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.
MAM
One Hand Clap acquires Agenseed to enter distribution space
Creative agency expands into full-stack services with strategic buyout.
MUMBAI: One Hand Clap has decided to stop just clapping for great ideas now it wants to make sure they actually travel. The leading new-age creative agency and production house has acquired Agenseed, a seeding and distribution firm, marking its formal entry into the distribution segment. The move is aimed at expanding its role across the entire marketing value chain and unlocking new growth opportunities.
One Hand Clap expects the new distribution vertical to contribute up to 15 per cent of its overall revenues over the next 12–18 months, signalling a clear strategic shift beyond pure creative services.
Agenseed, founded by Monish Hardasani and Akram Malik, will function as the agency’s dedicated distribution arm. This acquisition strengthens One Hand Clap’s position as it aims to become a full-stack creative and distribution company in India’s rapidly growing digital advertising market.
With over 90 million posts shared daily on Instagram and brands allocating 25–35 per cent of their digital budgets to distribution and creator-led reach, amplification has become critical to campaign success. By integrating distribution early into the creative process, the agency hopes to help campaigns gain stronger cultural traction and momentum.
One Hand Clap founder Aakash Shah said, “The future of advertising is not just about executing great ideas, but about placing them intelligently. By owning both storytelling and distribution, we can drive greater impact for brands while opening up new revenue streams.”
Agenseed co-founder Monish Hardasani added, “The future belongs to ideas designed to travel. This partnership allows us to integrate distribution thinking at the source.”
Founded in 2019 by former AIB leaders Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan, One Hand Clap has worked with major brands including Swiggy, Google, Netflix India, Crocs, Duolingo, CRED, Bumble, BGMI and Chetak. The agency also secured investment from Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath last year.
In an increasingly fragmented attention economy, this acquisition reflects a broader industry shift where agencies are building end-to-end capabilities to stay competitive. One Hand Clap is clearly clapping louder and ensuring its ideas now reach much further.
