Brands
Asian Paints damp proof shields Old Trafford pitch
MUMBAI – In a unique activation, Asian Paints Damp Proof – India’s leading waterproofing solution has branded the cricket rain pitch cover at Old Trafford stadium during the recent India vs. England Test match. This crucial rain shield, which protects the cricket pitch from sudden downpours and ensures minimal game delays, became a powerful symbol of Asian Paints Damp Proof’s leadership in waterproofing, much like how the brand protects millions of Indian homes from water damage.
Partnering with FCB Kinnect, Asian Paints brilliantly leveraged cricket’s rain delays, a cultural moment followed intensely across India, to demonstrate the brand’s promise of protection.
Cricket in India is more than just a sport, it’s a shared passion that unites over a billion people. Yet, rain delays often bring matches to a halt, creating moments of tension and anticipation that dominate conversations nationwide. By owning the stadium’s rain pitch cover, Asian Paints Damp Proof turned these rain interruptions into a live demonstration of its expertise, protecting the very heart of the game – the pitch.
Asian Paints MD & CEO Amit Syngle said, “Cricket is deeply loved in India, and when rain interrupts a match, it creates a moment everyone talks about. As India’s leading waterproofing solutions brand, we leveraged this moment to demonstrate our expertise where it truly counts. By integration on the cricket rain pitch cover, we reinforced our promise of protection in the most impactful way.”
FCB Kinnect CEO Rohan Mehta added, “Brand leaders lead conversations, rather than join them. We saw the rain interruption and turned it into a moment of brand truth, and it became a real-time demonstration of the brand’s promise. At FCB Kinnect, this is the kind of creative integration we thrive on – culturally resonant and undeniably effective.”
Neville Shah, CCO, FCB Kinnect, said, “Rain is truly frustrating when it comes to cricket. Covering the pitch to keep it dry, has always been a part of the sport. Spotting the media opportunity with a seamless connection to our core proposition is what makes the idea truly stand out. It’s not just ANY sponsorship. It’s relevant.”
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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.
