Brands
Hershey’s debuts 3D CTV masthead during India–Australia ODI
MUMBAI: Hershey’s has rolled out its first-ever 3D connected TV masthead in India, marking a festive-season push tied to live cricket viewership.
The high-impact CTV activation, executed with Interactive Avenues and Frodoh, went live during India’s opening ODI against Australia, aiming to capture heightened festive and match-day consumption across connected TV households.
The immersive 3D creative transformed the CTV home screen into a premium showcase for the Hershey’s Kisses Festive Moments pack, rendered in gold tones with depth, motion and festive lighting. Anchored by the line “Unwrap bonds with Hershey’s”, the format was designed to mirror a storefront-style reveal within the viewer journey.
The campaign delivered multi-million household reach across high-viewership days, underlining the growing appeal of attention-led CTV formats for seasonal brand storytelling. By pairing a marquee cricket fixture with a masthead placement, Hershey’s sought to sharpen the festive appeal of its Kisses gifting range.
Hershey’s director of marketing Kamy Devaguptapu, said the Diwali-led campaign brought the brand’s modern gifting vision to life through an immersive 3D CTV experience, connecting with millions of households during India’s biggest celebration.
IPG director business Mohammed Tauseef Unea, said the masthead campaign achieved strong reach and engagement, meeting objectives on both performance and efficiency.
Frodoh founder and chief executive Russhabh R Thakkar, said the 3D masthead provided the right canvas to bring festive warmth to connected TV, with the India–Australia ODI creating a natural high-attention moment.
The campaign underscores how CTV is increasingly being positioned as a premium, high-impact medium for festive retail advertising in India.
Brands
Pocket FM elevates Lalit Gangwar to COO to drive global growth
Founding member to lead operations, monetisation and expansion across markets
MUMBAI: Pocket FM has elevated Lalit Gangwar to chief operating officer, tasking the founding team member with leading global business operations as the company sharpens its international growth strategy.
In his new role, Gangwar will oversee end-to-end operations across markets, including growth, monetisation and execution for the company’s audio business. The appointment comes as Pocket FM looks to strengthen its operating foundation and build a more predictable, scalable global business.
Gangwar has been closely involved in shaping the company’s trajectory from its early days. He played a key role in building the growth and marketing playbook in India, helping the platform scale to over 150 million users within its first year and establish a strong foothold in the audio storytelling category.
He later led Pocket FM’s expansion into the United States, where he set up teams, defined market strategy and drove scale, contributing significantly to the company’s international ambitions.
Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak said, “Lalit has been central to Pocket FM’s journey from the very beginning. He has built our growth engine and scaled our business across markets.” He added that the company’s focus on nurturing internal talent makes Gangwar a natural choice to lead the next phase.
Gangwar said, “Pocket FM has always been driven by a simple belief that powerful stories can travel across borders and create meaningful impact.” He noted that the company will continue to focus on scaling markets, investing in AI-led storytelling and strengthening monetisation.
As COO, Gangwar is expected to bring greater operating discipline while building systems, talent and processes to support long-term growth.
With leadership continuity and a clear global focus, Pocket FM appears to be turning the page to its next chapter, one that aims to take its storytelling playbook well beyond home turf.
