Author: Kashmeera Sambamurthy

New age podcasters, old world reading?

"Before podcasts became so big, we had show hosts like Larry King, "a voracious reader who was exceptionally well-informed” as per his colleague Wendy Walker. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is known to be one of his favorite books," states reviewer Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta. (Image Source: Bookish - NetGallery)

In this week’s Bookstrapping column, Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta highlights what the learning plan between traditional print reading and digital consumption looks like through the lens of well-known personalities.

The marketer’s job will have a shorter tenure: Rathin Lahiri, SBI General Insurance

Rathin Lahiri, head, marketing and CSR, SBI General Insurance, "Elon Musk (Tesla Motors), Tim Ferriss (American entrepreneur and investor), Naval Ravikant (entrepreneur and investor), Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor), Sadhguru (Founder, Isha Foundation). Each of them have an amazing vision, a clear philosophy, are fantastic communicators, and have created something unique which will outlast them. They inspire me."

Rathin Lahiri, head – marketing and CSR, SBI General Insurance, also said that in this age of opportunity and volatility, some companies will see faster mortality.

MIB’s Sanjay Jaju on M&E industry | Mindshare’s Amin Lakhani interview | Election Commission’s advisory to political parties

Sanjay Jaju of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting highlighted that the media and entertainment industry is not only culturally significant but also an economic powerhouse. This industry contributes nearly Rs 3 lakh crore to the Indian economy and is growing at a rate faster than the overall economy. Certain sub-sectors, like gaming, are witnessing growth rates of around 20%, underlining the immense potential of this domain.

Storyboard18 brings you top five news updates from the world of advertising, marketing and business of brands.

Cannes Lions 2025: Josy Paul appointed Jury President of Sustainable Development Goals

Josy Paul had pioneered the idea of brand movements with the philosophy 'Create acts, not ads! He and his team won the inaugural Glass Lion Grand Prix at Cannes in 2015 for Whisper ‘Touch The Pickle’.

This year’s Jury Presidents also include Ali Ali, co-founder and film director, Good People Films, representing Egypt on the line-up for the first time, as the Film Craft Lions Jury President.

Maruti Suzuki unveils its first electric SUV – e VITARA

Built on the ground-up HEARTECT-e platform, the e VITARA offers superior performance and excellent range, with uncompromised comfort and safety. Set to be introduced in the NEXA channel, the e VITARA embodies NEXA’s core values of innovation, sophistication and premium customer experiences, stated the company in a statement.

The e VITARA will be showcased through a phased rollout across NEXA dealerships nationwide. The e VITARA will be exported to more than 100 countries, including key markets like Japan and Europe.

District collectors instructed to remove advertisement boards on highway roads

As mentioned by the Coimbatore Consumer Cause Secretary K.Kathirmathiyon, the directive was issued based on the consumer body raising the issue with the department. (Image Source: Mera hoardings)

The Coimbatore Consumer Cause Secretary K.Kathirmathiyon had stated that such advertisements had appeared on the roads, which violated the norms set by the Indian Road Congress.

Gaming will be the next big opportunity in brand marketing for 2025, says Mindshare’s Amin Lakhani

"Digital as a workstream, as a medium with its capability now to deploy across the funnel, will see massive growth and massive unlock waiting to happen. So, I think that's the second piece of growth that will come through. Within that, and if you look at what is happening in e-commerce, the retail media and the opportunity therein, I think we are only very limited in our view of what we are doing with retail media, but there are huge opportunities that retail media has to offer, and I'm seeing that clients will adopt that much more," stated Amin Lakhani, CEO, Mindshare South Asia.

From groundbreaking AI innovations to the rise of new digital platforms, technology has completely transformed the way brands engage with consumers. But what lies ahead? 2025 promises to be a game-changer, with immersive experiences, data-powered creativity, and cutting-edge marketing strategies redefining the industry.

India’s experience economy needs more than investment – it needs strategic infrastructure, says CEO of BookMyShow

Ashish Hemrajani sees a cultural shift where young Indians, empowered by social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, are eager to engage with global and regional content alike. He points to the growth of regional cinema, music, and culture as key drivers of this change. (Image Source: Black hat Talent Solutions)

For Hemrajani, the rise of the experience economy represents a shift in consumer behaviour, where people are seeking more than just passive entertainment—they are increasingly investing in experiences that engage all their senses.

Pocket FM to lay off 75 employees

Pocket FM had laid off around 50 employees in October 2024, and this is the second round of job cuts at the company. In July 2024, Pocket FM had to also do away with 200 contractual writers. (Image Source: Apple App store)

The Pocket FM spokesperson spoke about the necessity of this move to ensure long term sustainability and the company’s success.