iWorld
Asian Sponsorship News partners with Paul Poole for Thailand market
MUMBAI: Independent branded content and sponsorship intelligence service Asia Sponsorship News (ASN) has partnered with Paul Poole (South East Asia) Company Limited (PP(SEA)) for the Thailand market. ASN relaunched with a sophisticated analytics product in March and has now begun to expand its business into local markets.
ASN founder and CEO Ben Heyhoe Flint said, “The partnership allows us to deepen our research capabilities in Thailand, which means our customers get richer insights. It’s that simple. We’re delighted that they share our vision of creating rigour for the industry.”
PP (SEA) founder, chairman and managing director Paul Poole commented “Despite the turbulent times of late, Thailand is a fast growth sponsorship market and has overtaken Singapore in the last quarter for domestic spend. We see a lot of potential for ASN in the local market where brands and rights holders need rigour to buy, sell or plan their sponsorship activity more effectively.”
Since the end of 2013 the sponsorship market in Thailand has suffered the postponement of several major sponsorship platform. Yet prior to that, sponsorship spend had rallied 43 per cent in 2013- according to ASN data arguably due to Thailand’s environment of high media inflation which had forced advertisers to look at alternative ways of communicating to consumers.
Flint also confirmed that more partnerships are in the immediate pipeline for ASN in other Asian markets.
iWorld
Uber spotlights Rs 25 bike rides with music led IPL campaign
Uber uses 15 second music films with Divine and Roll Rida to push Rs 25 rides
MUMBAI: In a season where ads usually swing for sixes with celebrity spectacle, Uber has chosen to play a clever single sharp, fast, and straight to the point. Uber has rolled out a distinctly stripped-down IPL campaign, putting its product Uber Bike rides starting at Rs 25 for up to 3 km front and centre, rather than leaning on big-budget storytelling. The campaign features hip-hop artist Divine in Mumbai and Roll Rida in southern markets, using music as the primary vehicle for recall.
IPL advertising has long been dominated by high-production narratives packed with cricketers and film stars. Uber’s approach flips that playbook. Instead of elaborate storytelling, the brand opts for 15-second music-led films quick, rhythmic bursts designed to mirror the pace of urban mobility itself.
The message is deliberately simple, affordable, fast rides that cut through city traffic. No layered plots, no extended build-up just a functional promise delivered with cultural flair.
In the Mumbai-led film, Divine zips through traffic on an Uber Bike, turning the Rs 25 price point into a hook with his signature wordplay around “pachisi”. The campaign cleverly reframes affordability as a moment of delight, the kind that leaves commuters with a “32-teeth smile” after beating traffic at minimal cost.
Meanwhile, Roll Rida’s version leans into southern sensibilities, blending Telugu and Tamil influences with high-energy visuals. Set to the beat of tape drums, the film celebrates how low-cost rides can unlock a more connected and vibrant city experience. Together, the films reflect a conscious push towards regional authenticity, rather than a one-size-fits-all national narrative.
The campaign also signals Uber’s sharper focus on India’s growing bike taxi segment. While the company offers multi-modal services spanning cars, autos, metro integrations and intercity travel, this push zeroes in on two-wheelers as a key growth lever in dense urban markets.
By anchoring the campaign around a Rs 25 entry price for short distances, Uber is targeting everyday commuters, particularly younger users navigating congested cities where speed and cost matter more than comfort.
With IPL advertising clutter at its peak, even the most straightforward message risks getting lost. Uber’s answer is to embed the proposition within culture using music, regional nuance and repeat-friendly short formats to drive recall. The creative team has also layered subtle visual cues including multiple references to “25” within frames encouraging repeat viewing and reinforcing the core message without over-explaining it.
The campaign reflects a broader shift in advertising priorities. As attention spans shrink and media environments get noisier, brands are increasingly favouring clarity over complexity and speed over scale.
Uber’s IPL play may not shout the loudest, but it lands where it matters in the everyday commute. Because sometimes, in a marketplace full of grand narratives, a Rs 25 ride is story enough.
