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VH1, Nokia premiere ‘user generated‘ music video
MUMBAI: The Pentagram music video ‘Voice‘ was exclusively premiered on international music and lifestyle channel VH1 on 17 March.
The video for the Indi rock band‘s single ‘Voices‘ was created through a VH1, Nokia initiative called ‘Shot by You‘ under the Viacom Brand Solutions venture. Pushing ‘user interactivity‘ into the mainstream media, viewers were invited to listen to the latest track by Pentagram- ‘Voice‘ posted online and use their camera phones or video recording devices to shoot footage that would best suit the feel of the music and send it to VH1.
Speaking about the response they received, VH1 India General Manager Keertan Adyanthaya said, “We received about 991 entries from across the country – Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Pondicherry and Kolkatta. Prior to that, we also sent people with a Nokia camera phones across colleges, malls and at the Campus Rock Idol to demonstrate how they can use their phones to shoot footage.” “The brief from Nokia was clear- they wanted to send their message ‘Music Connects‘ across to the audience and they loved the concept. For us that was the prime focus. The whole idea was to ensure that people express themselves,” he added. Although the rock group themselves did not sit through any of the entries, lead singer of the band, Vishal Dadlani mentioned that the video and the whole initiative had managed to generate a lot of interest in their music and album. “While performing this song in a concert recently, or group realized that the crowds was singing along with us. They knew the words of the song already and that was a great feeling.” The music video now airing on MTV Networks will also be available online and through Nokia downloads. Modalities for the same are being worked out.
The VH1 creative team sifted through the best entries and shortlisted the ones which were integrated into the music video. The music video currently on air is a collage of the best suited videos for ‘Voice‘ running for duration of 3.43 minutes.
Talking about the challenges the team faced during the making of the video Adyanthaya said that since the use of digital media in our country is still at a nascent stage, many of the entries did not meet television standards. Very often the resolution of the footage sent was not suitable for use. Some of the footage sent was copyrighted material and again could not be used.
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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.
