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NBC Universal launches mobile portal in Japan
MUMBAI: NBC Universal has launched its new mobile portal in Japan. The portal went live to coincide with the theatrical run, in Japan, of the movie Wanted starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. It offers downloadable content and services to mobile customers via a number of operators, including NTT Docomo, KDDI-au and SoftBank Mobile. |
NBC Universal will distribute and market its content and services under the ‘Universal Mobile’ brand. The service will allow access to content from a number of NBC Universal film and TV properties. NBC Universal, Japan MD Taichi Fukuda says, “We are tremendously excited to be launching our ‘Universal Mobile’ business here and will strive to create new and edgy content that expands the digital experience of our fans”. Customers of the three operators will be able to download a variety of mobile content, including themes, tones, decoration emails, made-for mobile comics, flash and casual games. The mobile portal will also hold fan forums and communities for NBC Universal branded content. Services will be made available on a pay-per-download and subscription basis, with some services also available on an initial free promotional basis. |
The company adds that Japan is an advanced mobile market and a strategic priority for NBC Universal. This new mobile portal is the first of many digital ventures that NBC Universal expects to launch in Japan and across Asia. Universal Pictures Digital Platforms senior VP mobile and broadband Jeremy Laws says, “This is the first time that a content portal will be programmed, hosted and managed entirely within the company – it‘s a fresh start. The Universal Mobile portal will give Japanese consumers a compelling, medium appropriate and fun way to interact with our brands on their mobile phones.” |
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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.
