GECs
Kentaro Kimura joins Adfest 2014
MUMBAI: Japan’s most acclaimed advertising executives, Kentaro Kimura, will head up next year’s direct lotus & promo lotus category as its jury president.
Hakuhodo Kettle executive creative director and co-CEO Kimura joined the agency he founded in 2006 after joining Hakuhodo in 1992. “The more ways we have to communicate, the more important human nature becomes. What moves people? Why do people take action? It may be an activity for social good, moving content, or a platform for experiences. There are a lot of possibilities for activating people. It is these inventions to move people that make the Direct Lotus and Promo Lotus categories so exciting,” he said.
Kimura says the theme of Adfest 2014, ‘Co-Create the Future’, gives him a positive, hopeful feeling.
“In the next 10 years, we will face more change than we did in the last 10 years. Our industry will also change a great deal. We communication professionals will be able to do more than ever before. Today, a truly brilliant campaign can cross borders and influence millions of people. We cannot only adapt ourselves to a given future, but also create our own future,” said Kimura.
Adfest president Jimmy Lam said, “Many of the campaigns created by Hakuhodo Kettle Inc. have changed the way people think about advertising. Kimura is a visionary when it comes to using technology to forge new ways of communicating with consumers, making him the perfect choice to lead the Direct Lotus and Promo Lotus jury next year.”
Adfest 2014 will take place on 6-8 March at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group in Pattaya, Thailand.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
