NEW COMPANY ‘EXCEED’ LAUNCHES TO CONSOLIDATE INDIA’S ENTERTAINMENT TALENT MANAGEMENT & MARKETING INDUSTRY
6th December 2013, Mumbai, India: ‘EXCEED’, a multi-platform entertainment management company, led by a dynamic team of industry experts in the field of integrated entertainment platforms, officially launched in November. The company began as a consolidated talent agency managing and promoting the profile of some of Bollywood’s A-list personalities before diversifying into various other verticals, like Live event management, sports hospitality, licensing and merchandising, the digital space, business ventures with artists, entertainment projects and marketing and consulting initiatives.
With diverse interests in every aspect of the entertainment value chain, from talent management, to entertainment marketing and consulting, film casting and content production, Exceed has a proven pedigree of industry insight and experience to manage, monetise and market multiple forms of entertainment properties, be it a celebrity, the owner of a media conglomerate, an international event or film project. Exceed also intends to venture into the modelling, fashion and lifestyle spectrums, with plans already underway.
A true testament to their capabilities, the diversified and experienced Exceed team has successfully managed the profiles for Bollywood superstars such as Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu, Shilpa Shetty, amongst others, for a period across nine years. The Exceed team is acutely aware of the ever-changing trends in the global entertainment industry and so offers a comprehensive and fully integrated service to artists and brands. Through offering an end-to-end integrated solution to activate “brand entertainment”, Exceed assures to surpass its deliverance to each of its national and international clients. Exceed has also established a firm presence in the live events industry, spanning film, music, fashion and sport, in addition to pioneering sports hospitality services, which started with the Indian Premier League (‘IPL’). One major area of development has been the launch of merchandising and licensing deals.
The multi-disciplinary team comprise of industry-savvy and cutting-edge minds geared to creating, developing and implementing innovative and attention-grabbing brand campaigns. The team features domain experts as Afsar Zaidi, Founder and Managing Director of Exceed, Uday Singh Gauri, CEO and Kamal Punwani, CFO and Corporate Development Head.
Explaining the impetus behind the establishment of Exceed, Afsar Zaidi said: “The Exceed brand proposition is a reflection of the importance and growing trend within the industry for greater need of consolidation in the film, celebrity and entertainment sector, as national and international clients are increasingly looking for an integrated solution to their campaigns, that often start with a celebrity but extend far beyond this.
Having represented the cream of the entertainment business such as Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu, Shilpa Shetty, and having ventured into the merchandising and licensing space, such as for hero projects like Krrish 3 or the IPL, we had already begun to capitalise on the multiple opportunities available to extend brand experiences to the consumer. With this in mind, the live events and content production space would also represent a key factor of the business.
Uday Singh Gauri, CEO of EXCEED said: “With the launch of Exceed, our ambition is to boost our brand equity further and strengthen our fundamentals. The entertainment industry is here to grow. It needs a channel to effectively manage its brand identity in its true essence, which is what we are here to offer.”
Gauging the needs of the industry, the team at Exceed have conceptualised a company which will cater to the bespoke requirements of their clients. Zaidi adds: “The industry on the whole has seen a surge in the quantity of talent launches, which has created the space and requirement for an organization such as Exceed. Furthermore, with expertise in-house, Exceed is in safe hands with a trained and experienced workforce to deliver ultimate brand satisfaction. We are hopeful that our endeavour will be recognised and scale new heights of success.”
The team has an unencumbered drive and an on-going commitment to contribute to India’s RS 965 billion* entertainment industry and plans to channelise this passion towards the conceptualisation, growth and progression of entertainment projects through the vehicle of Exceed. Furthermore Exceed has spearheaded several industry firsts the first being its foray into the arena of Licensing and Merchandising, recently tying-up for India’s first celebrity brand extension project with Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan to launch the star’s new clothing range HRx – Push Your Extreme. The partnership is an excellent example of monetising an entertainment entity, similar to international strategies for stars such as Jay-Z, Jordan, and Britney Spears fragrance, and will add a new thread of brand extension to Hrithik Roshan’s already booming profile.
Speaking about the launch of Exceed, two of the company’s esteemed clients, Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan say:
“I am absolutely excited about the new avatar of my agency and I feel ecstatic that they have decided to give a distinct identity to their ceaseless ambitions. Exceed is a perfect representation of their spirit, work and attitude towards life. They are distinct, powerful, unique, determined and limitless. Tanujaa Mehraa and Afsar Zaidi are two of the most dynamic gifted and inspirational individuals I have ever known. Besides managing my professional career and always being there right by my side, they guide a team of superstars from talent management, production and creative who exceed all my expectations every single day of their lives. I am proud to be associated with the team for 8 years now. My best wishes to the entire team at Exceed. I wish you all a supersonic success”, says Hrithik Roshan.
Saif Ali Khan says, “Exceed – An apt name for the team that has managed my work successfully for years now. The team at Exceed lives up to its name and constantly surprises, surpasses expectations and always aims only to push the envelope further. They are game changers who have pioneered different avenues of business in Entertainment and have personally, been an unwavering support specially Afsar Zaidi. Wishing Exceed all the success and best always.”
With plenty of exciting plans in the pipeline, Exceed is well poised to capitalise on the ever-evolving, fast-paced global entertainment space, and will strategise to become a major player on the world entertainment stage.
-Ends-
For further information please contact:
Natasha Mudhar
CEO & MD of Sterling Media
Tel: +44 207 801 0077
Email: natasha@sterlingmedia.co.uk
Notes to Editors
* The latest PWC report in conjunction with the Confederation of Indian Industry stated that
§ The size of India’s entertainment and media industry increased from about Rs 805 billion in 2011 to Rs 965 billion in 2012 with a 20 percent annual growth, despite a slowdown in the broader economy
§ Indian entertainment and cinema is growing at a 18 percent annual rate with an expected turnover of Rs 2,245 billion ($34 billion) by 2017
About Exceed:
‘EXCEED’ is a multi-platform entertainment management company, led by a dynamic team of industry experts in the field of integrated entertainment platforms. The company began as a consolidated talent agency managing and promoting the profile of some of Bollywood’s A-list personalities before diversifying into various other verticals, like Live Event Management, Sports Hospitality, Licensing and Merchandising, the digital space, business ventures with artists, entertainment projects and marketing and consulting initiatives. With diverse interests in every aspect of the entertainment value chain, from talent management, to entertainment marketing and consulting, film casting and content production, Exceed has a proven pedigree of industry insight and experience to manage, monetise and market multiple forms of entertainment properties, be it a celebrity, the owner of a media conglomerate, an international event or film project. Exceed also intends to venture into the modelling, fashion and lifestyle spectrums, with plans already underway. A true testament to their capabilities, the diversified and experienced Exceed team has successfully managed the profiles for Bollywood superstars such as Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu, Shilpa Shetty, amongst others, for a period across nine years. Exceed has also established a firm presence in the live events industry, spanning film, music, fashion and sport, in addition to pioneering sports hospitality services, which started with the Indian Premier League (‘IPL’). One major area of development has been the launch of merchandising and licensing deals. The multi-disciplinary team features domain experts as Afsar Zaidi, Founder and Managing Director of Exceed, Uday Singh Gauri, CEO and Kamal Punwani, CFO and Corporate Development Head. For further information please visit: http://www.exceedworld.co.in/
Like Exceed on: www.facebook.com/weareexceed
Follow Exceed on: www.twitter.com/weareexceed @weareexceed
Kind Regards
Natasha
Description: Description: SM2SterlingCommunications I Natasha Mudhar I CEO & MD
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SONY SIX and TNA bring the ACTION to INDIA
TNA Superstars Kurt Angle and Gail Kim to give India the flavor of the sport
Mumbai, 9th December 2013: SONY SIX and TNA have announced that two of their global wrestling sensations – Kurt Angle and Gail Kim – will be arriving in India to conduct a variety of events to engage with the audiences. Kurt Angle, the Olympic Gold Medalist and multiple time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, along leading female wrestling superstar Gail Kim will travel to India on a promotional tour, that will see them visit Mumbai, Lucknow and Delhi from the 9th – 13th of December.
“Kurt is a wrestling superstar who not only garners critical following but is also a personality that attracts a huge fan base globally. With Kurt and Gail on TNA, fans will get to meet them up close and personal during their visit to India,” said Prasana Krishnan, Business Head, SONY SIX. “The sport of wrestling has been embedded into the hearts of Indian viewers since their childhood and we are thrilled to present our audiences with some of their most iconic figures in the sport of wrestling.”
Setting a different pace to the stars visit, SIX and TNA have taken an unconventional route to the tour by featuring the city of Lucknow as one of the pit stop.
Commenting on this, Prasana added, “We have not taken the typical route of limiting the visit to main metros. Lucknow has a huge fan following for TNA and we have received tremendous response with regard to viewership from this market. We want to take this opportunity to engage with the fans and give them a real feel of the entertainment TNA has to offer.
Kurt Angle said: “I’ve been fortunate to travel the world with my amateur and professional wrestling career, and India is an extraordinary place. I’m thrilled to be traveling there to promote TNA and build on our growing success in the area. Meeting the great wrestling fans in person, and taking in the sights and sounds of such an incredible nation will be an unforgettable experience for me.”
“I love that India has embraced TNA in such a big way,” added Gail Kim. “Traveling there for the first time to meet the fans and experience the rich and vibrant culture of India will be a dream come true.”
During their visit, Kurt and Gail will be a part of a variety of promotional events to seed the growth of wrestling in India.
TNA President Dixie Carter said: “We have been so pleased with the overwhelmingly enthusiastic response fans in India have shown TNA, and we cannot wait to bring Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle and reigning Knockouts Champion Gail Kim for our first press tour there.”
“SONY SIX has been a terrific partner for us as we continue to grow our worldwide programming portfolio. We look forward to directly connecting with fans during our visit.”
In their tour to India, fans will get to meet these iconic wrestling superstars in:
Ø City: Mumbai
When: 10th December 2013
Where: Infinity Mall 2, Link Road, Malad West , Mumbai – 400056
Ø City: Lucknow
When: 12th December 2013
Where: Wave Mall, TC-54, Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow- 226010
TNA produces numerous weekly TV programs, monthly PPV events and more than 100 live shows a year. The product is the world’s most innovative experience in professional wrestling and is broadcast in more than 120 countries. The events see the company’s biggest stars perform for the sport’s most passionate audiences. Annual mainstays like March’s “Lockdown,” June’s “Slammiversary” and October’s “Bound for Glory” anchor the lineup, but each show delivers the best TNA has to offer.
Sony SIX, India’s Premier Sports Entertainment Channel is owned and operated by MSM India. Besides TNA, the company is well known to exclusively broadcast some of the world’s largest as well as renowned international sporting properties like The Pepsi IPL, UEFA EURO 2016, Qualifiers for UEFA EURO 2016 and the European Qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 2018, The NBA and The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Since its inception, the channel has successfully managed to target the youth of India through a mix of sports and entertainment.
Ritish Das Gupta
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Monday December 9th, 2013: After AAMIR KHAN & KATRINA KAIF’s launch of the much anticipated Dhoom Machale Dhoom at YRF Studios in Mumbai, Arab singing sensation NAYA adds to the excitement and thrill by crooning the chartbuster song in Arabic exclusively for the most awaited film of 2013, Dhoom:3! Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and Produced by Aditya Chopra, Dhoom:3 stars Aamir Khan as Sahir the “Clown Thief,” Abhishek Bachchan as Jai the “Super Cop,” Katrina Kaif as Aaliya the “Acrobat Diva” and Uday Chopra as Ali the “Ace Biker.”
Dhoom is India’s biggest and most successful action franchise, as well as the most anticipated film from India till date and perhaps the most awaited Bollywood film of all time. This cops and robbers high speed, high octane action adventure brings the Arab fans of the franchise an amazing surprise treat. Along with the top most singing stars from India, the album will now also feature the local Arab singing sensation Naya!
Naya has created her own space in the Arab music world since her debut in 2009 and continues to win hearts with her brand of music and singing the title track of Dhoom:3 will no doubt add another feather in her cap. The title track of the Dhoom franchise has always created great excitement and with Naya lending her voice to the track, the Dhoom Machale Dhoom fervour will only go many notches higher with this very special rendition which every music fan is sure to enjoy!
Catch this super song which is expected to set a brand new benchmark on Radio or watch the music video featuring the stunning Katrina Kaif in DHOOM MACHALE DHOOM with Naya on vocals. Catch it on TV and on:
THE yrf ARABIC YOUTUBE CHANNEL
http://www.youtube.com/user/yrfArabic
THIS YEAR WILL END WITH A DHOOM!
AAMIR KHAN ABHISHEK BACHCHAN KATRINA KAIF UDAY CHOPRA
director: VIJAY KRISHNA ACHARYA producer: ADITYA CHOPRA
IN CINEMAS WORLDWIDE 20:12:13
/yrf /Dhoom3TheMovie @Dhoom3TheMovie /+yrf
Website: www.dhoom3.net
sms D3 to 53131
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Honda builds excitement with new Activa i Ad Campaign-Udh!
Mumbai, December 9, 2013: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) commences its new Ad campaign titled ‘Udh!’ for its 1st personal compact scooter –Activa i. The TVC is created by Dentsu Marcom and is running on air across channels nationally.
Objective of the campaign
To reinforce the market leadership of Honda with its 1st personal compact scooter offering under the brand name Activa i.
Brief shared with the agency- Dentsu Marcom
In Personal Compact Scooter category, Customers desire an automatic scooter for daily commute, which is lightweight, compact and easy to handle yet comfortable for both genders. Thus, Active i Honda’s First ever “Light weight personal compact” automatic scooter was developed, which is affordable too.
Approach
Indian youth today likes finding new ways to show the world that ‘I am standing on my feet, and powering myself on my own dreams and ambitions’. They are affirmative and seek identity independence, in everything they do. Freedom is an important expression in today’s youth.
Freedom is a liberating and enriching feeling of this generation and our approach was simple, it was to emulate this feeling in a unique way while breaking away from gender specific competition cues.
Film Descriptor (i.e. describing the film)
We took the age old game of Chidiya udh, tota udh and associated the same with the feelings of one riding the scooter.
The TVC starts with the young guys and girls getting ready and then the jingle starts with Pooja Uddh, Purab udd naming different target users across the country riding with a happy expression that they are ready for the life ahead. The TVC also talks about the features of Activa i with 60kmpl, combi brake, lightweight and gearless being the prominent one.
Campaign Summary
Campaign elements: TVC, Print, Outdoor, Digital.
Client: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd
Creative Agency: Dentsu Marcom
National Creative Director: Titus Upputuru
Branch Head: Harjot Narang
Creative Team: Titus Upputuru, Vishal Mittal, Jitendra Kaushik, Brijesh Bharadwaj, Vivek Verma
Account Management: Yuichi Toyoda, Abhinav Kaushik, Sunil Singh, Farhat Naim, Shivam Dua
Planning team: Narayan Devanathan, Anand Murty, A Sai Karthik
Films Chief: Suprotim Day
Director (of the film): Aniruddha Sen
Producer: Suparna Chatterjee
Production House: Electric Dreams Film Company
Post production studio: After
Music credits: Amar Mangrulkar
Editor: Amit Chitnis
TVC details
Working title of film: Udh!
Duration: 45 seconds
Campaign breaks as of: Dec 2013
Exposure (mediums used): Television
Broadcast duration: 45 & 20 sec
Excerpts from Company Spokesperson-
“From its first family scooter Activa, Honda has always understood the pulse of the nation in its journey as undisputed leader in automatic scooter industry. Addressing the need of today’s customers, Honda has now brought the next revolution in personal lightweight mobility. The new Activa i empowers Indian customers to be “Ready to Fly”. The Dream mileage of 60kmpl powered by the revolutionary Honda Eco Technology, features like combi-brakes, lightweight and compact design has enabled Honda to create a new category of Personal Scooters.”-Mr. Yadvinder S. Guleria, Vice President, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.
“As children, most of us have played the chidhya udh, totha udh, maina udh game. It’s when we become adults and start leaving our homes and begin earning that we actually start ‘udhna’. The game combines with young men and women setting out of homes with optimism to inspire young people to come out of homes and fly. This also brings alive the iconic symbol of Honda, the wing mark, in a refreshing manner”. -Titus Upputuru- National Creative Director, Dentsu Marcom
“Today’s young generation is not ridden by any past baggage. They are supremely confident, they think differently, they have a can-do attitude and they are charting new territories. They are willing to ride into the future knowing fully well what they want out of life. This expression ‘udh’ or ‘ready to fly’ captures the mindset of this generation that has the desire to excel, follow their own direction and happily take on the challenges of the life ahead.”- Abhinav Kaushik- Vice President, Account Management- Dentsu Marcom.
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