Factual
BBC rewards TV18 factual for digital initiative
MUMBAI: A+E Networks | TV18 won two awards at the BBC Knowledge National Digital Marketing Conference & Awards. HISTORY TV18 was declared the winner under the ‘Best Use of Video Series’ category and FYI TV18 won under the ‘Best Use of Digital Media in Advertising and Marketing’ category.
A+E Networks | TV18 Vice President & Head Marketing Sangeetha Aiyer, said, “We ‘ve always worked hard at being pioneers in the digital space and the awards are a reaffirmation of our belief in our “Digital First Strategy”. With the OMG! Yeh Mera India video series we have created a digital property that has not only engaged millions of Indians but also has cultivated a sense of national pride. And with the FYI TV18’s Kuch Bhi Poochofy campaign we managed to create awareness about FYI TV18 through tapping on the insight of people asking questions. Winning these accolades only inspires us to push the envelope even more.”
History TV18 won the award for OMG! Yeh Mera India, best known for showcasing the mindboggling facts of India and Indians. The series featured Kalaripayattu maestro Meenakshi Amma also fondly known as “Samurai Amma” who received over 10 million views on Facebook within three months. The buzz generated by the videos help propel the Kalaripayattu exponent to internet sensation to Padma Shri winner.
FYI TV18 was rewarded for their interactive social media campaign called AMA (Ask Me Anything) – ‘KuchBhiPoochhofy’ by Chetan Bhagat and Chef Vicky Ratnani, a platform for all the impending answers to the viewers’ questions. The campaign ‘KuchBhiPoochhofy’ was trending nationwide for over 5 hours where the hosts answered 40,000 questions and attracted 8.34 million people online.
The BBC Knowledge Digital Marketers’ Awards are designed to recognize exceptional work done by the marketing fraternity to take their brands into the digital era. These awards recognize and reward leaders for the pioneering job of online asset creation amongst their peer-set for their brands. The entries are judged by an exceptional jury who not only look at results but also the leadership ability in creating an innovative marketing environment that has the ability to change the game for the branding and marketing industry.
MUMBAI: India’s most famous hot seat is about to welcome an unlikely first-timer. For the first time on Hindi general entertainment television, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla will appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati, the iconic quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
The special episode marks a rare meeting point of boardroom heft and prime-time television, bringing one of India’s most influential business leaders face to face with the country’s most enduring screen legend. It is a crossover that blends intellect, leadership and popular culture, all under KBC’s familiar spotlight.
Birla’s appearance dovetails neatly with the show’s current theme, Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahan Akad Hai, which celebrates the confidence that comes from clarity of thought and knowledge. His presence lends weight to the idea that sharp thinking and conviction are as vital in life as they are in the quiz chair.
In a thoughtful conversation with Bachchan, Birla shared an upbeat view of India’s economic journey, pointing to the nation’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity opening up across industries and communities. He spoke of momentum, ambition and a future shaped by enterprise and ideas.
The episode is not all serious talk. In lighter moments, Birla confessed his long-standing admiration for Bachchan, calling him his favourite actor and admitting to a touch of nervousness at answering questions in front of the Shahenshah himself. The candour adds a human touch to a man more often seen in headlines than on television sets.
The special episode airs on Monday, 29 December at 9.00 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.
