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ZEE joins forces with Curativity
Mumbai: In keeping with its mantra of consumer-centricity, ZEE has embraced an innovative marketing approach that has begun to yield rich dividends in terms of viewer engagement and consumer love. This unique strategy that ZEE calls ‘Winning Moments’ aims to retain and acquire new audiences by embedding culturally relevant sentiments into the network’s content, fostering a sense of community and fuelling meaningful conversations across both TV and digital platforms. Taking this approach a step further, ZEE recently collaborated with its creative partner Curativity to actively create and deploy curated content moments into the daily soaps across the network’s general entertainment channels that resonate deeply with viewers, enhancing relatability, engagement and topical relevance.
ZEE’s robust social media community enjoys a staggering 191 million followers and subscribers, fuelling 18.4 mn organic interactions and 3.5 bn organic monthly video views, amplifying the reach of these conversations led by the network’s key protagonists who hold significant influence and credibility in the minds of the audience.
Here’s a look at some of the winning moments ZEE crafted across its shows in partnership with Curativity. Zee Tamil’s Sandhya Ragam reimagined the traditional Seervarisai custom, where instead of the ubiquitous display of jewellery, gold, and other valuables that are offered by the bride’s side of the family to the groom’s family, the protagonist’s family chose to showcase her medals, certificates, and trophies. This powerful gesture emphasised valuing daughters for their true potential and accomplishments, rather than material possessions. Watch the moment at https://www.facebook.com/share/v/njWvVfjSPJGb9BQi/ The impact of this moment was profound, with its reach on Facebook being 15 times the average performance.
Similarly, the evocative #MaaKaVote campaign , launched on Mother’s Day and timed with the election season in India, encouraged moms to vote for themselves and learn to prioritize their own aspirations amidst their ceaseless duties, promoting the idea of self-care. The campaign resonated deeply, achieving 12 million in organic reach and 0.5 million engagements for the #MaaKaVote film. Zee Marathi landed an important message on the occasion of the Vat Savitri festival where married women tie a thread around a tree trunk as a marker of new beginnings. As a part of an interesting conversation #JuneyBandhNaveBandh , the protagonist of Punha Kartavya Aahe was encouraged to untie the old threads of her previous marriage as a metaphor to letting go of the past before embarking on the journey of her second. Meanwhile, the #PalakChuka initiative by the same show acknowledged that even parents are navigating their roles as father or mother for the very first time and are bound to make mistakes. The campaign promotes the idea that, just as children are forgiven for their mistakes, parents too should recognize their imperfections without self-reproach, fostering a healthier, more forgiving approach to parenting.
ZEE CMO – content SBU Kartik Mahadev said, “At ZEE, we believe in the power of everyday innovation in storytelling that compounds to positively impact society, nurture relationships and inspire change. Today, our characters are more than just fictional personas. They reflect the evolving aspirations of our viewers, taking on vocations such as bankers, bakers, entrepreneurs, and teachers, embracing life 2.0 with vigour and resilience. They are the original influencers, deeply engaging with audiences across multiple regions and languages, connecting with millions on TV and social media daily. Our collaboration with Curativity has enabled us to craft moments in our content that align perfectly with this vision, helping us not only engage but also connect deeply with our viewers on relatable themes. By fostering a sense of community among viewers deeply invested in our content and characters, we open up meaningful conversations and enable deeper connections with the audiences.”
Curativity co-founder Amer Jaleel said, “Curating creative and cultural solutions for Zee TV has been one of the most enriching journeys for Curativity. Our platform has independent regional talent that can think in the ethnic nuances needed for original language content. This vertical is being developed by Curativity for both content brands as well as consumer brands and happens to be one of the pillars of our platform. With the team at Zee, the curated independents of Curativity Rupesh, Ketan, Niranjana and their teams are actively feeding in-content ideas that the Zee creative teams are incorporating into the show and building on social media. It’s an extremely interesting exercise for us and we’re thankful that the platform is being leveraged for innovative forays as this!”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
