MAM
Sony pictures to build up magic for next Disney venture ‘Finding Nemo’
MUMBAI: Sony pictures has lined up a surprise for tiny tots this Diwali. A Sony Picture Entertainment release in India, Finding Nemo is scheduled to debut on 24 October 2003 across theaters in India in English and Hindi. In order to create Sony Pictures plans to create marketing buzz around the animation movie, which made huge waves at the US box office with a US$71 million, including ground activities targeted the kids and their parents.
The distributors have planned an all India school campaign targeting parent teachers associations, principals and kids. They have dispatched thematic mailers on Nemo stressing on the father son relationship and family values, in form of coloring slides. Kids are encouraged to write about their own Nemo like experiences and screenings of the film. The in Theatre activities started from Hritik Roshan starrer Koi Mil Gaya targeting the kids and parents.
Few contest were organised in association with Tinkle Magazine to solve the nemo puzzle and win prizes, which also required parents involvement. The whole idea was to involve the mom / dad along with the kid.
Besides there are contest held at 100 retail outlets from 17 -31 October. Contest are held in association with Cafe Coffe Day, Funkie Orbits & Satyam that started on 17 October. In addition, ‘buy Nemo- Tickets and get a Sunday Icedream’ contest in association with Mcdonalds is currently on. There are contest held at Satyam cinema.
Apart from the ground promotions, there are contest running on Radio Mirchi FM 98.3 and Radio City FM 91 and an SMS contest on orange. Finding Nemo contest will also be held on sites like mantraonline and hindustantimes.
The campaigns kickstarted with the official premiere at the prestigious International Film Festival of India 2003.
From the Academy Award-winning creators of Toy Story, A Bugs Life and Monster Inc, Finding Nemo tells the comedic and eventful tale of two fish – the overly cautious Marlin and his curious son Nemo – who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory, a friendly but forgetful fish, Marlin embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero of an epic effort to rescue his son – who hatches a few daring plans of his own to return safely home.
Co-written and directed by Oscar-nominee Andrew Stanton, Finding Nemo sets a new mark for the art and technology of computer animation with its incredible underwater world populated with memorable characters. Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, Allison Janney, Brad Garret, Barry Humphries, Alexander Gould are featured in the talented voice “cast”.
SPE Films India director Uday Singh said, “After having broken box office records internationally, Nemo is finally here to make waves with Indian audiences. Even though Nemo is a complete fantasy, it’s based on things that are familiar to audiences. The father-son relationship, going to school for the first time – these are things everyone understands. Keeping in mind this universal theme, we are dubbing this movie in Hindi and giving the masses a chance to experience the Disney magic.”
Brands
Domino’s Q1 profit falls 6.6 per cent, announces $1 billion buyback
Sales rise 3.4 per cent as pizza giant balances growth and shareholder returns
NEW YORK: Domino’s reported a mixed start to 2026, with first-quarter net income slipping even as global sales and store expansion held steady. The company also announced a fresh $1 billion share buyback, underlining its continued focus on shareholder returns.
Global retail sales rose 3.4 per cent on a constant-currency basis to $4.74 billion. The US remained a key growth engine, with same-store sales inching up 0.9 per cent, supported by a 1.5 per cent rise at company-owned outlets.
International markets, however, painted a more uneven picture. While Domino’s added 161 net new stores overseas during the quarter, international same-store sales declined 0.4 per cent. Overall revenues still climbed 3.5 per cent to $1.15 billion, driven by higher supply chain revenues and a 2.6 per cent increase in food basket pricing for franchisees.
On the profitability front, net income fell 6.6 per cent to $139.8 million, compared to $149.7 million a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share dropped to $4.13 from $4.33. The decline was largely attributed to a $30 million unfavourable swing in unrealised gains linked to its investment in DPC Dash Ltd.
Despite this, operational performance showed resilience. Income from operations rose 9.6 per cent to $230.4 million, supported in part by a $7.8 million pre-tax gain from the sale of a corporate aircraft.
Domino’s footprint continued to expand, with the company ending the quarter at 22,322 stores across more than 90 markets. In the US, digital orders remained dominant, accounting for over 85 per cent of retail sales in 2025.
The company also maintained its dividend payout, declaring $1.99 per share, payable on 30 June 2026. After repurchasing $75.1 million worth of stock during the quarter, the new authorisation lifts the total available for buybacks to $1.29 billion.
Domino’s chief executive officer Russell Weiner said the company’s scale and store-level economics position it well to capture further market share in 2026, even as competition intensifies.
As Domino’s leans into expansion and capital returns, the latest results show a business managing short-term pressures while keeping its long-term growth strategy firmly in play.
