Brands & Entertainment 2023: Post-event wrap up

The ‘Brands & Entertainment’ conference, now in its second year, successfully concluded its two-day run at Taj Lands End, Mumbai.

Organised by Create & Collab, the creators of the IP ‘All About Music’, the event attracted over 80 plus speakers and an audience turnout in excess of 1,700 attendees from the industries of branded content, media, sports, and entertainment.

The 2023 edition of the conference provided a networking opportunity to influential creative curators and key decision-makers in the media industry to congregate on a single platform and exchange business ideas and engage in discussions on relevant industry trends and future policies.

With a long term vision of paving the path for branded content innovation, the conference aims to be milestone event that presents an overview on the future of branded content by providing a platform for networking, knowledge-sharing and collaboration among diverse stakeholders in the field of branded content.

Professionals from diverse sectors, including marketers, advertisers, record labels, creative agencies, television channels, artists, film and production houses, OTT platforms, gaming & e-sports platforms, and more, converged at this meeting ground. Irrespective of their roles as entertainers, media buyers, producers, or content creators, attendees benefited from bridge-building opportunities, staying updated on industry trends, and forging effective collaborations.

The conference featured an impressive lineup of speakers, including industry leaders and influencers, who shared their insights and experiences, inspiring attendees with their expertise. Notable speakers included the likes of Abish Mathew, Co-Founder, Absurdist Studios, Aruna Daryanani, Director, Amazon miniTV, Jay Shah - Vice President, Head - Cultural Outreach, Mahindra & Mahindra, Jay Shah - Vice President, Head - Cultural Outreach, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kejal Parekh, Associate DirectorMarketing, Myntra, Prajakta, Actor & Content Creator, Rohan Rehani - Co-founderMoonshine Meadery, Sushant Divgikar, Artiste, Mango Films & Productions to name a few and topics such as Brand building in the age of AI, Global trends in branded entertainment for 2023, What's next for short-format and audio-based app: Reels, influencer marketing, and podcasts, Decoding brand spending strategies: Bridging the rural-urban divide, Ideas that don't work in 2023, "Build to sell” Why crafting an exit strategy is essential for startups" and many more.

One of the key highlights of the event this year was the Networking Lounge, a dedicated space where creators, brands, agencies, and production houses could connect and engage in cross-cultural conversations, fostering innovative collaborations.

Attendees availed the experience of networking opportunities with over 200+ prominent brands and organisations, including Bombay Shaving Company, Deloitte, Dolby, Fairplay Sports, Ghost Kitchen, Google, Heiniken, Maya Pistola, Meta, Mivi, Moj, Moonshine Meadery, and many more.

In the conversation with Aditi Shrivastava, Co-Founder & CEO of Pocket Aces Pictures Pvt. Ltd., she emphasised on the growth and significance of branded content. According to her, “Branded content is experiencing significant growth in the industry. The audiences tend to perceive endorsements by Bollywood A-listers as less authentic, as they view influencers as individuals who are more relatable and similar to them. This perception leads to influencers providing better return on investment (ROI) for brands resulting in brands being more likely to opt for a multiple face influencer model, where they collaborate with several influencers, rather than relying on a single face for endorsement campaigns.”

Partha Sinha - President - Response at Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Thought on Brand Building and ChatGPT: "Apps makes us smarter but that may not necessarily be the right goal "

Arnab Roy, Vice President of Marketing at Coca-Cola India and SouthWest Asia, expressed his views on the creation of Coke Studio Bharat instead of Coke Studio India in an interview conducted by Devraj Sanyal, Chairman and CEO - India & South Asia, SVP Strategy, AMEA at Universal Music Group. Roy emphasised the significance of Bharat as a sensation and an extraordinary experience, aligning with Coca-Cola's commitment to crafting remarkable experiences. He further highlighted the immense cultural growth potential of India, which is expected to emanate from its smaller towns. Roy acknowledged that “Digitalization would play a crucial role in unleashing the untapped talent residing in these regions, leading to a music explosion”. In his opinion, these smaller towns are the epicentre of music, where it thrives and resonates. Delving into the country's history, Roy recognized the abundance of richness and potential, and the team at Coca-Cola India decided to seize this opportunity and make it a reality by launching Coke Studio Bharat.

Vikram Sahuja, Partner and Group CEO Media & OOH, Madison Communications, on Global trends in branded entertainment "In today’s day, data is gold! Currently, I look at the marketing funnel. It is like an hourglass model. The awareness is very high and so is the performance while the consideration is pinched. The activities we do with branded entertainment, with the apt collection of data. We can make it from an Hourglass to an Onion"

Jay Sean: "I always have had the mindset that if I've come this far, I can take over the rest of the world too."

Shubha Pai, Head of YouTube Sales and Solutions of India, highlighted YouTube's role in empowering brands and revolutionising entertainment in India. "Innovation happens at the Intersection with YouTube's massive scale & a creative content ecosystem driven by love for these incredible creators."

Munawar Faruqui, Artist, who urged attendees to maintain their hunger for success, stating, "If you reach your destination, you'll lose the hunger. It is very important to keep the hunger in you always alive." Faruqui was interviewed by Nirmika Singh, Executive Editor of Rolling Stone India.