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
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
