai, from 1976 to 1993, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2014, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Cathedral of the Holy Name Archdiocese, Mumbai.

Pereira retired in 2001 but remained active in charity work for the church and various NGOs.


Adman Brendan Pereira passes away

Naturals Salon appointed Sanjay Enishetty as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Enishetty is a seasoned professional with over 18 years of extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in the investments and startup sector.

Prior to joining Natural’s, Sanjay was a founder at 99SA Ventures, an early stage SaaS focus operator model fund plus venture studio and also had an advisory position at T-Hub, which is India’s largest innovation hub for startups located in Hyderabad. His role included setting up the funding ecosystem by building an Angel network. 

Prior to this was the MD and CEO at 50K Ventures, an angel fund that invested in early stage startups. Exited with 5 portfolio startups in 2021.

Commenting on the appointment, C K Kumaravel, Co-Founder and CMD of Naturals Salons, said, “Sanjay brings over 18 years of experience in venture capital investments, startups, and innovation. Having known him for the past 7 to 8 years, I have witnessed his ability to turn potential into success. His innovative mindset and strategic approach are precisely what we need to evolve and thrive.”

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, CEO, Sanjay Enishetty stated, “I am thrilled to join the Naturals team. Naturals has an excellent business model and a talented management team. As we embark on a new phase of transformation, I believe my broad experience in strategy, brand development, and innovation will serve us well.”

Enishetty further said, “I understand what it takes to conceive, launch, and manage a company during a shift in business vision. We are uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in the industry, and I am excited to drive this change. My key responsibility areas (KRAs) will focus on expanding the business globally, introducing tech and innovative solutions in the beauty segment, and launching new initiatives that will enhance our brand and drive growth.”

Naturals Salon appoints Sanjay Enishetty as CEO

Rihanna has announced Fenty Beauty's partnership with the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

The pop star turned serial entrepreneur revealed that her Fenty Beauty imprint will partner with the international sporting events to equip volunteers with makeup kits. As the individuals present the medals to the winning athletes, they can show off a “designated look” curated thanks to Rihanna’s products, as per reports.

"This marks the first time that Fenty Beauty has partnered with events of this magnitude. Continuing the brand’s mission of empowerment and inclusivity in a space with a long history of doing the opposite, the initiatives included in the partnership will feature athlete appearances, beauty tutorials as well as interactive experiences to bring fans and athletes closer together," according to a report.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9kezcWJ-CO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9kezcWJ-CO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9kezcWJ-CO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

In a post caption on Instagram, Rihanna wrote "tried to tell yall....we outside all 2024!!! PROUD to announce that @FentyBeauty is a premium partner of the Olympic AND Paralympic Games baby!!! #FentyxParis2024" alongside a picture of the popstar herself with a mega-size lip gloss tube captured in front of the Eiffel Tower.


Rihanna's Fenty Beauty partners with Paris Olympics and Paralympics

NODWIN® Gaming has officially announced Android as the Title Partner for India’s premier esports event Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGMS) Season 3. Additionally, the tournament will be powered by skincare brand, Garnier Men, marking the first time that Android and Garnier Men have partnered with an Indian esports tournament.

Moreover, Crunchyroll, the world’s largest destination for anime and manga, has also joined forces with Android BGMS Season 3 as the anime partner while energy drink brand Red Bull has been onboarded as the Official Energy Drink Partner of Android BGMS Season 3. By leveraging the prominence of the tournament, partners will aim to engage with its widespread audience, while also elevating the overall experience for players and fans alike.

Anshuman Wanchu General Manager, Marketing, Garnier, L’Oréal India said, "We are delighted to partner with the BGMI Masters Series 2024. It is an incredible opportunity for us as this collaboration allows us to connect with the dynamic and passionate gaming and youth community in a meaningful manner. As a brand committed to innovation and excellence, we look forward to some incredible showcases in season 3 of BGMS. With this partnership, we aim to empower gamers to elevate not only their game, but also their skin care routine, and inspire them to achieve their best, both in the arena as well as in their daily lives."

The tournament has also continued its association with TVS Raider, the sporty commuter motorcycle from TVS Motor Company as the Official Mobility Partner and Philips OneBlade, the male grooming product of Philips India as the competition’s Official Styling Partner.

 

Commenting on the partnership, Aniruddha Haldar - Senior Vice President (Marketing) – Commuters, Media and Corporate Brand commented, “We at TVS Motor company had Collaborated previously with Nodwin Gaming to help us develop a close connect with the Gaming audience - we are pleased to share that this collaboration has helped us to gain brand love, better connect to the gaming audience during and post the previous season. We are back again to announce yet another collaboration with Nodwin Gaming for the BGMI Master Series 3, this is in view to further strengthen our connect and engagement with the gaming audience.”

“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Android, Garnier Men and Redbull for the highly anticipated third season of BGMS. Having such notable partners whose vision for the growth and development of competitive gaming in India mirrors our own, is a tremendous asset. Their involvement not just highlights the emergence of esports as a mainstream sport but also the massive potential of youth engagement in this field. Together, we are confident in our ability to provide the necessary resources and visibility required to nurture and promote esports talent nationwide,” stated Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN® Gaming.

The opening weekend of Android BGMS Season 3 was a resounding success, recording peak concurrent viewership exceeding 140,000 on digital platforms. The tournament commenced with a three-day Opener Week, where all 24 teams—20 invited and 4 qualified— were in action at the Android Arena in Chhatarpur, New Delhi.

The top 18 teams led by table toppers Team 8Bit, and consistent performers OneBlade, IQOO Soul and Team X Spark  progressed to the League Week. They were joined by  Team Z and Godlike Esports who were selected through audience voting from the bottom six. Meanwhile, Team Limra, Gujarat Tigers, Viking Esports and FS Esports were eliminated from the competition.

During the League Week from July 22 to August 4, the 20 teams will compete in the Survival Week and Domination League stages. The top 4 teams will secure direct qualification for the Finals, while the remaining 16 teams will participate in the playoffs scheduled for August 6 and 7. In the grand finale from August 9 to August 11, the top 12 teams from the Playoffs, along with the 4 best teams from the League Week, will compete to fight for the BGMS Season 3 title.



NODWIN Gaming ropes in Android as title partner for BGMS Season 3

Godrej Consumer's advertising investment surged by 47% to Rs 1,011 crore in FY24 in the domestic market, the company's annual report mentioned. 

The FMCG major reduced its stock keeping unit (SKUs) by around 30% via a rationalization process. According to the company, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) is spending more on brands, automation, and SKU rationalization for double-digit growth.

The company's "advertising and publicity" spending was Rs 1,011 crore in FY2024--47% higher than Rs 687.34 crore in FY 2023.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/godrej-capital-partners-with-platinum-outdoor-for-multicity-ooh-campaign-35123.htm">Godrej Capital partners with Platinum Outdoor for multicity OOH campaign</a>


The owner of brands like Cinthol, Godrej No 1, Good Knight, said,"In India, we are now spending over Rs 1,000 crore in advertising from Rs 350-400 crore a few years ago. We realized that our categories were being run differently across the world, advertising agencies were different, and production was being done differently".

GCPL's consolidated spending on advertisement stood at Rs 1,336.12 crore including in foreign markets like the US, Africa, and Indonesia.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/tanya-dubash-to-lead-the-godrej-industries-groups-brand-management-32559.htm">Tanya Dubash to lead the Godrej Industries Group’s brand management</a>

Raymond Consumer Care, which it acquired in April last year from the SInghania family has reduced 550 SKUs to just 100.

According to the company, "While new brand development remains pivotal for value creation, we plan to phase out smaller brands where it aligns with our broader value realization strategy".

Ad veteran Helen Anchan passes away

Former Lintas professionals Prem Mehta and Lynn D'souza remember Helen Anchan as one of the best media planners of her time.

More from Storyboard18

Brand Makers

Bookstrapping: How the world ran out of everything by Peter S Goodman

Brand Makers

LTIMindtree appoints Karan Rajpal as senior director

Brand Makers

Sushant Sreeram quits Prime Video, likely to join JioCinema

Brand Makers

Google elevates Sanjay Gupta to President, APAC

Brand Makers

Sony Pictures Networks India announces retirement of Ashok Nambissan and Nitin Nadkarni

Brand Makers

Naturals Salon appoints Sanjay Enishetty as CEO

Brand Makers

Eveready to optimize Ad spends amidst 10 percent revenue growth

Brand Makers

CXO Moves: Exec movements across Mahindra & Mahindra, WPP, PepsiCo and more

Brand Makers

Bookstrapping: ‘More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop' by Satoshi Yagisawa

Brand Makers

Lack of joy at work leads to burnout and stress: Avi Kumar, CMO, FNP