MAM
Hoopr hits a global note with key leadership move
MUMBAI: Hoopr is turning up the global volume. India’s leading music licensing platform has announced the appointment of Deborah Smith as its head of international licensing & sync, signalling a bold new chapter in its global growth symphony.
Based in the UK, Smith will lead Hoopr’s international expansion, forging partnerships with global labels, boosting cross-border sync deals, and amplifying Hoopr’s 22,000 plus track catalogue of Hindi cinema, Indie, and regional music for worldwide audiences.
With marquee collaborations already in place with Yash Raj Films Music, Merchant Records, and others, Hoopr has redefined how brands and creators can legally and easily license trending Indian music. The company’s partnership with IPRS further ensures transparency and fair artist remuneration, making Hoopr a trusted bridge between creators, labels, and brands.
“Hoopr sits at the intersection of creativity and technology,” said Smith. “I’ve worked in the Indian market for years and have seen its vibrant musical pulse up close. My mission is to take that sound to new global stages.”
Hoopr co-founder and CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar called Smith’s appointment “a defining moment,” adding that her experience in publishing and sync will help the company accelerate its international ambitions and unlock new revenue streams for artists.
With over a decade of experience in the global music industry, including leadership roles at Horus Music and Anara Publishing, Smith has worked with brands like Apple, UEFA, Netflix, and Asian Paints, while championing India’s independent artists on the world stage.
For Hoopr, this move isn’t just business, it’s a beat that connects cultures. With Smith at the helm, the platform is ready to take Indian music from local playlists to global charts.
MAM
Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
