Draft:DeadAnt Media

DeadAnt Media Private Limited is an Indian media and entertainment company founded in 2019 by Ravina Rawal, who serves as its CEO. Specializing in the realm of comedy, the company operates across various segments including digital publication deadant.co, brand solutions through its award-winning creative studio, talent partnerships, and the curation and production of events and intellectual properties focused on comedy including the DeadAnt Comedy Awards (DACA), and an annual comedy festival, Laughing Dead , which debuted in March 2023. DeadAnt's comprehensive approach to comedy through its specific divisions and initiatives positions it as a pioneer in this specific niche within India's media industry.

Overview
DeadAnt Media aims to provide a platform for both established and emerging comedic talents, facilitating their exposure and engagement with wider audiences. The company emphasizes content that is not only entertaining but also carries social significance. Its activities and initiatives have been covered by notable media outlets such as The Hindu, The Times of India, The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Scroll.in, Mid-Day, Deccan Herald, Architectural Digest and others.

History

With 20 years of experience in media and entertainment, Ravina Rawal has previously held crucial editorial positions at major news organisations such as Outlook, India Today, and The Sunday Guardian. Prior to founding DeadAnt, she also led the digital vertical for Viacom18's comprehensive Youth & English Entertainment portfolio, which included Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, MTV Beats, and Colors Infinity. Rawal's career also spans roles at Sony Music Entertainment and Motherland, which laid the groundwork for her entrepreneurial journey with DeadAnt.

DeadAnt launched its digital publication in 2019 to cover a broad spectrum of comedy-related content, including news, reviews, interviews, and opinion pieces. With a journalistic approach to covering a pop culture mainstay, the publication is a comprehensive source for comedy enthusiasts and one of the most trusted voices in the genre.

In the events and IP domain, DeadAnt has made significant contributions. The DeadAnt Annual Comedy Awards, introduced in 2020, celebrate the achievements of Indian stand-up comedians, with winners determined by a combination of public votes and a critic panel's judgment. The company also marked its fourth anniversary with The Laughing Dead Festival in March 2023, a notable event that featured prominent comedians and attracted comedy fans from across India.

DeadAnt.co
Launched alongside the company in 2019, deadant.co is DeadAnt Media's digital platform offering comprehensive coverage of comedy through news, reviews, interviews, and opinion pieces. The publication aims to be a central hub for comedy aficionados seeking the latest in the world of comedy, and their social media platforms have a captive community of over 100k comedy super-fans. Their digital IPs include short interview formats such as DA Chat Room and Today's Special, as well as timely round table conversations under DA Huddle.

Events & IPs
DeadAnt has made significant strides in the events sector with live events and initiatives like the DeadAnt Annual Comedy Awards (DACA ), established in 2020 to celebrate the achievements of Indian stand-up comedians. The company further expanded its event repertoire with Laughing Dead in March 2023, a large-scale annual comedy festival featuring prominent comedians from India and internationally, and attracting widespread audience participation. Later in 2023, DeadAnt also launched its proprietary live showcase format, Laughs Per Minute. In 2024, they launched the Zero to 60 comedy writing workshop in partnership with comedian Kunal Rao, and The Loop, which tours notable artists with their solo specials across the country, and are set to announce two more IPs later this year.

DA Studio
DeadAnt Studio, as the creative and business solutions wing of DeadAnt Media, distinguishes itself through its comprehensive service offerings that extend beyond traditional content development and production. As a full-service agency, DeadAnt Studio offers a wide range of services including brand solutions, branding and social media management, digital marketing, talent partnerships, copywriting and script development. The studio's client list is impressive, encompassing notable companies and brands not only in India but also in the Middle East, the United States, and Southeast Asia, showcasing its global reach and versatility.

Leveraging their wide network of comedy, independent music, and design, DeadAnt Studio aims to address critical issues like climate change, air pollution, women's health, empowerment, sustainability, and misinformation. Noteworthy campaigns include the 'Biodiversity By The Bay' project with The Ministry of Mumbai’s Magic, which won a Gold Award at the Indigo Design Awards in 2020 for its social impact through design.

Collaborations and Partnerships
DeadAnt Media has forged various partnerships to amplify its impact within and beyond the comedy sector. These include collaborations with Film Companion for an exclusive session on the business of comedy and with the Indian Film Project (IFP) as the official curation partner for their annual festival's Stand-Up Challenge. They are also the exclusive comedy partners for Hungama Artists Aloud and aim to promote independent comedy talent in regional languages through this collaboration.

Impact and Recognition
Through its diverse array of initiatives, DeadAnt Media has established itself as a significant player in the Indian comedy landscape, promoting both talent and content that resonate with contemporary audiences while also contributing to socially relevant causes.