MAM
ESPN Star Sports in sponsorship deal with Castrol
MUMBAI: Pan Asian sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has announced that Castrol has signed up as the title sponsor for its show, Castrol Football Crazy. Hosted by Jamie Yeo and new face Henry Golding, the show offers football humour and entertainment. New segments of the show will include Jamie’s Wag School, Desperate Footballers. Viewers will also be treated to football gossip on Football Shots and Henry’s Horror-scope, which takes a morbid look at famous footballers celebrating their birthdays. Castrol regional marketing director for Asia and Pacific Lubricants AS Ramchander said, “We are delighted to be the title sponsor for Castrol Football Crazy. As the official FIFA World Cup Sponsor till 2014 in Brazil, we are gearing up for next year’s tournament in South Africa by building our association with the Beautiful Game. We are confident that Castrol Football Crazy is the ideal broadcast platform to communication to football fans and to strengthen our brand’s association with football.” In addition to commercials and on-air billboard branding, Castrol will get customised content on the show to tie in with their World Cup assets such as Castrol Ultimate Player where hosts play football gods every week to put together the anatomy of the perfect footballer and Castrol Index, an analysis of the best, and worst, movers and shakers in world football. ESS senior VP, advertising and digital media sales Charles Less says, “We’re excited to have Castrol onboard as the title sponsor for Football Crazy. This is classic example of a well-executed creative that is customised for a client in terms of content relevance and presentation. Engaging the viewer remains top priority but leveraging on Castrol World Cup Assets and integrating them as part of the football content is also essential for success to be realised by all parties.”
MAM
BLS International launches #VisaReady campaign to guide applicants
Initiative targets visa myths, delays and rejections with practical guidance
MUMBAI: Visa woes may soon meet their match because paperwork, it seems, is finally getting a user manual. BLS International has rolled out a new awareness drive, #VisaReadyWithBLSInternational, aimed at simplifying the often confusing visa application process and reducing delays caused by misinformation and incomplete documentation. The campaign, led across social media platforms, zeroes in on a long-standing pain point for travellers: lack of clarity around procedures, timelines and requirements. By offering step-by-step guidance, documentation checklists and clear Dos and Don’ts, the initiative attempts to turn what is typically a stressful process into a more predictable one.
At its core, the campaign also seeks to bust common myths that frequently derail applications issues that often lead to avoidable rejections or last-minute complications. The idea is to equip applicants with practical, actionable insights so they can plan better and submit stronger applications within expected timelines.
The push will not remain limited to digital channels. BLS International plans to extend the initiative across its Visa Application Centres globally, reinforcing awareness at key touchpoints where applicants engage with the process.
BLS International joint managing director Shikhar Aggarwal framed the campaign as more than a communication exercise, emphasising the company’s attempt to embed guidance and preparedness into every stage of the applicant journey.
Operating in over 70 countries and working with more than 46 client governments including embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions, the company has built a sizeable footprint in visa and consular services. With this campaign, it is now leaning into education as much as execution, signalling that in the world of visas, clarity might just be the new currency.
