MAM
Brands show human side amidst Covid2019 crisis
NEW DELHI: While the Covid2019 pandemic came out as probably the most devastating blow to the business world as well as to the society, it also brought forth a number of heartening stories of human kindness and support. Be it the on-ground coverage that several news reporters are doing or the warm hospitality that the hospital staff and police personnel are showing, or the exceptional support that several social workers and famous personalities have extended to the underprivileged, we saw humanity raising its head high on many occasions. Indiantelevision.com had also covered how the pandemic even brought brands and agency partners closer.
Not just that, many brands rose above their usual business and indulged in great deeds of public service too. Be it ACC Trust spending close to Rs five crore to help the migrant labours and villagers around ACC Cement’s factories or Relaxo and Metro Shoes donating footwear to the large exodus of migrant workers fleeing to home on feet, there have been ample examples of brands extending a helping hand in time of this unprecedented crisis.
Speaking about the varied initiatives that Metro Shoes has taken to support the community, VP–marketing and e-commerce Alisha Malik told Indiantelevision.com, “The pandemic brought the country and the economy to a staggering halt. While it impacted each one of us, the migrant workers were the most affected. Their struggle to meet their basic needs of food, shelter, financial security and reach their homeland was heart-wrenching. We felt that it was important for us to do our bit to support them in the time of crisis and that is how we came up with the Metro Cares Initiative.”
Under the initiative, the brand provided ration kits to daily wagers with the help of Salaam Bombay Foundation and footwear to all those in need on their journey back home with the help of United Way of Mumbai and the Rotary Club. PPE kits to hospitals and masks to policemen were also provided with the help of United Way of Mumbai.
Sanitary napkin brand Pro-ease from the house of RSPL distributed over 10 lakh sanitary pads to frontline warriors managing the crisis.
RSPL director Rohit Gyanchandani shared, “We came across a few news reports and on-ground stories of how sanitary napkins were in short supply and women were facing difficulties due to that. Coupled with that we were also witnessing a phenomenal selfless service from corona warriors of both genders. When we put these two stories together, we as a team wanted to do our bit and came up with the idea of distributing 10 lac pads to women corona warriors free of cost as a small token of appreciation from Pro-ease.”
He added, “In times like these when the whole nation is going through a crisis, I think it’s imperative for everyone to do whatever little they can to help in whichever way possible. Whether you are a citizen or a brand, the fact remains that you ought to do the things you can, to make a difference for the better.”
The brand also launched a powerful campaign #RoktiHoonRuktiNahin created by ADK Fortune to salute these female superheroes.
ADK Fortune VP and ECD Nakul Sharma shared his experience of working on the campaign by saying, “The experience was first of all very humbling. Because the gravity of the fight put up by corona frontline warriors, especially women suddenly hit us in the face.”
Congratulating the brand on taking up this great initiative, he added, “Pro-ease had a solid proposition and decided to be a doer and not just a talker – which frankly makes all the difference in these times. These initiatives give clients a chance to show their human side as well. This epidemic is a time like no other and frankly keeping quiet is not an option. People want to know and hear from their brands and expect them to have a human point of view.”
Malik also highlighted that it is very important for brands to participate in supporting the community in difficult times as she said, “As important as CSR is for the community, it is equally valuable for a company. It is important for brands to stand up for causes that matter. In fact, in such times, it is important that each one of us takes a step towards helping all those in need. We are glad that we had access to resources that could help the migrant workers in their journey back home.”
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
