MAM
US watchdog regulates pop-up, pop-under ads
MUMBAI: For internet surfers, the words pop-up and pop-under ads mean sheer disturbance. They are often forced to equip their computers with pop-up killers and stuff like that. Many companies who use this mode of advertising show scant respect for the surfer.
Now, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) — the association dedicated to helping online, Interactive broadcasting, email, wireless and Interactive television media companies increase their revenues — has decided to play the watchdog and enforce certain regulations on the use of such ads.
IAB has released a set of preliminary industry guidelines for the usage of pop-ups and pop-unders. “These guidelines are geared to help improve the consumer perception of pop-ups by applying consistency in their use, specifications and labeling. Furthermore, these guidelines provide advertisers and their agencies the ability to develop advertising content with consistency through uniform specifications. The purpose of this set of guidelines is to improve consumer credibility with interactive advertising and to lend efficiency to online ad creation and buying,” reads the statement in the IAB web site.
The set of guidelines prepared by the IAB’s Pop-up Task Force are as follows:
Each user should be exposed to no more than one pop-up ad for each visit to an online site.
Both pop-ups and pop-unders should be clearly labeled with the name of the Network/Advertiser-Publisher-Browser Type (if applicable).
For pop-unders, the unit size should be 720×300, file weight should be 50k images/50k flash, audio-video initiation should be user-initiated and close box should be mandatory.
For pop-ups, the unit size should be 250×250 or 300×250, file weight 30k images or 40k flash, audio-video user initiated and close box mandatory.
For pop-up large, the unit size should be 550×480, file weight 30k images or 40k flash, audio-video user initiated and close box mandatory.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
