GECs
BARC week 46: Sprite makes a comeback in top brands list
MUMBAI: The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) of India has released its data for top advertisers and brands for the period between 14 November and 20 November 2020.
The data reflects the top 10 advertisers and brands across genres on India’s television, 2+ Individuals, NCCS. All demonstrating ads that were inserted the most in week 45 of 2020.
Top Advertisers:
Hindustan Unilever continued to be the biggest advertiser this week also with 257006 impressions.
It was followed by Reckitt Benckiser India, which ranked second with 199961 ad generations.
ITC bagged the third rank this time with 48767 ad impressions. Godrej Consumer Products came in fourth with 45434 ad generations.
Cadbury India and P&G secured fifth and sixth place with 39963 and 38830 ad views.
Other top brands in the pecking order were as follows: Ponds India, Colgate Palmolive India Ltd, P&G Home Products, and Coca Cola India.
Top Brands:
This week Dettol Antiseptic Liquid led the chart with 31234 ad impressions, followed by Dettol Toilet Soaps with 21506 ad views. Lizol secured the third position with 19862 ad insertions.
The fourth and fifth spots were acquired by Head & Shoulders Dandruff and Sprite with 12202 and 11554 ad generations.
Lux Toilet Soap bagged the sixth spot with 11209 ad views.
Other top brands in the pecking order were as follows: Close Up Ever Fresh, Veet Hair Removal, Clinic Plush Shampoo, and Dettol Disinfectant Spray.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
