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<ul><li>Food delivery app Swiggy’s response to a tweet from a parody Nirmala Sitharaman account around the ongoing farmers' protest stirred up a new row of controversy on social media. </li><li>However, unlike other brands, Swiggy hasn’t withdrawn its tweet after the <keyword id="10363840" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="boycott-trend">boycott trend</keyword>. </li><li>We spoke to experts to find out if brands should dare comment at all around a political controversy or ignore the online trolls to keep talking about issues that matter. </li><li>Experts also shared with us the ideal ways of dealing with online trolls. </li></ul>Yet another brand has found itself in the crosshairs of a boycott trend on social media. Food delivery app Swiggy’s response to a tweet from a parody Nirmala Sitharaman account around the ongoing farmers’ protest was the talk of the town on December 01. The conversation soon snowballed and erupted into a controversy leading to #BoycottSwiggy trending on Twitter. <div type="twitter" handle="Cryptic_Miind" handlename="Nimo Tai 2.0" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1325128957138591744/J0qHZI5a_normal.jpg" favoritecount="16107" retweetcount="1636" status="Had an argument with my Bhakt friend over farmers protest.He said that we are not dependent on farmers for food.… https://t.co/guRt5q2NU5" createdat="1606722717000" id="1333317830574424064"></div> Swiggy responded to this tweet with the wit and humour it is known for, saying, “sorry, we can’t refund education.” In the last few months as people have had more time to kill, many brands, actors and celebrities have been boycotted online. However, they have either chosen silence or deleted their campaigns and opinionated tweets to stay away from controversies. We were surprised to see Swiggy take the higher ground and firmly stand true to its opinion. At the time of filing this story, Swiggy’s tweet hasn’t been retracted yet and has over 32k likes. It saw a mixed response from the Twitterati yesterday. Some were quick to jump in to ask for another boycott for ‘calling Hindus <a href="https://twitter.com/iprashantvns/status/1333406078705553408">uneducated</a>,’ some were thrilled to see a brand take a <a href="https://twitter.com/Pun_Starr/status/1333627539319885825">stand </a>and some just advised the brand to stay <a href="https://twitter.com/sumitsaurabh/status/1333443757153271808">away </a>from such controversies. Lately, it has become increasingly tough for a brand to navigate through these volatile climes and have a political or any kind of opinion. And millennials are known for buying brands who stand up for what they believe in. So should brands have an opinion at all or take a firm stand? Do consumers lose trust in brands who retract their opinions and what is the ideal way to deal with online trolls? We reached out to brand experts to find out. <keyword id="247533" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karthik-Srinivasan">Karthik Srinivasan</keyword>, Social Media Expert and Independent Communications Consultant, brought up an important point. He reminded us that a brand without an opinion is just an entity that sells a product. “When brands joined social media and started behaving like media, they started having a voice and an opinion. So, it's a bit too late to ask the question if brands should have a voice or an opinion. If they stop having either of those, then they would be reduced to selling their products or services, and that would be functional, and now perceived as boring communication. As for volatile, controversial or political content, there are no specific guidelines that can dictate those markers. ITC Bingo's recent controversy that blindsided them from nowhere is a good example. If brands err on the side of caution, they'd self-censor themselves to the point of sticking to functional content only, going back to boring communication,” said Srinivasan. On the other hand, Harish Bijoor, Brand-strategy specialist &amp; Founder, <keyword id="618300" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Harish-Bijoor-Consults-Inc-">Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.</keyword> said that brands should ‘avoid two sanctum sanctorum topics: politics and religion altogether for now’ (referring to the political climate we are living in). He said, “There will be two sets of Swiggy users now. Those who support and those who oppose. I ask, why? Why divide users at all? Keep them united under the umbrella of the brand, instead of dividing under the same umbrella. I do strongly believe that brands must not dabble in the space of active politics and religion. When brands do, they divide society. The ultimate aim of a brand is it to divide society into supporters and opposers. Instead, brand’s aim and goal is to unite all under the umbrella of the brand. Woke is a very distant movement for now in India. Avoid it in the interest of the brand.” However, brands build a personality with their external communication. They associate themselves with a value to fill a consumer gap. A CMO and advertising agency’s core job is to keep building an image through advertisements that speaks to their consumers heart-to-heart. So, can a message be ever delivered sans emotions and appeal to a large set of audience? Srinivasan answered, “Like how we deal with people we live with, people we love or people we are acquainted with, if they have a different point of view on so-called contentious topics like the choice of political party/leader, religion, sports etc. we continue to put up with them because their diverging opinion is only one small part of who they are and what they believe in. Similarly, the brand's voice online is merely one facet of its overall corporate personality, while it could perfectly serve the functional need for which we buy/use it.” Speaking on whether brands should have a political opinion, <keyword id="244384" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lloyd-Mathias">Lloyd Mathias</keyword>, Business Strategist and Former Asia Marketing Head of HP Inc said, “Brands should be more circumspect but not shy away from doing what is right for their brands. They need to be conscious of the fact that social media allows consumers to react and share their views, so they need to fully analyse the possible reactions – but in no way should they hold back from doing the right thing.” GenZ is increasingly becoming more aware of how advertising works and is able to separate grey from black. They view brands as a form of self-expression and to connect with them, brands are also expected to go beyond just selling their products. They are known to connect with brands that they feel are socially and environmentally conscious. Sharing his thoughts on GenZ and brands taking a stand, Mathias said, “While it is important for companies and brands to respect public sentiment, it should not stop them from speaking out on issues that matter. Brands are important elements in shaping culture. They play a big part in influencing consumer behaviour and moulding opinion. With increasing GenZ and millennial consumers becoming a large part of most brands' target segments, there will be pressure on brands and companies to take firm stands on issues that matter to these young people. Looking away is no longer an easy option.” If a brand does take a stand, online trolls and their boycott trend is likely to follow. On how a brand should deal with online controversies, Srinivasan said, “There's a difference between 'I refuse to buy it' vs. 'I refuse to buy it and I ask you all to behave like me'. The former is a perfectly understandable stand, and is a personal decision. When someone rallies around it to get more people to follow suit, that is a campaign. Such campaigns are more performative than meaningful - a show of strength by one group or other to force the brand to do as they wish. If the brand submits to the demand, another group could start a boycott campaign for submitting to the first group's demands. So, it's a perpetual cycle if they brand sways by one group or another.” He added, “As long as the brand's service or product is serving a useful need, they need to remember the saying, "This too shall pass", because on social media it really does pass. People cannot boycott all the brands all the time and they have a lot of other things to do besides starting boycott campaigns on assorted brands for one reason or another. They simply need to get their brand's personality detailed out, and stick to that. The problem invariably is that brands work harder on external identity markers like design, logo, colors etc. and less on the inherent personality traits like tone, language, stand on issues affecting the audiences they target. The latter is particularly essential because when the brand joins social media, they become one of the people who use the platforms online. As long as the stand they adopt is based on explainable logic and common sense, they just need to stick to the personality.”

Has the latest Swiggy controversy reminded brands that it is okay to have a political opinion?

<ul><li>Actress <keyword id="3741818" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="swara-bhasker">Swara Bhasker</keyword> pointed out that <keyword id="830092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zomato">Zomato</keyword>’s ads were displayed on <keyword id="4496357" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="republic-tv">Republic TV</keyword> – a national media channel helmed by Arnab Goswami. </li><li>Zomato responded to Bhasker saying that it doesn’t endorse any content other than its own, and that didn’t sit well with supporters of the television channel. </li><li>This resulted in “boycottzomato” trending, while calls for its rival <keyword id="6358977" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="swiggy">Swiggy</keyword> rose higher on Twitter.</li></ul>Controversies keep knocking on Zomato’s door and this time around, the $3.6 billion Indian foodtech unicorn is caught in the middle of a tweet storm. It all started when an actor Swara Bhasker pointed out that Zomato’s ads were displayed on Republic TV, a national media channel helmed by Arnab Goswami that is often in controversy for its blatant support of the current Indian government and polarising narratives. Bhasker said that being a loyal user, she wasn’t okay with her “money even indirectly funding this kind of communal bigoted hate!” <div type="twitter" handle="ReallySwara" handlename="Swara Bhasker" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1325668796405723137/UCwDq-qQ_normal.jpg" favoritecount="5680" retweetcount="1175" status="Hey @zomatoin @zomato @deepigoyal I’m your regular customer.. do u plan to #DefundTheHate &amp; pull your ads from hate… https://t.co/aIOfjlRVv8" createdat="1605688561000" id="1328980268116393989"></div> Earlier, the likes of <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/business/after-bajaj-parle-g-says-it-will-not-advertise-on-toxic-news-channels-7176411.htm">Bajaj Auto and FMCG major Parle</a> had said that they were pulling ads from Republic TV because of it being a “toxic” news channel and the TV channel, which is also accused of manipulating ratings. However, that’s not where it ended. Zomato responded to Bhasker saying that it doesn’t endorse any content other than its own, and that didn’t sit well with supporters of the television channel. <div type="twitter" handle="zomatocare" handlename="zomato care" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1250695221882413056/8ZIBgXrn_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2783" retweetcount="222" status="@ReallySwara @zomatoin @zomato @deepigoyal @Republic_Bharat Hi Swara, please note, we don’t endorse any content exc… https://t.co/SNXxZJpT1k" createdat="1605701281000" id="1329033619864657921"></div> Even this measured response resulted in “boycottzomato” trending, and those slamming Zomato, and its founder Deepinder Goyal, threatened to shift their business to rival Swiggy. <div type="twitter" handle="vivekagnihotri" handlename="Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1321102354100334592/fqNkny0Z_normal.jpg" favoritecount="20546" retweetcount="5358" status="Hey @zomatoin @zomato @deepigoyal @zomatocare this is your big moment... this is your big test... decide who is you… https://t.co/oV5NhjakEv" createdat="1605715843000" id="1329094694647648258"></div> This is not the first time Zomato has angered India’s Hindu right wing But this isn’t the first time Zomato has been caught in a controversy like this. Zomato had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-just-shut-up-a-bigoted-customer-in-less-than-ten-words/articleshow/70462499.cms">shutdown a bigoted customer</a>, who refused to take an order from a delivery guy of a different religion. Zomato replied, “Food doesn’t have a religion. It is a religion”, while its co-founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said he wasn’t sorry to let go of any business that comes in the way of their values. Even while Zomato’s reply sent thousands of trolls their way, the company took a stand on the issue.

Zomato is being pulled apart in a polarised India⁠ for pushing advertising money to back a partisan news outfit

<ul><li>After India lost to Pakistan in their T20 <keyword id="8984629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-cup-2021" source="Orion">World Cup 2021</keyword> opener on October 24, 2021, the internet flooded with heartbreak tweets and disappointment memes.</li><li>On Sunday, India suffered their consecutive defeat as they were hammered by New Zealand.</li><li>It is almost Diwali and yet nobody, at least on the internet, is in the mood to celebrate. The internet is still trying not to revisit their memories of Sunday.</li><li>India’s loss against New Zealand has pushed them towards the brink of a league stage exit. Most of us are now hoping that Afghanistan will beat New Zealand and India will win their remaining three fixtures against Scotland, Namibia and Afghanistan.</li><li>As the consumer sentiment plummeted, brands and advertisers also suffered. We speak to media experts to find out how India’s loss at the T20 World Cup will impact brands that have invested in the game this time and what it means for its airing partners.</li></ul>Cricket, undoubtedly, is still the most popular sport in India and it is the best way for brands to connect with their audiences. And when it is T20 World Cup, consumers in India are extra excited to cheer for the men in blue. They order merchandise, invite friends over or go to a sports bar to catch the tournament. It is more like a festival of sorts, where a whole family or group of friends get together and enjoy the game. Brands also go overboard, investing on the sport, to be where their fans are. However, what happens when the team you are cheering for fails? Consumers are heartbroken and if you are an advertising agency, all your post-victory campaigns, which you worked on for weeks, will now rot in your archives. It only takes one bad game to spoil the party and this time, our country lost twice. The India-Pakistan match dampened consumer sentiment and on Sunday, India suffered their successive defeat as they were hammered by New Zealand and consumers lost their will to work on Monday. FoodTech platform Zomato mirrored India’s sentiment in this push-notification yesterday and all I want to do is say, “Same, bro. Wait, who is chopping onions?” <div type="image" title="Screenshot_20211101-111427_One UI Home" msid="87468689" hostid="261"></div> India’s loss against New Zealand has pushed them towards the brink of a league stage exit. Now the only hope is if Afghanistan beats New Zealand and India wins the remaining three fixtures against Scotland, Namibia and Afghanistan. Vikram Sakhuja, Partner &amp; Group CEO, Madison Media &amp; OOH said, “With cricket being a national passion, the fallout is that fans swing in extremes. India's wins leads to high ratings, and losses to poor ratings. In the 2016 T20 WC the super 12s (with 5 India games) had rated 4.4 amongst males audiences. This time round I won't be surprised if India's poor performance in the crunch games leads to a tournament average of sub 3 ratings. For Advertisers who pay top dollar to advertise on this platform it will be a reasonable setback. However if India does manage a top 2 position, the interest and ratings will spike. So fans and advertisers need to pray for New Zealand getting upset by the lesser ranked teams, and India dominating over these same teams.” Sharing how this low consumer sentiment is likely to impact brand performance and viewership for the rest of the World Cup tournament this year, <keyword id="512646" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambika-sharma" source="Orion">Ambika Sharma</keyword>, Founder and MD, Pulp Strategy said, “Match viewership will decline and by some estimates, it may go down by 50% or more as a fall out of India’s exit from the World Cup. ICC having anticipated the disappointment of fans has already decided to allow full refunds, fans are relieved I’m sure. Advertisers, on the other hand, will see a drop in viewership for the next set of matches. However, towards the flag end of the World Cup, most advertisers would have received their visibility via the spots in the matches up to the point of India’s exit. The media team may have some difficulty in selling the last-minute inventory which goes at a premium.” On the other hand, Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group India is confident that the interest levels won't dip. He said, “India is a cricket-loving nation with a huge fan following for the sport and the legends of the cricketing world. While there are sentiments with team India involved and the loss is a huge disappointment, there are bigger sentiments associated with the game, and as a nation, we've always appreciated good cricket and good talent. As we move towards the semis and the finals, we expect to see great cricket, therefore I don’t see the interest levels going down and the love for the game should keep the viewership ticking.” Sujay Kar, EVP- Commerce, CRM, and Media, VMLY&amp;R India said that some advertisers might be in for a shock. "These defeats can lead to an early exit for India, which would have an adverse impact for brands that have invested their Advertising Dollars and the Advertising Mediums. Without India in the Knockout rounds, the viewership might go down significantly, which means lesser impressions served and lower business impact. Given that it’s peak festive season and there are no big showpiece events involving India in near future, some of the advertisers have invested heavily hoping for a big post-pandemic boost and they might be in for a rude shock," said Kar. Grashima Sahni, Senior Director- Planning and Strategy, Carat India told us about brands that might benefit from investing this year despite the early exit. She said, “With team India seeing an unpredictable early exit from the T20 world cup 2021, the invested brands are reaping lower than what they sowed and expected to reap. Investment in live cricket is more about associating with the spirit than pure media metrics. With the early exit and defeat from Pakistan, the mood in fans is dim. The deal deliveries may match the bought media metrics eventually but the qualitative factor of 'context' the brands were hoping to ride turned flat with this exit. Brands that balanced their investments with festive entertainment buys this season will benefit over the highly skewed and only cricket investing brands.” <keyword id="12452300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sushil-anatharaman" source="Orion">Sushil Anatharaman</keyword>, Media Director, Gozoop Group said, “Brand who have taken fixed deals like title, associate and other sponsorships will definitely suffer because the reach they would have expected in the next round will go low if India doesn't qualify. However, if we miraculously do enter the next round, then again there will absolutely be no problems for these brands. Other brands who do spot buying will really not be affected by this.” Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-founder, White Rivers Media reminded us that brands who spent on digital media can easily pull back their spends. He said, "Sports marketing comes at a risk-reward ratio, subject to team’s performance. There are times when teams perform really well. Those are the times when brands benefit disproportionately. And then there are times like these, when teams don't perform - those are the times when brands can pull back their expenses. Digital has the power wherein a lot of spends can be controlled on a real-time basis. That may not be the case when it comes to ATL and outdoor media. That's the benefit where there is plug and play possible. Hence, the brands that are investing heavily on digital may not suffer as much. Of course, it's a big opportunity loss because bad performance results in lesser attention and lesser attention results in lesser impressions and lesser impressions results in lesser opportunities to sell and hence lesser advertisement budgets spent." This time, the T20 World Cup has aligned with the festive season and brands are extra generous to spend on TV and OTT platforms during this time of the year. According to media reports, broadcaster Star Sports sold inventory worth more than Rs 1,000 crore this year. It has onboarded Byju’s, Dream 11, Coca Cola, Vimal, PhonePe, Havells, Netmeds, CoinDCX, JioMart, Skoda, Mondelez, Reliance Trends, Pernod, Upstox, Samsung and Cred as key sponsors. On its streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar, Dream11, Vimal Elaichi, Coinswitch, Oppo, Swiggy, Maruti, AMFI, PhonePe, Mondelez and Upstox have invested this season. During the ICC <keyword id="1268840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-cup-t20" source="Orion">World Cup T20</keyword> held in 2015, the India-Pakistan match rated 11.9 TVR (TAM data M15+ ABC) on the STAR network and 2.9 TVR on Doordarshan and had garnered 288 million views. This year too, cricket dominated the conversation on Twitter. Between 01 July 2020 - 01 July 2021, there have been over 75 million conversations about cricket on the service in India. However, this time, the Twitterati is too disappointed. Yesterday, #BoycottIPL was trending on Twitter because fans alleged that the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has commercialised cricket and is prioritising the Indian Premier League over an International League. <div type="twitter" handle="gauravmondal14" handlename="Gaurav" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/916250813063823360/dcjy4Ndh_normal.jpg" favoritecount="120" retweetcount="20" status="#BanIPLothers team mixed strategy during the break ...and then there comes indian team ..&quot;chal time mila hai ad… https://t.co/eoR5aNwFSq" createdat="1635748606000" id="1455061234961633280"></div><div type="twitter" handle="Depress7S" handlename="Samreen" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1454307245425143811/zbszQqUY_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1881" retweetcount="279" status="Indian fans on airport: Congratulations India . #BanIPL #IndiaVsNewZealand https://t.co/QQtSetHXoy" createdat="1635704110000" id="1454874604720332804"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="SardarSajid786" handlename="M . S A J I D 🇵🇰" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1439137172263682048/ihbnmQha_normal.jpg" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" status="Please @ICC ban IPL kun k IPL se cricket tabah ho rahi hai .#BanIPL https://t.co/Hw6tKka0nf" createdat="1635767412000" id="1455140113088983041"></div> Commenting on this Twitter outburst, Anatharaman said, “The Twitterati in India is very less if we compare to the advertising universe size of products and services advertised during IPL. Also, trends on Twitter can end in an hour too and hence people will forget these trending hashtags soon. It doesn't really affect the IPL in any way. In fact, it's been a tournament that has been associated with worse controversies like spot-fixing etc. but the tournament has still continued growing year by year and has also benefitted the brands associated with them.”

How India's loss at the T20 World Cup will affect Indian brands

<ul><li>With calls to boycott Chinese products seeing an everyday increase, we reached out to PR experts to understand how to deal with the hatred if your clients have a Chinese origin. </li><li>They shared how PR, if used tactfully, can bring back any business in the game. </li></ul>There is a storm of anger on social media as a reaction to the Indo-China border dispute. People are calling a ban on all Chinese products and uninstalling Chinese or Chinese-funded apps. Due to the on-going tension, BCCI is going to review its sponsorship deal for IPL with Chinese smartphone maker Vivo this week. Indian start-ups with Chinese-funds like Dream11, Swiggy, Paytm can also bear the brunt as BCCI reconsiders its sponsorship partnerships. The dispute has also made Indian brands put their advertising monnies away from TikTok and other Chinese platforms. So, as a Public Relations professional, how do you deal with this cloud of resentment coming in your client’s way on social media? Dilip Cherian, Consulting Partner, Perfect Relations advised to observe silence for a while. He said, “Deal with it SENSITIVELY...which just means not raising visibility or in other words hackles, for a while. Even if this means an unduly lower profile than the Marketing folks may want, it's the PR managers job to push back. Getting your brand in the line of fire is a real danger just now. Losing share of voice you can address later, I am quite sure. If your brand is the target of attack because of PR adventurism, then the Agency bears the blame, rightfully.” According to Mayank Sen, Co-founder, Moe's Art, "The best way to deal with the ongoing crisis is to have a subtle communication approach and avoid having any celebratory communication across owned and earned media platforms. This is not the first time Indian consumers have threatened to boycott Chinese products. In the past also, brands have faced similar issues whenever India and China relations have strained.” He adds, “Companies and their representatives should also use digital platforms tactfully, as direct confrontations with consumers will attract sharp and negative reactions. The current public sentiment might stretch if the issue doesn't get resolved through diplomatic process and Government relations. Sometimes lesser communication helps yield better results from a long-term perspective. These are momentary challenges and will ease over a period of time." Sonam Shah, Founder and CEO, Treize Communications says PR has immense potential to bring any business back in game, if used tactfully. “We do not have a ‘swim lane’ or a ‘silo’ that confines our professional capabilities in times of crisis. What makes PR a valuable tool during any crisis is the ability to bring any business back in the game. Ups and downs are bound to happen if a brand is in the public eye, and there is no running away from it. Rather one should go and revisit their core positioning and offering and focus on it,” explains Shah. Highlighting how the role of PR has expanded with time, Shah said,“Public Relations is all about building and maintaining a constantly evolving image within the end consumers and stakeholders. PR is no more confined to article placements. Today, Public Relations is an amalgamation of consumer psychology, news consumption patterns, strategy, and execution, which needs to be synced with the company's core proposition.” So, she recommended going back to the basics. “Regarding the <keyword id="3763841" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="boycott-china">Boycott China</keyword> sentiment going around, one can only expect PR firms to meet such a challenge with something new and different that would bring in behavioural and perception shifts. I think any PR handling such a sensitive situation, should go back to basics and concentrate on it. Emphasis on highlighting the key features of the brand, map out key media outlets and chart a focussed PR strategy. Build a clear purpose behind doing PR. Crisis Management for PR professionals is an opportunity where the team gets to showcase its A-game. Get the team excited about it rather than making it sound heavy, that helps a lot. It is in moments like these that PR firms get an opportunity to build trust and faith for its client/brand within its audiences and they should focus on that,” said Shah.

PR Professionals advise their Chinese clients to maintain a low profile to cushion the blow

<ul><li>The recent standoff at the Indo-China border has already seen a call for ban on Chinese products as well as uninstalling Chinese or Chinese-funded apps in India. </li><li>Experts believe that this will put a hold on further tech investments in India and thus, startups need to prepare themselves.</li><li><keyword id="417650" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chinese-investors">Chinese investors</keyword> have pumped in an estimated $4 billion into India’s tech startups which includes bets on 18 out of the country’s 30 unicorns.</li></ul>From the India-China tensions at the border to the Indian government’s recent restrictions on FDI stating that prior government approval is required for any investment from a bordering country, the startup ecosystem has a lot to worry about. The rising scepticism about China and its investors affects some of the biggest startups in India like <keyword id="6357120" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="paytm">Paytm</keyword>, Ola, Byju’s and more. China’s biggest funds and their bets in India <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tencent </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Byju’s, Ola, Dream11, Flipkart, Hike, Swiggy, Udaan, Niyo, Gaana, Doubtnut, Khatabook, MX Player, Pocket FM, Practo, MyGate. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Alibaba </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Paytm, Bigbasket, Paytm Mall, Snapdeal, Zomato, Healofy, Ticketnow, Rapido, Vidooly, Xpressbees </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Xiaomi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hungama, Sharechat, Rapido, ZestMoney, Oye! Rickshaw, City Mall, Marsplay Internet </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: Gateway House Tensions at the borders and India’s tech ecosystem The recent standoff at the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/three-reasons-why-china-showed-aggression-against-india-on-border-according-to-a-former-diplomat/articleshow/76462632.cms">Indo-China border</a> has already seen a call for ban on Chinese products as well as uninstalling Chinese or Chinese-funded apps in India. Experts believe that this will put a hold on further tech investments in India and thus, startups need to prepare themselves. “The immediate impact of this can be observed in business relations as well, with contract cancellations, trade deficit and fundings being put on hold. To mitigate this direct impact on the startup ecosystem, startups will have to scout for other avenues for big-ticket investments while seeking support from investors from newer geographies. Companies which fall under the portfolio of Chinese investors will also have to look for new alternatives as their transactions will get delayed due to these macro events,” said Roma Priya, Founder of Burgeon Law. Chinese investors have pumped in an estimated $4 billion into India’s tech startups which includes bets on 18 out of the country’s 30 unicorns, according to a Gateway House report. And even though some of India’s companies like Sharechat even have ‘<keyword id="3758" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Made-in-India">Made in India</keyword>’ in their Google Play store listing, the funding for the startup is from China. What makes <keyword id="417799" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chinese-investment">Chinese investment</keyword> attractive? With India having the next big internet users, Chinese funds have been betting on the country’s virgin internet users and the lack of an Indian major investment fund only aids their growth. Most of India’s startups – from Paytm to Ola and Swiggy, Zomato – are still reporting heavy losses, which means they would require investments with minimal investor pressure. “China provides the patient capital needed to support the Indian start-ups, which like any other, are loss-making. The trade-off for market share is worthwhile,” said a report by Gateway House. The damage was done from even before the border clash Earlier in April, the change in FDI regulations said that prior approval of the Indian government will now be required for FDI into India (direct or indirect) by an entity of a country which shares a land border with India, i.e., China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Afghanistan. And this would have a direct impact on India’s startup ecosystem which relies on Chinese investments. “Chinese investors like Alibaba, Tencent and others will be heavily impacted. (i) Rights issuances; (ii) share buybacks; (iii) exits of existing investors from an Indian company which result in an increment in a Chinese investor’s stake will now require prior approval of the Indian government, although there may be no fresh inflow of FDI. Private equity and venture investors may not be able to effectively exercise call options, rights of first offer, anti-dilution or ratchet provisions.” said a report by the law firm Majmudar &amp; Partners. However, China has for long now routed its investments through subsidiary companies. “Chinese funds and companies often route their investments in India through offices located in Singapore, Hong Kong, Mauritius etc.: for example, Alibaba’s investment in Paytm was by Alibaba Singapore Holdings Pvt. Ltd. These don’t get recorded in India’s government data as Chinese investments,” said a report by Gateway House. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/heres-a-look-at-some-of-the-indian-smartphone-companies-that-could-make-a-comeback/slidelist/76465362.cms">Indian mobile companies that Boycott China campaign can bring back</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/here-are-the-five-books-that-will-help-you-decode-the-india-china-relations/articleshow/76462237.cms">Here are the five books that will help you decode the India China relations — beyond just the border dispute</a>

From Paytm to Byju’s to Dream11 ⁠— Chinese investors have big money in India’s biggest startups

<ul><li>When you are fighting a never-ending battle against age-old norms and working towards building an inclusive future for all genders beyond the binary, every small step counts.</li><li>This listicle is an effort to appreciate brands and advertising agencies that gave under-represented communities a much-needed chance to voice their concerns through their advertising campaigns.</li></ul>The first half of 2021 gave us some unpleasant personal memories that we all want to bury but the second half gave us some incredible campaigns that pushed the advertising and marketing industry a step forward towards inclusivity. These campaigns gave us hope that there will be a better tomorrow and reminded us to keep believing in ourselves. Some brand campaigns were like a warm hug that made us miss our childhood days -- when we didn’t have to worry about hustling remotely and catching a deadly virus -- and some encouraged us to keep fighting for gender equality. According to a study conducted by Cannes Lions and Google, consumers in APAC want to see more groups represented in marketing, and there’s a <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-apac/feature/year-in-search-for-brands/">strong appetite for more inclusive content</a>. But as per their research, it seems not enough inclusive content is being created. Only 1 in 5 consumers feel represented in the ads they see. The same research found that male characters in ads are significantly more likely to be shown as having an occupation than female characters (25.5% compared with 16.7%) and are shown as funnier than female characters (22.1% compared with 15.4%), while female characters are more sexualized than male characters — female characters are 4X more likely to be shown in revealing clothing than male characters (10.8% compared with 2.25%). However, there’s still hope. The Indian advertising and marketing world has taken a few baby steps towards gender equality and inclusivity this year. In this listicle, we look at a few brand campaigns that challenged regressive gender and cultural notions in an attempt to make a difference. UNAIDS’ The Mirror | Agency: FCB India The film, ‘The Mirror,’ portrays a young boy who is pouting and opts out of playing with other children during a big Indian kite festival. His mother eggs him on but he sneaks off downstairs alone. He drapes himself in a woman’s scarf, and smiles as he sees his reflection in a mirror. Moments later, his mother and his grandmother catch him dancing dressed up. The music track stops, and the women stare at the boy. A few seconds of dread pass by and suddenly the women join him. This advertisement by FCB India and UNAIDS highlighted how gender diversity is not a lifestyle choice but an inherent right of all people. Gender stereotypes, especially towards LGBTIQ+, lead to stigma and discrimination. This is more pronounced in children and adolescents as diversity among them is not commonly understood and society puts massive pressure on them to conform to assigned gender norms at birth. <div type="Youtube" id="oulxCQeZtDo" title="The Mirror" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oulxCQeZtDo/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Bhima’s Pure as Love | Agency: Animal Bhima Jewellery's ad shows us the journey of a brooding, unshaven boy who, thanks to the love and support of his loving, supportive family, transforms into a happy, confident young woman. The story is told with such simplicity and so much sensitivity that you rejoice with the character by the end of the film. What works in favor of the brand is, its inclusion in the story doesn’t feel forced. It is just seamlessly a part of the narrative. The young man is slowly growing more accepting towards himself, there is a lot of acceptance from everyone around him too. The film is full of love and the jewellery is just a part of the narrative. It is present, almost in every frame, but never the main focus. <div type="Youtube" id="NtaLr_r8R2E" title="Bhima Jewellery. Pure as love." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NtaLr_r8R2E/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Elegant Steel’s Nari Shakti - The Steel Within | Agency: FCB India Launched during Navratri, this campaign pointed out how the irony of celebrating Nari Shakti and female power for the nine days is very stark. Because for the rest of the year, we get busy dis-empowering her. How this biased narrative is maintained is through words. Cruel words, words aimed to put you in boxes, words to shame, words to make sure you never ever discover your true power within. When even one woman, refuses to succumb to this narrative, the swords and the pitchforks come out. Because you see, one woman freeing herself from the narrative, can inspire millions to break free, refuse to be cowed down and write their own story. This campaign celebrates women and the power they find within themselves to fight for a seat at the table and hopes for a better future for them. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Mohey’s Kanyamaan In India, weddings are all about rituals and traditions that bring about a happy union. These age-old Hindu rituals have been an intrinsic part of our society and one of the most important being ‘Kanyadaan.’ Questioning this outdate practice, Alia Bhatt and Mohey’s ad aimed to promote a more inclusive and equal space for women in marriage and in life. It strives for a balance between tradition and equality. Through the film, Alia talks about a new idea that creates a union between the ritual itself and its underlying thought process placed in modern context. However, the campaign did not well with social media trolls. They called for a boycott on the brand for targeting Hindu religion but the brand did not bow down. The campaign was an important reminder that we need to take another look at regressive practices that benefit patriarchy. <div type="Youtube" id="hUNAMOCocDE" title="Alia Bhatt Mohey Manyavar Ad TVC" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hUNAMOCocDE/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Vim’s Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano Se Aage | Agency: Lowe Lintas The TVC was a story of a prospective matrimonial arrangement, where the ‘independent guy’ under the implicit assumption that it is the wife’s job to cook and clean, tries to impress the girl by offering to ‘help’ her with cooking. The girl immediately offers to ‘help’ him with dishes, gently nudging him to be independent in household chores as well, as she could get late from work. The boy’s initial shock and eventual change of perspective drives home the campaign message of ‘Nazariya Badlo, Dekho Bartano Se Aage’. The girl in the ad is not only ‘more than her chores’ but also a change-maker who calls for equal partnership. <div type="Youtube" id="cWIo7lTfdqs" title="Vim Liquid | Making dishwashing easy (Hindi)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cWIo7lTfdqs/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Saffola’s Rakhna Heart ka Khayal | Agency: Mullen Lintas Moving away from the stereotypical gender role of a woman taking care of the husband and the family’s health, Saffola’s film reversed gender roles and showcased a modern couple where the husband is looking after his wife. It portrays the husband as the one who is concerned about the stress his wife goes through at work and its impact on her heart. While he cannot take away her stress, no matter how much he would like to, he does what’s in his control to take care of her heart. With this ad, Saffola and Mullen Lintas challenged the stereotypical FMCG ads we are tired of seeing. <div type="Youtube" id="VHqQwPCAT10" title="Saffola Gold Stress Film|Hindi|30sec" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VHqQwPCAT10/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Boondh’s UnGender Menstruation | Agency: Schbang Menstruation has historically been a taboo subject in India. In recent times, while a lot of conversation has driven the discourse out into a space of open discussion, most of it has been led by cisgender women. The highly feminised language around menstruation has caused thousands of non-cisgender-women menstruators to wake up and still feel incorrect about a physiological process that doesn’t define their identity. To tackle the lack of representation in this space, Schbang For Good, the impact communication division of Schbang and Boondh Social Foundation had collaborated on Menstrual Hygiene Day, to shed light on the experiences of menstruating people who do not identify as cis-woman and highlight the shared struggles of every menstruator. Cadbury’s Kuch Khaas Hai | Agency: Ogilvy India Who hasn’t heard about Cadbury’s remake of Kuch Khass Hai ad? This campaign by Ogilvy India started a conversation on nostalgia and gender equality. The ad reversed the gender roles and normalised men showing emotions and cheering for their women partners. <div type="Youtube" id="z_OtC06ndUE" title="Cadbury Dairy Milk wishes #GoodLuckGirls to all those hitting it out of the park." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z_OtC06ndUE/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Dove India’s StopTheBeautyTest | Agency: Ogilvy Dove’s StopTheBeautyTest film walked us through hard-hitting, real stories of beauty-based judgment and rejection faced by women during the matchmaking process, and the impact this has on their self-esteem. <div type="Youtube" id="E3kWzRB6Yy8" title="Dove | #StopTheBeautyTest (Hindi)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E3kWzRB6Yy8/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Swiggy’s Women’s Day ad Swiggy’s campaign aimed to bring about a change in the objectionable images of women that pop up when one searches for the term ‘Desi Masala.’ Swiggy urged its users to flood the Internet with posts and pictures tagging authentic Indian spices on websites, blogs, forums, and social media platforms that will help get rid of the lurid connotation that currently exists. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> WeWork’s Women Day ad This campaign showed how stereotypes and biases at the workplace still haven't changed across the world. <div type="Youtube" id="9RMIdAEYLnE" title="WeWork India | International Women's Day 2021" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9RMIdAEYLnE/mqdefault.jpg"></div>

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