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  • Liminal Custody names Muppalla as product chief officer

    Liminal Custody names Muppalla as product chief officer

    MUMBAI: Liminal Custody has appointed Chakravarthi Muppalla as chief product officer to lead its next phase of innovation in digital asset infrastructure.

    Muppalla, who has held senior roles at Microsoft, Salesforce, Coinbase and Chorus One, brings over a decade of experience across cloud, SaaS, AI and blockchain. At Chorus One, he led the creation of Opus, a multi-chain staking and restaking platform.

    His background straddling enterprise technology and decentralised finance is expected to help Liminal strengthen its position as a trusted, regulated custody provider for institutional clients.

    Liminal Custody founder Mahin Gupta said Muppalla’s appointment marked “an important step” in the firm’s evolution. “His blend of Web2 and Web3 expertise aligns perfectly with our vision of simplifying digital asset management for enterprises globally,” he said.

    Muppalla likened the current moment in digital asset infrastructure to the early days of cloud computing. “Institutions want reliability, compliance and performance before they can truly scale,” he said. “At Liminal, I’m excited to build products that bridge that gap.”

    Under his leadership, Liminal plans to deepen its focus on institutional-grade innovation, modular product design and interoperability, helping enterprises and exchanges navigate the shifting landscape of digital finance.

     

  • Wendy’s rave serves burgers with a scare

    Wendy’s rave serves burgers with a scare

    MUMBAI: This Halloween, Wendy’s is swapping ketchup for cobwebs and fries for fright. The burger chain is turning its outlets in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune into haunted rave zones for one wicked night of food, fun and fearless partying.

    On October 31, Wendy’s Rave, Halloween edition will transform the restaurants into spooky diners with eerie lighting, creepy décor and surprise jump scares. Guests can feast on unlimited burgers, fries, beverages and desserts while grooving to a mix of Hindi cinema and EDM beats that promise to raise the dead, or at least the dance floor.

    Instead of the usual neon wristbands, party-goers will get glowing devil horn headbands, turning the crowd into a sea of red light and mischief. The surprise highlight? A DJ set by “Wendy” herself, complete with haunting Halloween makeup and a playlist that’s equal parts spooky and spectacular.

    “Halloween is all about bold, expressive fun, and Wendy’s is taking that spirit to the next level,” said Rebel Foods chief marketing officer Nishant Kedia. “The Wendy’s Rave is our way of serving flavour with a side of madness and a whole lot of music.”

    As beats drop and burgers flip, expect ghostly laughter, spine-tingling sound effects, and crew members in scary masks dishing out your meal with the occasional jump scare.

    It’s a night where burgers meet the bizarre, fries flirt with fright, and Wendy’s proves that food can be just as thrilling as a haunted house. This Halloween, your meal might just scream back.

     

  • Truth in real estate gets a Telangana tweak

    Truth in real estate gets a Telangana tweak

    MUMBAI: When it comes to buying a home, dreams often come wrapped in glossy brochures and grand promises. But in Telangana, truth in real estate ads just found a new guardian. The Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TGRERA) has inked a pact with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to crack down on misleading property promotions and safeguard homebuyers.

    The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Hyderabad in the presence of TGRERA chairman N. Satyanarayana, IAS, members J. Laxmi Narayana and K. Srinivasa Rao, along with senior TGRERA officials. Representing ASCI were CEO and secretary-general Manisha Kapoor and director of operations Saheli Sinha.

    The partnership will see ASCI use its digital monitoring tools to spot non-compliant real estate ads across online platforms. Once flagged, these dubious claims will be escalated to TGRERA for swift regulatory action.

    “Clear and truthful advertising is central to consumer trust in the housing market,” said Satyanarayana. “With ASCI’s expertise and technology, we can act faster and protect homebuyers from misleading claims.”

    This collaboration mirrors similar successes in other states. In 2024, the Maharashtra regulator (MahaRERA) teamed up with ASCI to identify thousands of dubious property ads, ensuring action under RERA provisions. Telangana now aims to replicate and scale that success.

    ASCI’s Manisha Kapoor said, “Partnerships like these show how cooperation between regulators and ASCI can create real impact. Together with TGRERA, we’re helping ensure that what’s promised on paper matches what’s delivered on site.”

    With this alliance, Telangana’s real estate sector looks set for a transparency makeover, where ads tell the truth, and homebuyers finally get what they were sold on.

     

  • PepsiCo’s new brand identity swaps its stripes for smiles

    PepsiCo’s new brand identity swaps its stripes for smiles

    NEW YORK: PepsiCo has binned the branding it has worn for a quarter-century. Out with the old, in with the grin. The company’s fresh corporate identity, unveiled on 28 October, marks its biggest visual shake-up since the turn of the millennium—a deliberate signal that this is no longer just the fizzy-drinks firm your parents knew.

    Sixty years after Pepsi merged with Lay’s, the empire has swelled to more than 500 brands—Tostitos, Gatorade, Quaker, Siete, poppi—and 300,000 employees. It peddles snacks and beverages from Kansas corner shops to Cairo kitchens, from São Paulo’s streets to Shanghai’s stores. Yet only 21 per cent of consumers can name a PepsiCo brand beyond Pepsi itself. Chairman and chief executive Ramon Laguarta reckons the rebrand will fix that. “Our new identity boldly reflects who we are in 2025: a company with expansive reach, aiming for positive impact across the globe,” he says.

    The new logo plants a “P” at its centre, hemmed in by shapes representing consumer focus, sustainability and taste. A custom typeface in lower case softens the corporate edge. The colour palette draws from earth tones and vivid hues—soil, drinks, planet, people. And lurking beneath it all: a smile. That grin anchors the company’s new three-word mantra: “Food. Drinks. Smiles.”

    Chief consumer and marketing officer and chief growth officer for international foods  Jane Wakely calls it “a beautiful expression of both who we are as a company today and our aspiration for the future.” The smile, she insists, signals an “obsession with consumers” that will fuel growth.

    The rebrand will roll out gradually across PepsiCo.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, then seep into packaging, workplaces and signage worldwide. Whether it prompts consumers to smile back—or simply reach for a rival’s crisps—remains to be seen.

  • NDTV accelerates growth spending as revenue climbs in transformation push

    NDTV accelerates growth spending as revenue climbs in transformation push

    NEW DELHI: NDTV is pressing the accelerator on its transformation strategy, ramping up investment in marketing and expansion even as revenue growth gains momentum. The Adani-controlled broadcaster posted a 12 per cent increase in half-year revenue to Rs 230 crore whilst completing a Rs 396 crore oversubscribed rights issue and merging four subsidiaries to streamline operations.

    Revenue from operations rose 10 per cent year-on-year to Rs 123 crore in the September quarter on a consolidated basis, reflecting improving traction as the company positions itself for a new era. For the six months ended September, the top line climbed to Rs 230 crore from Rs 205 crore, signalling steady progress in a fiercely competitive media landscape.

    The numbers reveal a company making bold strategic bets. Marketing, distribution and promotional expenses surged 33 per cent to Rs 115 crore for the half-year—a clear signal that management is prioritising audience acquisition and brand visibility over short-term profitability. The September quarter alone saw Rs 58 crore deployed towards growth initiatives, up 29 per cent year-on-year.

    “This is classic growth investing,” said one analyst who tracks the media sector. “NDTV is leveraging its capital raise to build market share and strengthen its competitive position whilst the fundamentals improve.”

    The rights issue, completed on 9 October, was oversubscribed 1.11 times, with proceeds specifically earmarked for expansion, brand-building, debt reduction and corporate purposes. The successful raise increased paid-up capital from Rs 26 crore to Rs 45 crore, providing ammunition for the company’s ambitious reinvention plans.

    NDTV also executed a major structural overhaul, merging NDTV Networks, NDTV Worldwide, NDTV Media and NDTV Labs into the parent company with effect from 1 October. The consolidation, sanctioned by the regional director of the ministry of corporate affairs, is designed to eliminate operational silos and create a more agile organisation. Authorised share capital now stands at Rs 237 crore.

    The broadcaster is simultaneously pursuing inorganic growth. NDTV has entered a binding term sheet to acquire the GoodTimes channel and associated intellectual property from Lifestyle & Media Broadcasting, pending regulatory approval from the ministry of information and broadcasting. The deal would expand the company’s content portfolio and distribution footprint.

    Management changes underscore the focus on operational excellence. Akhil Kumar Gupta, a chartered accountant with 19 years’ experience spanning media, infrastructure, healthcare and entertainment, will assume the chief financial officer role from 1 December. Gupta, who previously held senior positions at Adani Enterprises, Zydus Lifesciences and Bharti Airtel, brings deep expertise in financial transformation, digital systems and strategic decision-making. He replaces Anup Dutta, who reaches superannuation.

    The board also re-appointed independent director Viral Jagdish Doshi for a second three-year term beginning January 2026, ensuring continuity in governance as the company navigates its transition.

    NDTV’s investment phase reflects a calculated gamble: sacrifice near-term margins to capture long-term market share in India’s rapidly evolving media ecosystem. With a freshly capitalised balance sheet, a streamlined corporate structure, and aggressive growth spending, the broadcaster is positioning itself as a serious player in the battle for eyeballs and advertising rupees.

    Whether the strategy succeeds depends on execution—and whether revenue growth can eventually outpace the current marketing blitz. But for now, NDTV is signalling it has both the resources and the resolve to compete. The transformation is underway, and the company isn’t holding back.

  • Exelmoto shifts gears from vanity to utility

    Exelmoto shifts gears from vanity to utility

    MUMBAI: Forget the flowery talk about clean air and conscious commuting. Exelmoto, the electric cycle venture backed by actor Suniel Shetty, cricketer KL Rahul and actor Ahan Shetty, is done playing the aspirational mobility game. It’s now chasing something far more lucrative: last-mile logistics.

    The company has signed up Delhivery, one of India’s largest delivery networks, for a phased rollout of 200 electric bikes purpose-built for hauling parcels through congested urban streets. The deal, which began as a pilot in June, validates founder Akshai Varde’s bet that sturdy frames and fat tyres built for Indian roads could handle real-world commercial pounding.

    “Delhivery validated what we built under real-world conditions,” said Varde, a designer with over two decades in motorcycles. “It showed that our design and engineering hold up even in demanding daily use.”

    The pivot marks a sharp turn for a brand that launched with lifestyle credentials in June 2025 —lightweight electric cycles that need no registration or licence, aimed at students, office workers and the elderly. But whilst the personal mobility pitch has its charms, the margins and scale lie in B2B contracts.

    “Our commercial pivot creates clear paths to profitability,” said Rahul, who joined Shetty and Ahan as co-investor earlier this year. “This isn’t just about personal mobility anymore; it’s about building last-mile infrastructure for India.”

    The company hasn’t abandoned retail entirely. Exelmoto recently launched Scoot, an electric cycle with a step-through frame and bench seat designed for women and older riders. It offers 45 kilometres of range with pedal-assist, keeping it licence-free whilst targeting comfort over speed.

    “When my generation can confidently adopt electric mobility, the revolution is truly underway,” said Shetty, who came aboard after seeing Varde’s prototype.

    With 68 outlets opening, Amazon and Flipkart listings set for November, and manufacturing capacity targeted at 50,000 bikes by 2026, Exelmoto is scaling fast. The company holds two granted patents and four pending, covering frame architecture and component packaging. Exports to southeast Asia and west Asia are in the works.

    Ahan, the youngest investor, summed up the shift: “My generation’s looking for brands that evolve with us, not just talk to us. Exelmoto began with style, and now it’s about substance and infrastructure.”

    Whether India’s clogged streets need another electric two-wheeler is debatable. Whether they need one that can turn a profit delivering packages is a far more interesting question. Varde and his celebrity backers are betting the answer is yes.

  • Zee Media appoints Manish Seth as chief revenue officer

    Zee Media appoints Manish Seth as chief revenue officer

    NEW DELHI:  Zee Media has brought in Manish Seth as chief revenue officer, banking on his track record of doubling digital revenues to power the broadcaster’s next growth phase.

    Seth joins with immediate effect from 28 October, the company told stock exchanges on Monday. The appointment, approved by the board on the recommendation of the nomination and remuneration committee, designates him as senior management personnel under India’s listing regulations.

    The new chief revenue officer arrives with a formidable reputation. At TV9 Network, where he most recently served as revenue head for digital and business head for Money9, Seth doubled digital revenues in just two years. He also pioneered integrated television and digital sales models that broke new ground in Indian media.

    Before TV9, Seth spent years at Zee Unimedia, Zee Media and Bennett Coleman, consistently delivering double-digit growth and launching multiple channels and products. His expertise spans revenue strategy, sales transformation, go-to-market planning and profit-and-loss management across broadcast and digital platforms.

    Seth holds a postgraduate diploma in marketing management from the Times School of Marketing and a bachelor’s degree in science from Delhi University.

    Zee Media is betting that Seth’s digital chops and proven ability to build high-performing teams will accelerate its transformation at a time when traditional broadcasters are scrambling to capture online audiences and advertising rupees. With 25 years of trench warfare in media sales under his belt, Seth now has the mandate to write the next chapter of Zee Media’s revenue story.

  • Surya Roshni elevates veteran to head marketing & advertising, lighting division

    Surya Roshni elevates veteran to head marketing & advertising, lighting division

    NEW DELHI: Parul Phadke has climbed the ladder at Surya Roshni, moving from assistant general manager to head of marketing and advertising for the company’s lighting and durables business. The promotion, effective October 2025, caps a four-year stint at the Delhi-based manufacturer.

    Phadke joined Surya Roshni in June 2021, steering marketing communications, digital strategy and brand management for a company that supplies everything from LED bulbs to steel pipes. Her remit now expands to encompass both above-the-line and below-the-line advertising for the entire division.

    Surya Roshni was her first employer; she spent 15 months at the firm between 2009 and 2010 as deputy manager, handling press conferences and event management across India, before departing for a marketing role at Fun Multiplex.

    Her career spans stints at Donaldson India Filter Systems, where she was shortlisted for a leadership summit in Minneapolis, and Arise India, where she conceptualised the company’s premium retail format. But it was her six-year tenure at Art Housing Finance that proved formative. As chief manager, Phadke built the marketing vertical from scratch, expanding the brand to 45 cities whilst managing budgets, compliance and corporate communications.

    Industry watchers reckon the promotion reflects Surya Roshni’s push to sharpen its consumer-facing brands in an increasingly crowded lighting market. Phadke, who describes herself as a “change evangelist”, will need every bit of that disruptive thinking. The lighting sector is ablaze with competition—and she’s now holding the torch.

  • Zee Media set to enter e-sports arena with new gaming IP

    Zee Media set to enter e-sports arena with new gaming IP

    MUMBAI: Looks like Zee Media is ready to trade the news desk for a joystick. In what could be its boldest play yet, the network is rumoured to be levelling up into the world of competitive gaming  and the buzz is electric.

    Word on the street is that Zee Media is developing a large-scale esports property designed to capture the hearts (and thumbs) of India’s youngest crowd: gen alpha, gen z and millennials. If early chatter proves true, the tournament could see over 60,000 players battling it out for a sizable prize pool, with the grand finale set to be nothing short of cinematic.

    The network is also said to be plotting a dedicated gaming Youtube channel, influencer watch-alongs, and brand-driven collaborations: a full-blown content ecosystem to bring esports firmly into the mainstream.

    It’s a move that underscores a bigger shift: gaming is no longer just a pastime, it’s pop culture and Zee Media seems intent on grabbing the controller. For now, the industry watches with anticipation to see whether this media powerhouse can turn its latest idea into India’s next big spectator sport.

  • Srinivasan Swamy inducted into AFAA hall of fame at Adasia Beijing

    Srinivasan Swamy inducted into AFAA hall of fame at Adasia Beijing

    MUMBAI: In a moment of well-deserved recognition, R K Swamy Ltd chairman Srinivasan Swamy has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) at Adasia Beijing. The honour ‘AFAA’s highest’ was presented by AFAA  immediate past president Raymond So, before delegates from 32 countries.

    The citation celebrating Swamy’s extraordinary career highlighted his “quarter century spent in leading and building the largest Indian-owned integrated marketing services group”: the R K Swamy Hansa Group. It also commended his visionary leadership that has guided the global marketing and communications industry for over four decades.

    Over the years, Swamy has held numerous prestigious leadership positions across the industry. He has served as chairman of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA), chairman and world president of the International Advertising Association (IAA), and chairman of the Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations (CAAAA). He was also president of the India chapter of the IAA for an unprecedented four years, president of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for three consecutive terms and was re-elected once again in 2025 and chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). In addition, he has served as chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), president of the All India Management Association (AIMA), the Madras chamber of commerce and industry, the Madras management association, and the Advertising club Madras.

    The citation also lauded his role in creating and leading major industry milestones. Swamy played a key part in conceptualising Goafest, steering the IAA world congress 2019, and spearheading the IAA silver jubilee summit in Kochi. He has also been instrumental in driving several editions of the confederation of Indian industry’s international brand summit and the AIMA world marketing congress, among other notable initiatives.

    Beyond the realm of advertising, Swamy has made a significant impact through his work with social, educational, medical, and cultural institutions. His involvement in community and religious causes has further reinforced his reputation as both an industry stalwart and a socially conscious leader.

    His illustrious career has earned him numerous national and international accolades. He is the only Indian to have received the award of appreciation from the Japan Advertising Association, the IAA Global Compass Award for outstanding contribution to the industry, and the Adstar Korea Lifetime Honour Award. Among his many other honours are the AFAA special merit award, the IAA Inspire champion award, the IAA North Star medal, and the honorary life fellowship from the All India Management Association.

    Swamy has also been recognised closer to home with lifetime achievement awards from the advertising agencies association of India, Indira institutions, the Rotary Club of Guindy, and the Advertising Club Madras. He has been inducted into the IAA India chapter hall of fame and was honoured with the Distinguished alumni award by the Alagappa College of Technology during its platinum jubilee celebrations.

    Known for his friendly demeanour, generous spirit, and wise counsel, Srinivasan Swamy continues to inspire the advertising fraternity across the world. His induction into the AFAA hall of fame cements his position as one of India’s most respected global advertising leaders: a visionary who has built an enduring legacy of leadership, learning, and lasting impact.