MAM
A R Rahman is brand ambassador for JBL products
NEW DELHI: JBL, a brand belonging to the premium global audio and infotainment group Harman, has launched its new advertising campaign for the India market with A R Rahman as the ambassador.
The brand has a legacy of more than 60 years of audio innovation to its credit and has significantly stepped up its marketing efforts in the country over the past one year.
The 360 degree campaign features Rahman in a stylish new avatar. The TV ad is a visual delight. Viewers are treated to the panoramic vista of a valley in Ladakh with a nomadic musician carrying his drums across the barren terrain which transitions to bamboo being cut to make flutes in a lush green forest in Thailand, a guitar being strung in a workshop bathed in the warm glow of flickering lamps and finally, one arrives at a pristine white living room where the maestro is sitting, strumming a guitar and surrounded by a range of JBL products.
“The message we wanted to give through the ad was that the soul of the music, regardless of the instrument, is brought to the listener in the purest form by JBL. An artist pours his or her heart and soul into a composition and JBL helps carry that untainted sound to the ears of the listener so that they hear every note the way the artist intended,” explains Sameer Shah, Marketing Director, Harman (India), when asked about the concept behind the ad.
Both Edward Anthony, Creative Director of Stirred Creative, the agency that conceived of the ad and Kabir Sadanand, Director of the production house Frog Unlimited, were in concurrence that the ad had to be a feast for the senses and that each frame had to be picture postcard perfect in order to reflect the purity of sound that is synonymous with the brand.
The aesthetics have been kept very earthy and organic and the music composed by Rahman complements it beautifully. It starts off with the sound of the elements (the wind and rain) and gradually, the music of each instrument that is shown coming to life, blends in seamlessly.
“The team has put in a lot of effort into the creation of this ad and the results are for everyone to see,” said Mr. Anand Ramamoorthy, Country Head and Managing Director, Harman (India). “People are going to see a lot more of the brand in the coming days, as we continuously step up our marketing efforts,” he added.
Rahman, who has been a user of JBL equipment from almost the inception of his career, was signed on as the brand ambassador for India in October last year. The ad is an extension of JBL’s global Hear the Truth campaign, which features a legendary assortment of musical icons revered across the world ranging from popular US rock band Maroon 5, China’s ‘King of Pop’ Liu Huan and multiple GRAMMY award winner, Paul McCartney.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
