Mumbai: In a masterful display of narrative artistry, Advaita Innovation Labs (AIL-India) unveiled Brands of Tomorrow (BOT) last Independence Day, presenting a riveting docuseries that brought India's most innovative and socially responsible brands to the forefront.
Premiering on Disney+ Hotstar, this groundbreaking series redefined traditional storytelling by illuminating the vision and ventures of pioneering businesses. The inaugural season of Brands of Tomorrow featured the bold and inspiring stories of visionary startups such as Power Gummies, Nasher Miles, Chowman, Regrip, Zoff Spices, and Freakins.
Building on its remarkable success and widespread acclaim on Disney+ Hotstar, Advaita Innovation Labs (AIL-India) is launching the second season of Brands of Tomorrow this Rakhi on 19 August on Disney+Hotstar.
The forthcoming season promises to revolutionise the business and enterprise narrative landscape, blending cinematic excellence with compelling storytelling to showcase the dynamic fusion of innovation, purpose, and profitability that defines contemporary Indian entrepreneurship.
Brands of Tomorrow founder Suchayan Mandal stated, “When we launched Brands of Tomorrow last year, we faced significant challenges convincing others of the importance of long-form content for founders. However, the overwhelming response we now see—evident in our overflowing inboxes and the strong turnout at our founder meetups—underscores the vital role of showcasing founders' success stories in a cinematic narrative. Brands of Tomorrow is not just about data; it's about humanising the stories of founders and inspiring India to believe in the power of entrepreneurial dreams.”
In Brands of Tomorrow (BOT) – Season 2, they claim to have elevated their selection criteria compared to the previous season. Following the success of their debut, they report a significant increase in inquiries via social media and during the founders' meetups (FOMO mixers) across tier one and tier two cities in India. They assert that it quickly became evident that limiting their episodes to six would no longer suffice due to the immense demand from brands and their founders. As a result, they expanded the roster to 14 episodes, each featuring a brand narrating its journey.
Selecting the featured brands was challenging, as every brand that registered demonstrated maturity in revenue, products, and business impact. They refined their selection process by prioritising compelling stories and meaningful social impact. This season, they feature brands like Wow Momo, Fit & Flex's zero-added-sugar cereals, the Virendra Sehwag-backed fintech startup GetePay, and Nilon’s, a 500-crore pickle brand. They assert that each of these brands has carved out a unique identity in the Indian market and made significant contributions to their respective categories through innovation.
In the previous season, they achieved nearly 15 million views. This season, they are targeting 25 million views, driven by the social media influence of the selected brands, each of which commands a significant following and digital presence. They are confident that, considering the combined viewership of season one and season two, they will reach 50 million views. By the end of the year, with the launch of the next season, they anticipate this number to rise to 80 million. They claim that their audience distribution is balanced, with 58 per cnet from metropolitan areas and 42 per cent from smaller towns, and that their broad appeal spans demographics, particularly within the 25- to 45-year-old age group.
Brands of Tomorrow show designer Sayantani Chakrabarty stated, “We are redefining how the stories of Indian founders are told. At a time when founders are emerging as India's newest icons, various platforms—ranging from funding-focused reality shows to podcasts and social media videos—are striving to capture and share their inspiring journeys. With our show's prestigious reach, it was imperative that we craft an approach that reflects the leadership values of these founders and resonates deeply with our audience. To achieve this, we employed the 'rule of thirds' in filming the interviews, a technique commonly used in global Netflix documentaries, to create a sense of awe and gravitas around featured founders. Our production is meticulously crafted to offer a cinematic experience, allowing viewers to engage with the content relaxed and immersively. The goal is to deliver a masterclass in entrepreneurship, offering genuine insights from India’s business legends through Brands of Tomorrow.”
Advaita Innovation Labs claims to have developed intellectual properties like Brands of Tomorrow and Gods of Gourmet in collaboration with Disney+ Hotstar. Following the response to Brands of Tomorrow Seasons 1 and 2, AIL India is preparing for a third season. Additionally, they claim there is significant interest from SMEs, the backbone of India's economy. This Diwali, they will debut Brands of Tomorrow: Rising Bharat—a series where SMEs will share their stories on Disney+ Hotstar.
Among the 14 brands featured in season two, they highlight an 86-year-old grandfather who launched the hair oil brand Avimee from his apartment in Surat. Disillusioned with sugar-laden cereals, a marathon runner created Fit & Flex, a brand offering zero-added-sugar cereals. A former CMO at a media company left her career to start Koparo, a laundry detergent brand aimed at protecting her daughter. Inspired by the tragic loss of her sister to a brain illness, one woman founded Neuphony, a company that develops brain-wearable devices for monitoring brain health. Additionally, four friends established a 3,000 crore momo brand, and a second-generation entrepreneur expanded a pickle business to a 500 crore enterprise.
Brands of Tomorrow is an IP they claim is crafted to elevate D2C brands by amplifying their operations and market presence across India. The show’s concept centers on sharing these brands' narratives through their founders' voices, fostering strong brand recall and recognition. Leveraging Hotstar's precision targeting technology, they assert that they effectively reach the ideal audience, a feature highly valued by the participating founders. Additionally, they are planning to launch regional editions of Brands of Tomorrow, tailored to resonate with diverse linguistic and cultural segments across the country.
AIL India is also developing several new IPs to launch later this year, including Brands of Tomorrow Season 3 and Brands of Tomorrow: Rising Bharat.
