MAM
Discovery launches enhanced marketing solutions offer across international markets
KOLKATA: Discovery is unveiling an enhanced marketing solutions offer for brand partners across its international markets that truly unites the company’s sports offering with its real life entertainment portfolio into a single proposition. The move builds on the global launch of Discovery’s definitive real-life subscription streaming service, discovery+, in January.
For the first time, this gives brand partners the opportunity to access all of Discovery’s rich content, on all of its platforms, across every global market, through one central buying point. Clients can now connect with Discovery’s entire audience through any of its offerings, including its leading multi-sport brand Eurosport and passion verticals such as the Global Cycling Network (GCN).
As part of the redefined and integrated offer, Discovery has also reimagined its creative brand solutions capability, within its marketing offer, to enhance content opportunities available to international client partners. Discovery’s creative studio is already delivering new creative content together with some of the world’s biggest brands, helping them to connect with their audiences at scale in a deeper and more meaningful way.
A suite of marketing solutions will be presented for brands to allow them to achieve engagement at scale across the widest portfolio of platforms including via digital content, social media, long and short-form content, product placement, sponsorship, and technology partnerships.
Eurosport head – sports marketing solutions Mike Rich said, “Today is a monumental step for our sports offer as we fully unify our international marketing solutions and advertising-sales within the broader offering of the Discovery family. We believe this will further strengthen our market-leading proposition and help brands tell their stories at scale, supporting them to deliver against communications goals which positively impacts their business objectives.
“As we head towards back-to-back Olympic Games and deliver the international rollout of discovery+, our partners can now fully take advantage of an enhanced marketing solutions offer which connects sport to the most comprehensive range of real life categories, including home, adventure, travel, food, nature, environment and science. This not only offers more ways to inform, fascinate and inspire, but allows brands to call on us to engage both the most passionate and broadest audiences they want to target.”
Discovery’s marketing solutions and advertising-sales business already features global clients on its roster, including across its unrivalled sports offering:
· Bridgestone, which became the headline sponsor of Eurosport’s Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 coverage.
· Brand USA – extending Discovery’s partnership with the public-private organisation that promotes the United States as a premier travel destination, delivering marketing and advertising solutions across Discovery’s platforms, including to sports fans through Eurosport.
· Goodyear, which agreed a multi-year partnership with Eurosport around its world-class motorsport coverage and promotion.
· Zwift, which is Eurosport and GCN’s largest partner for its comprehensive cycling coverage across the widest range of events.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
