MxMIndia

Tag: Twitter India

  • Collaboration to leverage presence on social media site

    Times Internet partners Twitter

    By Our Staff

     

    Times Internet Limited (TIL) has partnered with Twitter to ensure the best content from its leading online publications is available on the social network. This collaboration with Twitter, notes a communique, will also help TIL to introduce unique content-led solutions for advertisers like Sponsored Moments, Pools and other storytelling elements.

     

    Said Anushrav Gulati, Head – Indirect Revenues at Times Internet: “This strategic partnership with Twitter will enable us to effectively upscale brand-aligned content that will leverage our capabilities along with the combined reach and premium native content on Twitter. This would help us introduce new select and bespoke content partnerships with brand partners looking to associate with quality, premium content from market leaders such as The Times of India and Economic Times via video and LIVE as well as influencer-aligned content.”

     

    Added Amrita Tripathi, Head of News Partnerships – Twitter India: “This partnership was a natural progression, given the extraordinary breadth and depth of quality content that all the TIL properties bring to the table. It allows us to build on the revenue success we’ve seen with Business Insider India and Cricbuzz, to name a few opportunities, and we are excited to see what 2021 brings!”

     

     

  • The media agency network worked with Nestle's content studio managed by HyperCollective

    Zenith helps create Twitter campaign for Nestle

    By A Correspondent

     

    Media agency network Zenith and Nestlé India’s in-house content studio managed by HyperCollective have created a Twitter-based campaign called #UntrendLikeHotHeads for Maggi Hotheads, a new Maggi noodles variant in four flavours.

     

    The campaign urged consumers to break free from popular trends and display their original, unique selves. They could post on an activity which sets them apart from popular trends. The gratification lay in the fact that Maggi Hotheads made people trend on Twitter.

     

    Tanmay Mohanty

    Said Tanmay Mohanty, Group CEO, Zenith India: “We are delighted to be at the forefront of this innovative and exciting campaign.  #UntrendLikeHotHeads hits the mark because it is fun, quirky, engaging and resonates with the Indian youth. There is an instant connect with the Maggi  Hotheads brand, also known for its distinct positioning and taste.  The campaign is a resounding success. It has sparked off viral conversations, amplified brand messaging, and generated rich insights. #Untrend has significantly added to the followership and popularity of Maggi  Hotheads.”

     

    Added Taranjeet Singh, Country Director, Twitter India: “Our endeavour has always been to create enriching experiences for brands to connect with their fans on Twitter. Nestle’s #UntrendLikeHotHeads is a breakthrough idea, the collaboration saw extraordinary participation on the platform and enabled Maggi to be what’s happening on Twitter. We look forward to working closely to be part of more of such creative, strategic partnerships.”

     

  • Kicking off in India, hundreds of rising stars in the digital media planning industry across APAC will go head-to-head for a chance to attend Cannes 2018

    Twitter unveils APAC-wide digital education programme for media agency professionals

     

     

    Twitter has kicked off its new media agency programme #TweetToTheTop in India. Eleven agencies from global media and advertising networks including Dentsu, GroupM, IPG and Omnicom will be participating in this initiative. #TweetToTheTop is Twitter’s first year-long agency engagement programme dedicated to young media executives in five countries in Asia Pacific: India, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia.

     

    Said Taranjeet Singh, Country Director, Twitter India: “At Twitter, we believe in working with agencies as partners in the decision making process as they navigate through the digital future. As India advances as a digital nation, our #TweetToTheTop initiative is a part of our commitment to help agencies and brands achieve their marketing goals.”

     

    “We’re proud to strengthen our collaboration with the top media agencies in Asia Pacific, leveraging Twitter’s resources to solve business challenges in the digital age,” added Simon Brockman, Head of Global Agencies, Asia Pacific, at Twitter. “As marketers increasingly look to their agency partners for brand insights, relevant real-time messaging, and customer research, we believe that #TweetToTheTop will support media agency talents to develop their digital knowledge and skills, and ultimately benefit brands by creating the best campaigns tailored to their needs.”

     

  • The company promotes Taranjeet Singh to Country Director to drive the next phase of growth

    Taranjeet Singh appointed Country Director at Twitter India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Twitter has appointed Taranjeet Singh as the Country Director for India. In his new role, Singh will lead the Twitter India team by driving an integrated business strategy and spearheading cross-functional collaboration to accelerate the microblogging platform’s audience and revenue growth.

     

    Said Maya Hari, Managing Director,  Asia Pacific, Twitter: “Taranjeet has played a key part in our evolution and growth story in India, which has become a Top 4 monthly active user market for Twitter and was our company’s fastest-growing daily active usage market worldwide in Q1 2017. Investing in our Indian management team now is a strong vote of confidence that we believe in the strategic importance of India and that our local business growth strategy is successful. I look forward to working closely with Taranjeet to strengthen our presence in India as a key global market for our company in the years ahead.”

     

    Said Singh: “Twitter is the pulse of Indian society – it’s where influential and aspirational people and brands go to see what’s happening and to talk about what matters most to them in real-time. This is an exciting time to lead Twitter’s direction in India which is an increasingly critical market driving our global growth. The synergy between our content partnerships, business development and sales teams ensures people and businesses get the best of Twitter in India. With our amazing teams across India, I’m bullish with the overall direction of Twitter India today: from our largest-ever Indian audience, to the launch of Twitter Lite in India to reach underserved markets, to an increasing number of brands and partners in India innovating with  live video and customer support on our platform.”

     

    Prior to being appointed the Country Director, Singh had been leading the charge for the sales and marketing support for Twitter’s advertisers in India.

     

     

  • The partnership will feature exclusive content produced for Twitter and sneak peeks from the most prestigious Bollywood awards ceremony

    Twitter announces Amplify partnership with FilmFare and Jio

    By A Correspondent

     

    Twitter announced a partnership with Jio Filmfare Awards through Twitter Amplify, a content sponsorship package that will enable the brands to extend their presence to targeted Twitter audiences in India. The first Twitter Amplify deal in the entertainment industry in India, @Filmfare will broadcast exclusive curated content live from the Twitter Blueroom at 6:30pm IST on 18th February 2017, an hour before Jio Filmfare Awards television telecast, available worldwide to Twitter’s logged-in and logged-out audience and connected devices.

     

    The special broadcast will include a special show LIVE on Twitter from the #BlueRoom with film director Karan Johar (@KaranJohar) and Jitesh Pillaai (@jiteshpillaai), editor Filmfare; hosted by digital creator and comedian Abish Mathew (@abishmathew). The special broadcast streamed from @Filmfare will see Karan and Jitesh revealing inside scoop on Bollywood’s biggest stars and sharing interesting backstage trivia from this year’s awards. As the trio speak about movies and more and engage in a fun Rapid Fire Round that will pit Karan and Jitesh against each other, fans will get a special sneak peek into Bollywood’s biggest night exclusively on Twitter.

     

    Jio’s pre-roll video will be added to the multiple creative executions including behind the scenes, sneak peeks from the Red Carpet, nominations and celebrity reactions from the event itself. The Amplify deal for the 62nd JioFilmfare Awards 2017 began with the Red Carpet episode and runs through the final broadcast of the awards on television this weekend.

     

    Twitter Amplify enables media companies and brands to capture the excitement on TV and distribute it to fans and audiences across Twitter, far beyond their existing followers. Audiences can immediately relive that moment or experience it for the first time on their mobile phones while they engage in Twitter conversations.

     

    Viral Jani, Head of Entertainment, Twitter India said, “People come to Twitter to be a part of the social TV conversation around celebrities which is constant on Twitter. Twitter is where the virtual world of entertainment unfolds and we are excited to have Jio and Filmfare on board to further enhance Twitter’s second screen experience. Our collaboration with Filmfare will give fans a sneak peek into exclusive content that they can engage with on Twitter while viewing the content on television.”

     

    “Filmfare is always looking for innovative ways to bring the best of Bollywood to fans all over the world. We are thrilled to team up with Twitter and provide users around the world never before seen glimpses from the event and behind the scenes peek to one of the most prestigious awards in the film industry.The idea is to enhance the digital footprint of the Filmfare brand with this first of a kind partnership for any awards property in India.” says Deepak Lamba, CEO, Worldwide Media that owns Filmfare.

     

  • The country's trending moments became worldwide conversations on Twitter

    India took to Twitter with renewed vigour in 2016, notes study

    By A Correspondent

     

    Twitter India has released its most trending moments of the year 2016.

     

    These moments became worldwide conversations on Twitter, be it PM Modi’s revolutionary demonetisation reform (Most Influential Moment of the Year), Delhi’s rising pollution problem, the debut of Global Citizen Festival in India, and the Bollywood glam at the Filmfare Awards. Meanwhile, some Indian voices joined the global Twitter community when India’s women athletes broke new ground at the Rio 2016 Olympics, cricketers Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni achieved milestone successes at the international World T20 tournament, and global cultural celebrations took place for Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and the International Day of Yoga.

     

    PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, and Dipa Karmakar, India’s women athletes made #Rio2016 the Top Hashtag Trend of the Year on Twitter. Their medal victories and near-misses inspired women everywhere, and showcased a spirit of unwavering determination and grit.

     

    Virat Kohli’s Tweet in support of Anushka Sharma was the Golden Tweet or the most Retweeted Tweet of 2016. He encouraged his fans and critics, who attributed his outstanding performance in the ICC World T20 to their break-up, to focus instead on empathy and community building.

     

    Here are the highlights of the most influential moments of 2016 as determined by Twitter India

     

    1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation scheme

    On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes to fight against black money and corruption in India. The move impacted the majority of Indians and Twitter continues to resonate with their opinions and debates over the currency ban. The platform recorded 650,000 Tweets in 24 hours following the announcement and millions more Tweets in the following weeks. The magnitude of these conversations by experts as well as common people put the global spotlight on India.

     

    2. Women athletes at Rio 2016

    India united on Twitter to support and praise these top women athletes during #Rio2016. It was girl power all the way for India at the Summer Olympics and fans came together like never before to publicly voice their gratitude to India’s star performers. Twitter recorded millions of Tweets for these moments of national pride as part of the global conversation for #Rio2016 from 5-21 August. These victories saw Sindhu, Sakshi and Dipa rise as individuals beating the odds and excelling at sports, consecutively emerging as an inspiration to millions of women around the world.

     

    3. India versus Pakistan at WT20

    On March 19, #INDvPAK trended all day on Twitter in India and globally, and more than 1.1 million Tweets were recorded, making it the most Tweeted T20 International match ever, beating the earlier record of the recent Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan where more than 670,000 Tweets were sent. With his fantastic innings in a tight run-chase, Virat Kohli became the most mentioned player of this match on Twitter.

     

    4. Delhi Pollution

    The capital city’s escalating pollution levels all year have seen citizens take to Twitter to express their worries, share photos of smog-filled streets, and find solutions. At the start of the year, the government implemented the Odd-Even scheme, impounded diesel vehicles and banned fire crackers during Diwali to improve air quality levels. Like every winter, the pollution levels continued to escalate in Delhi this November leading to worries of severe health hazards amongst citizens.

     

    5. India celebrates Diwali

    Indians across the world celebrated the biggest and brightest festival via Tweets, photos and videos of sweets, fire crackers, festive clothes, and more from Oct 30-Nov 2. This year, thousands of Indians also participated in a Twitter Poll to choose the colour of the ‘diya’ Twitter emoji, eventually choosing the orange version for the #HappyDiwali hashtag.

     

    6. India versus Australia at WT20

    One of the most exciting games of #WT20 was the do-or-die, winner-takes-all clash between India and Australia on March 27. Virat Kohli scored 47 runs in the last five overs, hitting seven boundaries and a six, and the moment he hit the winning runs to secure India’s passage to the semi-finals was the most-Tweeted moment of #WT20. With 973K Tweets recorded during the match, this was the second most Tweeted match during the tournament.

     

    7. International Day of Yoga

    The second International Day of Yoga on June 21 was celebrated by yoga enthusiasts in India and across the world on Twitter. The ‘asana’ emoji was a delight for people celebrating the day and the platform lit up with invigorating photos and videos from the yoga community, even as remote as the Siachen glacier!

     

    8. Global Citizen India

    On November 19, British rock band Coldplay and American hip-hop artist Jay Z performed for the first time in India as part of the Global Citizen Festival India 2016 in Mumbai. As Coldplay frontman Chris Martin performed a duet with AR Rahman for ‘Vande Mataram’, the electric moment lit up on Twitter with videos and photos from the 80,000 screaming fans reaching a global audience. The concert’s energy resonated on Twitter as fans gushed over the event that connected global and Indian music cultures.

     

    9. India celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi

    Indians across communities, including celebrities, sport stars and politicians celebrated the cultural moment on the platform with colourful Tweets, greetings, photos and videos from August 5-16. This year, Twitter announced a special Lord Ganesha Twitter emoji for the first time. The special emoji was a pleasant surprise and an instant hit amongst Indians worldwide, who made #GaneshChaturthi emerge as one of the top Global Trends during the festive period, recording nearly half a million Tweets.

     

    10. Filmfare Awards

    For the 61st Filmfare Awards on January 15, Twitter provided a front row seat to fans across the world. Bollywood fans flocked to Twitter to follow the live and exciting conversation as the awards unfolded: real-time results of the winners, exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, live news broadcasts from the red carpet, exclusive videos and photos, and more. All of this made the Filmfare Awards the most talked about Indian award show of the year on Twitter.

     

  • A Twitter and TNS Research highlights 92% of people on Twitter expect to shop for Diwali 2016

    How Twitter spurs pre-Diwali shopping

     

    For several years, advertisers have been trying to leap aboard the Diwali brandwagon. New research conducted by Twitter and TNS shows that 92 per cent of people on Twitter in India expect to shop for Diwali this year, with 85 per cent planning to shop online.

     

    Key highlights:

    :: 72 per cent of Diwali shoppers think that Twitter helps them to discover great Diwali buys.
    :: 52 per cent of people on Twitter would follow a brand for Diwali deals and discounts.
    :: Twitter users are 3X more likely to expect Diwali related videos compared to non-Twitter users.
    :: 46 per cent of Twitter users start planning purchases almost a month before.

     

    The study further delves into Diwali shoppers’ world to help marketers gain a better understanding of their shopping preferences, content consumption patterns, activity engagement, and most importantly, expectations from brands both in terms of online customer service and content.

     

    The research found that an increasing number of Indians are turning to digital platforms to garner information and insights for making their purchase decisions. Twitter provides a huge opportunity for brands to interact with consumers on the platform.The findings confirm the following:

    :: 93 per cent have interacted with brands on Twitter before, and 52 per cent would follow a brand for Diwali deals and discounts.
    :: 81 per cent of Diwali shoppers believe that Twitter helps them to keep in touch with Diwali trends.
    :: 46 per cent of Diwali shoppers on Twitter would use Twitter to explore brands and products for their Diwali shopping.

     

    The online video consumption trend on Twitter is at an all-time high during Diwali as people are 3X more likely to view Diwali festive videos and 1.5X Twitter consumers are more likely to expect product videos. This can be attributed to an increase in smartphone adoption that continues to drive mobile video consumption. Diwali shoppers also want available, agile and authentic customer services with 68% of people expecting brands to be available 24/7 with an always-on approach and 50% expecting service providers to be able to resolve conflicts quickly.

     

    Said Taranjeet Singh, Business Head, Twitter India: “Twitter is the live connection to culture and it is our endeavour to be the one stop destination for Indians to buy, gift, share or express themselves for Diwali this year. This study shows Twitter’s role in shaping consumer purchase decisions for this festive season to help brands connect with millions of Indians through live conversations and videos on social media. Brands are using this Diwali opportunity to build mutually beneficial and meaningful relationships with people across the country and we’re one of the primary platforms where decisions related to festive shopping take place.”

     

  • From June 13 to 17, the multi-genre showcase will see exclusive, live content across Comedy, Lifestyle, Modern Romance, and Music on Twitter

    Twitter launches #EveryCharacterMatters Week in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Twitter India will celebrate young creators and users in its first-ever week-long live showcase called #EveryCharacterMatters. This curated showcase across Comedy, Lifestyle, Modern Romance, and Music will see over 20 comedians, chefs, musicians, stylists, and more, harness Twitter, Vine and Periscope to connect and create with their followers.

     

    #EveryCharacterMatters, as the theme suggests, will highlight how every content genre, every character, every personality has a voice on Twitter, and the curated showcase will be a reflection of the diverse youth and creative voices of India. The initiative will celebrate new forms of digital and live storytelling, and will help users discover and interact with new creators across their daily lives.

     

    This week-long showcase will also encourage the creator in every user on the platform, and will showcase how best to use Twitter’s tools and features. Users can join the conversation by following @VideoIndia account or #EveryCharacterMatters hashtag on Twitter.

     

    “Twitter is current and live – it’s just like serving a dish at the restaurant – you get instant feedback. I can bounce off ideas for seasonal menus at The Bombay Canteen with our followers and I can also reach out to them asking about new ingredients I come across. I often look to Twitter for travel tips, and hyperlocal recommendations from foodies in the city I am visiting. Twitter helps build connections, inspires my work, and I learn something new everyday through my conversations,” says chef Thomas Zacharias at The Bombay Canteen.

     

    “#EveryCharacterMatters will put a spotlight on the new young, delightful, hyperlocal Twitter. It will allow people to enjoy their interests such as food and music in a new dimension, and in a more inclusive and collaborative manner. The content across categories on Twitter is authentic and relatable, and that helps us redefine digital lifestyles on the world’s largest live communications platform today,” says Keya Madhvani (@keyamadhvani), Lifestyle & Culture Partnerships, Twitter India.

     

  • The findings is part of a regional audience segment research highlighting how brands can engage with the Mass Affluent online

    Twitter playing a crucial role among affluentials, notes IPSOS study

    By A Correspondent

     

    An audience highly sought-after by brands, the Mass Affluent, or Affluentials, have been challenging for marketers to reach and engage through traditional channels. New research from IPSOS shows that Twitter is increasingly adopted by the Mass Affluent across key markets in Asia. In India, (87 per cent) of the Mass Affluent surveyed use Twitter on a regular basis, with 72 per cent of existing users planning to use the platform more going forward.

     

    The study delves into the Affluentials’ world to to help marketers gain a better understanding of their personal values, attitudes, and outlook on life; as well as their digital and social media habits, and most importantly, why and what they spend their money on. The findings confirm that the product categories they buy depend on factors that go beyond their demographic profiles. In fact, as their incomes grow, so do their expectations of brands and their engagement on social media.

     

    Affluentials also showcase four defining characteristics: Astute Influencers, Focused Achievers, Quality Evangelists, and Socially Conscious. The research found that Affluentials in India like to be better informed (83 per cent), want to help in the community (87 per cent), and believe that affluence has no value unless it improves the quality of life (78 per cent). Those who use Twitter are 1.6 times more likely to be the first to use new technology products, 1.4 times more likely to spend on luxury goods and are 1.4 times more likely to recommend new products.

     

    The research highlights that close to half of the respondents desire to stay updated with the brand and news of its products and services, 74per cent are looking for environmentally friendly products, and 71 per cent are tech-savvy, looking for mobile technology. 46 per cent Affluentials in India engage with brands for latest news about the company  and its products and services.

     

    Taranjeet Singh, Business Head, Twitter India said, “This new research focused on Mass Affluent highlights the motivations and preferences of this highly-coveted audience, with the majority on Twitter today, who appreciate higher quality and better customer service, and are willing to share their experiences with others. It’s great to see their confidence in our platform for their daily lives as well as in their purchase decisions. We are constantly looking for ways to help brands and marketers be more successful, connect and nurture their relationships with these Affluentials through real-time content that this audience values. With apparel, auto, home & interiors being the products of immediate relevance to affluents in India on Twitter, brands from the ecommerce, auto and real-estate sectors have a great opportunity to engage with users on a regular basis and make the most out of the platform.”

     

  • With this free online training program, agencies and brands can make the most of marketing on the platform

    #TwitterFlightSchool takes wings in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Agencies and brands can now #TakeFlight with free online education program, Twitter Flight School, an online resource designed to inspire creativity and help partners to make the most of marketing on the platform. Available in 16 languages across the world, Twitter Flight School helps agencies learn how to build buzz, launch products, drive sales, and instantly connect with a highly engaged audience on Twitter. The new, interactive curriculum for brands is packed with exclusive consumer insights and research, in-depth product tutorials, and fresh case studies. The personalised learning experience is designed to elevate the skills needed for ideation and integration of Twitter ad-products into your media mix.

     

    The course includes:

    • Twitter 101
    • Ultimate guide to content planning
    • How to create and manage objective-based campaigns
    • How to reach the right people
    • Launch and optimize campaigns (for Buyers)
    • Media Planning made easy (for Planners)
    • Five Marketing Plays on Twitter (for Account Directors / leads)
    • Twitter for Executives (for Senior Leaders only)

     

    Sonali Malaviya, Head of Business Marketing, Twitter India, says, “Twitter is the ideal platform for marketers owing to its live, public, and conversational nature. Twitter Flight School is designed to inspire creativity, demonstrate best practises and help brands make the most of Marketing on Twitter. Our online learning resource helps marketers develop high impact campaigns for brands, helps engage with consumers, and offers practical tips to understand this live ecosystem and to make the most of its real-time capabilities. Best of all, content is bite sized, customised for its audience and optimised for use on mobile devices.”

     

    Twitter Flight School contains everything agencies need to know to develop high-impact marketing campaigns for clients. It has tailored the content and created bite-size modules to address different agency roles and functions, including senior leadership, account planning and campaign management. One can learn:

     

    Buying & Execution: Learn how to launch and optimize paid campaigns to drive business results and new opportunities.

     

    Planning & Strategy: Learn how to incorporate Twitter into your media plan to influence key decision makers.  Develop a holistic approach to enhance your clients’ marketing strategy and create ongoing business opportunities.

     

    Executive Leadership: Inspire thought leadership in an evolving digital landscape and learn how to use Twitter to differentiate your personal brand.

     

    Marketers who sign up for Flight School will also gain access to a trove of tips and downloadable presentations they can use to develop campaign ideas and prepare for senior-level meetings, such as:

    On-Demand Resource Library: Exclusive access to data, research, content and tools that you can drop into presentations and use on the job

     

    A la Carte Courses: As we launch new products and best practices you’ll have access to content that will help you stay up to speed

     

  • Will accelerate brand advertiser education and engagement in India

    Twitter hires Sonali Malaviya as Head of Business Marketing

    By A Correspondent

     

    Twitter has appointed Sonali Malaviya as Country Business Marketing Head for India as part of Twitter’s Global Business Marketing team (GBM). She will be based at the Twitter office in Delhi and report to Frederique Covington, International Marketing Director based in Singapore. Sonali will be responsible for marketing and messaging that helps businesses understand and embrace Twitter’s advertising solutions in India. She will set the vision for business marketing strategy, segmentation, and events. In her role, she will create and evolve the Twitter story to win the hearts and minds of advertisers and agencies, while resonating across the broader advertising spectrum.

     

    Frederique Covington, International Marketing Director, Twitter said, “India is one of our key growth markets for Twitter in Asia Pacific and we are committed to delivering more value to the local advertising community through real-time marketing solutions. We are excited to have Sonali join the Twitter flock and to further educate and engage with brand advertisers and agencies in India through her vast experience and expertise.”

     

    Sonali Malaviya, Country Marketing Head , Twitter India, said, “Twitter is the place for discovering what’s happening in your world right now, sharing your interests with others, and expressing your thoughts and opinions. As an individual, those are traits that I identify with and it’s truly amazing to have the opportunity to live my passion at Twitter. I’m thrilled to be joining a supercharged team and contribute my media agency experience to Twitter at this exciting time of digital transformation for brands in India.”

     

    With more than 15 years’ of experience in the marketing industry, Sonali previously worked at GroupM, leading a portfolio of diverse market-shaping brands like Make in India, GlaxoSmithKline, Yum Restaurants among others. She led with platform-neutral business-oriented solutions and digital-first content, impacting business positively.  Prior to joining GroupM, Sonali worked at PHD in Dubai, and at Roy Morgan Research in Australia, providing syndicated and customized consumer and shopper insights to support brand growth.

     

  • Viral Jani joins Twitter as Head of TV Partnerships for India, will spearhead strategic collaboration with TV channels to increase their audience engagement on Twitter

    Twitter India strengthens leadership with new appointment

    By A Correspondent

     

    Viral Jani

    Twitter India has appointed Viral Jani as Head of TV Partnerships, who will be based at the company’s office in Mumbai. As part of his new role, Viral will work closely with the complete TV ecosystem of broadcasters, production houses and audience measurement systems to make Twitter the second screen to TV in India.

     

    Viral’s main responsibility will be to forge strategic partnerships with broadcasters to help channels amplify their message, drive more viewers, and generate more user engagement with their content on Twitter. He aims to lead  this social TV movement in India in two ways: by bringing the best content from TV channels to Twitter’s platform for live, public conversations, while enabling Twitter as an incredible video and visual-driven storytelling platform to drive tune-in and audience engagement for the TV channels.

     

    Moving forward, Viral is keen to position Twitter as the largest virtual couch for viewing TV content in India, and facilitate broadcasters to use the full suite of Twitter’s products such as Twitter native video, Twitter Amplify, Vine, Periscope, SnappyTV and TV analytics. The real magic takes place, Viral believes, when brands follow a thorough content-driven strategy to optimise on the Twitter+TV experience. Each of the Twitter TV products boosts viewer engagement and helps provide unique Twitter content surrounding a TV show – Tweets, photos, videos, live chats with on-air talent, Twitter polls, and behind-the-scenes Periscope videos. Twitter is complementary to the full experience of a TV channel today, and each Tweet is an opportunity to strengthen relationships with the TV audience.

     

    Rishi Jaitly, Vice President, Media, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Twitter said, “Twitter is the ultimate companion to television and we have invested considerable time and effort in partnerships with TV broadcasters worldwide to ensure they are able to amplify the live, public conversations about their shows on our platform. In his new role, Viral will expand Twitter’s leadership and footprint in the social TV market in India, prioritising TV partners that drive audience engagement and growth.”

     

    With more than 12 years of experience in the media industry, Viral has previously worked at broadcasting group Times Television Network, where he was instrumental in building a strong social media presence for their channels – Times Now, Zoom & ET NOW, in addition to managing the portfolio of content strategy and audience insights for their TV Business. Under his leadership both entertainment and news verticals of Times Network achieved the best in class engagement on Twitter and other social platforms.