iWorld
Eros Now joins hands with RCB for IPL debut
MUMBAI: Eros Now has made its debut in IPL 11 as the title sponsor of Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The digital venture of Eros International is the first over-the-top (OTT) platform to become the lead sponsor of a league team in the world’s premier T20 event. Though there is a speculation that the deal is worth Rs 54 crore, the company declined to comment on the number.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Eros Now COO Ali Hussein said that the deal with RCB was a media brand association, entailing the meeting of sports and entertainment meet via T20.
“The innovation with RCB is a perfect mélange of sports and entertainment and enables our endeavour to connect with our youth and offer a consumer experience bringing stars from the cricketing and Bollywood world together. By integrating with RCB and T20, Eros Now is investing in other entertainment vehicles to share our vision and passion of presenting the best in entertainment. RCB have garnered tremendous support and confidence in their partners and fans and we wish the team good luck this season, ” said Eros Digital CEO Rishika Lulla Singh.
For Eros Now, the deal brings together the synergies entertainment and sports thanks to the snacky nature of the T20 format.
Eros Now has replaced mobile handset brand Gionee, a brand that was associated with the team in 2017 IPL. Last year, Gionee was the first brand ever to sponsor front jerseys of two IPL teams—Kolkata Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals—in the same edition. But the company has decided to stay away for this year’s edition of IPL.
“We are delighted to have a leading entertainment entity like Eros Now on board as RCB’s title sponsor. Entertainment and cricket have always been India’s biggest passion points and the synergy that this partnership will create is definitely going to up the excitement quotient among fans and viewers,” RCB chairman Amrit Thomas said.
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iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
