Brands
Barbeque Nation launches customer loyalty program, ‘Happiness Club’
MUMBAI: Barbeque Nation, India’s leading casual dining restaurant chain, has announced the launch of its customer loyalty program, ‘Happiness Club’, on the occasion of its 14th anniversary. The program allows diners to accumulate points and avail exciting offers, to make their dining experience at Barbeque Nation, all the more gratifying and enticing.
Called as the ‘Happiness Card’, the program is intended at bringing a smile on the face of guests, with points earned, termed as ‘smiles’ and gift cards christened as Smile Cards, that allow patrons to gift smiles to their loved ones. Barbeque Nation has served over 75 million diners over the last 14 years and is synonymous with DIY grilling on the table – a concept that it pioneered in the country. Starting from its very first outlet in Mumbai in 2006, to the 141st outlet launched recently in Ambala in Haryana, the brand is today a household name in casual dining in India.
Smile is linked to a unique mobile number of the guest and every Smile is equivalent to a rupee. Guests can enroll in the Smile Club by bookings through the app or website only. Patrons can redeem the same by converting the Smiles to a Happiness Cardon the App/Website. ‘Smile’ has been introduced to strengthen the brand’s relationship with its customers and increase repeat visits. It also creates ground for excellent corporate or group offers that Barbeque Nation is extremely popular for.
Barbeque Nation, a major pioneer of ‘DIY’ (do-it-yourself) cuisine with a concept of live on-the-table grill, is the largest casual dining brand in the country. The restaurant offers a pre-fixed menu with a fixed price. The menu ranges from the Mediterranean, American, Oriental, Asian and Indian cuisines. Customers can grill starters in a range of marinades and sauces and enjoy them right off the skewers, at their own tables. Apart from offering a delectable menu, the ambience at the restaurant follows a theme that radiates a contemporary and vibrant atmosphere, with sizzling skewers on tables that double as a live kitchen.
Barbeque Nation Hospitality Ltd president Rahul Agarwal said, “We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of our loyalty program, marking the 14th year of our operations in the country. Barbeque Nation has come a long way in creating several benchmarks in the food and hospitality sector and is today the most preferred casual dining chain in the country. We are thankful to our guests who have showered us with so much love all these years and that’s the reason, we have come up with the special Smile Program. We are all keen to provide incredible dining experiences at our restaurants and continue creating memorable moments for our guests. This program also allows us to build a robust mechanism of digital engagement with our customers and increase active membership.”
Brands
Netflix acquires Ben Affleck’s AI film-tech firm InterPositive
Streaming giant picks up production startup to streamline digital filmmaking
LOS ANGELES: Netflix has officially acquired InterPositive, an AI film-technology startup founded by actor and director Ben Affleck. The move marks a significant investment by the streaming service into assistive AI tools designed to support the technical side of movie production. While many AI companies focus on generating new images or scripts, InterPositive focuses on the logistical challenges of filmmaking. The firm’s technology is designed to handle technical tasks that often delay post-production, such as correcting lighting inconsistencies and ensuring visual continuity across different takes.
The acquisition is not about replacing human actors or writers. Instead, Netflix intends to use the technology as a digital assistant for directors. The software understands cinematic logic, meaning it can automatically adjust background elements or environmental effects to ensure a film looks polished and consistent without months of manual editing.
In a Netflix post on Thursday, Affleck emphasised that the project was born out of a desire to support the craft rather than automate it. “I knew I had a responsibility to my peers and our industry, to protect the power of human creativity and the people behind it. In creating InterPositive, I sought to do just that,” Affleck wrote. “From the invention of the moving image to the transition to digital, from motion capture to virtual production, technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it. Our shared commitment to continuing this legacy makes joining together a natural next step.”
Netflix chief product and technology officer Elizabeth Stone said, “Our approach to AI has always been focused on meaningfully serving the needs of the creative community. InterPositive’s technology is purpose-built for filmmakers and showrunners to naturally support their visions. We’re excited to welcome the team to Netflix and continue building a future where technology enhances storytelling, while people remain at the core.”
Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria added, “New tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it. Ben and his team are part of a long tradition of artists leading innovation in storytelling. Their work gives filmmakers more choices, control, and protection for their vision.”
The deal coincides with a broader partnership between Netflix and Artists Equity, the production company led by Affleck and Matt Damon. Following the success of their recent projects on the platform, this acquisition cements Affleck’s role as both a creative and technical advisor to the streamer. Affleck noted that the partnership was a logical fit due to “Netflix’s decades of experience applying and scaling technology responsibly.” He will serve as a senioradvisor for the integration of the technology, ensuring the tools remain focused on helping filmmakers.
For the film industry, this acquisition signals a shift in strategy. Rather than just buying finished movies, Netflix is now owning the specialized technology used to build them. By bringing these tools in-house, the company aims to reduce the rising costs and lengthy timelines associated with high-budget original films while giving their productions a technical edge in speed and visual quality.
