e-commerce

Brave new ads win hearts while playing it safe fades into the feed

Published

9 months ago

May 23, 2025

MUMBAI: If your campaign doesn’t make you squirm a little, you’re probably doing it wrong. That was the bold takeaway from Paris-based creative powerhouse Marcel CCO & CEO Youri Guerassimov who took the Goa Fest 2025 stage with a keynote titled Creativity That Dares to Disrupt.

In an age where consumers are bombarded with over 6,000 ads a day, Guerassimov made a case for courage over comfort. “Visibility is not enough,” he said. “To stand out, you have to stand for something.”

And the numbers agree. According to Edelman, 86 per cent of consumers expect brands to take a stand on social or environmental issues. Two-thirds (66 per cent) are even willing to switch loyalties if a brand stays silent on values that matter. In short: if you’re not bold, you’re forgettable.

Guerassimov pointed to iconic examples of brand bravery from Nike’s controversial Colin Kaepernick campaign to Volvo’s decision to open-source their safety innovations. Whether it’s risking backlash or sharing competitive advantage, these brands chose purpose over polish and won loyalty in the process.

But bravery, he clarified, isn’t just activism. “It can be design-led, strategic, or operational.” Take McDonald’s minimal outdoor ad that simply showed its fries arches pointing to the nearest outlet. Or Marcel’s own work with Intermarché, turning ugly produce into a national movement with the “Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables” campaign.

Some acts of courage are barely visible like adding a few meaningful words to a supplier contract. But when done with conviction, even the smallest gestures echo the brand’s beliefs. “True bravery can show up in backrooms and boardrooms,” he said.

He also highlighted Patagonia’s radical profit pledge, where the brand’s CEO donated all company profits to fight climate change, as the ultimate example of purpose-driven marketing that became part of global culture.

According to Guerassimov, bravery is not about budget or bravado, it’s about belief. It’s a tool to cut through the noise, create culture, and connect with consumers on a level that spreadsheets can’t quantify.

As he put it with disarming simplicity, “Fear is temporary. Regret is forever.”

So the next time a campaign idea gives you a nervous twitch, take it as a sign you might be on the right track.

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e-commerce

Comet makes e-commerce debut on Myntra with 40 sneaker styles

Published

1 week ago

February 6, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

BENGALURU: Culture-first sneaker label Comet has entered Indian e-commerce with its debut on Myntra, bringing over 40 footwear styles to the fashion platform’s 75 million monthly active users. The move marks Comet’s first online retail partnership as it looks to scale beyond its direct-to-consumer roots.

The launch features the brand’s popular ranges including X Lows, Aeon V2 and Alter, alongside an exclusive new design, X Lows Polaris, available only on Myntra. The collaboration strengthens Myntra’s growing sneaker portfolio aimed at Gen Z and millennial consumers drawn to streetwear culture and design-led brands.

Myntra head of category and revenue Ritesh Mishra, said Comet’s sharp design language and community-driven approach aligned with the platform’s focus on trend-forward labels shaping India’s contemporary sneaker culture.

Comet co-founders Utkarsh Gupta and Dishant Daryani said the partnership would help the brand reach a wider audience while staying rooted in its product-first philosophy and close customer engagement.

Built on the ethos “Never shy, never sorry”, Comet has gained traction for bold silhouettes, vibrant colourways and limited-edition drops inspired by cultural nostalgia and storytelling. The Myntra debut signals the brand’s next phase of growth in India’s fast-evolving sneaker and streetwear market.

e-commerce

Amazon Q4 sales jump 14 per cent as AWS revenue surges 24 per cent

Published

1 week ago

February 6, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

SEATTLE: Amazon has closed 2025 with robust fourth-quarter growth across its core businesses, even as spending on sales, marketing and infrastructure continued to climb. The company reported a 14 per cent rise in Q4 net sales to $213.4 billion, driven by solid momentum in North America, International markets and a sharp acceleration at AWS.

Sales and marketing expenses rose 8.7 per cent year on year to $14.3 billion in the quarter, reflecting sustained investment in customer acquisition and brand reach. For the full year, the bill climbed 7.3 per cent to $47.1 billion.

AWS remained the standout performer, with revenue jumping 24 per cent to $35.6 billion in the quarter, its fastest pace in more than three years. North America sales grew 10 per cent to $127.1 billion, while International revenues climbed 17 per cent to $50.7 billion, aided partly by favourable currency movements.

Operating income rose to $25.0 billion in Q4, up from $21.2 billion a year earlier, though the figure was weighed down by special charges linked to tax settlements in Italy, severance costs and asset impairments tied largely to physical stores. Excluding these, operating profit would have reached $27.4 billion.

Net income increased to $21.2 billion, or $1.95 per share, compared with $20.0 billion a year ago.

For the full year 2025, Amazon posted 12 per cent growth in net sales to $716.9 billion. AWS revenues climbed 20 per cent to $128.7 billion, while North America and International segments grew 10 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. Operating income expanded to $80.0 billion, with AWS contributing more than half of the total.

Cash generation strengthened, with operating cash flow rising 20 per cent to $139.5 billion. Free cash flow, however, fell sharply to $11.2 billion as capital spending surged, largely reflecting heavy investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

President and chief executive officer Andy Jassy, said demand across cloud services, advertising, retail and emerging technologies such as AI chips, robotics and low-earth-orbit satellites remained strong. He added that Amazon plans to invest around $200 billion in capital expenditure in 2026 to support long-term growth.

The company also pointed to a wave of new AWS partnerships, spanning clients such as OpenAI, Visa, the NBA, BlackRock, Salesforce, Adobe, HSBC and the London Stock Exchange Group, underscoring cloud demand across industries.

e-commerce

Flipkart elevates Aditya Maheshwari as head of category and P and L for toys, stationery and babycare

Published

1 week ago

February 6, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

BENGALURU: Flipkart has elevated Aditya Maheshwari to head of category and P and L for toys, stationery and babycare, placing him in charge of end-to-end business strategy and financial performance across the high-growth segments.

The move follows a four-year stint at the e-commerce major, where Maheshwari served as category head for toys and stationery and associate director for beauty and personal care. During this period, he played a key role in strengthening Flipkart’s position across multiple consumer categories through scale-driven portfolio management.

Maheshwari brings deep experience across India’s startup and e-commerce ecosystem. Prior to his current elevation, he previously worked at Flipkart as a category manager and business development lead in the early phase of his career.

He is also the co-founder of Packflea.com and has held leadership roles including head of alliances at Xoxoday and head buyer at Gozefo.com. His early experience in procurement and sourcing spans platforms such as Giftxoxo.com and buytheprice.com.

With a strong track record of managing large P&Ls and building scalable category businesses, Maheshwari is now set to spearhead Flipkart’s strategic expansion in toys and babycare.