Brands
Kotak Mahindra partners with author Amish’s latest book ‘Scion of Ikshvaku’
MUMBAI: Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB) has partnered with blockbuster author – Amish Tripathi’s latest book Scion of Ikshvaku to launch a special themed debit card.
The card featuring the cover of Scion of Ikshvaku offers discount on any book purchased at Crossword.
The Bank also launched ‘Tweet to Order’, where KMB customers registered for Hashtag Banking can order Tripathi’s book via Twitter by simply tweeting #Book Scion 262 @KotakBankLtd. Customers can also order the book from KMB’s website and avail an additional discount.
KMB is carving out unique set of services for its customers by going beyond the purview of conventional banking. In addition to offering complete retail financial solutions including a variety of savings and loan products and innovative digital solutions, KMB is enabling its customers indulge in passions like books and movies. The success of KMB’s co-branded credit card with PVR Cinemas is testimony to customers’ preference for such lifestyle propositions from the bank.
Kotak Mahindra Bank president – consumer banking Shanti Ekambaram said, “Movies and books are soul candies. They not only entertain, but have the power to inspire, motivate and uplift. We have India’s most successful co-branded card in partnership with PVR Cinemas, which delivers superior entertainment experiences to our customers.”
“Our partnership with Amish’s latest book is a step towards enabling our customers to enjoy what they like and thereby, build a stronger connect with them. We want to partner our customers to not only meet their financial goals but also offer myriad lifestyle experiences,” added Ekambaram.
Kotak Mahindra Bank senior EVP, head – personal assets Sumit Bali stated, “The special themed debit card is a unique addition in our cards portfolio, and a prized possession for any book lover. We will continue offering exclusive propositions in areas of lifestyle and passion, and make banking with us more delightful.”
Tripathi added, “I am confident that the special themed debit card and Tweet to Order will provide an enriching experience to KMB’s customers. It is indeed a wonderful service for book lovers.”
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
