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JioStar scores big with BFSI brands as Wimbledon 2025 serves up ‘affluence in motion’
MUMBAI: The strawberries may be fresh, but the money is fresher. Wimbledon 2025, streaming on JioHotstar and airing on Star Sports Select 1 & 2 and Star Sports 2, has turned into a grand slam not just for tennis but for India’s financial marketing elite.
BFSI brands have come out swinging this season, emerging as the top-performing category in advertiser participation, with a 50 per cent surge in client count over last year’s edition. From mutual funds and banking to insurance and fintech, Wimbledon has become the new turf where India’s money men are building brand muscle and not just with return-on-investment shots.
The campaign, branded ‘Affluence in Motion’, leans into the Wimbledon mystique — tradition, prestige and quiet power, aligning beautifully with the trust and stability that BFSI brands aim to project. The data agrees:
● 65 per cent of JioHotstar viewers in 2024 came from NCCS A
● 55 per cent were from the top 8 metros,
● and 53 per cent owned phones worth over Rs 25,000 — a dream demo for financial institutions hunting for affluent, digital-savvy consumers.
While past Wimbledons were about forehands and finesse, this one is about funds and fixed deposits. Leading the charge are ICICI Mutual Funds, who headline the BFSI presence alongside a rising roster of insurers and NBFCs.
Four brands have taken standalone contextual spots, smartly syncing their messaging with pre-match insights, commentary cut-ins, and even the Wimbledon Daily Live show beamed from London’s hallowed Centre Court. BFSI brands have found an especially elegant rhythm here — contextual ads pushing everything from retirement plans to wealth management, all draped in white and green Wimbledon glory.
Digital remains the heavyweight champ. With 35 per cent year-on-year growth in JioHotstar consumption and a 50 per cent spike in digital advertiser count, the platform continues to offer unmatched reach among India’s wealthy urbanites. And that’s before factoring in connected TV viewership, which doubled versus 2023.
The JioStar Network has drawn 17 new advertisers this year and retained 11 brands from Wimbledon 2024, with a 1.5x jump in revenue from these returning players. Automotive and BFSI brands are stealing the spotlight, but FMCG, alcobev, and luxury fittings are also swinging hard from Mahindra Electric, William Grant, HPCL, Jaquar, ICICI Mutual Funds to Amul, Haier, Kohler, Black and White.
For the first time ever, Wimbledon 2025 has secured Presenting Sponsors across both TV and digital, marking a watershed moment in its commercial evolution and proving that in the high-stakes game of brand tennis, the financial sector has truly aced it.
As the tennis legends serve fire on-court, India’s financial giants are volleying for attention off it, proving that at Wimbledon 2025, it’s not just the racquets that are making noise.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
