Connect with us

Technology

Bare Bones Collective turns Ganesh Chaturthi’s ‘Morya’ chant into an interactive campaign for BigBasket

Published

on

The Morya Meter transformed a giant modak into a functioning decibel meter, drawing 5,000+ participants, 10,000+ attempts and a 120-decibel “Morya” in Mumbai

MUMBAI, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Creative agency Bare Bones Collective transformed one of Ganesh Chaturthi’s most instinctive traditions into an interactive brand experience for BigBasket with the Morya Meter; a giant modak fitted with a functioning decibel meter that invited Mumbaikars at Carter Road to shout “Morya” and compete to see who could register the loudest response.

The campaign was rooted in a simple cultural observation: someone says “Ganpati Bappa” and everyone around instinctively responds with “Morya”  loudly and collectively. Rather than create another piece of festive communication for audiences to passively consume, Bare Bones turned something people already do and love doing into the experience itself.

The modak was equally intentional. Synonymous with Ganesh Chaturthi as both an offering and festive essential, it created a natural connection to BigBasket as a destination for Ganesh Chaturthi essentials.

Girish Narayandass, Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Bare Bones Collective, said, “The best cultural ideas often come from noticing something people already do instinctively. You say ‘Ganpati Bappa’ and everyone around responds with ‘Morya!’  loudly and collectively. We didn’t want to manufacture a festive behaviour for the brand; we wanted to build upon one that already belonged to people. The Morya Meter came from asking one very simple question: what if we could actually measure that energy?”

From an idea to a giant modak in two weeks

Bare Bones Collective had just two weeks between locking the idea and taking it live.

The agency partnered with MOMS Outdoor to turn the concept into a functioning installation, while Sujay Kulkarni and team captured the unscripted reactions on ground, allowing the physical activation to extend onto social media.

The team initially set the challenge at 90 decibels. That benchmark didn’t last long.

Participants began returning for multiple attempts, trying to beat their own scores and one another’s. Soon, queues began forming around the giant modak.

Over the course of the activation, more than 5,000 people stepped up to the Morya Meter, clocking over 10,000 attempts. The loudest “Morya” eventually hit 120 decibels.

The Morya Meter was born from BigBasket’s brief to break through the sameness of festive communication around Ganesh Chaturthi. The brand wanted an on-ground activation that could build awareness and brand love while reinforcing BigBasket as a destination for Ganesh Chaturthi essentials and an idea that could travel organically from the street to social media.

The campaign also builds on an existing relationship between BigBasket and Bare Bones Collective, with the agency having previously worked on the brand’s performance campaigns. BigBasket’s collaborative approach and willingness to explore unconventional ideas gave Bare Bones the creative freedom to move beyond conventional festive advertising and turn a cultural insight into a participative brand experience.

About Bare Bones Collective

Bare Bones Collective is an independent creative agency founded by Girish Narayandass, Anuya Jakatdar and Swati Dua, built on the belief that great brands are built through audacious work. A team of communication problem solvers, Bare Bones is led by the idea first and the medium second, creating work across film, outdoor, digital, social, influencer, experiential, 360-degree and performance marketing.

In under four years, the agency has worked with 20+ brands, including Google, Prime Video, Nykaa, BigBasket and CEEW, with its work generating 500 million+ views and appearing across 250+ billboards.

Website: https://www.barebonescollective.com/ 

For Media/Interviews contact:

Dhvani Zatakia | PRwallahs
M: +91 99206 20987 | E: dzatakia@prwallahs.com

 

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/bare-bones-collective-turns-ganesh-chaturthis-morya-chant-into-an-interactive-campaign-for-bigbasket-302889551.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Applied Quantum Software Brings AQS FabriQ to IBM Quantum Network

Published

on

By

Quantum finance company Applied Quantum Software is bringing the AQS FabriQ quantum software development platform to the industry-leading IBM Quantum Network.

SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — San Francisco Bay Area-based quantum software company Applied Quantum Software (AQS) has announced that it has joined the IBM Quantum Network startup program. The IBM Quantum Network is a global community of more than 325 member organizations working to advance quantum computing and explore practical applications across industries. Members of the IBM Quantum Network have access to a range of IBM quantum computers, software, and other resources.

“A recent study by McKinsey indicates that quantum computing is expected to deliver roughly half a trillion dollars in economic value to the finance sector by 2035. AQS will help bring this timeline forward.”

Applied Quantum Software works with a variety of organizations, especially finance companies, to develop software algorithms optimized for near-term quantum computers. The company has created AQS FabriQ, an easy-to-use software development platform. The platform includes data integration, quantum computer and simulator integration, and benchmarking capabilities. AQS FabriQ supports the creation and deployment of native quantum and quantum-inspired software alongside their classical counterparts.

Applied Quantum Software founder Tom Finke commented, “A recent study by McKinsey indicates that quantum computing is expected to deliver roughly half a trillion dollars in economic value to the finance sector by 2035. Published papers, as well as our efforts at AQS, represent solid progress on the journey toward quantum advantage for finance. By engaging directly with leading quantum computing providers such as IBM, by empowering customers via AQS FabriQ, and through cutting-edge work on relevant algorithms, AQS will help bring this timeline forward.”

AQS offers organizations access to AQS FabriQ for exploratory efforts, including the opportunity to use IBM Heron and IBM Nighthawk quantum processing units (QPUs) available over the cloud, alongside the open source Qiskit software development kit, Qiskit Runtime, and OpenQASM.

About Applied Quantum Software

Applied Quantum Software (AQS) is a quantum-finance software company headquartered in San Mateo, California. AQS FabriQ is a platform enabling quantitative teams to catalog financial datasets and use cases, run quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms, and rigorously benchmark them against the best classical methods for applications in finance. Learn more at https://aqs.one.

Media Contact

Floyd smith, Applied Quantum Software, 1 510-290-2227, floyd@aqs.one, www.aqs.one

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/applied-quantum-software-brings-aqs-fabriq-to-ibm-quantum-network-302889806.html

SOURCE Applied Quantum Software

Continue Reading

Technology

CGTN: Why the world is watching the Xi-Trump meeting: Steering China-US ties, shaping the future

Published

on

By

CGTN published an article on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States. Drawing on the stories of young Americans who have engaged with China and Xi’s latest announcement inviting 100,000 young Americans to China over the next five years, the article highlights how head-of-state diplomacy is shaping the direction of China-US ties while examining the broader global significance of cooperation between the two countries.

BEIJING, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For Marlon Forrester and Joey Zhang, a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping brought an unexpected reply.

The two were among nearly 100 students from 10 US universities who recently participated in youth exchanges in China. After the trip, they wrote to Xi to share what they had seen and experienced. A reply arrived on the eve of Xi’s state visit to the United States.

In an exclusive interview with CGTN, Forrester, a Harvard faculty member, and Zhang, a Columbia University student, said the experience made them feel part of a new generation carrying forward exchanges between the two countries. They described Xi’s engagement with young people as “planting seeds” and “laying a foundation” for future exchanges.

There may be many more such stories ahead. At a White House welcome ceremony on September 24, Xi announced that China will invite 100,000 young Americans to visit China for exchanges and study over the next five years.

This commitment highlights how high-level decisions translate into the real-life experiences of ordinary people and further illustrates why the world is watching as China and the US shape the future of their relationship.

Steering the course of China-US ties

Frequent interactions between Xi and US President Donald Trump in 2026 have steadily steered the giant ship of China-US relations forward.

During a phone call in February, Xi and Trump agreed to “accomplish more big things and good things,” with Xi urging both nations to make 2026 a year of advancing toward mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.

Three months later, Trump visited China. The two presidents spent nearly nine hours together and reached a milestone political consensus to build “a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.”

For Xi, setting the direction is only the beginning. “Building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability is neither an expedient measure nor something that can be achieved overnight,” he told Trump in Washington, calling on both sides to implement their consensus with the “spirit of driving the nail.”

That effort is reflected in flourishing people-to-people ties. From students at Lincoln High School in Washington State to youth groups from Maryland and Florida, Xi has repeatedly responded to letters and encouraged young people to become a new generation of friendship envoys.

Economic ties offer another solid foundation. According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, as of July 2026, US companies had established over 84,000 foreign-invested enterprises in China, with investment growing 7.8% year on year in the first half of the year. A survey of 175 US companies by the US-China Business Council revealed that 95% viewed their China operations as vital to global competitiveness.

Responsibility extending beyond two countries

The stakes of the China-US relationship extend far beyond Beijing and Washington.

At the White House, Xi said “China-US cooperation may not solve every problem in the world. But, without our cooperation, it would be hard to solve many of the world’s problems.”

He called on both sides to “lengthen the list of cooperation, and shorten the list of issues,” pointing to areas ranging from trade and investment to artificial intelligence, counternarcotics, law enforcement and direct flights.

Sun Taiyi, an associate professor at Christopher Newport University, noted that bilateral cooperation reduces market uncertainty, manages tech risks, and improves crisis communication. “Even limited cooperation can generate important positive spillovers for global stability.”

AI governance is drawing particular global focus. “Both China and the United States are leading nations in artificial intelligence,” Xi said in the meeting, emphasizing their shared responsibility to ensure AI remains “under human control and serves the well-being of the people.”

Wang Honggang, director of the Institute of Peaceful Development at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, added that joint AI governance would be a prime example of China-US cooperation benefiting the world.

Global public opinion reflects these stakes. A CGTN survey across 39 countries showed that 75% of respondents – rising to 78.3% in developing nations – consider stable China-US relations vital to the international community.

With China hosting the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and the US hosting the G20 Summit this year, global focus will closely follow how the two leaders interact, sustain communication, and expand cooperation.

As Xi put it in his White House speech, “China and the United States, as two major countries, shoulder a historic responsibility of advancing human development and progress.”

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-09-25/Why-the-world-is-watching-the-Xi-Trump-meeting-1QIgAZq6BMY/p.html 

SOURCE CGTN

Continue Reading

Technology

ICAC and UNODC’s pioneering international anti-graft training brings together law enforcers worldwide to combat illicit enrichment

Published

on

By

HONG KONG, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The ICAC, the Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) jointly organised the pioneering “Professional Development Programme on Unmasking Hidden Wealth: Strengthening Investigations into Illicit Enrichment” from September 7 to 16, drawing participation of 35 graft-fighters and law enforcers from 19 jurisdictions to expound on investigation of illicit enrichment crimes.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the programme, Acting Commissioner Mr Ricky Yau Shu-chun said, “Illicit enrichment strikes at the heart of public trust and institutional integrity. When public officials accumulate unlawful wealth, it deprives communities of vital development opportunities. Graft fighters must crack down this crime to restore justice, uphold accountability, and safeguard economic foundations. Tracing, exposing, and recovering illicit assets of public officials is far more than a technical skill, it is the fundamental imperative for safeguarding the rule of law and preserving the integrity of the global financial architecture.”

Yau also noted that investigators worldwide required advanced and forward-looking learning opportunities to tackle illicit enrichment. He encouraged participants to share their diverse experiences and forge the professional networks to unmask hidden wealth for advancing a just and equitable world.

Chief Law Enforcement and Strategic Networks Section of the UNODC, Mr Neil Walsh, said in the ceremony that investigators’ ability to track, freeze and recover illicit enrichment is of utmost importance. He anticipated that the strategic partnership between the UNODC and the ICAC would help various law enforcement agencies nurture new experience, thus enabling better investigation and intelligence.

The 10-day course is a specialised training co-hosted by the ICAC and the UNODC with a focus on specific corruption area. Previous courses co-organised include the “Professional Development Programme on Financial Investigation and Asset Recovery” and “Professional Development Programme on Empowering Integrity: Mastering Artificial Intelligence & Technologies in Anti-Corruption“, etc. The present course focused on the exchange and application of investigation experience. Through seminars, case studies and exchanges, directorates and forensic accountants of the Commission examined relevant legal frameworks, tracing of illicit assets, modus operandi of money laundering, crypto-related crimes and relevant preventive measures with course participants.

Speakers from international organisations, academics and industry experts were invited for professional knowledge sharing. While the Basel Institute on Governance from Switzerland examined the strategies and practical challenges in tracing illicit assets, the Hong Kong Jockey Club shared their insights on preventing money laundering of crime proceeds from gambling. Moreover, the City University of Hong Kong illustrated the criminal psychology of illicit enrichment, and blockchain specialist expounded on tracing crime proceeds in crypto transactions, etc. Participants became well-versed in illicit enrichment investigation, asset tracing, latest financial crime trend and application of effective investigative skills.

The course also featured a four-day study tour to Guangzhou, during which participants visited relevant law enforcement agency and large enterprises, gaining first-hand experience on how to identify, manage and investigate illicit enrichment, as well as corresponding measures and practical challenges in law enforcement, etc. Participants also visited the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, where participants exchanged with legislative councillors over the work on the fight against corruption and asset recovery.

The training attracted middle and senior management officials from law enforcement departments and policymakers from 19 countries and regions, including Indonesia, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritius, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nigeria, Oman, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Tonga and Ukraine. Also attending the programme are officials from the Guangdong Provincial Commission of Supervision, the UNODC Regional Corruption and Financial Crime Hub for South-East Asia and the Pacific, the Commission Against Corruption of Macao SAR, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Customs and Excise Department, the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/icac-and-unodcs-pioneering-international-anti-graft-training-brings-together-law-enforcers-worldwide-to-combat-illicit-enrichment-302890057.html

SOURCE The Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong, China

Continue Reading

Trending