MAM
Aidem Ventures, eBus Media float JV for India
MUMBAI: eBus Media Network and Aidem Ventures have formed a joint venture in India to offer a complete solution for digital distribution and management of television commercials (TVCs) to advertisers, agencies, media owners, content producers and broadcasters.
The new JV between the two companies will be known as eBus-Aidem. Ajay Verma will be the chief executive of the new entity.
Verma has over 17 years of advertising & marketing experience, having worked with organisations like O&M, Draft-FCB, Redifussion, Y&R, Contract and Percept Hakuhodu and has been part of eBus startup operations in India.
eBUS is a Singapore-based company involved in video content management and distribution business for the media industry. Aidem Ventures is a media consulting, sales and marketing company.
Says Aidem director Kaushal Dalal, “We believe that the future is going to be tapeless and digital delivery of TVCs will be the norm. To this end, the solution that eBUS has to offer is truly excellent. The coming together of eBus and Aidem will not only add to the range of media related services that Aidem provides but will also help bring in the future much faster.”
In the new service, the advertiser has to send TVCs once and it is digitally delivered to the list of broadcasters as specified by the client/agency within six hours. Advertisers can also track the commercial going to broadcasters online and have access to commercials in different formats for their presentation on mobile, Internet, etc.
Averred eBUS Singapore CEO Carmine Masiello, “With the expansion and modernisation of the television industry, including digital and HD, we provide advertisers a much faster and convenient mode for delivering TVCs. Given the complexity of the Indian markets, we trust that partnering with Aidem will not only add the local expertise we need to promote our products and services but also go a long way in establishing eBus as the standard mode for delivering TVCs in this market space.”
For the broadcasters this will mean faster arrival of TVC‘s in digital quality, complete library management, no more handling of physical tapes or ingesting, thereby saving physical space, time, effort and money.
Said Aidem Ventures managing director Raj Nayak, “We believe this technology will be a game changer and goes with the company‘s vision to diversify into areas that is in synergy with our core business. Leading broadcasters have already started using the eBus technology and more are signing shortly. Many leading advertisers also have already signed up and are currently using and having the benefits of the eBus solution.”
MAM
PNB Metlife bowls ‘Always Ready for Life’ with Smriti Mandhana
New positioning tackles 91 per cent protection gap plus ageing India’s 230 million seniors by 2036.
MUMBAI: When life throws a googly, PNB Metlife wants you padded up and ready not scrambling for cover. The insurer has unveiled its fresh brand positioning, ‘Always Ready for Life’, fronted by cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, to spark real conversations about insurance and financial planning at every stage of the journey.
India’s life protection gap remains a stark 91 per cent meaning for every Rs 100 needed to secure families financially, only Rs 9 is covered. At the same time, the elderly population (60 plus) is projected to swell to around 230 million by 2036, roughly 15 per cent of the total population. The campaign underlines PNB Metlife’s holistic take on security, urging Indians to build clarity and confidence around retirement, child education and long-term goals.
PNB Metlife chief marketing & communications officer Sourabh Lohtia said, “There is a unique sense of freedom that comes when careful financial preparation meets present-day opportunities. With this campaign, we want to show that being prepared helps people focus on what truly matters. Financial growth and security are achievable and PNB MetLife wants to support Indians by helping to simplify financial planning, turning every future milestone into something to look forward to.”
The brand ambassador Smriti Mandhana drew a neat parallel, “As a cricketer, we study the pitch, understand opposition, and assess the situation before every match. Life works similarly, staying prepared for every goal or situation is essential, and financial readiness plays a key role in that. Life insurance helps build that strong foundation at every life stage whether we are achieving big dreams, starting a family, buying a home, or planning for a comfortable retirement.”
The push targets millennials and younger audiences through Mandhana’s appeal, rolling out across television, Youtube, Meta platforms, OTT, Google Display and high-visibility outdoor sites. In a country where life can change as quickly as a T20 over, PNB Metlife is betting that preparation not panic is the real winning shot.
