GECs
Animal Planet US set to bug viewers
MUMBAI: Cicadas, tarantulas and beetles! The adventures of Animal Planet US’ bug man, quirky entomologist Ruud Kleinpaste will take viewers on a journey into the world of insects- large and small. His new series Buggi’ With Ruud debuts on Animal Planet US in June as part of the network’s brand-new destination night, Wild Wednesdays.
This global arthropod adventure uncovers little-known secrets about the insect world and debugs myths about multi-legged creepy-crawly species to entertain and enlighten two-legged humans. Ruud’s travels will take him everywhere: He will cross paths with one of nature’s most accomplished marksmen, the bombardier beetle, as it fires boiling hot toxic fluid at predators in Africa.
In Brazil, Ruud will be in for an incredible insect light show. He’ll groove to the musical talents of the whistling tarantula and the singing caterpillar (it sounds like maracas) in Australia and Panama. In Asia, Ruud will witness the rhinoceros beetle lift 850 times its own weight, or the equivalent of a human lifting 80 midsized automobiles.
After seeing a new bug and witnessing its coolest tricks, Ruud will show just how amazing it is by comparing it to something on a human scale, making a connection between our lives and those of insects.
Using his own demonstrations and humorous analogies, the scientist will do everything from climbing into a wind tunnel to experience what it feels like to be a desert locust flying through the air at 21 miles per hour, to spending a day buried underground to see firsthand what the cicada nymph goes through for 17 years, to seducing the sting of an angry hornet just to see how quickly it will summon a frightening swarm of supporters that force Ruud to take refuge in his car.
Animal Planet US executive VP and GM Maureen Smith said, “Animal Planet has swarms of new, exciting programming set to debut in 2005. Buggin’ With Ruud is the network’s first series dedicated to insects. We’re taking Animal Planet viewers closer to bugs than they’ve ever imagined so they will have a truly sensory experience.”
GECs
Z launches ‘Dilfluencer Moments’ to boost brand engagement across screens
New omnichannel format blends TV characters, storytelling and digital reach to boost engagement and affinity
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (‘Z’) has unveiled ‘Dilfluencer Moments’, a new omnichannel media format designed to help brands cut through the clutter and turn audience attention into brand love.
With media access increasingly democratized, visibility alone no longer drives results. Shrinking attention spans and rising content noise have made memorability, emotional connection and action the real currency. Dilfluencer Moments addresses this by embedding brands into character-led, culturally resonant storytelling that travels seamlessly from TV to digital, social and creator ecosystems.
The format debuted with the “TumHoLovely” campaign on National Girl Child Day. Anchored in Hindi and Marathi shows, the campaign’s narrative extended organically across digital platforms, amplified by creators and community participation. A brand film featuring Sanya Malhotra further showcased how TV-originated cultural cues can spark broad engagement and virality. Within 24 hours, the campaign racked up 35 million total impressions, 20 million digital views, 2.5 million engagements and over 1,000 comments.
Laxmi Shetty, head – advertisement revenue, broadcast & digital, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, said, “As consumers turn away from interruption-led communication, advertisers need moments that feel culturally earned and emotionally authentic. Dilfluencer Moments delivers reach at scale through character-first content systems that connect with audiences personally, transforming storytelling into brand love.”
Kartik Mahadev, chief marketing officer, ‘Z’ & Zee 5, added: “Access alone is no longer an advantage; affinity is. Affinity comes from storytelling, familiar characters and moments that stay with audiences across screens. Dilfluencer Moments lets brands participate meaningfully in moments audiences already love, travelling organically across linear, digital and social platforms at scale.”
By anchoring campaigns in high-trust television moments and extending them into digital and social ecosystems, Dilfluencer Moments enables brands to generate organic engagement, amplify virality and convert attention into long-term emotional equity.
With its national scale, deep emotional storytelling and character-first approach, Z is offering marketers a powerful new way to build affinity, cut through clutter and create culturally resonant brand moments that stick.
