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  • Game set match for sports ed as Nadal school enters India with Sportzprix

    Game set match for sports ed as Nadal school enters India with Sportzprix

    MUMBAI: In a winning shot for India’s sports industry, Rafael Nadal’s school is serving up more than just aces, it’s bringing academic firepower to the field. Sportzprix, India’s grassroots sports education platform, has teamed up with the UAX Rafa Nadal University School, Madrid, to launch a first-of-its-kind Master’s in Digital Sports Marketing programme tailor-made for Indian students and professionals. The nine-month online course rolling out in October 2025 fuses Nadal’s championship mindset with UAX’s academic muscle to upskill future leaders of India’s booming sports economy.

    Designed for graduates, athletes, and marketing professionals, the course dives into fan engagement, sponsorship strategy, influencer marketing, and more all recontextualised for India’s dynamic leagues and fandoms. A dedicated India module, co-created with Sportzprix, offers hyperlocal relevance while retaining global rigour.

    “It’s not just education, it’s a sporting transformation,” said Prasad Mangipudi, CEO and Co-founder of Sportzprix. “India is bidding for mega events like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, and our leagues are scaling up. This programme ensures our talent pool grows just as fast.”

    For those craving a more global view, an optional immersion at the UAX Rafa Nadal campus in Madrid adds cross-continental experience to the mix. Meanwhile, online delivery ensures learners across India can access this training without leaving their home turf.

    Nadal, mentor of the programme, called the school a blend of education, specialisation, and sport values, pointing to its grounding in discipline, humility, and perseverance. “In a rapidly evolving world, we must anticipate market needs. That’s what this school is built to do.”

    The course arrives at a perfect moment. According to a Google–Deloitte report, India’s sports industry is on track to hit 130 billion dollars by 2030, driven by digital consumption, league proliferation, and sports entrepreneurship. Yet, the skills gap in sports marketing and management remains wide. This course aims to be the bridge.

    Miguel Palencia Yllera, Director at UAX Rafa Nadal University School, said, “We’re shaping future professionals in sport tech and management those who understand both the business and the values of the game.”

    So, if you’re ready to score big in sports business, this could be your grand slam moment.

  • Crest in class Real Madrid’s 2025 kit is piping hot and Bernabéu bold

    Crest in class Real Madrid’s 2025 kit is piping hot and Bernabéu bold

    MUMBAI: A royal refresh is underway at the Bernabéu this time, in fabric. Adidas and Real Madrid have unveiled the 2025–26 Home Jersey, and it’s a sleek nod to the club’s illustrious past and future ambitions stitched together with precision, pride and a touch of metallic magic.

    Designed to celebrate the evolution of the Santiago Bernabéu, the kit is as much a tribute to architecture as it is to footballing legacy. Featuring metallic detailing and subtle textures, the jersey draws from both the old and new elements of the iconic stadium, creating a modern silhouette with historical soul.

    And while the classic all-white palette remains untouched, it’s the yellow piping drawn from the club crest that delivers a bold pop of identity. It’s Real Madrid through and through, just with sharper tailoring.

    Topping off the look is a clean crew-neck collar, paired with bespoke ribbed cuffs, and finished with white shorts and socks trimmed in dark grey for a full kit that says: regal, but ready for war.

    Performance hasn’t taken a back seat either. The on-field version of the kit uses the latest adidas innovation to maximise airflow, while the fan edition is built with sweat-wicking tech to keep things cool in the stands or on the pitch.

    Available now, the authentic player jersey is priced at Rs 8,599, while the replica home kit retails at Rs 5,999. Both can be snapped up at adidas stores, Real Madrid outlets, and select retail partners across India.

    With the Bernabéu as its muse and modern design in its seams, this kit doesn’t just wear history, it plays it forward.
     

  • All access pass Ipsos unlocks Total Access for a fuller view of Indian consumers

    All access pass Ipsos unlocks Total Access for a fuller view of Indian consumers

    MUMBAI: If data is the new oil, Ipsos just laid the pipeline. Global research and advisory giant Ipsos has launched Total Access in India, a sweeping new initiative that promises to crack the complexity of India’s consumer landscape with a one-roof data collection model that is as vast as it is versatile. With India’s diversity often leaving marketers data-drunk but insight-parched, Total Access combines five key modes mobile, online, hybrid, multi-mode and offline to serve a wider, deeper, and more inclusive view of the Indian consumer. And it’s going live immediately.

    “Total Access addresses client concerns around consumer representation,” said Ipsos India CEO Amit Adarkar. “It’s about transformational scale, with responses from across socio-economic classes, towns big and small, languages, literacy levels, and even internet access. And yes, every response is human verified.”

    Clients will now have access to a whopping 3.5 million-strong panel base, India’s largest, according to Ipsos. From mobile-first surveys and multilingual outreach to DIY capabilities, AI-based transcription, moderation and dashboard-based reporting, Total Access is basically research-as-a-service, turbocharged.

    “Earlier, clients would need to juggle multiple vendors to access diverse demographic data across formats. Now, all modes are integrated providing a more holistic and representative picture,” added Ipsos India chief client officer Geeta Lobo.

    In short, Ipsos is no longer just gathering data, it’s bringing the whole country into the room, whether you’re in a boardroom in Mumbai or a village in Manipur. With Total Access, the days of skewed sampling and fragmented insights may finally be numbered.

  • Ad it up, Moloco and Xiaomi dial up global reach with ML-powered alliance

    Ad it up, Moloco and Xiaomi dial up global reach with ML-powered alliance

    MUMBAI: What happens when one of the world’s biggest smartphone giants teams up with a machine learning marvel? A global ad tech power play. Moloco, the operational machine learning company, has struck a global strategic partnership with Xiaomi’s International Internet Business Department, unlocking a fresh frontier in mobile advertising across more than 100 countries and regions. With Xiaomi boasting a staggering 702 million monthly active users, the alliance is set to supercharge advertising efficiency, targeting accuracy and developer growth worldwide.

    As part of the deal, Moloco will bring its ML chops to optimise ad placements across Getapps (Xiaomi’s overseas app store), in-app inventory and lock screen ads. In return, Moloco’s advertisers get front-row access to Xiaomi’s high-value user base served through a tech ecosystem spanning mobile, smart homes, and even electric vehicles like the new Xiaomi SU7.

    Having tested the waters in a pilot partnership in 2023, the results spoke for themselves. Daily ad spends soared, native and interstitial ad formats drove stronger conversions, and Xiaomi’s presence across Brazil, India, Turkey and Germany emerged as a serious magnet for advertisers chasing scale and precision.

    Moloco, co-founder and CEO Ikkjin Ahn called the partnership a response to the rising need for “efficient monetisation and the ability to reach the right users.” He added, “Xiaomi’s global ecosystem is a perfect match for our machine learning platform. Together, we’ll unlock serious ROI for advertisers and push the boundaries of programmatic efficiency.”

    Xiaomi International Internet Business general manager Qiang Song echoed the sentiment, noting that Moloco has already “helped enhance the competitiveness of our ad platform.” With more AI-powered tools on the horizon, both companies are eyeing innovative monetisation models that could reshape how brands connect with mobile-first consumers.

    Whether you’re an app developer chasing downloads or a marketer craving smarter reach, this partnership may just be the algorithmic edge you’ve been waiting for.
     

  • Green carpet call as BT spotlights India’s most sustainable companies

    Green carpet call as BT spotlights India’s most sustainable companies

    MUMBAI: India Inc’s ESG stars are set to walk the green carpet. Business Today Multiverse is rolling out a new kind of red carpet green, actually as it launches the inaugural edition of BT India’s Most Sustainable Companies – Summit & Awards 2025. Slated for 6 June in New Delhi, the event puts the spotlight on the companies walking the talk on ESG, sustainability and responsible business.

    With the theme ‘Charting India Inc’s Sustainable Future’, the event promises not just trophies, but timely conversations and action plans. Union minister Bhupender Yadav will headline the summit with a special keynote on India’s environmental strategy, setting the tone for a day packed with powerful dialogue.

    The awards are backed by a rigorous methodology, led by Careedge ESG Ratings, which evaluated 1,000 listed companies across 11 impact-heavy sectors using publicly available data. The final winners were selected by an expert jury chaired by former SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar.

    The speaker list reads like a who’s who of India’s sustainability and policy ecosystem. From Pepsico’s Yashika Singh and Zomato’s Anjalli Kumar to JSW’s Prabodha Acharya, Mahindra’s Abanti Sankaranarayanan, and SEBI’s Pramod Rao, leaders from corporates, think tanks, and regulatory bodies will tackle how sustainability can shift from boardroom buzzword to operational backbone.

    Panel discussions will feature experts like ORF’s Nilanjan Ghosh, CEEW’s Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Avaana’s Anjali Bansal and Swapna Gupta, ISA’s Joshua Wycliffe, Diageo’s Ashish Parikh, and legal minds like Meyyappan Nagappan (Trilegal) and Amit Kapur (JSA), offering multidisciplinary takes on climate strategy, regulation, investment, and innovation.

    Supporting the summit are sustainability stalwarts: L&T (Green Partner), Pepsico (Sustainable Progress Partner), Diageo (CPG Sustainability Partner), along with KREDL and RVNL as associate partners.

    The evening will culminate in the BT India’s Most Sustainable Companies Awards and the unveiling of a special Business Today edition centred on the campaign: ‘Sustainability is no longer an option, it is the only way forward.’

    For India Inc, the message is clear going green isn’t just good optics. It’s the only playbook that matters now.

  • Reel luxe: Mukta A2 rolls out Opulence format in Vadodara

    Reel luxe: Mukta A2 rolls out Opulence format in Vadodara

    MUMBAI: Forget first-class, Vadodara’s movie buffs can now go full throttle with ‘Opulence’. Mukta A2 Cinemas has just unveiled its most premium offering yet with the launch of ‘Opulence’, a swanky four-screen multiplex housed inside The Emperor Mall, Vadodara. With 528 plush seats, Dolby Atmos sound, 2K laser projection, all-silver screens, and immersive 3D, it’s not just a trip to the movies, it’s a full-blown affair of the senses.

    From recliners and loungers to couple’s beds and leather sofas, comfort here doesn’t come in small measures. Add to that gourmet snacks, ambient lighting and a thoughtfully designed lobby, and you’ve got yourself a cinematic spa day.

    As a cherry on top, the launch syncs with the release of ‘Housefull 5’, giving audiences a blockbuster to match the opulence.

    “This isn’t just a format, it’s a reimagined moviegoing experience,” said Mukta A2 Cinemas managing director Rahul Puri. “We wanted to launch where the love for cinema runs deep, and Vadodara was the perfect fit.”

    Located beside VCA Ground on Vasna-Bhayli Road, the venue features a gourmet F&B counter with wraps, pizzas, desserts, and a range of beverages all served up in style.

    Satwik Lele, COO, added, “With Opulence, we’ve married comfort, technology, and hospitality into one seamless space. It’s cinema, but elevated.”

    With this launch, Mukta A2 Cinemas which operates nearly 100 screens across India and overseas including Bahrain reaffirms its ambition to lead with innovation. And if the seats at Opulence are anything to go by, they’re not just raising the bar they’re reclining in it.

  • Try time for India as GMR backs Rugby Premier League debut

    Try time for India as GMR backs Rugby Premier League debut

     MUMBAI: Rugby’s big break in India just got a power-packed boost courtesy GMR Group. One of India’s largest conglomerates has scrummed down with Rugby India to become the title partner of the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL), a first-of-its-kind franchise-based Rugby 7s tournament set to kick off in Mumbai on June 15, with the final scheduled for 29 June 2025.

    Organised in collaboration with GMR Sports, the league promises to be a landmark moment for Indian rugby. The action will unfold at Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex), featuring six founding franchises and a mix of global and homegrown talent.

    The GMR Rugby Premier League (GMR RPL) will welcome players from rugby powerhouses like New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji, Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, USA, and Spain, along with 18 international athletes from Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany. On the home front, 30 Indian players were picked from a competitive auction pool of 71, putting the spotlight on the country’s emerging talent.

    GMR’s entry as title sponsor is no token gesture. With a strong track record in nurturing sport be it cricket with the Delhi Capitals, kabaddi, or grassroots initiatives the group’s involvement signals a serious intent to grow rugby’s footprint in India.

    Calling it a “very important opening season,” Rugby India president Rahul Bose hailed the partnership as one rooted in “mutual belief and optimism.” He added, “We are confident this partnership will stand the test of time.”

    For Indian rugby, this isn’t just a league, it’s a leap. And with GMR’s backing, the sport finally looks set to convert potential into points. Let the rucks and tries begin.

  • CRM gets chatty as Expedify plugs AI into the sales script

    CRM gets chatty as Expedify plugs AI into the sales script

    MUMBAI: Who needs dashboards when your CRM talks, thinks and works like a teammate? Expedify, the conversation-first platform that wants to make CRM feel more like collaboration than chore, has just launched what it claims is India’s first truly agentic, AI-native CRM. Designed to function more like a human team member than a data dump, the system uses built-in voice and chat agents to hold natural, real-time conversations across sales, marketing and service.

    Instead of humans endlessly toggling between spreadsheets and dashboards, Expedify flips the script: its AI agents do the calling, following-up, qualifying, scheduling, analysing and even launching campaigns all through a unified conversational interface across WhatsApp, voice, email and web.

    “This isn’t another tool you have to babysit,” said Expedify CEO and founder Shashank Shekhar Sharma. “It’s an intelligent teammate that thinks and talks in context, helping your team act faster and smarter without the usual drag of legacy CRMs.”

    Here’s what sets it apart:

    1    Lead qualification kicks off within 30 seconds of form submission.

    2    An AI Analyst delivers on-demand insights without dashboard deep dives.

    3    Multichannel campaigns across WhatsApp, email and voice can be launched without ever switching tabs.

    4    Teams can chat with the CRM itself to ask questions, trigger actions or close deals no dashboards needed.

    Expedify’s edge lies in its omnichannel default. Whether it’s a Whatsapp message, voice call, email or SMS, everything runs off a single rule engine and every customer interaction reflects back into the CRM automatically. For sectors like BFSI, edtech, real estate and retail, the tool dramatically reduces response time while ramping up personalisation.

    Setup takes just 30 minutes, making it plug-and-play even for lean teams. It also undercuts traditional enterprise CRM pricing with a freemium model and premium tiers starting at  19 dollar/month (Growth) and  200 dollar/month (Teams) for up to 10 users.

    Already in use across fintech, healthcare and edtech brands in India and Southeast Asia, Expedify is continuing to expand its AI agent library. The platform’s goal? To automate not just data but decisions so that sales teams can stop searching for insights and start acting on them.

    With its eyes set on redefining post-sale engagement, Expedify might just be the CRM that finally talks the talk and walks the walk.

  • Casagrand bats for a third term with Sourav Ganguly as brand face

    Casagrand bats for a third term with Sourav Ganguly as brand face

    MUMBAI: From test matches to testaments of trust, Sourav Ganguly is playing a long innings off the pitch this time, as the face of Casagrand for the third year running. South India’s leading real estate developer, Casagrand, has extended its partnership with the cricketing icon, reaffirming its national ambitions with a familiar, dependable face. With its eyes set on expanding footprints in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Coimbatore, the brand is sharpening its game plan and who better than the man who redefined Indian leadership on the field?

    Known for his fearless captaincy and ability to build winning teams, Ganguly echoes Casagrand’s own growth story: bold, strategic and future-focused. “A home isn’t just a structure, it’s a dream nurtured,” said Ganguly. “Casagrand reflects that belief by building spaces that care for well-being and legacy. I’m proud to partner with a brand that understands the spirit of togetherness and vision.”

    Founded in 2003, Casagrand boasts over 160 completed projects and a cumulative 53 million square feet developed across urban hubs. In FY 2024–25 alone, the company launched over 18 projects, ramped up activity in Hyderabad and debuted in Pune cementing its reputation as one of India’s fastest-scaling real estate players.

    But Casagrand isn’t just about handing over keys. It’s pioneering post-handover support with features like assured rentals, resale assistance, and maintenance services, giving homeowners more than just square footage peace of mind. Its communities prioritise green spaces, smart layouts and multi-generational amenities, built with a vision that housing should enable legacy, not just lifestyle.

    The renewed Ganguly partnership goes beyond celebrity endorsement, it positions Casagrand as a brand built on shared values of trust, resilience, and ambition. With India’s property landscape getting more competitive, this brand–captain duo seems ready for a new innings complete with boundary-pushing aspirations and a stadium full of dreams.

  • Pandit hits the write note with memoir on adland, music and more

    Pandit hits the write note with memoir on adland, music and more

     MUMBAI: From the buzz of boardrooms to the rhythm of raag, Bipin R. Pandit’s journey finally finds its hardcover harmony. At Goafest 2025, amidst Abby cheers and industry nostalgia, The Advertising Club’s beloved COO Bipin R. Pandit launched his long-anticipated biography titled Impassioned. The launch wasn’t just ceremonial, it marked the culmination of 28 years spent scripting not just award shows, but a legacy in Indian advertising’s cultural corridors.

    Released by Ad Club President and Havas India group CEO for SEA & North Asia, Rana Barua, the book dropped during the 58th edition of the Abby Awards, a fitting venue, given Pandit has helmed 28 editions himself.

    But Impassioned is no dry professional recollection. Co-authored by Gokul Krishnamoorthy and supported by Gour Gupta’s Tribes, the book oscillates between Pandit’s rise from Castrol’s data division to becoming the backbone of India’s most prominent advertising secretariat and his other passions: cricket, Kishore Kumar and Khumaar, the live music IP he founded.

    It also swings into his personal innings, including a rooftop romance in Dadar that turned into a lifelong partnership. Reflections from industry stalwarts Piyush Pandey, Prasoon Joshi, Ramesh Narayan and Barua himself add emotional resonance to a story that’s both deeply personal and distinctly adland.

    The book also traces the birth of now-iconic properties like the Effies and Emvies, first conceptualised under Pandit’s watch in 2001 as part of a three-day Mumbai festival alongside the Abbys. Today, these awards stand as pillars of the Indian advertising industry.

    “Writing started with a LinkedIn blog post post-Abbys,” Pandit shared. “Rana called me and said ‘You need to make this a book’. The rest, as they say, got written.”

    Barua added, “Bipin’s been the pulse of the Club steady, smiling and always switched on. This book lets us meet the man behind the magic.”

    Adding heart to history, Pandit has pledged 10 per cent of all proceeds from Impassioned to the Light of Life Foundation, which supports underprivileged communities.

    From overseeing award ceremonies to belting out old classics, from managing committees to cricket trivia debates Bipin R. Pandit hasn’t just worked in adland, he’s lived it. And now, finally, it’s all on record with rhythm, recall and a whole lot of raag.