MAM
Media agencies go ‘deewana’ with Max
MUMBAI: Is busy schedules, hectic targets and meetings all you can picture while imagining a media agency? Well! At least for a change, you can shed that image as the agencies are gearing up for Sony Max’s No Talkies.
The media agencies that are busy brushing up on their knowledge of movies and not brands for the dumb charades are now also discovering a bit of deewangi in one another.
As reported earlier by indiantelevision.com, the game which is spread over three rounds will be held in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The registrations for the competition began 3 September and continued for two weeks on the microsite http://notalkies.sonymax.tv/.
The list of agencies who have already registered for the fun-zone are Madison, Group M, Maxus, Starcom, Lodestar, MPG, Zenith Optimedia and OMD.
Excited, Platinum Media (Madison media) CEO Basab Dutta Chowdhry exults: “I think it’s a great initiative taken by Max. It sounds great and fun for agencies. Generally people are so busy and caught up with work and life; this is a new niche initiative where everybody can participate. There are very few initiatives like these- ‘Max-No Talkies’ which gives a chance to everyone to participate.”
The agencies are all kicked about this competition, which is more of nostalgia for a lot of them. To top it all, they see it as a good opportunity to meet and interact with new people. Vivaki Exchange CEO Mona Jain agreeing on this says: “No Talkies is a good and interesting initiative. It’s a first time initiative, unlike the regular parties. It also goes back to the DNA of the channel. The industry was very small earlier and people knew each other well, but the scenario is different now, the industry has expanded, so it will be a good opportunity to meet and interact with new people.”
“It is not going to be a typical game of dumb charades,” says Sony Max VP marketing Vaishali Sharma. She further goes on to say that the channel is bringing loads of innovations to ensure engagement and an exciting evening for those who are participating. The finale will have a Bollywood theme with different rounds, all with a twist. To amplify all the fun and frolic, the finale will be hosted by the witty and charismatic VJ, actor and presenter Gaurav Kapoor.
Lintas Media Group vice-president Ramachandran Venkatasubramanian states: “The initiative is very interesting and this kind of activity has never been done before. No Talkies is supposed to be an interactive game and I am waiting for it. Normally bonding with people happens differently, with a game like dumb charades the bonding will happen uniquely. The game itself is very engaging and people interact with each other through it, also dumb charades is all about movies and it gets back to the genre of Max.”
The city rounds of the activity will take place in Delhi on 18 September, followed by Bengaluru on 19 September and will close with Mumbai on 25 September. A total of five shortlisted teams – two from Delhi, one from Bengaluru and two from Mumbai will battle it out in the finale scheduled in Mumbai on 1 October at Blue Frog.
So for agencies, it’s ready, steady, Po!
Brands
Info Edge reshuffles senior roles, Ambrish Singh to 99acres, Bhisham Dhingra to lead Shiksha strategy
Leadership changes at Shiksha and 99acres aim to drive sharper growth focus
MUMBAI: Info Edge (India) Limited has approved an internal reorganisation of its education and real estate verticals, setting the stage for leadership changes aimed at sharpening execution and accelerating growth. The move, cleared by the board on April 14 through a circular resolution, will come into effect from May 1, 2026.
The restructuring impacts the company’s Shiksha and 99acres businesses, two key pillars in its portfolio, and involves role changes for senior management personnel. As part of the reshuffle, Ambrish Kumar Singh, previously executive vice president and head of sales and customer delivery for Shiksha, has been redesignated as executive vice president and head of sales and sales enablement at 99acres. A long-time company leader since 2003, Singh is expected to focus on boosting business performance, strengthening client relationships and building high-performing teams in his new role.
Meanwhile, Bhisham Dhingra, who led sales and customer delivery at 99acres, will now take on an expanded mandate as head of sales, strategy and client delivery for Shiksha. With over two decades of experience across global and Indian organisations, Dhingra will spearhead growth strategy, corporate sales and client engagement for the domestic education vertical.
Both executives will continue as senior management personnel, albeit with revised responsibilities aligned to the company’s broader restructuring goals.
Info Edge said the changes are part of ongoing efforts to leverage leadership expertise across business lines and improve operational effectiveness. The company added that the reshuffle is designed to drive stronger outcomes by aligning talent with evolving business priorities.
As Info Edge continues to fine-tune its structure, the latest leadership moves suggest a clear intent to keep its core platforms nimble, competitive and ready for the next phase of growth.
