MAM
Buzzoka launches regional celebrity services to cater rural markets
MUMBAI: Buzzoka, India’s most disruptive influencer marketing company today launches ‘Regional Celebrity Services’. With this pioneering move, Buzzoka will allow brands to reach to the right audience with the right endorsing face.
Celebrity endorsement business, which has seen a downfall in the recent past with Internet Celebs taking over, the move from Buzzoka will now allow regional celebrities to come in the Influencer Marketing gambit.
Introducing this service is the need of the hour as the mainline celebrities might not be able to travel the gap between the brand and audience in regional and rural India. According to the World Bank collection of development indicators, rural population in India was reported at 66.46 %, which justifies the vast opportunities for successful brand endorsements in these sectors. Hence, Buzzoka has opened the doors for brands in unveiling and reaching a large but segmented audience directly.
Commenting on the same, Ashutosh Harbola – Co-Founder and CEO of Buzzoka says, “Buzzoka has set sights on the 190-million-strong rural internet-user base in India and we intend to reach to the crust of the Indian market. Regional Celebrity Services is a step in this direction, empowering brands to connect with the untapped customers in no time.”
“We have been a disruptive brand all throughout our existence and we wish to act as a catalyst for brands and agencies which fail to device regional and local influencer strategy. The move will be just another step in our vision to add millions of internet creators to the Influencer Marketing gambit," add Ashutosh.
As per a recent report, usage of social media in rural India has grown by 100 per cent during the past year with the number reaching to 25 million users. With the online content consumption increasing rapidly, we are also witnessing a growing relevance of regional content. For instance, according to reports, in tier 2 and 3 cities, platforms like TikTok are being watched constantly with at least 4 to 5 hours of content consumption in a day. This service launched by Buzzoka will help marketers to penetrate their brands in such regional and rural markets to achieve higher returns.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
