Event Coverage
The economic crisis of 2009 changed the ad market forever
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MUMBAI: Google President Asia Pacific and Japan Daniel Alegre, while speaking at the Ficci-Frames summit, started the session with a rather sweeping statement: “Online advertising is dead.”
The days of regular clickable ads are long gone; it is the period of actively engaging the consumers. Alegre spoke about a mobile ad created by Corolla for high-end users that received 3.5 million views; Toyota didn’t use Internet or TV for this.
Volvo taking a step further in trade of advertising, created an interactive video game to engage users and prospective buyers. “This video game was actually promoting the brand itself”, said Alegre.
Alegre said the economic crisis of 2009 changed the market forever; marketers realised the importance of social networking sites and creating content that can be engaging enough for the users to distribute it, across all social networking sites.
In the times of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, “all one has to do is make engaging content and the users will distribute it for them, among billions.”
The line dividing online and offline transactions has almost disappeared; numerous offline communications are now done online.
The executive of the largest search engine clarified his statement by giving examples of various offline conversations including that of marriage, now being diverted to the web through jeevansaathi.com et al.
Alegre elucidated that advertising on the Internet is effective, but the efficient convergence of various media such as TV, mobile and Internet is the key.
Omnicom Asia Pacific India Middle East Africa (APIMA) region Chief Executive Officer Tim Love declared that language is the oldest technology we have today; and the future of ads is using languages soundly to communicate with the audience across the world. Understanding the language of a consumer will show the best way to communicate with him.
Love stated that not just convergence of various media tool, but also successful use of language is the future. He mentioned that numerous neuroscientists from around the world are trying to understand, how language affects the thought process of the consumer. He also augmented the importance of sign language in communicating with the consumers.
Taking a cue from Love on the importance of language, Alegre recalled an incident he came across during the recent Tsunami. He was able to understand the evacuation instructions written in Japanese by translating it in English using an online tool.
Alegere said the best advertisement should be able to cater to all languages and to everyone from across the globe.
Answering a question from the audience about what would be the best way to advertise or the best method to choose a medium for advertising, Alegere said: “One needs to understand what exactly he is trying to do with the brand. Is one trying to build a brand image or simply increase the conversion rate, which will determine the best way to spend on any medium.”
Love answered by saying that “one has to make sure that the ad is truthful; because in today’s time of social networking sites, one smart man with all the answers and the power to convince everyone will cause serious damages to a brand.”
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
