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  • Sunfeast Dark Fantasy’s spaceship lands in Delhi to fuel young imaginations

    Sunfeast Dark Fantasy’s spaceship lands in Delhi to fuel young imaginations

    Delhi got a sweet taste of space this week minus the astronaut training. Sunfeast Dark Fantasy’s much-talked-about Fantasy Spaceship touched down at Nehru Planetarium on National Space Day (23 August), inviting city kids to dream bigger and think bolder. Part of the brand’s playful campaign, “Big Fantasies: Give Wings to Your Imagination,” the initiative blended art, tech, and a dash of cosmic curiosity. Children hopped aboard the spaceship actually a tech-powered bus fitted with giant interactive screens that transformed their hand-drawn sketches into dazzling 3D digital characters, right before their eyes.

    The Delhi pitstop comes after successful runs in Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. The spaceship will stay in the capital till 16 September, travelling to schools like Ryan International, Modern Academy, Glorious Public School, and Aakash International, turning classrooms into launchpads for creativity.

    India’s youngest astronaut, Jahnavi Dangeti, beamed down as chief guest, reminding kids that imagination isn’t just child’s play, it’s rocket fuel for creativity and problem-solving. “When children are encouraged to dream and create, they nurture skills that help ignite new ideas and overcome challenges,” she said.

    For ITC Foods’ COO for Biscuits & Cakes Cluster Ali Harris Shere the initiative was a perfect fit for the day: “National Space Day at Nehru Planetarium is a perfect way to celebrate young minds and their boundless potential. Every moment shared is a reminder of the incredible creativity that resides within them.”

    With kids sketching, scanning, and sending their ideas soaring into a digital universe, the Fantasy Spaceship is less about reaching the stars and more about sparking the imagination needed to one day get there.

  • Bata launches Victoria Ballerina, its most comfortable shoe for women yet

    Bata launches Victoria Ballerina, its most comfortable shoe for women yet

    MUMBAI: Life may not always be a stage, but Bata wants women to stride like they own it. The footwear giant has unveiled the Victoria Ballerina, billed as its most comfortable ballerina ever, designed for women who walk with purpose and flair. The launch is part of Bata’s global “Make Your Way” campaign, introduced during the brand’s 130th anniversary in 2024. The Victoria Ballerina draws on the spirit of dance long a symbol of strength, rhythm, and freedom of movement reimagined for modern women who wear ballerinas not just for the stage, but for everyday life.

    Blending on-trend design, comfort and affordability, the collection reflects Bata’s promise to marry style with functionality. “Every day is a chance to make your way,” said Bata India chief strategy & business development officer Badri Beriwal. “With Victoria Ballerina, we are celebrating not only the power of the perfect shoe, but the power of women who dance through life with strength.”

    The Victoria name is no coincidence. It embodies confidence, triumph, and motion, a mindset as much as a design. The collection is positioned as more than footwear: a companion for women to move freely, express themselves boldly, and embrace the daily rhythm of their journeys.

    Backed by a 360-degree global marketing rollout, the campaign is set to amplify across digital, outdoor, and in-store platforms, spotlighting ballerinas as both a style staple and a symbol of empowerment.

    From the cobbled streets of Europe to the bustling metros of India, Bata is betting big that the Victoria Ballerina will help women not just walk, but make their way.

  • Ishaan Khatter suits up as the next big face in Boss global campaign

    Ishaan Khatter suits up as the next big face in Boss global campaign

    MUMBAI: Behold the new Boss move Indian star Ishaan Khatter has officially joined the cast of Hugo Boss’ Fall/Winter 2025 campaign, Be the Next, putting a bold spin on the brand’s iconic “be your own boss” platform.

    Khatter, who recently dazzled at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival with his Hollywood breakout Homebound, is now fronting the campaign as one of its global faces, alongside English actor (and future DC superhero) Aaron Pierre, K-pop megastar S.Coups of Seventeen, tennis ace Taylor Fritz, and fashion’s fastest-rising model, Amelia Gray. Together, the eclectic line-up embodies the campaign’s mantra of ambition, individuality, and rewriting the rulebook.

    The campaign film charts Khatter’s symbolic walk through a tunnel towards a radiant light mirroring his own artistic journey from Mumbai’s indie films to the global stage. Styled in rich textures and sleek tonal layers from the Boss FW25 collection, he embodies the modern Boss: risk-taker, rule-breaker, and legacy-maker.

    Speaking about his new role, Khatter said:“It’s about staying true to yourself, pushing boundaries, and constantly striving to grow. For me, it’s not just about success but about the journey and the stories we create along the way.”

    With its global cast, the campaign will hit the streets (and screens) through a 360-degree blitz billboards lighting up major world cities, high-traffic outdoor spots, and a digital push across platforms. The collection itself will roll out in Boss stores worldwide, online at boss.com, and through wholesale partners.

    For Khatter, hailed as Bollywood’s “It Boy” gone international, this campaign cements his place not just as a rising actor but as a global style force. For Boss, it’s another step in reframing power dressing for a generation that’s hungry to own its narrative.

  • Apparel Group snaps up LVMH marketing veteran for India push

    Apparel Group snaps up LVMH marketing veteran for India push

    MUMBAI: Apparel group has hired Aditi Chakravarty from luxury giant LVMH to spearhead marketing for its sprawling Indian retail empire, signalling ambitious plans to deepen its penetration in the subcontinent’s booming consumer market.

    Chakravarty, who joins as head of marketing, brings formidable credentials from her stint at Moët Hennessy, where she orchestrated the rise of India from sixth to third place globally for the luxury spirits portfolio between 2021 and 2024. Her precision-crafted campaigns for premium whisky brands Glenmorangie and Ardbeg achieved “outsized share of voice” in India’s heavily regulated alcohol market.

    The appointment positions her to oversee marketing for 14 international brands including Aldo, Charles & Keith, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret and R&B across Apparel Group’s 250-plus Indian stores and digital platforms.

    Her career trajectory reads like a masterclass in modern marketing warfare. At Unilever, she delivered €1.2m in cost savings whilst driving global growth for Lifebuoy, the world’s largest skin-cleansing brand. She then pioneered Hindustan Unilever’s first online-only premium skincare brand, Aviance, scaling it to Rs 50 crore in India’s nascent e-commerce landscape.

    The marketing maven’s most impressive feat came at OmniActive Health Technologies, where she led nutritional supplements brand Setu from zero to a Rs 100 crore direct-to-consumer roadmap, delivering eight-fold growth in six months through what she describes as “earned-owned media mix, funnel optimisation, and lifecycle automation”.

    Her 15-year career spans blue-chip corporations including PepsiCo, where she cut her teeth in innovation and procurement for brands like Kurkure and Baked Lays, and a spell at DCM Shriram managing key accounts across India’s rural retail chain Hariyali Kisan Bazar.

    The hire reflects Apparel group’s determination to leverage India’s consumer boom, as international fashion and beauty brands increasingly view the market as essential to global growth strategies. With her track record of translating “market insights into integrated communication plans that grow brand love, share, and value,”  Chakravarty appears well-equipped for the challenge.

    Her personal motto—”Work hard. Speak the truth. Get your hands dirty”—suggests Apparel Group has found someone unafraid of the gritty realities of retail warfare in one of the world’s most competitive consumer markets.

  • YouTube ropes in Viacom18 cricket advertising veteran

    YouTube ropes in Viacom18 cricket advertising veteran

    MUMBAI: YouTube has hired Shridhar Venkataramana as strategic partner manager for content partnerships, marking a significant coup for the Google-owned video platform in India’s lucrative cricket advertising market.

    The appointment sees Venkataramana move from Viacom18 Media, where he spent three years as senior director of cricket brand solutions. He brings deep expertise in cricket monetisation, having previously orchestrated brand partnerships across marquee tournaments including ICC, BCCI and ACC events during his six-and-a-half-year tenure at Star TV network. At Star Sports, he progressed through roles spanning revenue strategy and key account management, developing pricing models for some of cricket’s most valuable properties.

    Venkataramana’s career trajectory began at PepsiCo, where he cut his teeth as a management trainee before advancing to area sales manager. His LinkedIn announcement cheekily noted the transition from being “on YouTube” to being “in YouTube.”

    The hire underscores YouTube’s ambitions to capture a larger slice of India’s sports advertising pie, particularly as cricket viewership increasingly migrates to digital platforms. With India representing YouTube’s largest market by user base, securing experienced sports media executives has become critical to the platform’s revenue growth strategy.

    The appointment, effective August 2025, positions YouTube to better compete with established broadcasters for premium cricket content partnerships and advertising deals in the world’s most cricket-obsessed market.

  • Oneindia cashes in with Anand Sreenivasan as monetisation head

    Oneindia cashes in with Anand Sreenivasan as monetisation head

    MUMBAI: Oneindia is betting big on fresh leadership to fuel its next growth spurt. The digital news platform has roped in Anand Sreenivasan as its national head of monetisation and special projects, tasking him with steering revenue growth and bolstering advertiser partnerships across the country. For Sreenivasan, the mandate is expansive: drive sales strategy, client engagement, and revenue delivery across Oneindia’s bouquet of offerings, including digital, video, branded content, and strategic solutions. He will also be responsible for nurturing regional sales teams and connecting brands to millions of users in multiple Indian languages through campaigns that are not only data-driven but culturally resonant.

    The timing is crucial. India’s digital story is increasingly being written in vernacular tongues, and Oneindia already a strong player in multilingual media, is positioning itself to lead that charge. With over 20 years of experience, Sreenivasan brings the kind of firepower the company needs to capitalise on this moment.

    He most recently served as national head of branded content at Republic World until 2022, after stints at Quint Digital, AETN Media, and 9X Media.

    Explaining the move Oneindia CEO Ravanan N said: “In my first conversation with Anand Sreenivasan, I saw a leader who not only understands the market but also sees where it’s headed. His track record in building revenue engines and forging deep client relationships makes him invaluable as we strengthen our leadership in the multilingual digital space.”

    Sreenivasan himself is bullish on the challenge: “India’s digital growth story is being written in multiple languages, and Oneindia is at the forefront of that transformation. My goal is to unlock the full commercial potential of our reach and deliver campaigns that don’t just advertise, but truly resonate with audiences across every region and culture.”

    With 1,000-plus advertisers already on its roster and a growing user base across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and more, Oneindia is looking to Sreenivasan’s vision and experience to cash in on the multilingual boom and deepen its footprint in the country’s diverse digital landscape.
     

  • BBH beefs up brainpower with new EVPs and creative leadership boosts

    BBH beefs up brainpower with new EVPs and creative leadership boosts

    MUMBAI: BBH India is turning up the creative volume and the leadership dial. The Publicis Groupe agency has strengthened its senior bench with the appointment of Delon Mascarenhas and Mitushi Sharma as executive vice presidents, while also elevating Ashwin Palkar and Nisheeth Srivastava to senior executive creative directors.

    The shake-up comes as BBH India enjoys a hot streak: fresh business wins, deeper partnerships, and international recognition, including a Bronze Lion at Cannes Lions 2025 for its cheeky “Bassi Vs Garnier Men’s Facewash” campaign. It also bagged the No. 3 spot in India on the MMA Smarties Business Impact Index 2024 underlining its momentum.

    Mascarenhas, who re-joins BBH, brings more than 25 years of experience spanning brand strategy, content, and digital marketing. His career highlights include senior stints at DDB Mudra Group, Edelman India, Havas Life, and Tring, working with marquee brands like McDonald’s, HUL, Red Bull, Meesho, Dream11, and Abbott.

    Sharma comes in with over 23 years of advertising chops, most recently at FCB Interface, and a portfolio covering categories from FMCG to pharma. She has shaped strategies for global and Indian heavyweights including Nivea, Whirlpool, Mahindra, Torrent Pharma, and has played a pivotal role in managing Unilever brands such as Lakme, Domex, and Ayush.

    Ashwin Palkar and Nisheeth Srivastava’s elevation signals BBH’s push for creative firepower and talent development. Both will continue reporting to chief creative officer Parikshit Bhattacharya.

    Commenting on the appointments BBH India MD and COO Himanshu Saxena said: “With Delon and Mitushi, we’re doubling down on our belief in creativity that delivers full-funnel marketing effectiveness. This leadership is built to take us into the next growth phase.”

    For Mascarenhas, it’s a homecoming: “I’m excited to re-join BBH India at this pivotal moment. With a strong team and bold vision, the opportunity to shape brands in today’s evolving landscape is immense.”

    Sharma echoed the sentiment: “BBH has always stood out for blending cultural insight, creativity, and strategy. With technology changing consumer mindsets, I look forward to pushing boundaries and fuelling exponential growth.”

    With 2025 already stacked with wins, fresh leadership firepower could ensure BBH India continues to punch above its weight in the global creative ring.
     

  • Game for exports Winzo, SEPC join hands to power Made in India gaming

    Game for exports Winzo, SEPC join hands to power Made in India gaming

    MUMBAI: India’s gaming industry just scored a big power-up. The Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and Winzo, the country’s largest social gaming platform, have inked a three-year MoU to catapult “Made in India” games onto the global stage.

    With India already accounting for 20 per cent of the world’s gaming user base and 15.1 per cent of all global app downloads, the partnership is designed to strengthen India’s claim on the 300 billion dollars global gaming market. The sector, which attracted USD 3 billion in FDI over the last five years, is home to 1,888 gaming startups and is projected to grow from 3.7 billion dollars in 2024 to USD 9.1 billion dollars by 2029, clocking a 19.6 per cent CAGR.

    As part of the tie-up, Winzo will showcase Indian developers and their IP at Gamescom, Germany, this month Europe’s largest gaming expo before taking them to other global events. The initiative aims to connect Indian talent with publishers, investors, and industry leaders, opening fresh avenues for international collaboration.

    The MoU also promises to address persistent ecosystem hurdles like startup incubation, funding, monetisation, and talent development, while scaling Winzo’s Bharat Tech Triumph programme, which has previously spotlighted Indian developers at GDC, Gamescom LATAM, and Startup Mahakumbh.

    A cornerstone of the alliance is Winzo’s Global Centre of Excellence (GCoE), set up with DPIIT, to champion Indian gaming IP worldwide. The focus: protecting IP, attracting more FDI, and building a skilling pipeline for developers, influencers, innovators, and students fuelling India’s creator economy and new-age jobs.

    “This initiative will have a profound impact on game developers, empowering them with new opportunities and a global platform,” said SEPC Chairman Karan Rathore. Winzo co-founder Saumya Singh Rathore added, “The socio-economic potential of online gaming can create multifold opportunities for skilling, jobs, and IP exports, supporting India’s journey to a 5 trillion dollars economy.”

    With prime minister Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision as backdrop, this first-of-its-kind national-level collaboration seeks nothing less than securing India’s rightful 20 per cent share of the global gaming industry matching its user strength with export muscle.
     

  • India’s southern spaceport progressing; to take aim at polar satellites

    India’s southern spaceport progressing; to take aim at polar satellites

    MUMBAI: India is racing to complete its second spaceport on the Tamil Nadu coast, promising to revolutionise the country’s small satellite launch capabilities. The Kulasekarapattinam facility, targetted for commissioning in 2026-27, will unlock dramatic payload improvements that existing infrastructure simply cannot match.

    Minister of state in the prime minister’s office Jitendra Singh told parliament that the Rs 985.96 crore project has consumed Rs 389.58 crore so far, with land acquisition nearly complete and technical facilities under construction. What makes the coastal location special is geography: launching southward over open ocean eliminates the orbital gymnastics required at the existing Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

    The numbers tell the story. India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle can carry just 300kg to sun-synchronous polar orbits from Kulasekarapattinam—but “inadequate” payloads from the established Sriharikota facility. The problem lies in trajectory: rockets launching from Sriharikota must perform complex manoeuvres to avoid dropping spent stages on populated areas, gutting their carrying capacity.

    Sun-synchronous polar orbits are the sweet spot for earth observation satellites, keeping spacecraft in constant sunlight as they circle the planet. But reaching these orbits from India’s existing spaceport requires fuel-guzzling course corrections that leave little room for actual cargo.

    Kulasekarapattinam changes the equation entirely. The southern facility’s coastal position allows rockets to fly straight into polar trajectories without dodging landmasses or cities. Once operational, the spaceport will handle launches for both ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle and equivalent rockets from private companies.

    The project represents India’s push to capture more of the booming small satellite market, where payload efficiency often determines commercial viability. With fabrication of equipment underway at various work centres and construction proceeding on technical facilities, the race is on to bring India’s orbital ambitions down to earth—or rather, up to space—by 2027.

  • India draws battle lines between esports and online gambling

    India draws battle lines between esports and online gambling

    MUMBAI: India’s Lok Sabha has passed the Promotion & Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, creating a stark divide between legitimate esports, casual gaming  and what lawmakers term predatory gambling platforms. The legislation, which now heads to the Rajya Sabha, has split the gaming industry down the middle.

    Real-money gaming firms are crying foul, claiming the bill sounds their death knell. But esports pioneers are celebrating what they see as long-overdue recognition. Rajen Navani, chairman and managing director of JetLine group, says the cabinet’s approval “is a decisive step that separates esports and social video gaming from wagering-led real money gaming.”

     Minister of railways, information & broadcasting and electronics & information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw,  pulled no punches when tabling the bill. “Online money gaming firms are opaque in nature,” he told parliament. “There are multiple hazards linked to online money gaming. This also impacts national security such as money laundering and terror funding.”

    The minister drew a clear distinction between educational esports and what he characterised as destructive gambling platforms. “The government wants to support esports and casual games. We want to protect the interest of society,” Vaishnaw said, urging unanimous passage.

    The legislation establishes a central regulatory authority with Rs 50 crore in initial capital expenditure and Rs 20 crore in annual recurring costs. The watchdog will oversee compliance, shape policy and encourage innovation in legitimate gaming.

    Crucially, the bill formally recognises esports as competitive sport, promising government backing for training academies, research centres and technology platforms. Social and educational games will receive similar support, with built-in safeguards ensuring age-appropriate content.

    For Navani, who pioneered esports in India, the clarity provides “a strong tailwind” that should boost investment in tournaments, infrastructure and jobs. 

    Real-money gaming operators, however, face an uncertain future as regulators prepare to separate wheat from chaff in India’s booming digital gaming market.