iWorld
How is OTT redefining media: CASBAA announces summit in Singapore
MUMBAI: CASBAA, the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery in Asia, has announced its 4th OTT Summit, Asia’s OTT industry marquee annual event. A series of panels comprising the region’s leading experts will explore in detail how traditional media is responding to the digital challenges of OTT.
“We are delighted to be returning to Singapore for the fourth edition of CASBAA’s OTT Summit,” said CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter. “While traditional media incumbents remain dominant, there’s no denying the growing impact of over-the-top (OTT) video services, and how they are transforming viewing habits throughout the region. We have been saying it for years, but it’s now increasingly apparent that OTT is truly a big part of pay TV’s future.”
The spectacular success, both critical and commercial, of such diverse video platforms as Netflix, Hooq and Spuul have established OTT services as real competitors to mainstream broadcasters. According to a survey by BCG, OTT services are growing by more than 20 per cent annually and winning share over traditional TV.1 Traditional media must respond fast to this existential crisis.
The real challenge for incumbents is how to rethink their business strategies in light of such drastic industry transformation. Are legacy business models holding traditional media back as they contemplate the OTT challenge?
CASBAA has convened a select field of industry thought leaders, senior executives and market practitioners, including:
Ajit Mohan, CEO Hotstar
AravindVenugopal, VP – Media Partners Asia
Winradit Kolasastraseni, SVP Innovation – Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
Simon Vella, Head of Asia, MPP Global
Oliver Wilkinson, MD, PwC
Alan Soon, Founder & CEO, Splice Newsroom
Shad Hashmi, VP – Digital Development, Global Markets &Operations Asia,BBC Worldwide
Lam Swee Kim, CMO, Dimsum& Star Online Malaysia
PremKamath, Deputy MD, A+E Networks Asia
Alexandre Muller, MD APAC, TV5MONDE
Jonas Engwall, CEO, RTL CBS Asia
Virat Patel, MD, Pioneer Consulting
Monica Bhatia, Regional Digital Director, APAC, Maxus
Genny Yang, Group Account Director, Kantar Milward Brown
David Schonfeld, Director Technical Operations, A+E Networks Asia
Alex Merwin, VP International, SpotX
Luke Gaydon, VP of OTT Solutions, Brightcove
Yu-Chuang Kuek, Managing Director APAC, Netflix
Ravi Vora, CMO, Hooq
S Mohan, Co-Founder & COO, Spuul
Lindsay Servian, Head of ONTAPtv.com, PCCW Global
Maya Hari, MD –SEA & India, Twitter
Tim Martin, CEO RugbyPass
Michael Greco, VP APAC,Vindicia
CK Lee, VP, Sports Business – Content Group, ASTRO
Unmish Parthasarathi, Head of Digital Sales, International Cricket Council & Founder, Picture Board
Craig Johnson, MD Media, SEA & India, Nielsen
Priya Khatri, GM Sales & Business Development, SEA Eyeota
Jay Shah, CEO, OpenDNA
James Miner, CEO, Miner Labs
Roger Harvey, Regional Director, Irdeto
Mike Kerr, MD Asia, BEIN
Joe Welch, SVP Government Relations APAC, 21st Century Fox
HianGoh, Partner, NSI Ventures
Yinglan Tan, Venture Partner, Sequoia
Marcel Fenez, President, Fenez Media
The industry’s essential platform to explore how OTT is transforming the broadcasting landscape, the CASBAA OTT Summit 2017 will take a deep dive on a range of topics, includingtrends in Asian viewership, whether OTT is a game changer in sports, how traditional media is adapting, the synergy between OTT and multiscreen, and how to use data as metrics for success.
The CASBAA OTT Summit 2017 has been recommended for all those involved at the senior level in media and broadcasting, from content providers and broadcasters to investors and regulators.
CASBAA OTT Summit 2017 is supported by the presenting sponsor Brightcove, and sponsors including Adobe, Diagnal, Irdeto, Mediamorph, MPP Global, PCCW Global and Vindicia.
iWorld
Uber spotlights Rs 25 bike rides with music led IPL campaign
Uber uses 15 second music films with Divine and Roll Rida to push Rs 25 rides
MUMBAI: In a season where ads usually swing for sixes with celebrity spectacle, Uber has chosen to play a clever single sharp, fast, and straight to the point. Uber has rolled out a distinctly stripped-down IPL campaign, putting its product Uber Bike rides starting at Rs 25 for up to 3 km front and centre, rather than leaning on big-budget storytelling. The campaign features hip-hop artist Divine in Mumbai and Roll Rida in southern markets, using music as the primary vehicle for recall.
IPL advertising has long been dominated by high-production narratives packed with cricketers and film stars. Uber’s approach flips that playbook. Instead of elaborate storytelling, the brand opts for 15-second music-led films quick, rhythmic bursts designed to mirror the pace of urban mobility itself.
The message is deliberately simple, affordable, fast rides that cut through city traffic. No layered plots, no extended build-up just a functional promise delivered with cultural flair.
In the Mumbai-led film, Divine zips through traffic on an Uber Bike, turning the Rs 25 price point into a hook with his signature wordplay around “pachisi”. The campaign cleverly reframes affordability as a moment of delight, the kind that leaves commuters with a “32-teeth smile” after beating traffic at minimal cost.
Meanwhile, Roll Rida’s version leans into southern sensibilities, blending Telugu and Tamil influences with high-energy visuals. Set to the beat of tape drums, the film celebrates how low-cost rides can unlock a more connected and vibrant city experience. Together, the films reflect a conscious push towards regional authenticity, rather than a one-size-fits-all national narrative.
The campaign also signals Uber’s sharper focus on India’s growing bike taxi segment. While the company offers multi-modal services spanning cars, autos, metro integrations and intercity travel, this push zeroes in on two-wheelers as a key growth lever in dense urban markets.
By anchoring the campaign around a Rs 25 entry price for short distances, Uber is targeting everyday commuters, particularly younger users navigating congested cities where speed and cost matter more than comfort.
With IPL advertising clutter at its peak, even the most straightforward message risks getting lost. Uber’s answer is to embed the proposition within culture using music, regional nuance and repeat-friendly short formats to drive recall. The creative team has also layered subtle visual cues including multiple references to “25” within frames encouraging repeat viewing and reinforcing the core message without over-explaining it.
The campaign reflects a broader shift in advertising priorities. As attention spans shrink and media environments get noisier, brands are increasingly favouring clarity over complexity and speed over scale.
Uber’s IPL play may not shout the loudest, but it lands where it matters in the everyday commute. Because sometimes, in a marketplace full of grand narratives, a Rs 25 ride is story enough.
