GECs
John Abraham unlocks Nat Geo
MUMBAI: John Abraham, who was lauded for his performance in the recent film Madras Cafe, will now take on the small screen in his new role as brand ambassador of the National Geographic Channel.
For starters, the actor-producer has kicked-off a brand new campaign titled ‘Unlock’ as the face of the channel.
Says National Geographic Channel managing director Keertan Adyanthaya:
“With this campaign, we will strive to urge our viewers to be open to new experiences, people, places, cultures and the variety that the world has to offer.”
As brand ambassador, Abraham will take Nat Geo viewers through the various aspects of the campaign, encouraging them to unlock their minds along the way. He will talk about and embody different shows aired on the channel; taking them to the rest of the world.
Says a visibly excited Abraham: “I can hardly contain my excitement at being a part of the legacy that is the Nat Geo channel. I have always been inspired by the yellow window and have followed NGC’s shows religiously. I myself love wild life, I keep on doing crazy things in life, and I am sure that the viewers and my audience will enjoy this journey with me.”
But why did an established name like Nat Geo feel the need to rope in someone like Abraham in the first place? Replies National Geographic and Fox International Channels vice president (marketing) Debarpita Banerjee, “We as a channel believe in whatever we say. John truly believes, the way we look at the channel and the content. And it was just fate; he truly experiments with life. You can see the kind of movies he supports, the kind of life he lives, and his enthusiasm for bikes and wild life. He thinks that life has lots to offer. So first the word ‘Unlock’, then John – they came together and it was a nice explosion.”
Coming to the choice of name, Banerjee says: “We were looking for a simple word, and this encapsulated everything we wanted to say. It is all about unlocking your mind, fears, opening your outlook, new possibilities, not having any prejudices, looking at a new world in a new way. We went through lots of iterations and finally came up with one word, ‘Unlock’.”
The campaign is in collaboration with Grey Worldwide, which was roped in as Nat Geo’s strategic and advertising agency. Nearly 25 per cent of the total annual marketing budget has been spent on it.
As part of marketing and promotion, Nat Geo plans to telecast promos on other channels as well, apart from focussing on outdoor and other activities. Plans are afoot to make use of social media such as facebook.com, where an official page will be launched where fans will not only be able to see but also share their views that would be rooted to Abraham for his feedback. The channel already has a laudable six million likes on Facebook.
So what does the future look like? “We want to take ‘Unlock’ to children, because they harbour a lot of fear of the unknown, of the dark, of the great outdoors. So we want to take ‘Unlock’ to summer camps. Youth is very interesting and they are buzzing with ideas. We also want to have an innovation conclave where they can submit their ideas by unlocking their imagination,” says Banerjee.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
