Month: October 2024

Google to appeal Antitrust ruling: CEO Sundar Pichai calls case a ‘prolonged battle’

To stay competitive, Google has aggressively integrated generative AI technologies into its offerings. Notably, the company has launched new AI features, such as a video generator, and unveiled the Gemini model, which includes a "reasoning" feature that showcases the AI’s decision-making process.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has publicly addressed the company’s ongoing antitrust case for the first time, confirming a lengthy legal fight ahead, while defending Google’s dominance in the search engine market.

CCPA directs Ola to offer consumer choice in refund mode and enhance transparency

The CCPA’s notice, issued in response to allegations of service deficiencies and potential consumer rights violations, followed a flood of complaints on the National Consumer Helpline related to service delays and refund issues.

New consumer-centric changes include the option of refunds via bank accounts or coupons and improved transparency in Auto ride invoicing.

Reliance Industries may acquire stake in Dharma Productions: report

Reports have surfaced that Reliance Industries may acquire a stake in Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. Last week, it was reported that Saregama India aims to pick up the stake in the production house. (Image source: GQ India)

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) will likely acquire a stake in the Bollywood producer and director Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, as it explores strategic partnerships amidst rising costs.

Zomato’s independent director Gunjan Soni steps down

Gunjan Soni, who holds a MBA in finance from XLRI Jamshedpur, began her career at Infosys Technologies and went on to work across McKinsey & Company, Star India, Myntra and Zalora Group.

It was stated in a filing with the BSE that Gunjan Soni would cease to be the member of the company’s risk management committee and corporate social responsibility committee.

Television still rules the roost when it comes to large brands: Dheeraj Sinha, FCB Group India

"There may be many reasons why a brand calls for pitches. Sometimes, it’s because of procedural reasons — they call for a pitch every three to five years, which just might happen to be during the festive season. Then there may be pitch requirements because the brand is not happy with the current work," says Dheeraj Sinha, CEO, India and South Asia, FCB Group.

But digital has also become strong and many campaigns are led by digital, says Dheeraj Sinha, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, in a conversation with Storyboard18.

InspiRAYtion Ten: What’s the value of what inspires you?

If Advertising has a superpower, it is to connect two things in ways they haven’t been connected before, or to show you the same old thing in an all new light. No idea generation technique can help with the raw ingredients for that process, unless you’re outside the office, hanging with real people who are as far away from advertising as can humanly be. It’s in their utterances, that our success lies, writes adman Rayomand J Patell. (Image source: WikiArt)

While one would love to correlate advertising success to the work directly, one’s value lies in the creativity that is brought to the table, writes adman Rayomand J Patell in this week’s InspiRAYtion.

Why Asian Paints’ Gattu continues to strike an emotional chord with the masses

The mascot, whose black hair dangled over his right eye, was dressed in half-sleeved shirts, half pants, had braces on his teeth, and carried a paint brush along with a dripping can of Asian Paints. (Image source: Wirally from LinkedIn)

Asian Paints’ Gattu is regarded as one of the successful mascots of Indian advertising . Storyboard18 looks at the birth of Gattu, his role in the brand’s marketing, and more.