iWorld
Hoichoi launches early OOH campaign for higher recall
KOLKATA: OTT players heavily rely on OOH media to promote their shows and the pandemic brought that to a screeching halt. West Bengal is one of the first states to get back on track after the lockdown was lifted and Bengali OTT platform Hoichoi recently launched an outdoor campaign for its new original.
The OOH campaign is to drive up the anticipation level for its recently-launched show Tansener Tanpura. Even though not everyone is venturing out, Hoichoi co-founder Vishnu Mohta says that it is not early to resume OOH campaigns. Despite having faced a cyclone during lockdown, the city’s residents have bucked up and are stepping out more than other cities.
The timing is efficient since there aren’t other ongoing campaigns to clutter. It also works as a break for commuters.
“We always think of outdoor as an awareness medium. We have come out with one of our biggest shows and have communicated the show and its great cast. I think even this much information is a good distraction for them. Now, what we can do is entertain people while they are at home by showing new content,” Mohta shares.
Hoichoi’s in-house team ideated the campaign. It has taken up 15 billboard spots across the city in prominent locations where people travel a lot through like Maa Flyover, UltadangaXing and Acropolis Mall. The team also partnered with outdoor companies with whom it has previously worked. The goal is to start the work of putting out messages.
“There are people stepping out. Malls have opened up in West Bengal and now there is a fair amount of traffic on roads. Even when you step out, it is not only about the number of people and the number of times, it is about the impact that your campaign has on people. Since we don't have too many campaigns around, so the recall value is great,” he shares.
With Hoichoi taking the first step, others are likely to follow suit in the coming time.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
