Brands
BrandStorytelling and Mipcom Cannes ink deal to deep dive into branded content
MUMBAI: Hold onto your monocles, folks, because a rather smashing partnership has just been announced that’s set to shake up the world of television and streaming content. BrandStorytelling, the doyen of brand-funded programming, is teaming up with the illustrious Mipcom Cannes 2025 for a first-of-its-kind summit on the French Riviera this October.
For a decade, BrandStorytelling, under the astute direction of producer, publisher, and media entrepreneur Rick Parkhill, has been charming the Sundance Film Festival with its ground breaking summits, nurturing the art of brand-funded narratives. Its latest January shindig in Park City, Utah, saw a grand gathering of over 450 industry glitterati, including global brands like Ancestry, L’Oréal Paris, and PepsiCo, alongside platform giants such as WBD, Meta, and YouTube, and even content creators like Sean Evans and the dynamic duo Rhett & Link. They all converged to showcase the finest case studies and strategies for crafting stories that truly boost brand affinity and growth.
Now, the show is coming to Cannes! A jointly programmed, two-day summit will unfold at the Palais des Festivals across Monday, 13 October, and Tuesday, 14 October. This will be a veritable melting pot for brands, content creators, and television creatives, all with the noble aim of conceiving, producing, and financing fresh, brand-led stories. Expect a whirlwind of showcases, networking opportunities, and, crucially, deal-making – because in this business, it’s all about the quid pro quo. Further tantalising details are set to be unveiled in the coming weeks and months.
Mipcom Cannes & Mip Junior director Lucy Smith waxed lyrical about the new venture: “Brands are sashaying beyond traditional advertising, stepping up as bona fide storytellers, both churning out and commissioning their very own series across every genre imaginable.” She added, with a flourish, “This partnership immediately delivers a one-stop-shop for brands, brand studios, and agencies to rub shoulders with over 10,000 entertainment executives from over 100 countries. In turn, it conjures up fresh opportunities for new funding, co-production, and distribution deals for producers and platforms. As the world’s largest content and co-production market, the time is right to create a home for brands at Mipcom Cannes.”
Rick Parkhill, never one to be outdone, chimed in, “Brands are increasingly pulling the strings behind some of the biggest stories gracing our screens internationally. Mipcom Cannes is the unmissable global television market, which makes it the ideal partner and business platform for brands to further integrate into the global content ecosystem, alongside the biggest studios and television companies from around the world. This two-day international summit will explore novel ways to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the ever-evolving landscape of brand-funded content.”
And for those who can’t get enough of this brand-fuelled bonanza, BrandStorytelling also stages ‘Elevate’ at Sundance Mountain Resort. This annual summer retreat, strictly limited to a mere 125 participants, returns from 14-17 July, 2025, promising three days of workshops, screenings, keynote presentations, and an abundance of networking, collaboration, and deal-making opportunities.
Mipcom Cannes, for its part, continues to reign as the world’s biggest and most impactful television and streaming content market, having drawn over 10,500 delegates from more than 100 countries last year. Its week-long programme is nothing short of a defining moment for the TV industry each year.
Brands
Malaika Arora launches accessories brand Maejoy
The Bollywood star’s lifestyle brand, built with Myntra and Exceed Entertainment, promises aspirational fashion without the high price tag
MUMBAI: Malaika Arora is not the first Bollywood star to put her name on a brand, and she will not be the last. But Maejoy, the accessories label she has launched in partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private Limited (MJIPL) and talent outfit Exceed Entertainment, at least has a sharper pitch than most. The brand drops with 250-plus styles spanning handbags and lab-grown diamond jewellery, two categories that sit squarely in the sweet spot between aspiration and affordability, and lands on Myntra’s platform from day one, putting it in front of millions of shoppers without breaking a sweat.
The handbag range covers the full gamut: crossbody bags, structured shoulder bags, bucket bags, totes, workwear classics, backpacks and clutches, rendered in synthetic leather, raffia, braids, satin, rhinestone and metallic finishes. The jewellery line runs to rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and tennis bracelets in silver, gold and rose-gold tones, set in 925 sterling silver with IGI and GCI certified lab-grown diamonds. The brand’s guiding philosophy, “The Joy of Being Me,” stakes its claim on individuality and self-expression; its three brand pillars, Authentic, Empowering, Accessible, are the usual suspects, though the lab-grown diamond bet is savvier than it sounds. Lab-grown stones now sell at a fraction of the price of mined ones, and the category is growing fast in India as younger buyers wise up to the arbitrage.
“Maejoy is a labour of love. Throughout my career, whether on screen, in business, or through my personal style, I’ve championed the idea that fashion should be empowering yet effortless. The brand aims to democratise global fashion trends while offering women something that extends the feeling of luxury every day, be it a lab-grown diamond or a perfectly crafted handbag,” said Malaika Arora, founder of Maejoy
MJIPL, the B2B wholesale arm of Myntra, is putting its design and brand-building muscle behind the venture. Suman Saha, chief experience officer and head of house of brands at MJIPL, was bullish on the tie-up.
“Maejoy brings together Malaika Arora’s distinctive style perspective with a strong proposition in the accessible yet elevated accessories space. We believe the brand’s fashion-forward designs and thoughtful positioning will connect strongly with discerning consumers.”
Suman Saha, chief experience officer, head of house of brands, MJIPL
Afsar Zaidi, chief executive of Exceed Entertainment, the talent management firm that helped broker the deal, has worked with MJIPL before and was characteristically direct about what makes Arora an unusually bankable partner.
“Building celebrity-led brands requires a delicate balance of authenticity and market viability. Malaika is a rare talent who commands equal respect as a fashion icon and a savvy businesswoman. We are proud to facilitate this partnership that brings together her creative clout and Myntra’s brand-building excellence,” said Zaidi
Celebrity fashion brands live or die on one question: does the star actually wear it, or is the cheque the only thing they signed? Arora, who has spent three decades as one of Bollywood’s most-watched style references, has at least built a plausible case. Maejoy is live now on www.myntra.com and the Myntra app. The real test, whether shoppers buy the handbag or just the hype, starts today.
