iWorld
Viacom18 Digital Ventures ties-up with technical partners for VOOT
MUMBAI: Viacom18 Digital Ventures has announced the line-up of technical partners for its upcoming digital Video On Demand (VOD) platform VOOT. To build and roll out its Over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, Viacom18 has roped in partners with an extensive international experience.
Kaltura, one of the global majors in OTT and video streaming services, is on-board as the platform provider and will build several customized features for the OTT platform which will be totally unique and relevant for the Indian market.
For the user experience and user interface design, Viacom18 has roped in US based A Different Engine (ADE), a company which has extensive experience and specialization in building UX/UI for large multi-platform video streaming services.
While Web Dunia is on board for web services and website development, the company is also playing the critical role of a system integrator.
The mobile applications are being developed by one of India’s leading developers Robosoft Technologies.
Speaking on the partnerships, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi said, “In this business, product and technology play a pivotal role. While we work towards bringing popular and engaging content in this space for our viewers, we were equally focused on working with the best technology and design partners to build a world-class, differentiated product with superlative user experience.”
VOOT, an ad-supported VOD service, will aim to cater to the constant content consumption cravings of the always-on digital generation. The platform will also have a big focus on originals content created only for the service.
iWorld
Taylor Swift sued by Maren Wade over Showgirl trademark clash
Las Vegas performer claims hit album branding overshadows her long-held identity
MUMBAI: A high-profile trademark dispute is brewing in the entertainment world as Las Vegas performer Maren Wade has filed a lawsuit against global pop star Taylor Swift over the title of her latest album.
Filed on March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the suit accuses Swift and UMG Recordings of trademark infringement, false designation and unfair competition. At the centre of the dispute is Swift’s chart-topping album The Life of a Showgirl, released in October 2025.
Wade argues that the album’s title and branding are confusingly similar to her long-established trademark Confessions of a Showgirl, which she has built since 2014. What began as a column in Las Vegas Weekly has since expanded into a touring stage show, podcast and book, with a federal trademark secured in 2015.
The complaint leans heavily on the concept of reverse confusion. Wade claims Swift’s global popularity has effectively drowned out her brand, leaving audiences to assume she is imitating the singer rather than the other way around. The lawsuit cites instances of fans using Wade’s trademarked phrase in connection with Swift’s album and search results increasingly pointing to Swift-related content.
A key element of the case involves the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which had already raised concerns. According to the filing, the office issued a partial refusal of Swift’s trademark application in late 2025, citing a likelihood of confusion due to shared phrasing and overlapping entertainment categories.
“They did not do so quietly,” the complaint notes, referring to the album’s rollout, which quickly extended into merchandise, labels and retail branding aimed at a similar audience.
Wade is seeking a permanent injunction to stop further use of the title, along with a share of profits, damages and legal costs. The stakes are high given the album’s commercial success, with over four million units sold in its first week in the United States alone.
Taylor Swift, known for her expansive intellectual property portfolio, operates through entities such as TAS Rights Management and Bravado, which manage her trademarks and global merchandising operations.
The outcome could hinge on whether the court sees the similarity as coincidence or confusion. For now, the case sets the stage for a legal showdown that may determine who truly owns the spotlight in the “showgirl” story.
