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SPN highlights scale of Spanish football league LaLiga through innovative campaign
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) will kick-start the upcoming season of Spanish football league- LaLiga, with a bold statement: it’s not football. It’s war.
The season will be telecast on Sony Six and Sony Six HD from 20 August.
The channel hopes through the campaign to capture the scale of this property by showcasing the sportsmanship and competition between the teams and how their fans react to it in the most unique possible manner, building an instant connect with football fans all over India.
“We always aim to create new and innovative content for all our viewers. Through this campaign, we want to highlight the scale of LaLiga by reaching out to the football fans of India,” said SPN president distribution and sports business Rajesh Kaul.
“Since the inception of the sports cluster at SPN, we have strategically worked to establish it as the premier destination for an unparalleled football viewing experience. Through our tactical acquisition of marquee international tournaments and international domestic leagues, we have established ourselves as a one-stop destination for International football. and want to give our viewers an experience of the highest quality of club and international football,” he added.
The new season will have a complete 360 degree roll out across mass media.
The campaign will begin with three 30-second films which showcase the pranks between fans in unusual situations. The films showcase some day-to-day scenarios and the resultant football rivalry, all ending with the bold statement. The first one, The Breakup, shows an Atletico Madrid fan ruining his colleague’s (a Real Madrid fan) relationship by sending a fake break up message to his girlfriend. Airport Securityportrays an Atletico Madrid fan sabotaging the travel of a Barcelona fan at the airport by clandestinely packing a pair of nun chucks and a huge chopping knife in his hand baggage.
The third titled Pigeons shows a Barcelona fan ready to go on a big date shocked to see his shiny convertible completely covered in bird-poop, courtesy his neighbour – a Real Madrid fan.
The campaign has been created by J. Walter Thompson and is produced by Ignition Fims. While Senthil Kumar is the chief creative officer, Tista Sen is the national creative director. The campaign is directed by Rensil D’Silva and its executive business director is Anitha Krishnan.
The senior creative director’s team include Vinayak Gaikwad and Shounak Guhathakurta and the creative team has Vinayak Gaikwad, Shounak Guhathakurta, Sreenath Pillai and Ganesh Palkar. The senior account executive is Sanat Shende and account director is Saptarshi Banik.
LaLiga boasts of top seeds like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar, Antoine Griezmann, Gareth Bale, Pione Sisto, Ganso, Marlos Moreno, etc.
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.
