MAM
Marquees: High-powered jury announced, News18 India to present debut
MUMBAI: The Advertising Club, India’s foremost advertising community that is all set to present the maiden edition of Marquees 2017 has now announced the esteemed jury panel for the awards. Presented by News18 India and powered by COLORS and MTV in its debut edition, Marquees 2017 instituted to recognise brands for their excellence in building effective and sustainable equity will now be adjudged by media legends that includes RPG Enterprises chairman Harsh Goenka, UpGrad co-founder Ronnie Screwvala, Taproot India chairman & co-founder Agnello Dias, TPG Capital sr Advisor & Vodafone former COO Naveen Chopra and Perfect Relations founding partner Dilip Cherian and GroupM CEO – south Asia CVL Srinivas.
The stalwarts along with Hindustan Unilever CEO and MD Sanjiv Mehta as jury chair is all set to bring great perspective and acumen into the judging process for the first edition of this unique awards. The debut edition of the awards is slated to premiere on August 11th, 2017 in Mumbai.
Speaking about the diversity of the jury panel for the awards the Advertising Club president Raj Nayak said “The illustrious jury for Marquees 2017 that consists of stalwarts from across categories brings in great diversity of experience and vigor into the deliberation process. This diversity is set to provide significant insight mining potential and range in perspective into the evaluation method, ensuring that only the most deserved and path breaking marketers facilitating social and behavioral change emerge victorious.”
Speaking about associating with Marquees 2017, A+E Networks – TV18 MD and Network18 president – strategy, product & alliances Avinash Kaul said, “Network18 through its front-running Hindi General News brand News18 India believes in acknowledging talent that has transformational potential. As a news organisation, we bring cutting-edge stories that prompt authorities into action. Similarly, we believe Marquees 2017 will recognise forward thinking marketers who create campaigns to inspire positive change. The multi-disciplinary jury panel of industry legends is sure to bring further credence and value to the awards, making it a much sought-after event for marketers.”
Talking about Marquees 2017 awards jury, Marquees 2017 chairman Partho Dasgupta said “The debut edition of Marquees has already set a significant benchmark by bringing together a highly respected jury panel that consist of media legends. The combined experience, wisdom and technical know-how of the jury is sure to recognize and validate brands and marketers that have redefined and challenged the conventional communication paradigm.”
Brands
Funskool India crosses US$40 million turnover in FY 2025-26
Toy manufacturer posts steady growth despite global headwinds.
MUMBAI: Funskool India has played its cards well turning challenges into steady growth while keeping the fun alive in the toy business. The country’s leading toy manufacturer has reported a turnover of $40 million in FY 2025-26, demonstrating resilience in a difficult global environment. The company recorded an average growth of 14 per cent over the past two years, with exports growing at a healthy 19% year-on-year.
While domestic business grew at a modest single-digit pace, Funskool saw encouraging traction in key categories such as Fundough (dough) and Handycrafts (arts & crafts).
Funskool India Ltd. CEO K.A. Shabir said, “We successfully navigated the challenges posed by US tariffs last year and continued to grow both our export and domestic businesses. Given the ongoing geopolitical situation in West Asia, we are currently working with a moderate growth outlook of 12–15 per cent, with plans to revisit our targets after Q1 once the situation stabilises.”
He highlighted strengthened partnerships with global companies including Spin Master (Canada), Moose Toys (Australia), Melissa & Doug (USA), Asmodee (France), Learning Resources (USA), and Buffalo Games (USA). The expansion of the company’s Goa plant is progressing and is expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year.
Looking ahead, Funskool expects a significant shift in domestic growth momentum for FY 2026-27, driven by new categories such as friction vehicles under the brand “BlazeTrix”, remote-control cars under “VoltRush”, and the addition of popular licences like Paw Patrol.
In an industry where playtime never stops, Funskool has shown that even in turbulent times, a smart strategy and strong partnerships can keep the business ticking along nicely. As it gears up for the next financial year, the company appears well-positioned to build on its solid foundation and bring even more joy to children worldwide.
