MAM
TOC deploys Cavalry to rewrite entertainment PR rules
MUMBAI: The chaos of India’s entertainment market has left a gap, stories get lost in noise. Enter Cavalry Media, a full-service entertainment division from The Other Circle (TOC), designed to make headlines that actually stick. This is not about fleeting coverage; it’s about building narratives that linger in the cultural imagination.
Cavalry will focus on high-velocity entertainment ecosystems, including Hindi cinema, OTT platforms, creators, musicians, celebrities, and elite sports. Its approach is clear, replace scattergun PR with carefully targeted campaigns that integrate media strategy, digital IP, data analytics, and brand tie-ups.
TOC founder and CEO Aakanksha Gupta said, “Authentic storytelling is the only currency that lasts. Cavalry scales this philosophy, blending creativity with intelligence to ensure clients don’t just participate in culture, they lead it.”
Cavalry group head of entertainment Prathmesh Chavan added, “The modern audience is too savvy for reactive PR. Every launch, every film, every debut becomes a cultural moment, structured to endure well beyond opening weekend.”
Cavalry offers a 360-degree approach, including influencer campaigns, experiential activations, crisis management, and intellectual property development. The division inherits TOC’s 12-year legacy, boasting collaborations with some of India’s most influential names: Sonam Kapoor, Kalki Koechlin, Bhuvan Bam, Rishabh Pant, Armaan Malik, Abhishek Sharma, Santanu Hazarika, and Upasana Kamineni Konidela.
With Cavalry, TOC is not just making noise; it’s composing a symphony of stories designed to resonate, endure, and lead the conversation.
MAM
T20 WC 2026 ad volumes rise 4 per cent despite fewer brands: TAM report
Fewer brands, bigger bets: India matches and top players drive ad surge
MUMBAI: Advertising during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 may have become leaner in participation, but it certainly packed a stronger punch. A new analysis by TAM Media Research shows that ad volumes per match rose by 4 per cent compared to the 2024 edition, signalling sharper spending even as the advertiser base narrowed.
The numbers tell a tale of two trends. On one hand, the overall count of categories, advertisers and brands dropped steeply by 55 per cent, 63 per cent and nearly 68 per cent respectively versus the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. On the other, those who stayed in the game appeared to spend more aggressively, driving higher ad intensity across matches.
India’s pulling power remained unmistakable. Matches featuring the Indian team generated 66 per cent higher ad volumes than non-India games, underlining the country’s outsized influence on cricket’s commercial engine. The tournament final also saw an 18 per cent jump in advertising volumes compared to 2024, pointing to stronger monetisation at the business end of the competition.
The shift towards concentration was equally striking. The top five advertisers accounted for 39 per cent of total ad volumes, unchanged from the previous edition, but the names themselves saw a complete shake-up. OpenAI emerged as the leading advertiser with a 12 per cent share, followed by Coca-Cola India at 9 per cent and Mahindra & Mahindra at 8 per cent. Apollo Tyres and Reliance Consumer Products rounded off the top five.
A similar churn played out at the brand level, with no overlap in the top five brands between 2024 and 2026. At the same time, leading categories tightened their grip, with the top five accounting for 53 per cent of ad volumes, up from 42 per cent earlier. The cars category led the pack with a 15 per cent share, followed closely by e-commerce services at 14 per cent and aerated soft drinks at 11 per cent.
When it came to format, brevity ruled. Ads between 11 and 20 seconds dominated commercial breaks, making up over half of all spots, while shorter sub-10 second creatives followed as the next preferred choice.
The broader takeaway is clear. Even as fewer players entered the arena, those that did were willing to spend bigger and smarter. In a tournament where every over counts, advertisers seem to be playing a more focused, high-impact innings, betting on scale, timing and the enduring magnetism of cricket’s biggest stage.
