Dentsu expands Sports & Entertainment network to India

Dentsu has officially launched its Sports & Entertainment network in India, following its global rollout at Cannes in June 2025. The initiative underscores the company’s commitment to connecting brands with culture through sports and entertainment on a large scale. Yosuke Murai has been appointed head of dentsu Sports & Entertainment in India to lead the operation.

The practice aims to bridge culture and commerce by helping brands engage authentically with fans, creators, and communities across India’s diverse cultural landscape. It will draw on dentsu’s global experience to design experiences that inspire audiences, elevate creators, and deliver tangible business outcomes.

Building cultural connections across India

With nearly two decades of experience spanning media, advertising, and corporate strategy, Yosuke Murai has led numerous award-winning campaigns at dentsu Inc. In his new role, he will combine dentsu’s global expertise with India’s cultural depth to create campaigns that resonate with audiences and strengthen brand relevance.

Dentsu Sports & Entertainment will focus on four key areas: Japanese anime, sports and esports, influencer marketing, and entertainment content. It plans to build original properties that deepen fan loyalty while driving measurable business results.

Reaching digital-native audiences

Yoshinobu Ise, global head, dentsu Sports & Entertainment: “The launch of dentsu Sports & Entertainment in India opens a new chapter for connecting people, ideas, and communities at scale. We will create experiences that inspire fans, elevate creators, and empower brands to engage meaningfully with audiences across sports, entertainment, and content, while offering business opportunities in the fast-growing market to our partners such as IP rights owners. This initiative brings global expertise that dentsu has developed over decades to India’s vibrant landscape, shaping moments that matter and driving lasting impact.”

India’s expanding entertainment economy provides fertile ground for such initiatives. Cricket and premium content now account for nearly 30 percent of the OTT market, and events like IPL 2025, the ICC Champions Trophy, and the Asia Cup continue to attract massive audiences. Globally, formats such as anime and sports docuseries are also fuelling engagement, with 48 percent of APAC consumers watching anime weekly and 71 percent preferring sports docuseries over other genres.

Culture at the heart of engagement

Dentsu Sports & Entertainment has already demonstrated its creative reach in India through campaigns that fuse culture and commerce. With Heineken 0.0, the agency helped fans experience Coachella through creator-led storytelling, generating 44 million views and 37 million reach. Its UEFA Champions League campaign amplified football fandom across India, achieving 43 million views and 23 million reach.

Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu: “Culture is the thread that stitches India together. From cricket that turns every gully into a stadium to festivals that light up our streets, these moments define us as Bharat. With dentsu Sports & Entertainment, we are stepping into these lived experiences music, sport, cinema, and celebrations that define who we are. When brands find a place in these cultural moments, they don’t just win visibility; they win trust, relevance, and growth. For us, this isn’t business; it is personal.”

Harnessing India’s cultural energy

Yosuke Murai: “India is one of the world’s most exciting frontiers for sports, entertainment, and culture. A middle class nearing a billion, rising disposable incomes, and a young population have created unparalleled appetite for live experiences. Here, passion drives business impact. Whether esports, live entertainment, or the booming creator economy, brands have an opportunity to shape culture and unlock growth. Our mission is to harness dentsu’s global IP and expertise—including the deep content business knowledge and networks built over decades by dentsu Japan—alongside Bharat’s cultural depth, to create experiences that inspire the world.”

www.dentsu.com

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