iWorld
Ormax Media launches campaign testing tool Ormax Campaign Express
Mumbai: Media analytics firm Ormax Media announced the launch of Ormax Campaign Express, its campaign testing tool for across theatrical, streaming and television categories. While Ormax Media has been testing campaigns for films and shows for 15 years now, Ormax Campaign Express brings with it the capability to provide results within an express timeframe of just four days, hence providing a much-needed solution to the dynamic landscape of entertainment marketing, where campaigns are often finalized just days before launch, making conventional ad testing approaches infeasible.
The tool forecasts key business metrics for each category, i.e., first-day box office for films, first-weekend viewership for OTT shows, and first-week viewership for television. Combined with asset-level likability and qualitative feedback on campaign elements, Ormax Campaign Express delivers holistic recommendations to maximise audience delivery for entertainment campaigns.
Ormax Media head – business development (streaming, TV & brands) Keerat Grewal emphasised the significance of Ormax Campaign Express, stating: “Despite the acknowledged need for it, campaign testing is sparingly used in the Indian entertainment industry due to a critical constraint – insufficient time for testing. Ormax Campaign Express acknowledges this challenge by providing our business partners with results and action points within a timeframe of just four days.”
Ormax Media head – business development (theatrical) Sanket Kulkarni highlighted the tool’s potential impact on theatrical releases, stating: “In times of content clutter, reduced attention spans and discerning audience behaviour, a good trailer is more important than ever before. The first reaction of the audience to the teaser or the trailer typically sets the level at which the film will open. All secondary assets can only have an incremental impact of not more than 10-15% at best. With Ormax Campaign Express, we can now deliver results of trailer testing, as well as evaluation of trailer options, in line with the industry’s requirement of quick decision-making.”
Ormax Media head – content & campaign testing Mitesh Thakkar spoke about the company’s rich experience in campaign testing, stating: “With over a decade of experience in testing 100+ campaigns across domains, we have developed robust metrics and benchmarks to test campaigns of new films, OTT shows and TV shows. With Ormax Campaign Express, we hope to make this expertise available to those business partners who have not been able to use it earlier because of constraints of time.”
Ormax Campaign Express is now available for use to all film studios, production houses, OTT platforms and TV channels.
iWorld
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square makes $64 billion bid to acquire Universal Music Group
Ackman pitches NYSE relisting plan as UMG board weighs unsolicited offer
The hedge fund has proposed a business combination that values UMG at €30.40 per share, representing a hefty 78 per cent premium to its current trading price. The offer includes €9.4 billion in cash alongside stock in a newly formed entity, with shareholders set to receive €5.05 per share in cash and 0.77 shares in the new company for each UMG share they hold.
Under the proposal, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd and re-emerge as a Nevada-based entity listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The move is designed to boost investor visibility and potentially secure inclusion in major indices such as the S&P 500.
Pershing Square Capital Management ceo Bill Ackman argued that while UMG’s operational performance remains strong, its market valuation has lagged due to external factors. “UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business,” Ackman said, pointing to concerns ranging from shareholder overhang to delayed US listing plans.
Ackman also flagged what he sees as untapped potential in UMG’s balance sheet and a lack of clear capital allocation strategy. He added that the market has not fully recognised the value of UMG’s €2.7 billion stake in Spotify, alongside gaps in investor communication.
The proposed transaction would also result in the cancellation of around 17 per cent of UMG’s outstanding shares, while maintaining its investment-grade balance sheet. Pershing Square has said it will fully backstop the equity financing, with debt commitments secured at signing. The deal is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
UMG, however, has struck a measured tone. The company confirmed that its board has received the non-binding proposal and will review it with advisers. It reiterated confidence in its current strategy and leadership under Lucian Grainge, signalling no immediate shift in stance.
The proposal comes at a time when global music companies are navigating evolving investor expectations, streaming economics and capital allocation pressures. For Pershing Square, the bet is clear: sharpen the financial story, relist in the US, and let the music play louder in the markets.
Whether UMG’s board is ready to change the tune remains to be seen, but the spotlight on its valuation just got a lot brighter.
