GECs
Zee rolls out R.I.S.E to woo marketers and scale brand game
MUMBAI: With a new promise – “We’ll earn your media business by growing your real business” – Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has fired up its latest marketing juggernaut: R.I.S.E, shorthand for Results | Integration | Strategy | Engagement. The showstopper initiative kicked off with a glitzy launch in Mumbai on Friday and now hits the road to Delhi (18 July), Bengaluru (23 July), Chennai (25 July), and Kolkata (28 July).
Touted as a results-first, omnichannel flex, R.I.S.E is Zee’s bid to shake up brand building in a cluttered market. The media behemoth pulled out all the stops at the inaugural edition, showcasing its full-stack advertising muscle — from 41 broadcast channels and ZEE5 to its YouTube sprawl, regional IPs, influencer network, and social play. In short, if a screen can light up, Zee wants your brand on it.
This isn’t just another sizzle reel. Zee is betting big on tech-powered storytelling that marries data, AI, and content to deliver campaigns that actually move the needle. “It’s time media stops being a vanity metric,” quipped one insider. “We’re here to build real business outcomes.”
Speaking on the launch, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. chief growth officee Ashish Sehgal said: “ZEE is the only platform that offers a full-funnel ecosystem, spanning from awareness to action and from mass to hyperlocal reach, with a philosophy that we are here to sell “Growth”. We have brought all our platforms together – broadcast, OTT, Digital video, Influencers, Music, Ground- so that every rupee spent is scalable & smart.”
R.I.S.E has been imagined as a convergence zone for marketers, founders, VCs, and retail players. Panels deep-dived into brand-building in turbulent times, using integrated media to scale regional footprints, and how to link venture capital with the next-gen D2C wave.
As the caravan rolls on to India’s top metros, the message is loud and clear: storytelling is sexy, but conversions are king.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
