Ad Campaigns
Sony Sports Network-Akon drop the beat on “Iss Baar Drugs Ki Haar”
MUMBAI: Drugs might give you a fleeting high, but can they match the adrenaline rush of a game-winning goal or a last-second slam dunk?
Sony Sports Network is stepping back into the ring with a knockout move—this time, they’ve got global music icon Akon in their corner! The five-time Grammy nominee is bringing the beats to the battle, lending his track Akon’s Beautiful Day (Konvict Kulture / 9122 Records) to the third phase of “Iss Baar Drugs Ki Haar”. The game plan? Crystal clear: Ditch the drugs, pick up a ball, and play for the win—because real champions choose sports, not shortcuts!
The “Iss Baar Drugs Ki Haar” campaign has already struck a chord with millions, and now, Akon’s anthemic song adds a fresh wave of energy to the movement. The latest campaign film, featuring a dynamic montage of Indian sports icons, reinforces how sports provide a healthier, more fulfilling path for young minds. Inspired by the uplifting beats of Akon’s track, the campaign aims to guide the youth away from drugs and towards a life of passion and purpose.
Sony Pictures Networks India CRO – distribution & international business and head – sports business, Rajesh Kaul shared his enthusiasm for the campaign, “‘Iss Baar Drugs Ki Haar’ is more than just a campaign; it’s a mission. Having a powerhouse like Akon join us amplifies our message tenfold. ‘Akon’s Beautiful Day’ perfectly encapsulates the spirit of choosing sports over harmful distractions.”
Akon, known for hits that have transcended generations, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, “Music has the power to change lives, and I am grateful that my song can contribute to such an important cause. The world needs love and positivity, and if Akon’s Beautiful Day can inspire even one person to make the right choice, it’s a blessing.”
The song’s inspiring message and powerful beats seamlessly align with the campaign’s mission. Akon’s Beautiful Day serves as the perfect backdrop to the stories of athletes who have harnessed the power of sports to transform their lives. This collaboration underscores the belief that sports are not just a game; they are a way of life, fostering discipline, perseverance, and resilience.
Sony Sports Network has amplified the campaign across its platforms, reaching over 16 million+ social media followers. The movement continues to spread far and wide, with previous films from the campaign racking up impressive engagement numbers.
NATIONAL: Amazon Ads has laid out a sharply tech-led vision for the advertising industry in 2026, arguing that artificial intelligence, streaming TV and creator partnerships will combine to turn brand building into a more precise, performance-driven business.
At the heart of the shift, the company says, is the fusion of AI with Amazon’s vast trove of shopping, browsing and streaming signals, allowing advertisers to move beyond blunt reach metrics to campaigns designed around real customer behaviour.
“The future of advertising is not about reaching more people, but the right people with messages that resonate,” said Amazon Ads India head and vice president Girish Prabhu. “By combining AI with deep customer insights, we help brands move from broadcasting campaigns to having meaningful conversations wherever audiences spend their time.”
One of the biggest changes, according to Amazon Ads, will be the collapse of the wall between media planning and creative development. Retail media, powered by first-party data, is increasingly shaping everything from brand discovery to final purchase, pushing marketers to design campaigns around audience insight rather than internal instinct.
AI is also moving from a support tool to a creative engine. Agentic AI, which automates and accelerates production, is expected to make high-quality creative accessible even to small businesses, compressing weeks of work into hours and giving challengers the ability to compete with larger brands on speed and scale.
Behind the scenes, AI-driven analytics will take on a bigger role in campaign optimisation, identifying patterns, spotting opportunities and recommending actions that would previously have required teams of analysts.
Streaming TV is another big battleground. With India’s video streaming audience now above 600 million and connected TV users at 129.2 million in 2025, advertisers are set to treat streaming not just as a branding channel but as a performance engine, measured increasingly by sales, sign-ups and bookings rather than just reach.
Finally, Amazon Ads sees creators and contextual advertising reshaping how brands tell stories. Creators will act less like influencers and more like long-term partners, while scene-aware ads on streaming platforms will allow brands to insert hyper-relevant offers into the flow of what viewers are watching.
Taken together, Amazon Ads argues, these shifts mark a move towards advertising that is both more human and more measurable, where AI handles the complexity, and creativity does the persuading.
