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AOL UK launches ?20m ad campaign for new product
MUMBAI: AOL UK has announced the launch of its ?20 million multimedia advertising campaign for the latest version of its online service, AOL 9.0. The product will launch today 5 April.
The new campaign designed by Grey London, will reflect the increasingly mature and sophisticated nature of Internet consumers. It will focus on how AOL 9.0 which is the latest version of AOL’s online service will give people the power to get what they want from the exciting and dynamic world of the Internet.
The first stage of the campaign breaks today with television and print introducing the first of four new characters, who begin to realise their hopes through AOL 9.0 and the Internet. Each of the four embodies a particular kind of Internet user. In the first wave of TV advertising we meet Steve, a young man for whom everyday life is just too slow. The only time in his life that his demand for speed is met is when he’s online with AOL Broadband. He wishes the rest of his world worked the same way.
In May and June three further characters will be introduced with TV, print, outdoor, online and radio executions all planned. AOL UK marketing VP Sharon Lang was quoted in an official release saying, “This campaign marks an exciting progression for the AOL brand in the UK to fully portray the depth and diversity of products we offer. With more than half of UK households connected to the Web and total time spent online soaring, we wanted to create a campaign that showed how the Internet has reached beyond the virtual world to present real opportunities in people’s lives.”
Grey London chairman and executive creative director Dave Alberts added, “Early advertising from AOL quite rightly identified that people needed educating as to what the Internet could do for them. The market has moved on enormously since then. We can now talk about the benefits of being online to a much more sophisticated audience who ultimately use the Internet as an extension of themselves.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
