Brands
Thums Up backs Battleground S2 as Priyanka, Rahul join mentors
Amazon MX Player show returns with new faces and high-energy brand push
MUMBAI: Thums Up has come on board as the presenting partner for Battleground Season 2, as Rusk Media gears up to bring back its high-energy reality format on Amazon MX Player this April.
The new season introduces fresh mentors, with Priyanka Chahar Choudhary and Rahul Chaudhary joining returning face Abhishek Malhan. Leading the charge once again is Shikhar Dhawan as super mentor, adding star power and continuity to the format.
Positioned as a fitness-driven reality show, Battleground S2 blends strength, endurance and strategy, with teams such as Delhi Dominators, Mumbai Strikers and Telugu Tigers competing across physically and mentally demanding challenges. The format is designed for mobile-first audiences, extending beyond episodes into social media, creator collaborations and community engagement.
The addition of Thums Up as presenting partner underscores the show’s growing appeal among advertisers looking to tap into youth and mass audiences. The brand integration is built into the narrative, allowing it to move beyond traditional ad placements and become part of the viewing experience.
Speaking about the new season, Rusk Media co-founder and CEO Mayank Yadav said, “Battleground has grown into one of our most exciting IPs because of its ability to connect with audiences at scale while staying deeply rooted in culture. With Season 2, we’re expanding that vision further by building it as a Bharat-first premium property that reflects diverse voices from across the country.”
On the brand integration approach, Rusk Media head of ads Rahul Arora said, “Battleground S2 is designed as a high-impact advertising environment where brands can go beyond visibility and become part of the story. The scale of the IP, combined with daily engagement and strong regional connect, allows us to offer partners meaningful integrations across formats.”
Sharing her experience, Priyanka Chahar Choudhary said she is excited to lead the Mumbai Strikers, highlighting the competitive spirit and emotional connect of the format. Rahul Chaudhary added that the show’s focus on discipline and teamwork aligns closely with his sporting philosophy.
With a stronger mentor line-up, deeper brand partnerships and an expanded digital footprint, Battleground Season 2 is shaping up to be more than just a show. It is positioning itself as a full-fledged content ecosystem where entertainment, community and commerce come together.
Brands
Uber launches hotel bookings feature in partnership with Expedia
From hotel bookings to room service at your door, the ride-hailing giant is making its boldest push yet into everyday life
CALIFORNIA: Uber is done being just a taxi app. At its annual GO-GET product event, the world’s leading mobility and delivery platform unveiled a sweeping set of new features designed to plant itself at the centre of how people travel, eat and shop, hotel bookings included.
The headline move is a partnership with Expedia Group that lets Uber users in the United States book hotels directly within the Uber app, with access to a catalogue that will eventually grow to more than 700,000 properties worldwide. Uber One members get 10 per cent back in Uber One credits on all hotel bookings and savings of at least 20 per cent on a rolling list of more than 10,000 hotels globally. Vacation rentals from Vrbo, Expedia Group’s home-rental brand, will be added later this year. The partnership is expected to expand beyond the United States. From June, Uber rides will also be integrated directly into the Expedia app, with push notifications sent to travellers ahead of hotel check-in to book discounted Uber rides for the duration of their stay.
Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of Uber, framed the expansion in terms of the modern condition. “Uber is becoming an app for everything, helping people go, get, and now travel all in one place,” he said. “We’re all living through a moment of real cognitive overload: too many apps, too many decisions, too much noise. At the end of the day, our job is to help people reclaim their time, spending less of it managing the logistics of life and more of it actually living.”
Ariane Gorin, chief executive of Expedia Group, struck a similarly ambitious note. “Travel should feel effortless, and this partnership gets us one step closer to offering a seamless traveller experience,” she said. “By connecting our two-sided marketplace with Uber, we’re bringing Uber rides directly into the Expedia app and Expedia Group’s lodging inventory into the Uber app through our Rapid API technology. Together, we’re helping travellers spend less time planning and more time enjoying the journey.”
Beyond hotels, the product announcements come thick and fast. Travel Mode, available within both the Uber and Uber Eats apps, offers curated recommendations on local favourites, tourist destinations, OpenTable restaurant reservations and on-demand delivery to hotel rooms. Uber One International means the membership programme now works globally, allowing members to earn credits on rides abroad that can be redeemed once back home. A new Shop for Me feature lets users request items from any store, even those not listed on the app. Eats for the Way allows riders in select cities booking an Uber Black or Uber Black SUV to have a drink or snack waiting for them in the car. Voice Bookings, powered by artificial intelligence, lets users book a ride conversationally, without touching their phone. And a redesigned One Search bar consolidates results for places, food and items across the entire Uber platform in a single query.
Uber has now logged more than 72 billion trips since it launched in 2010. The question it is now answering is what comes after the ride. The answer, apparently, is everything else. Whether users want a hotel in Paris, a coffee in the back of a car or a snake plant from the local garden centre, Uber would very much like to be the one to provide it. The app economy’s land grab has a new front-runner.
NOTE: The image used is AI generated and only for representational purposes.
