iWorld
Ditto TV introduces new #TVBuddy campaign
MUMBAI: Zee’s over-the-top (OTT) platform Ditto TV has launched a new campaign called #TVBuddy, which makes viewers aware of the people who have similar TV viewing habits.
Coming from the bouquet of Zee Digital Convergence, the #TVBuddy campaign narrates how one always discusses their favorite TV shows with someone far away.
#TVBuddy bridges gaps and brings together common interests of people wanting to view similar things on TV irrespective of being in different cities according to their comfort and convenience. If one is watching Jodha Akbar in their apartment in Mumbai, their TVBuddy can watch it at the same time in another timezone, like Sydney.
“Indians are like flamingos. They flock together, even virtually while watching TV. As this insight has a strong connect, we kept the film simple to demonstrate dittoTV’s role in the lives of Indian viewers,” said Scarecrow Communications founder and director Manish Bhatt.
Talking about the campaign, Zee Digital Convergence CEO Debashish Ghosh added, “Zee has always been an innovator in the media industry over the period of 22 years. Its content has always resonated with the audiences and now we have taken it a notch higher with dittoTV. We believe that India is a country where we celebrate every occasion together; with #TVBuddy campaign we are aiming to lend TV viewing experience a personal touch where you can watch your favorite movie, TV show or a match with your TV buddy who may be miles apart from you. The essence of Indian audiences who have evolved with just one TV set today now have TV at the tip of their fingers!’’
Scarecrow Communications founder and director Arunava Sengupta informed, “In the category of these app-based products, because of individual consumption, the selling point always has been about offering a personal space. But dittoTV breaches the wall and talks about consuming the entertainment together, instead of being confined to their own personal space. This, we believe, has a potential to create a disruption in the category.”
TV buddies can watch live TV on their smart phones, tablets or laptops, by downloading the DittoTV app and install it on their devices. The app also has other features like ‘catch up’ that let people catch up with movies and TV serials from where they left them.
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
