GECs
Zee-Sony merger gets nod from stock exchanges
Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises (Zeel) on Friday received approval from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) for its proposed merger with Culver Max Entertainment (formerly Sony Pictures Networks India).
“The approval from the stock exchanges marks a firm and positive step in the overall merger approval process,” said the company statement. The approvals permit the Zee to proceed with the next steps in the overall merger process.
The composite scheme of arrangement remains subject to applicable regulatory and other approvals.
The Zee-Sony merged entity will be one of the largest media and entertainment players in India with close to $2 billion in revenue. Zeel MD and CEO Punit Goenka will serve as the managing director and chief executive officer of the merged entity over the next five years.
After the closing, Sony Pictures Entertainment, which owns Culver Max Entertainment, will indirectly hold a majority of 50.86 per cent of the combined company, the promoters of Zeel will hold 3.99 per cent, and the remaining Zeel shareholders will hold a 45.15 per cent stake.
It has been seven months since the two companies announced their intention to merge by signing definitive agreements.
GECs
Z launches ‘Dilfluencer Moments’ to boost brand engagement across screens
New omnichannel format blends TV characters, storytelling and digital reach to boost engagement and affinity
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (‘Z’) has unveiled ‘Dilfluencer Moments’, a new omnichannel media format designed to help brands cut through the clutter and turn audience attention into brand love.
With media access increasingly democratized, visibility alone no longer drives results. Shrinking attention spans and rising content noise have made memorability, emotional connection and action the real currency. Dilfluencer Moments addresses this by embedding brands into character-led, culturally resonant storytelling that travels seamlessly from TV to digital, social and creator ecosystems.
The format debuted with the “TumHoLovely” campaign on National Girl Child Day. Anchored in Hindi and Marathi shows, the campaign’s narrative extended organically across digital platforms, amplified by creators and community participation. A brand film featuring Sanya Malhotra further showcased how TV-originated cultural cues can spark broad engagement and virality. Within 24 hours, the campaign racked up 35 million total impressions, 20 million digital views, 2.5 million engagements and over 1,000 comments.
Laxmi Shetty, head – advertisement revenue, broadcast & digital, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, said, “As consumers turn away from interruption-led communication, advertisers need moments that feel culturally earned and emotionally authentic. Dilfluencer Moments delivers reach at scale through character-first content systems that connect with audiences personally, transforming storytelling into brand love.”
Kartik Mahadev, chief marketing officer, ‘Z’ & Zee 5, added: “Access alone is no longer an advantage; affinity is. Affinity comes from storytelling, familiar characters and moments that stay with audiences across screens. Dilfluencer Moments lets brands participate meaningfully in moments audiences already love, travelling organically across linear, digital and social platforms at scale.”
By anchoring campaigns in high-trust television moments and extending them into digital and social ecosystems, Dilfluencer Moments enables brands to generate organic engagement, amplify virality and convert attention into long-term emotional equity.
With its national scale, deep emotional storytelling and character-first approach, Z is offering marketers a powerful new way to build affinity, cut through clutter and create culturally resonant brand moments that stick.
