iWorld
Google India unveils new initiative for SMBs
MUMBAI: In a bid to provide deeper engagement to small medium businesses (SMBs), who are looking to gain from the rising Internet user base in the country, Google India has launched a new initiative called Google Advantage.
The initiative will entail Google hosting an offline symposium to educate small medium businesses on the benefits of the Internet and also provide one-on-one consultation on how to use the latest online tools and technologies and meet their business objectives.
Speaking about the initiative, Google India head of small medium business marketing Sapna Chadha said, “Small and medium businesses in India have been a strategic focus for Google. In the last four years, we have rolled out several initiatives that are aimed to equip small medium businesses to get an online presence and use the digital platform to grow their business. With this initiative, we wanted to provide SMBs a platform to get direct access to Google and gain through deeper engagement and one-on-one consultations. We expect over 4000 small medium businesses to attend the program this week.”
The initiative in Delhi will be executed in partnership with Google agency partners IPG Mediabrands.
IPG Mediabrands CEO Shashi Sinha said, “We’re delighted to partner with Google for this initiative. Google Advantage is a great platform for small medium businesses to connect and learn about the scope of online medium. There is a huge potential for modernization and adoption of newer marketing technology amongst SMBs in India to grow their business.”
Out of the estimated 51 million small medium businesses, only five – six per cent have online presence. Studies done by Google indicate that at least 20 per cent of India’s SMBs are already equipped with the infrastructure to leverage technology but need the help of digital experts to help them navigate some of the complexities of navigating the constantly changing digital landscape.
The initiative is designed to help small medium businesses get first hand information from Google in a format that will encourage SMBs to share their challenges and learn directly from Google experts. The event will be held in Delhi from 7 – 12 September, 2015 and extend to more cities basis the feedback.
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
