Today, the Indian Entertainment Industry is a multi–crores that herald the beginning of a new era for the Indian economy. Exceed Entertainment has emerged as one of the most successful and trustworthy entities in entertainment management in recent years.
The firm secures its leadership in this arena specialising in each aspect of the entertainment value chain, including entertainment marketing & consulting, film casting, content packaging, syndication & production, film marketing, live event management, sports hospitality, licensing, merchandising, influencer marketing and digital marketing.
Incorporated in 2005, the company operates in Mumbai and has created a progressive reputation for delivering excellence to clients through the highest quality standards. It was started seventeen years back as an artist management agency and had, over the years, evolved into a multifunctional, versatile entertainment company with dedicated teams.
Exceed launched HRX by Hrithik Roshan as its first in-house fitness brand eight years ago. Today, Exceed’s businesses and group firms operate in several industries, including talent management, content production, events and weddings, celebrity brand building, D2C brand consulting, KOL and influencer marketing, and sports management. As a cutting-edge, multi-platform entertainment management company, they are continually reinventing themselves and keeping up with changing times to adapt to the rising needs of current enterprises.
WHAT MAKES EXCEED A BLUE DIAMOND OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY?
Exceed Entertainment is the lighthouse in the ocean of media and entertainment business. It is working on every touch point to bridge the existing gap between celebrities/talent and films/content at the core and setting new standards along the way. Below is the list of critical factors that makes it stand out:
Exceed’s capacity to foster, appreciate, and maintain connections with artists/talent, team members, or partners sets it apart from its competitors.
The actual wealth is in their associations and priceless relationships cultivated over the years. In addition to goal-digging in the form of immediate revenue direction, they strongly believe in value creation.
THEY ALSO STRIVE TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS AND GO BEYOND THE ORDINARY.
The group disbelieves in working in silos. The teams are all cross-functional and have a knack for working as a team and achieving together because there is no skill-based profile they believe in but attributes-based profiles that they aim for.
THE INCORPORATION OF EXCEED ENTERTAINMENT
Talking about the inception of Exceed, the man behind the idea, Afsar Zaidi, stated, –
It was Jerry Maguire! Jokes apart, I started with Globosports, and the seed was planted right then. Even though it was a lucrative open area, not many people dared to jump in, knowing the risks involved! It started with a conversation with Ajay Devgan, followed by Saif, Hrithik, Kajol, Shilpa, Bipasha and many more. Soon we were surrounded by stars basking in their stardust and enjoying every moment of this high adrenaline business with super highs and lowest lows. The then Bollywood landscape required an approach different from what it stands for today.
The objective, he continued, is to give Bollywood some form of structure. Today, we have reached a point where this is necessary. How business is conducted has changed, along with the nature of films, artists, and consumer needs. As a result, there are now multiple ways to approach business.
A GLIMPSE OF EXCEED’S VICTORIOUS JOURNEY
Today, Exceed Entertainment and its affiliated firms operate in various business sectors. They can boast of having some of the most well-known brands in the industry, including HRX, House of Pataudi, Diva Yoga, Nude Bowls, and many others. Most of their works have endured and prospered over time, and produced good revenues for company partners, including Myntra, Flipkart, Curefit, Rebel Foods, and numerous more.
The Indian landscape was at least 50 years behind Hollywood when Exceed was founded, but they were pioneers in talent management in Bollywood. They had embarked on this path armed with insights from respected Western companies and a clear vision of what Talent Management would accomplish within ten years of its establishment. Although their routes have set trends, they have always taken detours unknown to others, which finally led to their being followed in the new course by most others in the industry. They have established businesses based on celebrity brands, packaged content, or used disruptive marketing strategies with celebrities at the centre. Along the road, they have advised firms on how to question the status quo to charter newer territories.
THE YOUNG & ENERGETIC TEAM, AN EXTENSION TO EXCEED’S SUCCESS
An extremely young team is at the helm of affairs, defining the work culture and ethics. Complete empowerment is vested with a young team that navigates the business and identifies new areas for venturing into. The team drives ownership, revenue generation, planning for the culture, and a lot more, and the leader leads with confidence and a vote of trust.
The Exceed team also excels in being incredibly knowledgeable and adaptable, with each member ready and able to pursue interests outside of work. They employ a third-dimensional model that incorporates personal passions for happiness in addition to ambition and riches.
LEADING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, A MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Covid caused permanent changes in the working patterns, but the fundamentals at Exceed remain unchanged.
The entire media and entertainment sector experienced turbulent times, but let’s look at the bright side. The KOL business and other disruptive marketing tools, particularly content-focused, expanded due to the digital platforms becoming a dominant communication channel. A new generation of artists, authors, filmmakers, talent, musicians, etc., emerged due to the OTT audience’s growth and content creation. The branding industry expanded with the emergence of more D2C and significant investments supporting such brands. During the lockdown, the Exceed team continued to build one block at a time, clung to one another through constant communication, looked out for one another’s wellbeing, and collaborated steadily.
On the other side of Covid, the world looks different to the team, and they view it differently, too, with brighter prospects and more toughened relationships.
BATTLING OBSTACLES
One can only be prepared for a small pre-emptive strike, like any other firm. Uncertainties can be anticipated, but one cannot surround the firm with a fortress to protect it. What works is developing tensile strength and having the flexibility to recover quickly enough while feeling less hurt each time. The creators of Exceed Entertainment carry out this activity.
