MAM
‘IndiGo Abroad’ with the airline’s new brand campaign
National: India’s leading airline, IndiGo, launched its new integrated brand campaign ‘IndiGo Abroad: Happy to be your first’ today, to stimulate travellers to explore newer destinations for short and medium -haul international travel at affordable fares. The campaign aims to introduce Indian travellers to new and unexplored 6E destinations to encourage first time international travellers and experiential travellers to look beyond the regular international destinations, for their next trip abroad with IndiGo. The airline launched flights to Turkey, China, Vietnam, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
As part of this campaign, IndiGo has used quirky creatives that tug our emotions when we travel, with the backdrop of the most scenic locations in its international network. The passengers in the creatives showcase the innumerable experiences and emotions during their first international trip and how IndiGo has been their partner, by making international travel accessible and affordable. Some of the creatives like ‘My first time was very educational’, ‘My first time? Three weeks long’, ‘Our first time? This summer’, connect to real life people, bringing relatability to the campaign. The campaign will run across OOH, print and IndiGo’s social media platforms from November 03- November 17, 2019.
On the launch of the campaign, Mr. William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We are excited to launch our new brand campaign ‘IndiGo Abroad’ after the last one celebrating our 13th anniversary. This campaign is aimed at targeting domestic travellers looking at their first international trip and experiential travellers who want to explore new international destinations. Having started operations to five new countries this year, we thought this would be an apt opportunity for us to strengthen interest in foreign travel through ‘IndiGo Abroad’ campaign and we would be happy to be our travellers’ first flight to their international holiday.”
Mr. Boulter further added, “In addition to being affordable, on-time and hassle-free, IndiGo has played a significant role in making international air travel accessible and affordable for many Indians.”
IndiGo is introducing special promotional offer on its international destinations with return fares starting from INR 8,490. Customers booking their tickets through IndiGo website and mobile application can avail additional cashback and EMI options when paying through Yes Bank and Bank of Baroda, while offers with IndusInd Bank can be availed only on website from November 03- November 04, 2019. Discounts on seats are subjected to availability and the offer is valid for bookings made during the offer period, at least 15 days prior to the date of departure.
MAM
Paramount set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in $81 billion deal
Shareholders back merger, combined entity could reshape streaming and studios.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… consolidation, Hollywood’s latest blockbuster might be happening off-screen. Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery have voted in favour of selling the company to Paramount in a deal valued at $81 billion rising to nearly $111 billion including debt setting the stage for one of the biggest shake-ups in modern media. The proposed merger, still subject to regulatory approvals, would bring together a vast portfolio spanning HBO Max, CNN, and franchises such as Harry Potter under the same umbrella as Paramount’s own heavyweights, including Top Gun and CBS.
At the heart of the deal is streaming scale. Executives have indicated plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single platform, potentially creating a stronger challenger to giants like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video. Current market data suggests HBO Max holds around 12 per cent of US on-demand subscriptions, compared to Paramount+’s 3 per cent, together still trailing Netflix’s 19 per cent and Disney’s combined 27 per cent via Disney+ and Hulu.
Paramount CEO David Ellison has signalled that while platforms may merge, HBO’s creative identity will remain intact, stating the brand should “stay HBO” even within a broader ecosystem.
Beyond streaming, the deal would redraw the map for film production. Combining two of Hollywood’s oldest studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., the new entity aims to scale output to over 30 films annually, while maintaining a 45-day theatrical window. Warner Bros. currently commands around 21 per cent of the US box office, compared to Paramount’s 6 per cent, underscoring the strategic weight of the acquisition.
But scale comes with scrutiny. Critics warn that fewer players could mean reduced consumer choice, rising subscription costs, and potential job cuts as the combined company looks to streamline overlapping operations while managing billions in debt.
The news business, too, faces a reset. CNN would join forces at least structurally with Paramount-owned CBS, raising questions about editorial independence and positioning. The merger has already drawn political attention in the United States, particularly given perceived ties between the Ellison family and Donald Trump, though the company maintains that newsroom autonomy will be preserved.
If approved, the deal would mark another milestone in Hollywood’s consolidation wave shrinking the industry’s traditional “big six” studios to a “big four”, with Paramount joining Disney, Universal, and Sony at the top table.
In an industry built on storytelling, this merger may well become its most consequential plot twist yet.
