Brands
A23 unveils Shah Rukh Khan as its brand ambassador
Mumbai: Homegrown online skill gaming company Head Digital Works has roped in Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan as the brand ambassador for its online multi-gaming platform – A23.
The actor will feature in A23’s ‘Chalo Saath Khele’ campaign along with a first of its kind responsible gaming campaign, which showcases the brand’s all-new multi-gaming platform which includes various games of skill such as rummy, fantasy sports, carom and pool, announced the company on Wednesday.
“We truly believe that Shah Rukh Khan represents what our platform stands for both in terms of our brand and our players ― self-made champions who display a high degree of professionalism and skill in their game,” stated Head Digital Works founder and CEO Deepak Gullapalli. “As a global superstar, who has always connected well with all segments of the audience and society, we believe that Shah Rukh will help elevate our brand and win the hearts of millions of Indians who relate to using their skills to win.”
“The Chalo Saath Khele campaign brings to life the narrative of various types of gamers on A23 through the magic of Shah Rukh Khan that promises to enthrall fans of King Khan and make A23 a household name in India,” he further said.
As part of this campaign, A23 aims to take a stand in the industry to share the message of playing responsibly and indulging in safe online gaming practices for users across all online gaming platforms.
“I am delighted to represent a pioneering brand like A23 and also be a part of India’s first of its kind online gaming campaign that pro-actively initiates the messaging of responsible gaming. A23 has always aimed at providing a premium but an inclusive platform for skill gaming enthusiasts,” commented Shah Rukh Khan on his association with A23, adding, “Just like any other form of entertainment, I would urge all online gamers to indulge at their leisure, but responsibly.”
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
