ŠKODA AUTO India launches Deccan Beats for southern market

The auto giant has curated the musical talent platform along with PHD Media, Laqshya Event Capital and BToS’ artist management.

ŠKODA AUTO India has once again launched a stage for aspiring musicians. This time the focus is on nurturing indigenous musical talent from the heartlands of South India.

The auto giant launched ŠKODA Deccan Beats - a caravan of Carnatic Music and soulful sojourns- on February 14, 2022. Conceptualised, crafted and brought to life as a superlative branded campaign by PHD Media and OMG content in collaboration with Laqshya Event Capital and BToS’ artist management. Set to the beats of raga-centric melodies at its soul, this culturally relevant talent platform is an initiative that amplifies the beauty of Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu music.

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ŠKODA AUTO India holds the pursuit of music close to its heart – it is a reminder of journeys filled with hope and adventure and one the brand hopes to ride alongside its customers, set to the tune of the lands. Building upon the past year’s music-led initiatives like Sonic Roots and Tips Rewind and recognising the possibilities of bringing people together in a region rich with dialects, languages and symphonies, Deccan Beats will spotlight the shapers and makers of today's Carnatic music circuit and the incredible stories behind it.

Monaz Todywalla, CEO of PHD Media India, said, “Music as we all know truly has no boundaries and it is one such medium that connects people from all over. Building upon ŠKODA’s positioning of a brand that explores the nuances of music to strike a chord with its consumers, Deccan Beats is yet another ambitious musical voyage that explores Carnatic music through a unique blend of talent-hunt, on-road entertainment and musical synergy. With the sentiment to travel and discover more currently riding on a high, the experiential campaign highlights Southern India’s musical roots with the intent to spark wayfaring. As always, PHD Media is stoked to be a part of bringing ŠKODA’s sentimental affinity to music to life.”

Elaborating on the idea behind Deccan Beats, Tarun Jha, head of marketing – ŠKODA AUTO India said, “Deccan Beats is the culmination of a long-time desire of ŠKODA India to create something unique for the market in South India. The brand believes in offering customers an enriching and unique experience. Deccan Beats is the right platform to appreciate the talent in South India. With PHD Media’s digital prowess we are delighted to bring Deccan Beats to people, which truly offers a chance to budding indigenous music talent skilled in the art of Carnatic music.”

The series is slated in three distinct phases — Talent Hunt, On-Road, Garage Series - featuring 16 rising talented artists from five different states. The talent hunt will also feature stellar names from the South Indian music industry such as Andrea Jeremiah (Tamil), Geetha Madhuri (Telugu), Sithara Krishnakumar (Malayalam) and Raghu Dixit (Kannada) mentoring the talent.

Shailja Saraswati, chief content officer of Omnicom Media Group India (OMG), said, “ŠKODA Deccan Beats is built around the powerful medium of music that is deeply embedded in Indian culture. As an experiential campaign, backed by unique branded content, it will not only showcase aspiring musicians from the contextually rich Southern states but also empower talent with the mentorship of established musicians. The format will champion ŠKODA India’s stance in the region with the customer connect that this creative initiative will seed and shape.”