MAM
HUL to be exclusive ad partner of Zee Bangla Cinema
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has signed an exclusive advertisement deal with the country’s largest spender on advertising Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) for its newly-launched Bengali movie channel.
This is the first time an entertainment channel has entered into an exclusive advertisement arrangement.
As part of the deal, the FMCG major will exclusively get to advertise on Zee Bangla Cinema for one-and-a-half months. And for the next four-and-a-half months, Zee has committed 30 per cent of the ad inventory of the channel to HUL.
For the first one-and-a-half months, the deal will act as a roadblock for other advertisers wanting to advertise on the channel. HUL will also get visibility on all the promotional activities of the channel.
According to Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) chief sales officer Ashish Sehgal, the ad deal with HUL is beneficial to both the parties. “I am able to sell the channel from day 1 without the assessment of ratings and HUL will get to advertise exclusively on our channel,” he said.
The channel was scouting for an advertising partner during the launch and had approached several clients. “HUL showed confidence in us and hence they are on board,” Sehgal said.
Zeel already runs a Bengali GEC Zee Bengal, which also airs movies and already owns blockbuster Bengali movie titles.
The Zee-HUL ad deal also comes in the backdrop of the FMCG company’s decision in June against advertising on any of the Star Network channels. HUL‘s ad and promotional spends in 2011-12 was Rs 26.97 billion.
In India, Star also did ad deals for a shorter duration for its second GEC Life OK but it was with three advertisers. The other kind of deal worked out was by NDTV when its launched a co-branded lifestyle channel, NDTV Good Times, with Kingfisher.
“This is an effective model of working where the new channels sign on clients as exclusive advertisers. Life OK had also done it with three brands including HUL for a month,” an executive with a rival broadcaster said, adding Bengal’s television advertising market is in the range of Rs 8 billion.
Brands
UP govt, HGS unit to skill one lakh youth in digital push
MoU targets jobs, training and future ready talent across state
MUMBAI: Government of Uttar Pradesh has joined hands with OneOTT Intertainment Limited, the broadband arm of Hinduja Global Solutions, to train one lakh youth, signalling a fresh push towards jobs in the digital economy.
The memorandum of understanding, signed with the Employment Department Uttar Pradesh, aims to bridge the gap between skills and industry needs while opening up employment pathways for young people across the state.
The agreement was formalised by principal secretary, labour and employment, M. K. Shanmugha Sundaram and whole-time director, Hinduja Global Solutions and MD and CEO, OneOTT Intertainment Limited, Vynsley Fernandes, in the presence of labour minister Anil Rajbhar.
Under the partnership, OneOTT Intertainment Limited will roll out training programmes, workshops and knowledge-sharing platforms designed to equip youth with skills aligned to a rapidly digitising economy. The initiative will also include research inputs, technical guidance and policy-level support to ensure effective execution.
Principal secretary, labour and employment, M. K. Shanmugha Sundaram, said, “This collaboration will help align skill development programmes with actual industry needs and prepare the youth of Uttar Pradesh for emerging opportunities in the digital services sector.”
Hinduja Global Solutions whole-time director, and OneOTT Intertainment Limited MD and CEO Vynsley Fernandes said, “India’s progress is closely linked to strengthening the capabilities of its young workforce. At HGS, we see skills evolving alongside technology, and partnerships like this help build a stronger digital ecosystem.”
The state government will facilitate coordination across departments and institutions, ensuring the programmes reach the right audiences and deliver measurable outcomes.
As digital infrastructure expands and technology reshapes job markets, initiatives like this are positioning skill development not just as training, but as a gateway to opportunity for the next generation.
