IPG's Group Chief Talent Officer Savita Mathai steps down
Savita Mathai’s exit coincides with Anamika Mehta stepping down as Chief Growth Officer of Mediabrands
Feature News
Composer and music director Shamir Tandon on building brand equity through sound
As the founder of Music Boutique, a one-stop music solutions enterprise, Shamir Tandon has been at the forefront of redefining how brands tell stories through sound
Gadgets360 Emerges as the World’s Top Tech News Platform
The platform recorded 24.51 million unique users worldwide during December 2025
After Lallantop exit, is Saurabh Dwivedi headed to The Indian Express Group?
While there has been no official confirmation so far, reliable sources indicate that discussions are underway for Dwivedi to take on a role centred around Hindi YouTube content
Gaurav Banerjee’s roll of the dice: Rebuilding SPNI in an era of consolidation
Gaurav Banerjee’s first phase as MD and CEO of SPNI has been about internal alignment, stabilising the organisation, resetting reporting structures and rethinking how content and platforms are managed
Brands go the distance as marathons gain marketing momentum
From title sponsorships and hydration partnerships to data-driven runner engagement and community-building initiatives, brands are no longer viewing marathons merely as sporting events
TV ad volume saw 11% drop in 2025
As per a TAM Report, with a 21% share food and beverages was the largest advertising sector on TV, followed by personal care and hygiene at 15%
Rs 644 crore in FY25: Government ad spends underscore Print’s power
In the Union Budget 2024-25, the Government of India allocated Rs 1,089 crore for information and publicity
Insurance requires credibility-led communication: Amit Jhingran, MD & CEO, SBI Life
According to Ravindra Sharma, Chief – Brand, Corporate Communication and CSR, SBI Life Insurance, while digital consumption is rising, TV continues to play a significant role
Leeford Healthcare appoints Tiger Shroff as brand ambassador
Partnership is for Leeford’s orthopedic & mobility aids division; nationwide ‘Fit Raho, Hit Raho’ campaign launched
IPG Mediabrands’ Chief Growth Officer Anamika Mehta exits amid post-Omnicom restructuring
Anamika Mehta’s departure marks the first big exit from the IPG group after its acquisition by the Omnicom group last month
Has AI moved beyond assisting commerce to controlling purchase decisions?
Industry watchers are unanimous that for brands, visibility alone is no longer the battleground; it is now about remaining distinct and preferred inside systems designed to optimise outcomes
Music Broadcast Limited redeems preference shares, pays Rs 107.63 crore
The company has fully redeemed its non-convertible, non-cumulative redeemable preference shares
WPL 2026: Brands go beyond jerseys, focus on story-led spots
Jemimah Rodrigues, Shefali Shah, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana take the lead in campaigns around this WPL
Two authorities, one industry: India’s broadcast rules stuck in limbo
While the TRAI frames itself as the guardian of consumer interest and market order, the MIB retains control over licensing, policy framing and final rule-making
Bisleri returns as official hydration partner for Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026
Bisleri will have an on-ground presence at the marathon with hydration stations and mist zones
No more 10-min promises: How will Q-Comm woo consumers now?
According to industry leaders, players need to move beyond adrenaline marketing, where the proposition is less about racing the clock and more about becoming an invisible enabler of daily life
ImagiNxt 2026 redefines India's position in global tech leadership
From service provider to innovation powerhouse, ImagiNxt 2026, a two-day festival at Jio World Centre, Mumbai (May 22–23, 2026), will bring together founders, investors, policymakers, and creators
Shiva Krishnamurthy takes charge as CEO of General Mills India
Shiva Krishnamurthy joined HUL in 2000 and served the organisation for 25 years
India needed an operating system for growth: Vivek Das as Madison launches MbrAIn
Vivek Das, Chief Digital Officer of Madison Media Group, says that the launch of MbrAIn addresses gaps in media planning, helping brands drive growth with an AI-powered, full-funnel strategy
Is CTV really as measurable as marketers believe?
India ended 2025 with 35M+ smart TV homes, and CTV ad spend is rising fast, attracting budgets from linear TV and mobile as it’s seen as privacy-safe, measurable, and performance-friendly
Why kids’ care is rewriting premium marketinge4m
Premiumisation in kids’ care has moved beyond products to become a lifestyle choice, reshaping how Indian families spend across education, wellness, clothing and everyday life
Danube Properties continues its growth story on JioStar with Bigg Boss Marathi
After collaborating on Bigg Boss Hindi, Danube Properties extends its association with the Marathi edition, using JioStar’s multi-platform ecosystem to deepen its regional, culture-led brand strategy
How TV news should diversify beyond ads to thrive in 2026
With strong viewership across regional and rural India, TV news is poised to unlock new revenue opportunities
Do music companies’ studio stakes signal a reconfiguration of entertainment value chain?
From Universal’s stake in Excel to Saregama’s bet on Bhansali, labels are moving upstream—reshaping how content is financed, discovered and monetised
Advertising’s 2026 Pivot: From knowing the user to reading the moment
As data access tightens and AI takes the driver’s seat, personalisation is being rebuilt around intent, trust and real-time judgement rather than identity
Budget 2026: Gaming industry pushes for GST relief & AVGC funding
Industry leaders are hoping the government will move beyond legitimacy debates and focus on enabling sustainable growth, domestic IP creation and global competitiveness
Why Pongal is no longer just a regional festive spike for advertisers
Pongal has evolved into a short, high-intent consumption window with brands moving away from momentary festive advertising towards experience-led, cultural storytelling, note industry observers
12-min TV ad cap ruling soon: Broadcasters call for forbearance
Industry watchers have suggested that a compromise ruling is a possibility; court could allow slight flexibility for channels or offer exemptions for specific types of programming
Is digital’s rise rewriting the very role of advertising?
As people, creators and AI shape belief earlier in the journey, advertising is being repositioned—from persuasion engine to trust amplifier: marketers and advertising leaders tell e4m
Aim to make Chetak top-selling E-scooter in India, abroad: Rishabh Bajaj & Sumeet Narang
Bajaj Auto’s General Manager Rishabh Bajaj and President – Marketing, Sumeet Narang, spoke to e4m on the strategy behind the newly launched Chetak C25 & more
Uniqlo India puts media account up for pitch
The mandate is currently with Mindshare, which came on board in 2019 when the brand entered India
From Kantara to KGF: How South studios are building franchise-led IP businesses
South production houses are planning music, films, series, digital distribution, merchandising, live events, and creator ecosystems as one integrated stack
Demand revival, policy stability & GST relief: What brands want from Budget 2026
Industry leaders are also calling for higher infrastructure spending, stronger credit support for MSMEs, and targeted incentives to improve competitiveness
Asad Ayaz named Chief Marketing and Brand Officer of The Walt Disney Company
Asad Ayaz assumes this new role after eight years as President of Marketing for The Walt Disney Studios, and leading marketing for Disney+
Airtel Business names Shreyas Mehrotra as CMO & Head of Digital Sales
Before this promotion, Shreyas Mehrotra served as Marketing Head at Airtel Business
Maha civic polls: Parties spend nearly Rs 5 crore on Google & Meta ads
BJP emerged as the largest spender by a wide margin, investing Rs 2.33 crore across 685 ads
Delhi HC orders removal of YouTuber Bhuvan Bam’s images circulated without consent
The court did not issue an immediate ruling on the wider issue of Bhuvan Bam’s personality rights
Why episodic brand series build recall that one-off virals can’t
From founder diaries to character-driven stories, brands are turning their social feeds into serialised experiences that audiences return to instead of scrolling past
ITC Limited's Anuj Bansal appointed Chief Business Officer for Yoga Bar
Bansal was earlier Executive Committee Member at ITC Foods
Pongal Playbook: How have media spends evolved for the year’s first festival?
Experts note that while the key shift this year is towards measurability and screen-led planning, there is cautious optimism in advertiser sentiment
Budget Wishlist: Broadcasters pitch GST cut on TV, OTT subscriptions to revive demand
According to sources, a broadcasters’ body has urged the government to reduce GST on subscriptions across cable television and OTT platforms from the current 18 % to 5%
Mona Jain to exit Pankaj Krishna’s venture, take on leadership role in big organisation
Jain has in the past worked with ABP Network and Zee Media
Publicis, Initiative Dominate: What 2025’s global media pitch battles signal for 2026
Initiative emerges as the world’s top most agency network, delivering $2.1 billion in total new business in last 3 quarters, as per a COMvergence report
Why India’s broadcasters are turning to the orange economy
Broadcasters are increasingly integrating digital creators into TV, offering new platforms and opportunities as traditional media adapts to the creator-driven attention economy
Sahil Shetty to move on from his role as CRO, Business News Cluster, News18 Studio
Shetty has been among the key commercial leaders in Network18’s digital and studio ecosystem over the past several years
Sumanta Datta steps down as CEO of ABP Network
Datta is leaving after a short tenure of one year
UK regulator probes X over Grok deepfake images
The government is fast-tracking new legislation as Ofcom investigates concerns over AI-generated sexual content on digital platforms
Regional language marketing: India’s biggest growth lever
Guest Column: Shantomoy Ray, Founder & Director of K-Factor Communications, on how regional language marketing has become India’s most powerful growth lever, unlocking billion-dollar markets
AI Overviews drive up healthcare Search acquisition costs, organic CPCs jump 45%
Industry observers say the feature has been quietly squeezing organic visibility for healthcare players who have historically relied on search-led discovery
Paramount escalates WBD takeover battle with lawsuit
The lawsuit aims to compel Warner Bros to disclose the financial analysis that led its board to support Netflix’s $82.7 billion cash-and-stock deal
Gen Z is rewriting the rules of attention for advertisers
As audiences move fluidly across screens, brands are being forced to rethink how reach, relevance, and results are truly built, say experts
Coffee brands go 60–75% digital: Is traditional advertising decaf now?
Once anchored in cafés, in-store visibility, outdoor advertising and physical sampling, coffee brands’ marketing strategies are being fundamentally rewritten
Are brands tipping the scale from moment marketing to storytelling?
Story-driven communication, marketers say, allows brands to articulate purpose, values, and product relevance more clearly, building familiarity and trust over time
India’s bets for 2026: Confidence vs concern: Rediffusion-ICYMI report
In this ICYMI report, we break down India's 2026 mindset: how confidence and concern are fighting for the driver's seat.
Karen Ngui to exit as Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications at DBS Bank
Prior to joining DBS Bank, Karen Ngui worked at Standard Chartered Bank
WPL 2026 sponsorship spends may hit Rs 130 cr: No longer a ‘test’ match for brands?
A wide spectrum of brands has lined up behind the WPL this season, cutting across FMCG, automotive, consumer durables, BFSI, technology, lifestyle and home-improvement categories
India’s new smartphone rules and the future of mobile advertising
India’s advertising industry crossed Rs 1 lakh crore in FY25, with nearly half spent on digital, highlighting how brands are increasingly aligning budgets with mobile-first consumer behaviours
Red Bull India puts Rs 80–90 crore integrated media mandate up for pitch
The account spans end-to-end media planning and buying across digital and traditional platforms; incumbent agency is Wavemaker
Why Indian startups are choosing execution over acceleration
Investors are backing execution-led sectors, from deep tech and enterprise software to healthcare and Bharat-focused fintech, note industry pundits
Thalapathy Vijay’s political entry: What it means for his brand, films and endorsements
Actor Vijay’s brand now spans cinema and politics, prompting questions about how his films and public image influence each other and the potential implications for his brand
Pricing discipline & regional strength: Radio industry’s 2026 plan
On the audience front, 2026 is widely seen as a potential inflection point, subject to the rollout of digital broadcasting reforms
Farah Khan at 61: From BO hits to YouTube success – Key takeaways from her content journey
Farah Khan has expanded her influence beyond cinema, building a thriving YouTube presence that demonstrates how consistency, collaboration, and platform ownership drive sustainable relevance
In India’s beauty bazaar, smarter marketing is replacing higher spends
The shift, industry experts say, is from priced premium to perceived premium, where marketing, storytelling, and experience do the heavy lifting
When advertising turns into a legal call in the age of AI
As India tightens its digital and AI governance framework, the risks associated with AI-driven amplification are becoming harder for advertisers to ignore
Why are news channels tuning into live concerts?
News broadcasters are looking at live events as brand extensions rather than immediate P&L drivers, offering visibility, audience engagement and cross-platform value, share experts
BCCI hands Tata WPL 2026 ceremonies and match entertainment mandate to Laqshya Media Group
Laqshya Media Group will orchestrate the entire spectator experience across all 22 matches
Sony’s organisational rejig plan sparks layoff buzz
SPNI India is expected to announce an organisational rejig this month, with sources indicating that up to 180 to 200 roles could be impacted as part of a cost rationalisation exercise
Paramount Skydance defends Warner Bros Discovery bid with ‘greater value’ promise
In its argument, Paramount has said that the cable business at the centre of Netflix’s proposal holds little to no standalone value
First Kolhapuri chappals, now chai perfume: Prada turns to India for inspiration again
The perfume retails for $190 which is approx Rs 17,000
Gadgets 360 leads closest rival by 17 mn unique users: ComScore
Comscore data for November shows Gadgets 360 attracted over 27 million unique visitors
From Amul Girl to AI avatars: How brand mascots are being reimagined
As brands rethink how they connect with audiences in the digital age, AI-generated virtual personalities are moving beyond experiments to become the faces of modern campaigns
Meesho elevates Milan Partani as General Manager – Commerce Platform
Prior to the elevation, Milan Partani was General Manager - User Growth and Content Commerce
Diamonds in today’s India: From family asset to personal statement
Guest Column: Ganapathy Viswanathan, Independent Communication Consultant and author, writes on how diamonds in India are shedding tradition-bound meanings and becoming personal markers of achievement
IMA 2025 to celebrate excellence and marketing brilliance this February
This year, it will be the 12th edition of the awards
FMCG marketers gear up for higher ad spends in 2026—with a reworked playbook
FMCG players are expected to raise ad spends by 10% in Q3 and Q4, even as they rethink how—and where—incremental investments should be deployed
Omnicom unveils its much-awaited AI-driven platform ‘New Omni’
New Omni integrates data, identity, creativity, media, commerce intelligence & AI into a single marketing architecture and would be a direct challenger to Publicis’ Epsilon
Rs 250–300 cr dues, no access: Broadcasters flag one-way media trade as B’desh blocks IPL
Broadcasters say that even as Bangladeshi sports continue to be monetised in India, Indian TV channels and IPL remain inaccessible in Bangladesh, reflecting a cross-border media rights imbalance
Why are Indian TV and OTT players betting big on start-up reality shows?
Start-up shows offer real stakes, real money and real consequences, something scripted reality formats had begun to lack, note industry experts
Havas unveils global LLM portal AVA
The announcement was made at CES 2026
Mitul Sangani steps down as CEO of News18 Digital
Sangani, who took charge as CEO – News18 Digital in April 2025, has been one of the key architects of Network18’s digital news business over the last several years
Hall of Ads: Fogg Border - The deodorant campaign that became a catchphrase
From its early humorous storytelling in 2015 to commanding attention during the IPL in 2023, Fogg’s iconic ‘chal raha hai’ campaigns transformed a deodorant tagline into a national catchphrase
Siddharth Shekhar promoted to Director, LCS at Google India
In his expanded role, Siddharth Shekhar will oversee government and public sector, BFSI, education and automotive sectors
Three decades, one industry: The professional legacy of Avinash Kaul
Avinash Kaul's next move is not known but it is believed he has been approached by large media and tech players to lead their operations and also to serve on the board of these large enterprises
Influencer ROI: Can India close the gap with global markets?
Industry players call for stronger verification mechanisms, accountability, consolidation and better creator ecosystems to be able to deliver better ROI for brands
India’s media & entertainment sector projected to expand to Rs 3.07 trillion by 2027: TRAI
According to TRAI Annual Report 2024–25, the country has approximately 60 million cable TV households, around 2 million HITS subscribers, and 56.92 million active DTH subscribers as of 31 March, 2025
Kenvue appoints Madhav Nayak as Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for Asia-Pacific
Prior to this appointment, Madhav Nayak was associated with Yum! Brands
From moment marketing to core strategy: The rise of fastvertising
Fastvertising is real-time marketing that joins live cultural moments with relevance, letting brands earn attention rather than buy it in a market of scarce focus
Why are production houses opening their doors to strategic capital?
From hit-driven businesses to IP-led studios, content producers are reworking their financial playbooks as costs rise, revenues fragment and global ambitions sharpen
The 10-minute question: Why gig worker protests matter to quick commerce advertisers
The strikes have revived a deeper debate around the Q-commerce model and exposed a more fragile fault line: dependence on speed not just as a consumer hook, but as an advertising engine
How brands revived Bollywood iconic pairs in 2025
This strategy is not new, but its renewed visibility in 2024 and 2025 points to a larger shift
What creativity will mean for brands in 2026
In 2026, creativity won’t be about volume or speed, but meaning, consistency, and the courage to say less as audiences grow more selective
MIB seeks industry inputs on boosting indigenous manufacturing in M&E
As per the ministry, the country’s broadcasting and media ecosystem is heavily dependent on imported equipment, leading to significant foreign exchange outflow and limited self-reliance
Lumio appoints Varun Nair as Head of Marketing
He joins Lumio after serving as Head of Brand Marketing at POCO India
Why DPDP makes old loyalty data harder to love in 2026
DPDP does not mandate mass deletion of old customer data but introduces purpose limitation, retention boundaries, and consent standards - marketers need to find a way around this, and fast
Rs 2.5 lakh a month or nothing at all: What actually determines creator earnings?
Industry observers say that creators who approached gigs like a business, with structure and planning, saw sustainable growth, but those chasing only virality may have struggled with consistency
ZEEL receives GST adjudication orders; tax demand of Rs 119.6 cr upheld
The company reiterated that it is contesting the orders on merits and based on legal advice
WPP launches Agent Hub on AI marketing platform - WPP Open
Agent Hub has been launched with a curated set of ‘Super Agents’
Artificial scarcity debate returns as govt readies DD Free Dish FY26 slot auctions
Industry awaits clarity on capacity, slot disclosures and auction rules ahead of FY26 DD Free Dish bidding
'Piramal is driving growth through omnichannel scale & digital influence'
After unveiling Lacto Calamine’s refreshed identity, Sai Ramana Ponugoti, CEO of Piramal Consumer Healthcare, shares insights on the brand’s portfolio expansion, ambitious growth targets, & more