MAM
Fun Technologies’ SkillJam inks deal with Virgin Games
MUMBAI: Fun Technologies plc, a leading provider of skill gaming technology, online sports information and fantasy sports, has entered into exclusive multi-year agreements with Virgin Games Ltd through its two subsidiary companies – SkillJam Technologies Corporation and SkillJam EU Limited. This will enable SkillJam to become Virgin’s exclusive suppliers of skill-game products and services.
SkillJam will provide the largest library of skill-based games available, including leading single-player branded games such as Zuma, Bejeweled, Collapse, Solitaire and Name that Tune, as well as leading multi-player games like Pool, Chess, Checkers, Hearts and Backgammon.
SkillJam will develop, operate and support customised, Virgin-branded skill gaming websites for the US, UK, and European markets.
Fun CEO Lorne Abony said, “Virgin is one of the world’s great consumer brands. It has a tremendous track record of achievement across a host of categories, and we are proud to have been selected as Virgin’s exclusive skill games provider. Furthermore, we are thrilled to partner with them as they extend their success into the rapidly growing online gaming market. We believe that coupling the strength of the Virgin brand with the world-class gaming and user experience on the SkillJam platform will create a highly compelling gaming destination. The agreement with Virgin further underscores our commitment to worldwide expansion, growth through alternative distribution channels and partnering with leading brands.”
Virgin Games managing director Oscar Nieboer added, “This partnership is a major step in our ambition to build a destination gaming site for the mainstream market. The marriage of our brand, distribution and marketing muscle with SkillJam’s world-class technology and content will be a potent force in the market. We are very excited by our partnership with SkillJam, and it represents a significant investment for us in both Europe and North America.”
Launched in July 2004, Virgin Games is a wholly owned trading division of Virgin.com Limited. The Virgin Games website focuses on entertainment, offering a wide selection of games that can be played for fun, cash or prizes, as well as a range of unique offers not available on other sites. Part of the Virgin Group, the site is aimed at the mass-market gamer and draws on the extensive distribution network of Virgin businesses.
SkillJam is a multi-channel provider of skill-gaming technology and solutions. It develops and distributes private-label gaming solutions for a broad network of partner destination sites in the US and abroad, including AOL, MSN’s Zone.com and Disney’s Go.com.
Brands
Sting launches ‘Sound of Six’ cricket campaign
Pepsico energy drink ties signature sonic to every boundary hit with Yuvraj Singh and Ravi Shastri.
MUMBAI: Sting just turned every six into its own personal anthem because nothing says “energy” like a boundary that hits different notes. Pepsico India’s Sting energy drink has rolled out the latest chapter of its sonic branding with “Sound of Six”, a nationwide campaign syncing the brand’s signature “Sting” sound to the varying power of cricket sixes this season. The push positions Sting as the audio heartbeat of high-octane moments on the pitch, using its sonic identity to “qualify” shots from gentle lofted clears to monster maximums.
The launch film, featuring cricket legends Yuvraj Singh and Ravi Shastri, unfolds on a sunlit ground with playful banter that builds into a sequence of escalating hits. As Singh smashes the ball, he quips that the length and force of the shot should dial up the intensity of the Sting sound. Shastri’s commentary ramps up accordingly, riffing on the brand name with escalating flair to match each strike’s energy turning a simple boundary into an audible spectacle.
Pepsico India category head for energy portfolio Diksha Bajaj said, “Cricket is a major passion point in this country. Our campaign is rooted in the insight that no two sixes are the same. We set out to use the Sting sonic identity as a qualifier that redefines every hit.”
Yuvraj Singh added, “This campaign turns the feeling of hitting a six into something fans can hear. It is bold and matches the intensity of the game.”
Ravi Shastri chimed in, “Commentating on a six is an exhilarating part of the game. This campaign adds a new dimension by introducing a distinct sonic. The idea of owning the sound of every six is relatable for fans.”
Leo Burnett South Asia chief creative officer Vikram Pandey noted that pairing Singh’s power-hitting with Shastri’s iconic voice lets the brand relive cricket’s electric moments through a fresh, auditory lens.
The campaign will air across television, digital platforms, and social media, timed to catch the fever of the ongoing cricket season. For fans who live for the roar of the crowd and the crack of the bat, Sting’s betting that the next big six won’t just be seen, it’ll be heard loud and clear.
