HMD (Human Mobile Devices), a company renowned for its user-centered smartphone design, has announced its partnership with Rajasthan Royals, an Indian Premier League team. HMD will be the official smartphone partner of the franchise throughout this year's high-octane IPL season. According to the company, the newly formed partnership intends to increase its brand visibility across the country while commemorating and capturing memorable sporting events using HMD's soon-to-be-released aspirational technology, leveraging cricket's biggest influencers along the way.
For the uninitiated, HMD is a Europe-based firm that holds the global license to sell Nokia models. Earlier this year, the brand changed the name of its website from Nokia to HMD. At Mobile World Congress 2024, HMD won several accolades and was recognised as a company with significant aspirations to transform smartphone design.
Speaking about the newly-formed partnership, Tathagat Jena, Head of Marketing & Online Biz, India at HMD, stated: “Together with the Rajasthan Royals we will hit this brand association out of the park, it’s an affiliation of two brands that aim to be ahead of the curve – we both are passionate, bold, and always one step ahead.”
Alok Chitre, Chief Business Officer, Rajasthan Royals, said, "As we embark on this exciting journey with HMD as our Official Smartphone Partner, we envision a partnership fueled by innovation and a shared commitment to transforming society through cricket. At the Royals, our mission is not only to excel on the field but also to pioneer change through innovation. HMD embodies this spirit with its cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking approach, and we are looking forward to leveraging our synergies driven by innovation on and off the pitch."
In February 2024, HMD announced that it would stop using the Nokia name on some of its smartphones and gave a sneak peek at one with prominent HMD branding on the rear panel. The company subsequently revealed intentions of launching this repairable phone in July this year.
