MAM
HDFC Life launches ad campaign #BounceBack
MUMBAI: HDFC Life, one of India’s leading private life insurance companies, has launched a new ad film that speaks about bouncing back from life's setbacks, instead of letting them bring you down.
As a society, we tend glorify success. However, on the path to success, one often needs to overcome challenges, which are seldom spoken about. This creates a perception that successful people never face difficulties, leading to unnecessary pressure on individuals, especially children.
Keeping this in mind, the latest ad film by HDFC Life showcases an endearing story of a young girl who has not performed well in an examination, despite giving it her best effort. She faces the dilemma of explaining it to her father. However, her father senses her emotion and realises that he has been unable to prepare his daughter to deal with challenges. He therefore decides to start this lesson by revealing the setback that he had overcome in his life.
'BounceBack' has been used as a theme in the brand's recent campaigns. It further strengthens the brand promise of HDFC Life’s ‘Sar utha ke jiyo !’.
Speaking on the thought behind the campaign, Sr. Executive Vice President (Sales) & chief marketing officer, Pankaj Gupta, said, "Preparing the young generation to face challenges and pressures, in order to do well and live a life of pride, is an integral part of parenting. Especially in today’s scenario wherein we often see students struggling due to academic, parental and peer pressures. Support from the family is what one counts on, to bounce back from setbacks. We have tried to portray this through the ad film”.
He further added, “Life insurance plays a similar role. It offers a support system which enables individuals and families to bounce back from life’s uncertainties. Be it critical illness, accidental disability or untimely death, life insurance empowers families in their bounce back journey by being their financial partner."
Speaking about the campaign Leo Burnett South Asia managing director India & chief creative officer Rajdeepak Das said, “This campaign takes forward the ‘BounceBack’ narrative. Failure is one of the most important teachers of life but we often shy away from talking about our failures. Through this campaign, HDFC Life adopts a refreshingly different and bold perspective and takes a stand to not only secure your loved ones financially but also emotionally to deal with failures. For a brand like HDFC Life, whose DNA emphasizes ‘Sar utha ke jiyo !’, this campaign is the perfect springboard to talk about empowering your loved ones to bounce back from setbacks.”
MAM
Microdrama Specialist COL Group International Builds Out With Narativ, Rock Networks & BlingWood Deals
MUMBAI: Microdrama powerhouse COL Group International is building out its distribution network, with its CEO saying vertical video is about to enter its “next competitive chapter.”
The microdrama arm of publicly-listed Chinese company COL Group appointed Narativ Media as its official distributor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CIS regions and Africa, and a struck new content deal with a new Dubai-based microdrama platform.
The deals were unveiled this morning at MIP London, and also included Rock Networks as its exclusive Southeast Asia telco distribution partner for its app, FlareFlow. MIP London is now into its second day at the Savoy Hotel and adjoining IET London complex.
The deals come soon after COL appointed Harbour Rights to represent its titles in Europe and Latin America, as we reported yesterday in our extended feature on microdrama distribution.
COL’s Singapore-based microdrama unit says its “coordinated global distribution architecture and significantly expanded international content slate” would help to scale its catalogue to more than 1,700 microdrama titles worldwide. These hail from South Korea, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the UK and roll out across Sereal+, FlareFlow and 17K.
A deal with Dubai-based BlingWood, which recently launched as an OTT platform, will expand COL’s access to Middle Eastern and Indian microdramas, and includes a broader pipeline of Indian series from storytelling platform Pratilipi, Korean titles from BeLive Studios and British reality-led formats from Tattle TV — the UK’s first dedicated microdrama app, including titles such as Dog Dates.
“Microdrama is entering its next competitive chapter, where quality, retention and monetization standards are increasingly shaped by data and operational discipline,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager of COL Group International.
“As pioneers in both China and the U.S., scaling some of the world’s leading platforms in this space, we understand what it truly takes to win sustainably. Our role is not simply to offer catalogue volume, but to help partners select, position and scale the right content for their platform and audience. By bringing together a broad, constantly refreshed slate from across regions, we enable smarter curation, clearer differentiation and long-term growth for serious industry players.”
Narativ deal
COL and UAE-based Narativ described their deal as a “strategic expansion of premium vertical content distribution across high-growth emerging markets,” and comes as the microdrama continues to boom financially. The growth of the medium will be among the key topics of conversation today at MIP London, where COL chief Oh will be speaking.
The pact extends beyond content representation and is being billed as part of a more “structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure.”
Narativ will spearhead market development, platform alliances, broadcaster relationships and digital monetization frameworks across the MENA and CIS regions and Africa, where they have identified “rapid mobile-first consumption growth and strong demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling formats.”
“Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS,” said Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and co-founder of Narativ. “Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture.
“A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetization pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”
Oh added: “We are building more than a content slate – we are building the global infrastructure for microdrama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring microdrama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.
Narativ, which is joint venture Sandhu operates with Copyright Capital, manages around 7,000 hours of content and has a digital network spanning 150 million subscribers across 21 language.
COL Group has emerged as one of the biggest microdrama platforms, running platforms such as FlareFow. It is also a part-owner of ReelShort.
