MAM
TNSSport’s develops SportsI brand recognition software
LOS ANGELES: TNSSport has announced that it is developing advanced image recognition technology to track the television exposure and value of brands within sports.
Already capable of measuring exposure from advertising boards, the new SportsI system is being developed with BrandTraX. TNSSport claims to be the world’s leading sports research company.
An official release informs that the company is partnering with BrandTraX, which is leveraging advanced image recognition technology originally developed by Bell Labs, the R&D division of Lucent Technologies. Over the past 20 years, television exposure data has been collated manually. While this will continue to some extent the use of this technology is a pivotal moment for the sports research business, states the release.
Requiring relatively little manual input, the recognition software measures the exposure time a brand receives during a sports broadcast. Whilst this sounds relatively simple, the technology is groundbreaking and can produce analysis currently not possible to capture using a manual process. Bell Labs first developed this technology to detect and extract data from documents such as financial statements and faxes. This image recognition technology has proven to be applicable across a range of disciplines and industries. Bell Labs has licensed this technology to BrandTrax and is providing R&D services to them to meet the evolving demands of its the sports media measurement business.
TNSSport’s managing director Mark Cornish says, “Undoubtedly this will have a significant impact upon the industry. The technology is such that it improves both the accuracy and type of data we can extract from sports broadcasts, ultimately allowing us to precisely and consistently measure value. For years the industry has demanded that sponsors’ television exposure should be sold like advertising – but this is difficult due to accurate measurement. This new technology now makes this a distinct possibility”.
BrandTraX’s president Dick Gold adds, “The demand for accurate electronic tracking of sponsors’ signage is mandatory for valuation of exposure. As such, our use of Bell Labs’ advanced image recognition software is the most efficient technology to electronically advance a currently manual tracking system to a fully computerised solution.”
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
