Brands
Join 5Star’s Nothing University to become future-ready by acing the art of ‘Doing Nothing’
Mumbai: Cadbury 5Star, India’s beloved chocolate brand, has always stood out as an advocate for taking time in our fast-paced lives to Do Nothing. Currently, as technology continues to evolve, a lot of work in future will be done by AI. With a lighter and fun take on this trend, the brand is adding a spin to how people will have more time to chill in their office because of which the art of ‘Do Nothing’ will become an essential skill. Therefore, to help people become future-ready and set themselves apart in the corporate setting, Cadbury 5Star has taken an unconventional route to navigate the trend by introducing the Nothing University, where those who sign up can learn the art of “Doing Nothing” and get a certification. As long-time champions of ‘Doing Nothing’, the brand has declared that we should welcome AI instead of fearing it.
Speaking about this unique approach on Cadbury 5Star’s long-standing brand identity, Mondelez India VP- marketing Nitin Saini said, “Cadbury 5Star’s Do Nothing ideology has stood as a proud and humorous counter to the modern culture of living life on-the-go. Currently, the advent of AI is taking the industry by storm and making everyday job easier thus, leaving more room for people to ‘Do Nothing’, and as the cultivators of this ethos we want to help people ace it. The introduction of Nothing University is a cheeky take on this concept and our attempt to help everyone upskill in ‘Doing Nothing’. This will not only elevate the brand’s purpose but also establish an unforgettable and fun experience for the consumers of today.”
Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak added “With AI dominating the news almost every day, there is a lot of debate and speculation about the impact it will have on every industry. In its signature irreverent style, Cadbury 5 Star has taken a crazy dig at it by celebrating the prospect that when AI does most of our work, we’ll get a lot of time to chill and do nothing. We have conceived and crafted the Nothing University and developed an entire curriculum around doing nothing efficiently in the future workplace, complete with interactive video lectures and a diploma.”
Wavemaker India chief client officer & office head, West, North & East Shekhar Banerjee said “In the era of AI, 5Star’s Nothing University is revolutionizing norms with a witty curriculum on ‘Doing Nothing.’. In collaboration with top comedians, influencers, and brand partnerships, we aim to amplify the delight of ‘Do Nothing’, with a counterculture narrative. From enrolment to graduation, our media campaign is brimming with playful essence, embarking on a journey into the art of doing nothing, reshaping skill development with a touch of humour across multiple media touchpoints”
The innovative campaign was launched with a humorous and relatable digital film envisioning a future where while AI does its job, humans can embrace the art of doing nothing.
People can participate and experience this one-of-a-kind course online through the microsite 5staruniversity.com which hosts interactive video sessions. Once registered, people can take courses in modules taught by corporate employees turned comedians Atul Khatri and Rahul Subramanian, equipping people to become future-ready and focus on the exciting possibility of AI making people’s jobs easier and leaving more room to enjoy Doing Nothing in the midst of getting ready for an AI-powered future workspace. At the end of the course, students will also get a certification as a fun take on the completion of this activation. That’s not all! Cadbury 5Star will also set up a physical campus for a short duration for people to experience the course on-ground through workshops, practice labs, research facilities for researching techniques in Doing Nothing while also being able to join the completion ceremony and collect their certificates.
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.
