MAM
MX Player raises $110 million from Tencent and Times Internet
MUMBAI: MX Player, the world’s largest local video player and India’s biggest video OTT platform has received $110 million (Rs 775 Crores) in fresh funding from Tencent and Times Internet. The deal marks Tencent’s second investment into a Times Internet asset, after it invested in Gaana, the music streaming platform, in 2018.
Times Internet acquired a majority stake in MX Player in 2018 from Zenjoy, a mobile-games company that remains an investor in the company. With over 175 million monthly active users in India and over 275 million monthly active users worldwide, MX Player is a leading video platform on smartphones globally. Since its formal OTT launch in February 2019, MX has leapfrogged competition to become the second-largest video streaming platform in India. MX Player’s ‘everytainment’ vision – with offline video playback, video streaming, music streaming, and more, positions it to be a leading player in the digital entertainment landscape. MX Player’s OTT service is now live in 5 countries. In 2018, Times Internet acquired a majority stake in MX Player from Chinese mobile games firm Zenjoy, which continues to be a shareholder.
Speaking on the investment, MX Player CEO Karan Bedi said, “We’re happy to welcome our new partners, whose investment is a glowing endorsement of our stellar growth and huge future potential. Our vision is to be one of the world's largest entertainment platforms, serving our users across their online entertainment needs, starting with streaming video and beyond.”
Times Internet Vice Chairman Satyan Gajwani said, “MX Player was our most ambitious investment last year, and it has the potential to change mobile entertainment in India and in the world. It plays an important part of Times Internet’s strategy of being the largest consumer platform in India, and we’re excited to have Tencent help us in this mission.”
Tencent Investment Managing Partner Jeffrey Li said: "Within a relatively short period of time, MX Player has leveraged its vast user base and rich content library to be one of the leading video-streaming services in India. As the smartphone user base continues to expand in India, we look forward to working with MX Player to further grow its platform by delivering original content and a differentiated user experience."
India’s Video OTT market (currently pegged at Rs. 23,000 cr or $3.3bn) will grow at 29% annually, reaching nearly Rs. 62,000 Cr ($8.9 billion) by 2024, according to a recent KPMG report. 90% of this is led by AVOD. India has the second highest per capita online video consumption in the world, with over 325 million video consumers watching nearly 70 mins /day today, growing to an estimated 580 million viewers by 2024.
AD Agencies
WPP and Ogilvy top the global charts as India joins the creative elite: Warc rankings
A record five-year streak for Ogilvy while India secures a top five global spot
MUMBAI: The global advertising world has a familiar king, but a new powerhouse is gatecrashing the palace. In the latest Warc Creative 100 rankings, the industry’s definitive audit of excellence, WPP has once again been crowned the top holding company. Not to be outdone, its crown jewel, Ogilvy, has secured the top network spot for a staggering fifth consecutive year.
It is a “five-peat” that proves Ogilvy’s creative engine is not just running but purring. While many networks rely on one or two superstar offices to carry the load, Ogilvy’s dominance is a team effort across the globe. Hot on their heels is sister agency VML, which took the silver medal for networks, ensuring a WPP clean sweep at the very top of the podium.
The biggest noise, however, is coming from the East. India has officially vaulted into the top five most creative nations on Earth. Once viewed primarily as a back-office for production, the country is now a front-row leader in imagination. Driven by the brilliance of agencies like Ogilvy Mumbai and Leo Burnett India, the nation is proving that its work does more than just look good on a trophy shelf. In a market where every rupee must work twice as hard, Indian campaigns are blending high-concept artistry with ruthless commercial effectiveness.
The individual accolades saw Heineken toast to success as the top brand, finally knocking Apple off its perch. Unilever remains the world’s most awarded advertiser, proving that big business can still have a big heart through its work for Dove and Vaseline.
The title of the world’s most creative campaign went to Publicis Conseil Paris for their AXA “Three Words” initiative. By subtly adding “and domestic violence” to insurance policies to provide immediate relocation cover, the agency proved that the best advertising doesn’t just sell a service, it provides one.
The 2026 rankings also signal a shift in the industry’s DNA. The era of boring business-to-business marketing is dead, with B2B campaigns cracking the top ten for the first time. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence has moved past the gimmick stage. The winners this year used tech not for the sake of a trend, but to drive genuine human emotion.
Whether it is Paris providing a safety net for the vulnerable or India redefining the global creative order, the message from this year’s Warc rankings is clear. The best work in the world is no longer just about catching the eye, it is about changing the world.
