The company is a joint venture between Rediffusion DYR, which is part of the WPP Group and ex-cricketer turned commentator Ravi Shastri.

The Mumbai-based company will offer a range of services covering
different fields such as films, music, sports, fashion, art and literature. The services provided will include promotion of talent, endorsement and film placement.

Showdiff Worldwide joins the Rediffusion Group that includes The Media Edge, Rediffusion DYR, Everest Advertising and Rediffusion PR. Rediffusion has stated that this makes it the country's first ad agency to offer its clients a completely integrated communications package.

Showdiff Worldwide will also have offices in Singapore, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and the Middle East besides other Indian Metros like Delhi. The privately-owned company has a registered capital of Rs 2.5 million.

Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Shastri, who is the company's vice-chairman, said, "Showdiff Worldwide has been in the pipeline for the past couple of years and I thought that to get involved with a set up like Rediffusion was a great opportunity. With their broad-based infrastructure the company will be able to offer global standards to its clients."

As for his responsibilities, he said, "I will play an active role in the company. Our aim is to promote, create and market events as well as talent. One of the main challenges facing talent-management in
India today is to identify new talent. Picking up someone from nowhere will give us a special thrill. We will give him/her the help they require and take them to the top. The pitch we make to clients we have approached depends on what we have on offer for them."

He continued, "We are open to work with everybody. We are in the business of being able to work with all talent. This will include bringing talent from outside the country as well as taking our talents and marketing them abroad. We are not in the business of signing up players. So even if someone already has an agency we can still jump in and make a healthy contribution."

Shastri also explained that talent is a broad spectrum and does not just pertain to cricket. "They could be chess players, hockey players, artists or singers and not necessarily stars. It could even
be a curvy model who we decide to represent. As far as
sports events are concerned Formula One and Golf are
definite possibilities."

Shastri declined to name people with whom discussions were currently taking place. The company also has a couple of big-ticket events in the pipeline "but right now it is too early to mention anything," he said. He anticipated matters to become clear by November-December.

Announcements regarding talent will be made in a month's time, Shastri said. He also said that the company was in a position to help television channels like ESPN Star Sports, Doordarshan market their events and help broadcasters gain leverage.

Shastri clarified that he would continue to be a part of WorldTel's celebrity management cell and pointed out that Sachin Tendulkar was very much exclusive to them.

The chairman of Rediffusion DYR Diwan Arun Nanda said, "The key strengths of the new company is the ability to bring about synergies between advertising, sports and the entertainment industry. Showdiff Worldwide will use this professional and holistic approach. At all times special emphasis will be placed on structuring USPs and creating long-term brand properties for all forms of talents and events that Showdiff Worldwide chooses to promote."