MAM
Teamwork Communications Group celebrates a milestone in communication and PR
Mumbai: Teamwork Communications Group, on 12 December, celebrates its 14th anniversary, commemorating the foundation of the leading public relations agency. Established in 2009 with a healthcare-centric approach, the agency has evolved into a dynamic force, catering to diverse sectors such as edtech, fitness, FMCG, and hospitality. This year witnessed a noteworthy 100% increase in the company’s workfocrce and the addition of 75 new clients into their fold.
Teamwork’s success story spans from securing the GSTN mandate during India’s transition to the Goods and Service Tax to serving industry giants like Hero Cycles, Bonn Group of Industries, and Apollo 24/7, consistently outshining others in the field. The agency now boasts a distinguished clientele that includes industry luminaries such as the Quality Council of India (QCI), Ministry of Jal Shakti (Government of India), Bikano group, FUJIFILM India, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, Ibis Hotels, Jindal Aluminum, APL Apollo Steel Tubes, Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Career Launcher, and many more.
Founded in 2009 by PR specialists Nikky Gupta and former journalist Kamal Narayan, Teamwork has not only expanded its reach from traditional media relations to social and digital media but has also cemented its position as a proficient agency in crafting inventive media strategies and campaigns tailored to meet the evolving demands of the current era. Additionally, the company has successfully implemented crisis management through its in-depth communication strategies to address challenges faced by its clients.
Gupta expressed her gratitude, stating, “Teamwork came to life and flourished with the relentless effort of its team. We value the contribution of our ardent workforce in bringing us to where we are today. However, this is just the beginning, and we are confident that together we can achieve so much more.”
She added, “In the coming years, we plan to expand our influence to the other part of the country by establishing offices and hiring talent there. We are thankful to our clients for entrusting us with building, preserving, and enhancing their brand image. Our secret to success lies in weaving compelling narratives that resonate with people and building campaigns that address any issue at the grassroots level.”
Narayan said, “It’s a great moment as we complete 14 years in the PR industry, expanding into multiple domains apart from healthcare. It’s been an exciting ride as we set new benchmarks with our focused marketing and PR practices for our clients, some of whom have associated with us for a long time. We are also proud to have sailed through the turbulent waters of the COVID-19 pandemic which shook almost every sector. We provided uninterrupted services to our clients during this testing time and tweaked our HR policies to care for our employees, the backbone and strength of Teamwork. As we continue to rise above the clouds, scaling new heights, we look forward to leveraging new technology and AI in the workspace while aiming to create an ideal atmosphere for our team and clients.”
Adding to its accolades, Teamwork Group secured two Kaleido Awards by ET Brand Equity in 2022, was recognised among the Top 25 PR Agencies by Exchange4Media, and earned the title of Healthcare Agency of the Year at E4M IPRCCA.
MAM
Paramount set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in $81 billion deal
Shareholders back merger, combined entity could reshape streaming and studios.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… consolidation, Hollywood’s latest blockbuster might be happening off-screen. Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery have voted in favour of selling the company to Paramount in a deal valued at $81 billion rising to nearly $111 billion including debt setting the stage for one of the biggest shake-ups in modern media. The proposed merger, still subject to regulatory approvals, would bring together a vast portfolio spanning HBO Max, CNN, and franchises such as Harry Potter under the same umbrella as Paramount’s own heavyweights, including Top Gun and CBS.
At the heart of the deal is streaming scale. Executives have indicated plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single platform, potentially creating a stronger challenger to giants like Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video. Current market data suggests HBO Max holds around 12 per cent of US on-demand subscriptions, compared to Paramount+’s 3 per cent, together still trailing Netflix’s 19 per cent and Disney’s combined 27 per cent via Disney+ and Hulu.
Paramount CEO David Ellison has signalled that while platforms may merge, HBO’s creative identity will remain intact, stating the brand should “stay HBO” even within a broader ecosystem.
Beyond streaming, the deal would redraw the map for film production. Combining two of Hollywood’s oldest studios Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., the new entity aims to scale output to over 30 films annually, while maintaining a 45-day theatrical window. Warner Bros. currently commands around 21 per cent of the US box office, compared to Paramount’s 6 per cent, underscoring the strategic weight of the acquisition.
But scale comes with scrutiny. Critics warn that fewer players could mean reduced consumer choice, rising subscription costs, and potential job cuts as the combined company looks to streamline overlapping operations while managing billions in debt.
The news business, too, faces a reset. CNN would join forces at least structurally with Paramount-owned CBS, raising questions about editorial independence and positioning. The merger has already drawn political attention in the United States, particularly given perceived ties between the Ellison family and Donald Trump, though the company maintains that newsroom autonomy will be preserved.
If approved, the deal would mark another milestone in Hollywood’s consolidation wave shrinking the industry’s traditional “big six” studios to a “big four”, with Paramount joining Disney, Universal, and Sony at the top table.
In an industry built on storytelling, this merger may well become its most consequential plot twist yet.
