Brands
JBL blurs the line between real and surreal with powerful sound and incredible design
Mumbai: In a crowded landscape of branded content and commercials, differentiation is one of the biggest differentiating factors. Recognising this, audio giant JBL (from the house of HARMAN) has ingeniously showcased its distinctiveness through a captivating series of mixed-reality videos.
Designed to create buzz about JBL’s top-of-the-line audio components like Tour One M2 Headphones, PartyBox Ultimate speaker, and Authentics speaker – each video showcases how powerful sound can make anything, and anybody, come alive and dance.
Conceptualised by Havas Worldwide India, this immersive three-video series transcends conventional marketing approaches by seamlessly blending reality with technology. Iconic landmarks across India served as the canvas for this innovative showcase, offering viewers an unforgettable glimpse into JBL’s unrivalled professional audio capabilities.
HARMAN India director of integrated marketing Yogesh Nambiar said, “We’re witnessing the growing and well-accepted use of AI, AR and VR in marketing campaigns. As a frontrunner in the audio industry, JBL is always eager to adopt the latest approaches and technologies that showcase the edge that we bring to the table. 2023 witnessed our 3D anamorphic films at various airports across the country which received an overwhelming response from partners and customers alike. This year, we are seeing great response on our mixed reality videos as well. The Authentics series video was no different. Thanks to our partners Havas Worldwide India and the people at Unstitched – founders Ashvir Khurana & Nikita Ramrakhyani and Yashvi Bothra from the creative team – I daresay this one will surpass the earlier ones. I’m glad that this is how JBL lovers saw the product for the first time. One icon working with another.”
Speaking about the campaign, Havas Worldwide India chief creative officer and joint managing director Anupama Ramaswamy said, “Mixed reality is a popular and powerful medium for brands. It is fun, light-hearted and immersive. It also makes the content more shareable and memorable. However, many brands use mixed reality as a gimmick, without any connection to the product or the message. JBL products are different. So, our ambition was to create something that displayed their abilities in full glory. They offer powerful sound and come with stunning designs. In the end, it was easy to land on an idea that makes the world around them come alive and party with them.”
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.
