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Yahoo!, Nasa among Natpe’s 2012 Digital Luminary Award recipients
MUMBAI: Natpe Content First, the US-based media marketplace, and its CEO Rick Feldman, have announced the 2012 recipients of its third annual Digital Luminary Awards.
Based on six categories, the awards honor the innovative people and companies who act as catalysts in the content revolution.
Recipients in categories ranging from Branded Entertainment Series to Online Video Personality will be honoured during an awards presentation, followed by a champagne toast, hosted by Alex Albrecht of Fat Dolphin on 25 January during NATPE 2012.
The event will also be streamed live at www.natpemarket.com/digilumi.
Feldman said, “Each year, digital media continues to redefine itself and mature in terms of content, brand integration and talent. Natpe is proud to recognize the 2012 Digital Luminary Awards honorees as they lead the charge in uniting the world of media in a truly exciting way.”
The 2012 recipients are as follows:
Brand Leadership in Online Video: Honouring a brand that has shown repeated commitment to funding original online entertainment content that is engaging, unique and successful in reaching a core online audience.
Honoree: NASA: Juno
Nasa has made strides in the digital documentary world, largely because of Mission Juno, an interactive digital documentary designed to change the way the public perceives space. Translating complex scientific data into a clear and compelling narrative of space exploration, the Mission Juno website engages visitors in a visual experience that allows them to track, explore and learn about NASA’s
mission to Jupiter.
Branded Entertainment Series: Recognizing excellence in an original online video series that is funded primarily through a brand sponsor.
Honoree: Leap Year
‘Leap Year‘ is a 10-episode original comedy series about five newbie startup founders competing for $500,000 in funding. The series was produced by CJP Digital Media for Hiscox Small Business Insurance to raise awareness among entrepreneurs for the company’s suite of online business insurance tools. The first season garnered critical acclaim, 5 million organic views, 100 million earned media impressions and 40,000 active social media followers, 66 percent of which self-identify as being among the brand’s target audience.
Online Video Personality: Honoring an online video personality that has built a significant audience and continues to engage and entertain them in unique ways.
Honoree: Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere
Charlie Todd creates, produces and directs viral videos. In 2001 Todd founded Improv Everywhere (IE), a New York City-based prank collective that causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. It is now the largest network of “pranksters” ever assembled. IE videos have been viewed more than 170 million times on YouTube.
Original Web Content in a Drama Series: Recognising excellence in creation of an original dramatic web series that has broken through and achieved critical and financial success in the past year.
Honoree: Aim High
‘Aim High‘ is about a top agent for the US Government…who is 16 years old. The series is recognised for its production quality, strong performances and tremendous writing, and is a good example of delivering edgy, clever material online. This series is produced by Warner Premiere and Dolphin Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and was distributed exclusively on Facebook
and Cambio.com.
Original Web Content in a Comedy Series: Recognizing excellence in creation of an original comedy web series that has broken through and achieved critical and financial success in the past year.
Honoree: Wainy Days
‘Wainy Days‘ is one of the longest-running, most popular, original comedy series online. This My Damn Channel exclusive by writer, actor and director David Wain, has been viewed more than 17 million times. Wainy Days has received top honors such as “Best Comedy Series” for the 2008 and 2009 Webby Awards, and was honored with “Best Guest
Appearance” (Paul Rudd) at the 2009 Streamy Awards.
Leadership in the Digital Category: Recognizing the commitment and investment in the creation and distribution of online content.
Honoree: Yahoo!
Yahoo delivers premium content experiences across screens at scale. With a longtime commitment to original video programming, Yahoo has 12 of the top 12 original video shows online and the most successful online show in history, ‘Primetime in No Time‘, boasting over half a billion streams.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
