MUMBAI: The Universal Music Group in India recently announced big growth moves including upping of its regional leadership during the visit of Adam Granite – CEO Africa, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) - to Mumbai & the Capital last week.

Chairman CEO Devraj Sanyal, along with Sanujeet Bhujabal, MD Universal Music India & South Asia & Preeti Nayyar, SVP & Business Head UMG for Brands, India & South Asia hosted two big celebrations in both cities in honour of Adam’s visit, which saw the who’s who of the artist, composer, producer, singer writer community in attendance, in respect to Universal Music’s always-on, artist- first way of life.

Badshah, Neha & Tony Kakkar, Harrdy Sandhu, Divine, Jaani, Kanika Kapoor, MC Stan, Kanishk & Kavita Seth, Dino James, Dhanda Nyoliwala (who flew in special from Australia), MC Square, Paradox, DG Immortals, Raga, Gulzar Cheniwala, Vilen were some of the stars that showed up and discussed the future of an artist-centric economy to come.

Amidst the performances from some of the most promising emerging stars of tomorrow, UMG for Brands felicitated three of their partners – also some of the biggest global majors in their respective categories – Hyundai, Coca Cola, Pernod Ricard.

Team UMGB along with Adam & Devraj celebrated these special partnerships for taking the lead in enabling cultural change through music & music-led IPs in partnership with Universal Music Group.

In an increasingly cluttered environment of consumers’ mind-space that exists today, brands across categories are resorting to differentiated thinking and marketing vehicles to capture share-of-voice.

Music has always been at the heart of engaging the consumer with the brand’s narrative. But the trio of brands: Hyundai, Coca Cola, Pernod Ricard - as diverse as automobile, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages - are taking this several steps further, by using the undeniable power of music and artistry as a focal point in their marketing strategy. These three brands have consistently collaborated with UMG for Brands over the last few years, to produce some incredible and distinctive music led IPs and getting together artists across a wide spectrum and languages. Thus, they have been at the forefront of effecting a cultural paradigm shift through music, with UMG for Brands being a solid partner all through.

Through Hyundai’s Spotlight, Coca Cola’s Coke Studio Bharat (Season 1 and 2) and Pernod Ricard’s “Royal Stag Boombox” (Season 2) – some of the most sought-after names in the music and entertainment business have churned out some chartbuster tracks. These brands have effectively used music to communicate their core messaging, bring fans closer to the artists and drive brand love. UMG for Brands appreciates their association and the evening that was to bring all these entities together to formally recognise their contribution.

Said Sanyal, Chairman CEO, UMG India SA & SVP of Strategy AMEA “Globally our Music & Brands business is the biggest & the most recognised because we partner with some of the smartest & most innovative CXOs in the world over & even here it’s really no different. My friends Tarun from Hyundai, Arnab from Coke & Karthik from PR are the best-in-class marketeers in their categories, willing to push the envelope every day to be better, ahead of the curve & absolutely world class and I couldn’t be more honoured to celebrate that especially in the presence of my boss & partner Adam.

Tarun Garg: COO – Hyundai Motor India Limited said :  Hyundai Spotlight is our one-of-a-kind enabler platform, that aims to discover, incubate, and promote emerging musical talent in India. Through Hyundai Spotlight, we are connecting with the young aspirational generation of India that wants authentic brand experiences. Collaborating with UMG India has been an incredible journey, where both brands have come together to blend their passion for innovation in musical heritage. Together, Hyundai Motor India and UMG India are harmonizing technology and artistry to create unforgettable experiences for the audiences, ensuring that each interaction leaves a lasting impression. This initiative not only uplifts young artists but also enhances the overall customer experience by providing exclusive, high-quality musical content. We are glad to be associated with UMG India and we are always looking to motivate young artists to blossom and come forward to showcase their talent.

Arnab Roy : VP, Head of Marketing India and South-west Asia – The Coca Cola Company said : It has been a fantastic journey with UMG on Coke Studio Bharat - our number one vehicle to build the cultural connect  in an authentic way . UMG has been helping us with powerful insights on the musical front that helped deliver super hits like Khalasi, Holi Re Rasiya amongst many other songs.

Kartik Mohindra – CMO, Head Global Business Development -  Pernord Ricard India said : Boombox is a critical part of our youth outreach for Royal Stag #Liveitlarge and we’re super pleased that our partnership with UMGB has helped evolve this incredibly important property in a holistic and future forward manner setting it up for the next few years to become the most valuable and exciting music led IP, not just for India but for Bharat.

Preeti Nayyar – Business Head & SVP, UMG for Brands, India and South Asia said: It’s encouraging and reassuring to see our partners and our artists coming together for both of our showcase events . We thank them all for trusting us over the years with their precious brands.