Week at a glance: Shockvertising fail; Radio’s resilience; TV & polls; Print’s power

When shock tactics backfire: Lessons from Poonam Pandey hoax case for ad industry

In the film ‘Sarkar’, Amitabh Bachchan’s character Subhash Nagre warns, “Paas ka faida dekhne se pehle door ke nuksaan ke bare mein socho (Before looking at the short-term gains, look out for the long-term loss)”. Guess Poonam Pandey and Schbang forgot this message before unleashing the elaborate death hoax.

Hoaxes, fake news, clickbait - The legal implications and ethical considerations

While shockvertising undeniably grabs attention, the question remains: is shockvertising a necessary evil for important issues, or does it risk exploiting tragedy and eroding trust in both brands and causes?

Poonam Pandey cancer death stunt sparks ethics debate

Digital agency Schbang has taken responsibility for orchestrating the controversial "fake death" hoax involving model and actor Poonam Pandey. The stunt, intended to raise awareness for cervical cancer, has sparked outrage and ignited a conversation about the ethics of such tactics in public health campaigns.

Decoding Radio's resilience in the age of on-demand and playlists

In the era of personalized playlists and binge-worthy podcasts, does the crackling charm of radio still hold relevance? While on-demand platforms offer endless audio possibilities, radio boasts a unique blend of immediacy, community, and live magic that continues to enchant millions. But can it keep its dial spinning in the face of evolving listening habits?

News on FM radio: Outdated barriers or necessary safeguards?

The decision to restrict private FM stations from broadcasting news in India has ignited a heated debate that has simmered for years. The contention that the restrictions are necessary for maintaining journalistic integrity seems an outdated one, especially in these times of digital media when news travels faster than a hurricane. Industry observers feel that such archaic barriers are bound to hinder the evolution of media in an era dominated by digital platforms.

The many tools in PR professionals’ arsenal to fight misinformation crises

With the click of a button, false narratives can reach millions of users within seconds, spreading like wildfire across social media platforms. This unrestricted flow of information, coupled with the lack of stringent fact-checking mechanisms, exacerbates the problem of misinformation. As a result, distinguishing between fact and fiction has become increasingly challenging in the digital age.

Linear TV to deliver 90 cr during this election: Hersh Bhandari

As the country gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections roughly two months from now, different media platforms are gearing up to cover this momentous event. The News genre has kicked into high gear with their Election coverage strategies. In this interaction with Adgully, Hersh Bhandari, CEO, Republic Media Network (Broadcast), speaks about the importance and relevance of linear TV for all election-related coverage, and how brands can capitalise on this “Mother of all festivals” in India.

Jignesh Kenia on how Brand Surge is making TV advertising affordable for start-ups

In an interaction with Adgully, Jignesh Kenia, President & Head of Corporate Strategy & Digital Transformation at Times Network, provides a comprehensive overview of the groundbreaking “Brand Surge” initiative. This innovative campaign holds the potential to revolutionise the advertising landscape for start-ups and small businesses, addressing a crucial need in the industry.

Print media’s dominance is demonstrated with consistent growth in ads: Girish Agarwal

DB Corp has reported yet another quarter of stellar growth, as the media conglomerate’s advertising revenue registered a growth of 18.4% YOY to Rs 4,819 million from Rs 4,069 million, rounding nearly 10 quarters of consistent growth. Highlighting the business operations of the media conglomerate, Girish Agarwal, Non-Executive Director, DB Corp, said, “We are pleased to conclude yet another stellar quarter of performance, continuing our streak of consistent growth over the past 10 quarters.”

For women, it’s still a ‘Mad Men’ ad world: Anupama Ramaswamy

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Anupama Ramaswamy, Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India, gets candid as she reveals some harsh realities of the advertising profession, as well as how women still find it tough to break through leadership gender stereotypes. At the same time, Ramaswamy speaks about the many programmes that Havas has to encourage its women staff and nurture them to be future leaders.

Hyundai’s Blockbuster Creta Launch: The making of the Bollywood-style campaign

For the launch of the new Hyundai CRETA 2024, a comprehensive 360-degree marketing campaign was meticulously planned and executed, aiming for a blockbuster impact that befits its status in the automotive landscape. In an interaction with Adgully, Virat Khullar, AVP & Vertical Head, Marketing, HMIL, delves into the core idea and ideation behind their blockbuster Creta launch; Creta’s sale and much more…

The legacy of Vh1 Supersonic: Music, Lifestyle, and Unconventional Choices

In the dynamic realm of music festivals, Vh1 Supersonic has not only marked its presence but has pioneered an evolution in the very concept of live music experiences. From addressing the nuanced preferences of festival-goers to venturing into the vibrant space of lifestyle curation, Gaurav Mashruwala, Business Head, Viacom18 Live, delves into the festival's journey, reflecting on the core ethos that fueled its growth over nine successful editions and much more…

The Genius mantra behind keeping Parle-G’s legacy relevant for Gen Z

In January 2024, Parle-G released a series of five bite-sized films with the its ‘G Maane Genius’ proposition. In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Mayank Shah, Vice President – Marketing, Parle Products, and Vinod Kunj, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Thought Blurb Communications, speak about the latest campaign drive, working with a legacy brand, keeping an 85-year old brand relevant and relatable for Gen Z, and much more.

Zee Learn’s transformed avatar will reshape educational landscape: Himanshu Yagnik

In conversation with Adgully, Himanshu Yagnik, Chief Operating Officer, Zee Learn Ltd, shares insights into the remarkable journey of Zee Learn and its transformative initiatives in the education sector. From the brand’s expansion to its recent brand transformation, Yagnik delves into the company’s strategic vision, marketing strategies, and the pivotal role of technology in shaping the future of education.

BCCI base price for IPL partnerships set at Rs 2,700 cr for 5 seasons

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the release of Request for Quotation for Official Partner Rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL). BCCI has set a cumulative base price of Rs 2,700 crore for the six associate and three special partner slots for IPL, as per media reports. This follows securing a Rs 2,500 crore deal with Tata Sons for the IPL title sponsorship rights.

NBDA highlights 7 areas of concern in Draft BSR Bill 2023

News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) has submitted its comments expressing strong reservations and concerns regarding the Draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, which was circulated in November 2023 by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan’s four big bets for 2024

In a letter to the entire YouTube community, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan gives an update on his vision for 2024, and four big bets being made across YouTube:

AI will empower human creativity
Creators should be recognized as next-generation studios
YouTube’s next frontier is the living room and subscriptions
Protecting the creator economy is foundational

SEBI fines 5 Zee Business guest experts, 10 others for fraudulent acts

In an interim order, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has fined Rs 7.41 crore five guests of Zee Business, as well as 10 other entities for indulging in fraudulent and unfair acts and unlawfully enriching themselves by taking advantage of being in a position to influence innocent investors.

Offbeat: Won’t mind wearing the PM’s shoes for a day - Manoj Dawane

Adgully’s special feature section – ‘Offbeat’ – seeks to give a peek into the lesser known facets of our very well-known industry leaders. in this Offbeat interaction Manoj Dawane, Founder and CEO, VTION Digital Analytics, shares a few fun facts about his life, like what he aspired to be when he was a child, what would he do if he ever takes a one-year break, etc.

Media’s work is to convey news, and not manufacture news: Anurag Thakur

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur stressed on media conveying the positive developments in the country within India and the world, while desisting from indulging in manufacturing news, while addressing the DNPA Conclave and Awards 2024.

Verify credentials before publishing employment ads: PCI to print media

In a statement issued dated February 1, 2024, Press Council of India (PCI) asked print media “to cross-check the credentials of the company/ organisation/ institution/ person, and carry out proper verification to establish their bona fides before booking advertisements of employment by private companies or under Government or Semi-Government schemes or programmes in order to protect the vulnerable unemployed youth from fraudsters.”

Meta to label AI-generated images on Facebook, Instagram and Threads

Meta is working with industry partners on common technical standards for identifying AI content, including video and audio. In a blog on Meta, its President, Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, wrote that he company has labeled photorealistic images created using Meta AI since it launched so that people know they are “Imagined with AI”.

I still treat every new film as my first film: Anupam Kher

Actor Anupam Kher is completing 40 glorious years in the film industry this year. The actor recently finished shooting for his upcoming romantic drama, ‘Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay’, which is set to release soon.

Vidyut Jammwal to dabble in the gaming world

Actor Vidyut Jammwal has unveiled the trailer of his second production venture, ‘Crackk’, under his banner Action Hero Films. Along with the film, Jammwal has announced a game based on his film under his gaming company.

Start-up Stars: Alpha returns are also possible through purpose-led investing - Rahul Gupta

In conversation with Adgully, Rahul Gupta, Founder and Managing Partner, ValuAble, speaks about the growth and entrepreneurial journey of ValuAble; overcoming physical challenges to become the first severely visually impaired to reach a leadership position in the banking industry; focussing on Scalable, Return led & Sustainable business; and much more.