Applications
Vh1, Nokia to create music video from ‘user generated content’
MUMBAI: Vh1 and Nokia will partner to launch ‘Shot by You‘ an initiative which will see the creation of a music video with ‘User-Generated-Content‘. The music video for Indian contemporary rock band Pentagram‘s single ‘Voice‘ will be created using video clips sent in by Nokia consumers. This is bound to push ‘user interactivity‘ into the mainstream media. The music video would be made for Pentagram‘s latest album, ‘It‘s OK. It‘s All Good‘. |
Commenting on the partnership, MTVN India managing director Amit Jain said, “This partnership with Nokia best exemplifies ‘Viacom Brand Solutions‘, our approach that goes beyond traditional advertising or sponsorship and focuses on providing innovative marketing solutions to our key clients and brands.” He further added, “We‘re happy that in Nokia we‘ve found a partner who is willing to take the leap of faith and associate itself with a ground breaking concept that takes their approach of ‘connecting people‘ even further.” |
Nokia consumers are invited to listen to the latest track by Pentagram – ‘Voice‘ posted online on www.nokia.co.in, and use their camera phones or video recording devices to shoot video footage that they believe is most appropriate for the sound track and send them to Vh1. The most relevant of the video clips would be selected and integrated by Vh1 to create the music video, which will be launched exclusively on Vh1 in March 2007. Starting February, Vh1 and Nokia will launch a nation-wide campaign to promote the concept across multiple platforms. The promos of the concept will be seen on Vh1, followed by multi-city ground activation. Talking about the Nokia initiative Nokia India director marketing Devinder Kishore said “Nokia‘s association with VH1 is an extension of our ‘Music Connects‘ theme, aimed at giving young talent an opportunity to express their creativity with the fusion of music and technology “. Kishore further added, “With the power of mobility, music enthusiasts will surely have an interesting experience by capturing, sharing and editing their interpretations and creating a video of Pentagram‘s chart topping soundtrack.” Lead singer of Pentagram Vishal Dadlani says, “It‘s a great way to get our people directly involved with the music, and also, hopefully, to include a wider-than-usual audience. So many thanks to both Nokia and Vh1.” |
Applications
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.
