Trends

The study also spotlighted a new lifestyle practice emerging among young social drinkers, termed ‘Zebra Stripping’, where people alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at social events.

‘Behen hai meri’: Bihar police officer suspended after viral video shows him harassing siblings at restaurant

A Bihar police officer was suspended after a viral CCTV video showed him harassing a brother-sister duo at a restaurant in Katihar district.

‘They’re doing it on purpose’: Delhi–Saharanpur Expressway damaged before opening, viral video sparks outrage

Viral video shows Delhi–Saharanpur Expressway vandalised before inauguration. Broken lights and poles spark outrage, as creator says, “People are doing it on purpose.”

This shaadi season GST cuts rewrite Indian wedding bill---cheaper venues, costlier sparkle

Government is expecting the festive and wedding season turnover to exceed Rs 7 lakh crore in 2025, marking one of India’s largest spending sprees in years on the back of recent cuts in the goods and services (GST) tax.

Changing track: Meesho, ITC and others tune into music licensing to avoid IP pitfalls

More and more companies and influencers are buying music licences to avoid lawsuits, which is giving good business to music licensing platforms

Trending on Dalal Street: Chatterbox CEO says going public proves influencing is no side hustle

On October 3, Chatterbox Technologies becomes the first influencer marketing company to be listed in India. The stock listed at Rs 135 on the BSE, a premium of nearly 18 percent over the issue price

Festive playlists power Amazon Music surge: Falguni fever, Bollywood's Bijuriya drive engagement

Amazon Music's Country head Rishabh Gupta noted that the sale on the ecommerce platform Amazon, like the Great Indian Festival, also drives engagement on the audio-streaming platform.

IPL match days just got costlier; higher GST sparks concerns over gate revenue, attendance

While a rise in IPL ticket prices will dampen spectator sentiment, other leagues such as the PKL may also face a significant loss of revenue

Indian celeb brand growth slows, but Kohli, Ranveer, SRK still dominate

Virat Kohli continues to secure the top spot in 2024 with a brand value of $231.1 million. His brand grew by close to 2 percent from $227.9 million in 2023.

GST cuts, festive rush drive influencers’ big-billion days as brands loosen purse strings

With a decrease in tax outflow, many brands have been able to expand their marketing budgets and that is turning out to be good news for influencers.

Deepfakes drive legal rush: Bollywood stars move courts as Personality Rights battles rise

In the past year alone, at least half a dozen high‑profile public figures have moved the courts to secure injunctions safeguarding their personality rights, reflecting a sharp rise in such litigation, a lawyer said.

Dil Chahta hAI: From queue busting to chatbots, AI scripts a new show for theatres

Use of AI is helping cinemas across the world read the audience, identify their specific tastes and create a smoother and more personalised movie-going experience

Garba Goodies, Diwali Dhamaka: GST cuts to spark ad boom, 8-10% surge in brand spends

Digital and influencer marketing will lead the surge, with digital spends expected to jump 15–18 percent and influencers seeing 2–3 times spikes around launches and festive campaigns, said a marketer.

GST cut sets stage for Rs 700-crore ad blitz in influencer marketing this festival season

Consumer durables, fashion and beauty, FMCG and e-commerce are likely to be the top-spending sectors, with content in regional languages expected to drive higher engagement than English content

Reels to roadblocks: Influencer economy struggles as online gaming ban wipes out crores in deals

Content creators focused on gaming, fantasy sports or betting-related content are particularly hit, losing not only revenue but also encountering content removal or algorithmic penalties on platforms such as Instagram and YouTube

How India speaks: Beyond meaning, into mood

India’s new tongue:  From start‑up slogans to Bhojpuri beats and K‑pop catchphrases, India’s new conversation is less about grammar and more about vibe. Turns out, you don’t always need subtitles to belong.

Trending Emerald Necklace and Earring Designs To Elevate Your Saree Look

If you are looking for some emerald jewellery inspiration to elevate your saree look, then these celeb-inspired designs will come in handy. From dainty strings to impressive necklaces, these versatile styles can be worn according to your taste and preferences.

Poster girl of chess, Divya Deshmukh's World Cup win powers brand boom in chess

Chess is gaining massive visibility in India, and athletes like Divya Deshmukh are becoming relatable icons for audiences who value intellect and performance, said marketers.

From multilingual food labels to a mass product, Food Pharmer aims to take a bigger bite

The influencer is targeting to expand with mass products like biscuits to raise awareness about product labels.

Ace the stay: Hospitality firms roll out padel courts to net more bookings, serve up pickleball and more

Several leading hotels have already invested in dedicated sports infrastructure and properties. Taj Fort Aguada and Taj Lands End, for example, have developed facilities for popular sports such as pickleball and padel.

Finnish vacationers are spending thousands to work as shepherds for a week: 'Kids are loving it'

These 'shepherd week' vacations cost between Rs 40,000 and Rs 57,000 at most locations. The popular holiday scheme allows vacationers to combine recreation and nature conservation.

Creators use AI to chase viral moments but fear it may replace marketing jobs

According to a NASSCOM report, the Indian AI market is projected to reach $17 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 25-35 percent. Within this surge, generative AI is emerging as a powerful content creation tool.

Decoding creator economy: 45 lakh strong, just 6 lakh monetise; Reels and Shorts drive earnings

Short-form video has emerged as the most preferred format for monetisation. It is expected that short-form ad spending will double by 2026

Airtel's arena, Samsung's stage: Gaming levels up in mobile, telco brand playbooks

Over the last 3–4 years, there has been a massive shift in how smartphone and telecom brands perceive the gaming ecosystem. Brands are doubling down on mobile-first competitive titles like BGMI, Free Fire, CODM (Call of Duty Mobile).

Tata Group first Indian brand over the $30 billion value mark, Eternal joins the top 50 list

India’s top 10 most valuable brands collectively showed a remarkable double-digit growth in value, according to the latest ranking by Brand Finance.