MAM
C-LAB creates hustle and bustle with MTV India, JBL association
MUMBAI: C-LAB, the influencer marketing company under Dentsu Aegis Network is the catalyst for the recent association between JBL and MTV for its new property called Hustle. With an aim to strengthen the power of collective action and scale up growth as well as visibility, C-LAB banked on its proprietary big data AI platforms, to break down the music choices and genre affinities of the relevant target audiences. The revealed data guided the agency to strike an association between JBL and MTV Hustle. This association will provide a massive platform to the hip-hop and rap genre and take it to a wider audience in India.
Staying true to its promise of delivering the best music experiences, JBL will be seen across various segments of the show from JBL Dare to Hustle – the final rap battle every week to JBL Xtreme performance of the week. For those dreaming about their moment of fame, JBL will also launch a special social media contest where consumers will be offered the opportunity to upload video entries of them rapping their respective stories. The top ten shortlisted entries will have a LIVE battle on Facebook LIVE and Insta LIVE. The brand has also created a special TVC that will be aired during the show.
“The mandate of our Indian youth is clear, culture-defining music like rap and hip-hop will no longer be confined to the underground. With MTV Hustle, JBL will provide the platform to India’s budding wordsmiths who deserve the grand stage. We are excited to partner with MTV and take the rap and hip-hop revolution to a wider audience,” said HARMAN India country manager Pradeep Chaudhry.
Adding to this, Viacom18 head – youth, music and English entertainment Ferzad Palia said, “With hip hop being India’s next big trend, we believe MTV Hustle will be a genre-defining platform. We are delighted to have JBL as our partner in pushing the envelope further in the independent music genre. As a brand that offers the most sought-after music experiences, JBL is a seamless fit to our intent of giving the budding talent in the country a rightful place and offering our audience the most disruptive content.”
Commenting on the association, C-LAB EVP Deepak Kumar said, “As a specialised agency it's our prerogative to suggest the appropriate platforms for our brands. Taking into consideration the aspirations of both the brands, we decided to bring the legendary audio brand, JBL to partner with India’s number one youth entertainment brand, MTV. JBL’s brand essence is the perfect fit for MTV’s TG. We are confident that this association will offer the audience a gripping and enjoyable experience. Additionally, the fate of any association is defined by its viewership and we believe we have taken the right measures to contribute to MTV’s expectations of 5 billion minutes of watch time for the second half of the year.”
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
