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Zee News, ‘Businessworld’ journalists triumph at CNN Young Journalist Award
MUMBAI: The second edition of the CNN Young Journalist Award (YJA) 2004 saw Zee News’ Rahul Agarwal and Businessworld’s Vikas Dhoot bagging the coveted award. On the other hand, Geo TV’s Wajid Ali Syed from Pakistan and Tehelka’s Aman Khanna were declared the CNN YJA runners up at the ceremony, which was held at NCPA in Mumbai yesterday (9 December).
The CNN YJA were introduced in 2003 by CNN to recognise and encourage quality journalism among young media professionals in India and Pakistan. The winners will get to spend one week at CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta and the runners up will get to spend one week working closely with CNN’s Islamabad and New Delhi bureaux respectively.
The awards were presented to the winners and runners up by CNN International Asia Pacific managing editor Paul Cutler and CNN’s senior international correspondent and New Delhi bureau chief Satinder Bindra.
Zee News’ Agarwal’s story, “Dead Man Walking” highlights the plight of over 10,000 Indians who have been legally declared dead by greedy relatives for their selfish motives. On the other hand, Businessworld’s Dhoot’s story “Dirty Providence” is a story on how the lives of 108 million Indian citizens are affected by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Cutler said, “It is indeed a privilege to be here among all these talented journalists, and I am pleased to have been given the honour of presenting the Awards to the young winners. I congratulate them and all those who participated in CNN Young Journalist Award 2004 and I hope they will continue to pursue the fundamentals of journalism – fairness, balance and objectivity.”
CNN YJA is open to all young news journalists between the ages of 22 – 26 years working in print or television in India and Pakistan. Contestants in the television category were required to submit a three minute news/feature style TV package aired between 1 January and 30 September 2004. Contestants for the print/online category were asked to submit their best by-lined stories, published between 1 January and 30 September 2004.
Last year’s winners of CNN YJA included NDTV’s Sidharth Pandey in the television category and Business Today’s Kushan Mitra in the print/online category.
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Coca-cola launches ‘Har Meal Aaaah’ campaign with Mamitha Baiju
Hyperlocal film turns parotta into ‘Parotaaaaaah’ to celebrate meal moments
MUMBAI: One sip, one sound and suddenly, every meal gets its moment. Coca-cola has unveiled its latest campaign, ‘Har Meal Aaaah’, aiming to turn everyday dining into something a little more memorable and a lot more refreshing. Fronted by Mamitha Baiju, the campaign leans into Coca-cola’s iconic “Aaaah” mnemonic that unmistakable expression after the first sip reimagining it as a cultural thread that ties together food, flavour and feeling across regions. The film, rooted in Tamil Nadu’s culinary culture, spotlights the beloved parotta, playfully stretching it into “Parotaaaaaah” to capture the joy of the perfect pairing.
Conceptualised by Ogilvy and extended regionally by Studio X, the campaign blends local insight with global brand cues. It reflects Coca-cola’s ongoing strategy of embedding itself into everyday rituals, this time, not through grand occasions, but through the quiet, familiar moments around food.
The idea is simple but sharply executed: position Coca-cola not as an add-on, but as an essential companion to meals. By tapping into hyperlocal food habits while retaining a universally recognisable brand cue, the campaign aims to deepen emotional recall across diverse audiences.
Early traction suggests the approach is resonating. The campaign has already sparked organic engagement online, with memes and user reactions amplifying its reach proof that sometimes, the smallest ideas travel the furthest.
At a time when brands are competing for attention in increasingly fragmented markets, ‘Har Meal Aaaah’ takes a different route zooming in rather than out. Because in the end, Coca-Cola’s bet is clear: if you can own the moment after the first sip, you can own the meal.
