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Ani-mates drive Animax viewers online
MUMBAI: Pan Asian youth entertainment channel Animax has announced that its new ‘Ani-mates‘ characters have driven viewers to its site.
The characters are the Filipino duo of model-host Stephanie Henares as well as celebrity cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao.
The two personalities from the Philippines were unveiled on-air and online on 1 June 2010 as Ani-mates – new VJ-cum-brand ambassadors for Animax.
Serving as buddies to Animax viewers and bringing the latest updates on the regional youth scene, the Ani-mates are currently featuring on TV, in online activities and campaigns, as well as at on-ground events.
Original content available only on the web from Stephanie and Alodia have driven a hike in web traffic to the Animax Asia home website (www.animax-asia.com). Regularly updated each week, exclusive online content includes the duo‘s video blogs, pictures and personal thoughts on all that matters to the youths in the Philippines and across Asia.
Animax Asia VP, GM Gregory Ho says, “Engagement – it is the one word that we at Animax are really obsessed about. Animax is committed to offering our fans a truly immersive entertainment experience, which is why our Ani-mates are connecting with viewers not just on TV, but also online and in person at a variety of events. The colourful personalities of Stephanie and Alodia really help take our interaction with viewers to the next level because they are so relatable to our fans and are seen simply as being just like one of them”.
Handling much of the VJ duties on Animax is the 22-year old Stephanie Henares as she introduces upcoming shows on the channel and hosts TV vignettes to provide the latest news and updates on the regional youth scene. Beyond the production studio, she can also be seen covering the hottest and hippest youth events across the region as Animax‘s brand ambassador.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
