Brands
WhizCo partners with Blackberrys
Mumbai: In a remarkable stride towards innovation, WhizCo, India’s premier influencer marketing agency in India, continues to redefine possibilities by venturing into the realm of augmented reality. In collaboration with Blackberrys, a renowned menswear brand, WhizCo has introduced a fascinating AR filter named “Cheer for India” tailored for the Cricket World Cup, 2023.
The primary objective behind “Cheer For India” was to deeply resonate with the passionate Indian cricket fanbase, transforming their way of showing support for Team India. Concurrently, the collaboration aimed to establish a formidable brand identity for Blackberrys as the official clothing partner of this highly anticipated sporting event.
WhizCo’s proficient AR Development team dedicated itself to developing an immersive and interactive 4-in-1 AR filter. “Cheer For India” is not merely an Instagram AR filter, but an engaging game that celebrates India’s love for Cricket. The filter’s first frame lets users feel the cricketing spirit as they hold a bat and don a helmet. In the second frame, they raise a slogan-bearing placard for spirited selfies. Frame three transforms’ users into press conference stars, holding a trophy and delivering champion speeches into virtual microphones, while the fourth frame adds patriotic flair with the Indian tricolour on users’ faces, perfect for capturing patriotic selfies or sharing heartfelt messages for Team India. The 4-in-1 AR Filter enables users to have an on-field experience and showcase their enthusiasm in a fun and engaging way.
This creative initiative reflects Blackberrys and WhizCo’s dedication to delivering captivating and innovative augmented reality experiences that deeply resonate with the audience.
WhizCo CMO & co-founder Prerna Goel conveyed her excitement about the collaboration, stating, “The collaboration with Blackberrys has been an exhilarating journey for us. Our team’s dedication and ingenuity ensured the seamless execution of this AR filter venture.” She further added, “We are thrilled to have partnered with Blackberrys, a renowned menswear brand, and take pride in contributing to their endeavour to extend their reach to a wider audience”
In the words of Blackberrys, “The ‘Cheer For India’ AR filter is a remarkable testament to our partnership with WhizCo and our collective commitment to redefining the way fans express their support for Team India in the digital landscape. Through this innovative filter, we’ve not only aimed to deeply resonate with the passionate Indian cricket fanbase but also to establish a powerful brand identity for Blackberrys as the official wardrobe partner of Star Sports Cricket Live for the much-anticipated Cricket season,” said Blackberrys VP – brand experience Rajesh Sethuraman.
As a frontrunner in the influencer marketing and creator management sphere, WhizCo boasts a vast network of over 100,000 content creators. spanning more than 15 categories and 12 languages. The agency’s foray into augmented reality opens new avenues for brands to enhance their engagement strategies. WhizCo’s entrance into this innovative space mirrors its commitment to fostering creativity and building meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.
In a digital landscape marked by constant evolution, WhizCo’s pioneering venture into augmented reality with The “Cheer For India” AR filter stands as a testament to WhizCo’s dedication tos innovation and its remarkable success in merging technology and emotion to craft a truly immersive experience.
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.
