MAM
The Straw Hat Pirates spotted in Juhu beach!
Mumbai: To promote one of the most awaited anime series, One Piece, in India, Crunchyroll has launched an Out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaign across Mumbai and Delhi. Keeping up with the theme of sea pirates, Crunchyroll has smartly used ship Billboards on Mumbai Juhu Beach to promote the most awaited anime series. With several prime OOH billboards across Mumbai and Delhi, this is Crunchyroll’s first OHH campaign in India.
Talking about the OOH campaign, Crunchyroll marketing director Akshat Sahu said, “One Piece is one of the most iconic anime series of all time. We are thrilled to offer it on our platform for the anime fans in India who have been waiting for a long time. We were able to strike perfect creative synergies between the anime series and some OOH by using unique locations relevant to the storyline of One Piece. We are garnering the right kind of interest and attention from our audiences through this campaign.”
For the first time, Indian anime fans are able to join the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates with the entire legendary Land of Wano story arc (Episodes 892-1077) that started streaming on Crunchyroll on September 30, followed by all-new episodes weekly (started 1 October from Episode 1078) as they simulcast globally.
One Piece is a worldwide phenomenon that has been in continuous production since the series’ Japanese broadcast premiere in 1999 and recently marked a major franchise milestone with its 1,000th episode in 2021.
Brands
Meta Q1 profit jumps 61 per cent as revenue climbs to $56.3 billion
Ad growth and AI momentum drive strong quarter with steady margins
CALIFORNIA: Meta Platforms, Inc. posted a robust performance for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, with net income surging 61 per cent year-on-year to $26.77 billion, driven by strong advertising demand and continued user growth across its platforms.
Revenue rose 33 per cent to $56.31 billion, compared to $42.31 billion in the same quarter last year. On a constant currency basis, revenue increased 29 per cent. Operating income grew 30 per cent to $22.87 billion, while operating margin remained steady at 41 per cent.
Diluted earnings per share jumped 62 per cent to $10.44 from $6.43 a year ago. The results included a $8.03 billion income tax benefit, without which earnings would have been lower.
Meta Platforms, Inc. founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “We had a milestone quarter with strong momentum across our apps and the release of our first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. We’re on track to deliver personal superintelligence to billions of people.”
Daily active users across Meta’s family of apps reached 3.56 billion in March 2026, up 4 per cent year-on-year. Advertising remained the primary growth driver, with ad impressions increasing 19 per cent and average price per ad rising 12 per cent.
Total costs and expenses climbed 35 per cent to $33.44 billion, reflecting higher investments in artificial intelligence and infrastructure. Capital expenditure stood at $19.84 billion during the quarter.
Cash flow from operating activities was $32.23 billion, while free cash flow came in at $12.39 billion. The company reported $81.18 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of March 31, 2026.
Looking ahead, Meta expects second quarter revenue to range between $58 billion and $61 billion, with foreign exchange expected to provide a 2 per cent tailwind. Full-year expenses are projected between $162 billion and $169 billion, while capital expenditure guidance has been raised to $125 billion to $145 billion.
With strong ad momentum and continued investment in AI, Meta is maintaining its growth trajectory while preparing for the next phase of digital innovation.
