MAM
Two way tussle likely for Viacom’s top position
MUMBAI: The next couple of years at Viacom is likely to see a fierce tussle for the CEO’s position. After Mel Karmazin stepped down yesterday as the company’s COO, MTV head Tom Freston and CBS boss Les Moonves were appointed co-presidents and COOs.
Sumner Redstone will give up his role as CEO within three years. That should be enough time for Freston and Moonves to prove their capabilities of heading the media conglomerate. While it is a toss up as to which of them will succeed Redstone and who will lose out it is Indiantelevision.com’s reading that Freston is ahead at this stage simply because his portfolio is wider.
As of now, in addition to MTV, Freston will oversee Showtime, BET, Paramount Parks, Simon & Schuster and the movie studio Paramount Pictures. Moonves on the other hand will have charge over Viacom’s broadcast television businesses, as well as Paramount TV, Infinity Broadcasting and Viacom Outdoor.
Brands
Sting launches ‘Sound of Six’ cricket campaign
Pepsico energy drink ties signature sonic to every boundary hit with Yuvraj Singh and Ravi Shastri.
MUMBAI: Sting just turned every six into its own personal anthem because nothing says “energy” like a boundary that hits different notes. Pepsico India’s Sting energy drink has rolled out the latest chapter of its sonic branding with “Sound of Six”, a nationwide campaign syncing the brand’s signature “Sting” sound to the varying power of cricket sixes this season. The push positions Sting as the audio heartbeat of high-octane moments on the pitch, using its sonic identity to “qualify” shots from gentle lofted clears to monster maximums.
The launch film, featuring cricket legends Yuvraj Singh and Ravi Shastri, unfolds on a sunlit ground with playful banter that builds into a sequence of escalating hits. As Singh smashes the ball, he quips that the length and force of the shot should dial up the intensity of the Sting sound. Shastri’s commentary ramps up accordingly, riffing on the brand name with escalating flair to match each strike’s energy turning a simple boundary into an audible spectacle.
Pepsico India category head for energy portfolio Diksha Bajaj said, “Cricket is a major passion point in this country. Our campaign is rooted in the insight that no two sixes are the same. We set out to use the Sting sonic identity as a qualifier that redefines every hit.”
Yuvraj Singh added, “This campaign turns the feeling of hitting a six into something fans can hear. It is bold and matches the intensity of the game.”
Ravi Shastri chimed in, “Commentating on a six is an exhilarating part of the game. This campaign adds a new dimension by introducing a distinct sonic. The idea of owning the sound of every six is relatable for fans.”
Leo Burnett South Asia chief creative officer Vikram Pandey noted that pairing Singh’s power-hitting with Shastri’s iconic voice lets the brand relive cricket’s electric moments through a fresh, auditory lens.
The campaign will air across television, digital platforms, and social media, timed to catch the fever of the ongoing cricket season. For fans who live for the roar of the crowd and the crack of the bat, Sting’s betting that the next big six won’t just be seen, it’ll be heard loud and clear.
