e-commerce
Brandmusiq hits a six with Asian Paints in sonic spin on cricket fever
MUMBAI: When cricket season hits India, everyone shows up batsmen, bowlers, brands, and now, basslines. In a pitch-perfect move, Brandmusiq and Asian Paints joined forces to create a rousing, regionally tuned campaign titled Coloursofcricket, turning fan passion into full-throttle soundscapes. Across the country, stadiums weren’t the only places roaring speakers were too. Crafted using the Asian Paints sonic identity, BrandMusiq composed distinct high-energy regional anthems laced with local instrumentation, language, and the emotional cues of each cricket-loving city. Think dhols in Punjab, Carnatic strains from Bengaluru, Mumbai’s bold brass and tutari, Hyderabad’s royal rhythms, Delhi’s street-style beats, and Kolkata’s folk soul, all seamlessly woven into sonic signatures that felt more like musical jerseys than just tunes.
“India’s relationship with cricket is emotional, but every region expresses that emotion differently,” said Brandmusiq founder & soundsmith Rajeev Raja. “These aren’t just anthems, these are rallying cries, ‘musical jerseys’ for fans to wear with pride.”
The campaign also drummed up digital participation with a contest encouraging fans to remix, dance to, or creatively express support using their city’s anthem turning passive viewing into creative cheerleading. The result? A campaign where sound met sentiment, and where branding hit a beat fans could move to.
The Coloursofcricket initiative is a testament to the power of sonic branding done right cutting through the advertising noise, building recall, and fuelling fan pride with cultural authenticity and emotional punch.
For a country that speaks in many tongues but cheers in one voice, this was the sound of India in surround sound.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
