iWorld
Metaverse ecosystem opening up new influencer opportunities for brands, creators, & consumers: FleishmanHillard report
Mumbai: FleishmanHillard and its research practice, True Global Intelligence, in partnership with Eleve Media, have released the ‘Web 3.0 Influencer and Intelligence Report 2022.’ It showcases the ways that conversation and influence are quickly changing in India around the rising evolution of the metasphere.
Both the creator economy and the topics driving discussion of web 3.0 on social media have sharply increased over the past 12 months. The report research included a survey of over 500 influencers, content creators and select web 3.0 players from March through April 2022, in addition to the analysis of more than 12 months of social conversations. The research confirms the massive excitement around web 3.0, as well as specific areas of interest, including education, regulation and the need for re-imagined communities.
“Our report confirms the rapidly growing appetite for news and views about the metaverse and web 3.0-related trends. These advancements are already setting a precedent for brands and content creators who can design highly engaging and differentiated campaigns that leverage this advantage. We hope this report will increase our understanding of the subject and contribute toward the adoption of Web 3.0 in a meaningful way for brands and creators,” said FleishmanHillard India MD and partner Munavar Attari.
The report also provides a detailed conversation analysis and an overview of the web 3.0 landscape in India.
“Our research inspected the developments in the web 3.0 space over the past year and highlights just how dynamic the topic is, and how much open territory still exists for brand communications that satisfy this hunger. As brands adopt new technologies in web 3.0, understanding the velocity and direction of the current conversation can be valuable to start from a place of intelligence and understanding in India,” said FleishmanHillard TRUE Global Intelligence, managing director of APAC and global head of analytics Michael Rinaman.
Major themes and findings are discussed in detail in the report, including how:
- The popularity of web 3.0 content reveals a dire need for a better understanding of the new generation of web technologies.
- The evolving landscape requires close attention to shifting conversations to understand emergent trends, nuances, and new risks.
- Most influencers want to create a community (web 3.0) over algorithms (web 2.0) in the metaverse.
- Influencers are on the lookout for next-gen tools to strengthen the creator economy.
- Creators and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have paved the way for the metaverse to become an accelerated reality.
- Creators vote for Discord, virtual influencers, and social interactions as key web 3.0 tools.
“Web 3.0 promises a more direct relationship between brands and consumers. And we would want brands to be equipped to experiment and explore web 3.0 platforms and opportunities. The ‘Web 3.0 Influencer & Intelligence Report 2022’ is a joint effort with FleishmanHillard in India to help brands strategically leverage this societal shift,” said Eleve Media CEO and founder Prince Khanna.
From the web 3.0 Influencer and Intelligence Report 2022, the research from FleishmanHillard in India and Eleve demonstrates a sense of urgency that brands need to start to develop web 3.0 strategies now while there is still room for differentiation and partnership. As audiences become more familiar with web 3.0 topics such as NFTs, cryptocurrencies, blockchains, and tokens, there will be fewer opportunities to differentiate.
Web 3.0 is set to change the influencer ecosystem and continue to drive conversation. In the report, brands can learn more about immediate opportunities to act – from embracing the key trio with creators (creation, consumption, and compensation) to crafting the right strategies and messaging to be considered relevant.
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
