MAM
IAA India chapter summit: Focus is on ‘Voice of Change!: Gender Portrayal from 30 seconds to 3 hours’
Mumbai: Aiming to bring a change in the industry, the International Advertising Association India Chapter held a change summit titled ‘Voice of Change: Gender Portrayal from 30 seconds to 3 hours.’
The summit incorporated the much-needed conversation on gender parity, as seen in the media, and was brought forth in a day of discussions, debates, and research findings.
IAA started the journey last year with a research study in partnership with UNICEF, conducted by the Geena Davis Institute, on gender representation in advertising.
Taking their cue from the facts presented in the study, the industry body decided to initiate tangible change through the dialogue required to bring about gender sensitivity amongst the people at the helm of content creation and marketing in India.
The summit was felicitated by the presence of various industry experts who presented their thoughts on the subject.
IAA Women Empowerment Committee chairperson and Viacom18 head – Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “‘Voice of Change’ harkens the need for a more sensitised and inclusive narrative in content and all the creative minds present here-content creators, brand custodians, and students-are the powerhouses behind creating and marketing that content now and in the years to come. The IAA has stepped up and brought all this learning and more out into the public eye and today, through this summit, takes on the critical role of not only educating and informing but also empowering effective change.”
Taking the event ahead, chief guest MP for North Central Mumbai, Poonam Mahajan told the full house her story and her journey, where at every step she, very organically, broke stereotypes and stands where she is today. From being a pilot to being a member of parliament, she has taken on challenges head on and proven her mettle.
The first segment of the day culminated in felicitating Gender Warriors—an advertising legend popularly known as Shambhu V Sista, a luminary from the world of filmmaking, Guneet Monga, and decorated veteran of the advertising industry, Ramesh Narayan.
The day powered on to a session by Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) CEO and secretary general Manisha Kapoor, who dove into the GenderNext report titled ‘Follow Her Lead – GenderNext: A Study on Portrayal of Women in Advertising with Knowledge Partners ASCI.’
Following that was an interesting talk by Futurebrands Consulting MD Santosh Desai, who spoke about the cultural perspective of gender portrayal.
Furthermore, the day also included panel discussions and sessions on critical topics related to gender equality in the industry.
As the day of learning, thought-provoking perspectives, and notable conversations came to an end, the takeaways were an understanding of where the industry stands, where the bottlenecks are, and what needs to be done to achieve a truly fair and equal representation of gender in media, whether it be in a 30 second TVC or a 3 hour film or anything in between.
Watch full summit here
Brands
Aman Gupta’s OFF/BEAT secures Rs 100 crore seed funding round
Bessemer backs new venture betting on AI and India’s digital shift
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta has raised Rs 100 crore in seed funding for his new venture OFF/BEAT, with Bessemer Venture Partners leading the round as it bets on a new wave of AI-led, consumer-first businesses in India.
The funding marks an early but significant push for OFF/BEAT, which is positioned to tap into a rapidly evolving market shaped by a digitally native generation and advances in artificial intelligence. The venture aims to build at the intersection of culture and technology, where brand identity and innovation increasingly go hand in hand.
Gupta, best known for co-founding boAt and scaling it into a Rs 3,000 crore-plus business, is now looking to apply those learnings to a new playbook. His focus this time is not just on building a consumer brand, but on leveraging AI and global networks to accelerate growth.
OFF/BEAT founder Aman Gupta said, “Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that is where the future lies. Bessemer’s track record with companies like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn says it all.”
The choice of investor reflects that ambition. Bessemer Venture Partners has backed global technology players such as Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn, bringing not just capital but strategic support and global reach.
Bessemer Venture Partners partner Anant Vidur Puri said, “We back founders who see around corners. Aman saw how a new India would come to think about aspiration, identity and quality, and built boAt as proof. He is now applying that same instinct to a market being reshaped by AI and by a generation with entirely new expectations.”
The investment comes at a time when India’s startup ecosystem is being reshaped by both consumer behaviour and technological disruption. Founders are increasingly expected to understand not just products, but the cultural shifts that drive adoption.
For OFF/BEAT, the journey is just beginning, but the signal is clear. In a market where attention is fleeting and expectations are rising, building something truly distinctive may be the only way to stay on beat.
