Author: Kashmeera Sambamurthy

Sidharth Rao dies; Industry mourns the loss of pioneer and OG startupper

Being in the industry of well over two decades, Sidharth Rao has crossed many milestones along his journey. He can truly be considered as one of the pillars of the strong foundation of the A&M community.

The sudden demise of Sidharth Rao, founder of Webchutney and Punt Partners, has stunned the community that is mourning the loss of a pioneer, a visionary and a people’s leader.

Sidharth Rao, co-founder of Webchutney and Punt Partners, passes away

In a conversation with Storyboard18 in January, Sidharth Rao spoke about untapped potential of martech segment, hiring the right talent and his legacy. When asked about his legacy he said it was the people who have worked with him and then ventured out on their own to achieve entrepreneurial ambitions. Rao said he's proud of his people who have done well for themselves.

Sidharth Rao, who co-founded digital agency Webchutney, passed away on Friday evening. He is survived by his parents and wife.

Nothing can beat the human mind, not even ChatGPT, says Narayana Murthy

Post gifting, Narayana Murthy’s own stake in the company reduced from 0.40 percent to 0.36 percent, not valued at around Rs. 1.51 crore. (Image source: Infosys)

“I am a great believer in the theory that the human mind is the most powerful imagination, machine. There is nothing that can beat the human mind,” said Narayana Murthy.

Weekly Shorts: Four ways to market books through #Bookstagram

Book influencer marketing is not a new concept. Publishers have been collaborating with book bloggers to promote their books for a long time. However, promoting a book through traditional advertising methods like press releases, author signing events, and library readings, can be exhausting and time-consuming. Plus, readers are not really hanging out in a library these days. They search social media to find books they can add to their to-be-read list. (Representative Image: Shiromani Kant via Unsplash)

What’s buzzing in influencer marketing and the creator ecosystem? What’s the next big thing coming down the line? Catch the big trends and hot topics in our weekly shorts.

O&M and Eastman Kodak: How the Kodak KB 10 campaign deepened their association

After the commercial’s release, it received critical and commercial acclaim, and KB 10 was sold in millions in the first year of its launch. It changed the whole landscape of the photography market, distanced it from being an expert’s domain and made it available to the average user. (Still from the ad)

O&M released an ad on the Kodak KB 10 camera in the mid-1990s to educate consumers on the ease of photography the product offered. The commercial helped the brand sell in millions, and the ad etched itself a permanent place in the memory of those who watched it.

Kevin Vaz quits Disney Star; Senior level exits at the company continue

These departures come at a crucial juncture for Star Sports, especially considering the challenging financial landscape. (Representative Image: Grant Durrs via Unsplash)

Storyboard18 had first reported on an exodus at Disney Star. After a recent string of resignations at its sports division, the company’s entertainment arm has witnessed two senior level exits: reports.

Unbundling of TV and Digital media rights for Team India’s bilateral series to impact AdEx and brand communications

As per a recent GroupM report, cricket saw a growth of 44 per cent in terms of sponsorship, endorsement, and ad expenditure. The same report says sponsorship spends (ground, team and franchise), cricket delivered 75 per cent of all sports, whereas the corresponding number for endorsement was 85 per cent. (Representative Image: Mudassir Ali via Unsplash)

The move has been met with mixed reactions from media buyers, with some predicting an increase in advertising revenues due to greater competition, while others suggest the need for new strategies to leverage the unique features of digital platforms.

Government meets influencers to tighten self-regulation to curb misleading ads

Guidelines makes disclosures mandatory and they should be displayed prominently and “extremely hard to miss” with the endorsement messages. The influencers should be able to substantiate the claims made by them. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides the framework for the protection of consumers against unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements. (Representative Image: 愚木混株 cdd20 via Unsplash)

The department of consumer affairs had in January released endorsement guidelines for social media influencers to protect consumers from misleading advertisements.