iWorld
Carlton presents ‘LegendSpeak’- a digital property to engage the new face of business
MUMBAI: Carlton has launched ‘LegendSpeak’ a unique digital property that aims to provide a sneak peek into the journey, minds and lives of the stars of the Indian startup community. LegendSpeak propagates Carlton’s philosophy of influencing, nurturing and recognizing the new faces of business. The property has been conceptualized and created exclusively by Carlton, the online entrepreneur networking portal The Venturator and will be hosted at Tata Starbucks.
The digital platform will host some of the most well-known and respected homegrown entrepreneurs, highlighting their personal experiences on their journey to success. LegendSpeak will be an interactive reference point for aspiring young business entrepreneurs, where they will be able to gain inspiration from the success stories of these individuals who are driven and passionate about what they do.
Speaking about the new property, Mr. Sudip Ghose, Vice President-Marketing, V.I.P Industries, said, “With India’s startup community continuing to flourish and thrive, we wanted to create a platform where emerging entrepreneurs are able to seek knowledge and learn from the experts in the industry. This digital property captures the essence of how these individuals worked towards shaping their ideas and built it into a successful business. Carlton is positioned as a brand meant for The New Face of Business and with LegendSpeak our aim is to further strengthen our communication.”
In alignment to a common objective of targeting young business millennials, Carlton will also be sponsoring the 2nd season of The Velocity series, the flagship event of The Venturator. The Velocity Series is an offline engagement platform that aims to boost the startup ecosystem, by directly connecting aspiring young individuals to established entrepreneurs. The series is currently being hosted at Starbucks India’s Delhi flagship store at Connaught Place (Hamilton House) and will be on till December 2016.
Elaborating about the association with The Venturator, Mr. Sudip Ghose, Vice President-Marketing, V.I.P Industries, said, “We are extremely happy to associate with The Venturator for The Velocity series being held at Tata Starbucks. This series works in sync with our communication strategy for Carlton and the new marketing proposition that illustrates how Generation Y has moved beyond the old business clichés and fixed rules. This opportunity brings us closer to budding entrepreneurs and helps us understand the mindset of the target audience better.”
Talking about the collaboration, Ms. Manmeet Vohra, Director – Marketing and Category, TATA Starbucks Private Ltd., said “We are pleased to extend our association with The Venturator for the second season of The Velocity Series. Every day around the world, millions of people gather at Starbucks, and it’s never been just about the coffee- the distinct ‘third place’, between work and home, and the opportunities to connect with others over handcrafted beverages makes it the perfect ambience to cultivate ideas and to form new networks and collaborations.”
Elaborating on the series, Abhilasha Dafria, founder of The Venturator, said, “As an entrepreneur myself, I understand the difficulties that one faces. LegendSpeak along with The Velocity Series, is an endeavour to simplify this process. The first season received an overwhelming response from both aspiring and established entrepreneurs, which is why we have come up with the 2nd season, which promises to be bigger and better. I am extremely delighted to see big brands like Carlton and Tata Starbucks support this initiative, which reinforces their support to the startup community.”
The Velocity Series will be a six episode long series which will take place over a period of 6 months and will host some of the most successful entrepreneurs from the country. The inaugural session of The Velocity Series featured Mr. Sachin Bhatia, CEO & Co-founder TrulyMadly and Co-founder MakeMyTrip.com.
In making LegendSpeak an engaging platform, Carlton will initiate a Twitter contest inviting the audience to share questions that they would like to ask the guest due on the next show. One question will be then selected and the question will be incorporated as part of the interview under LegendSpeak. The property will see extensive promotion across all social media platforms of Carlton.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
