Brands
Fastrack compelled to withdraw its latest ad
MUMBAI: Long ago, in 1995, when models Milind Soman and Madhu Sapre went bold to show their seductive side while endorsing a shoe brand, they created a furor. While the advertising fraternity claimed it to be a coming of age ad, almost all the “socially responsible” groups came together to raise their voice against the ad that put everyone associated with it in a sticky situation.
Even after almost two decades the situation doesn’t seem to have changed much. This time the youth brand, Fastrack, which has become popular for its daring stance on youth issues, is at the receiving end. A latest Out-of-Home (OOH) campaign by the fashion and lifestyle brand from the house of Tata’s shows youngsters draped in tape that has “sale” written on it.
The campaign conceptualised by Lowe Lintas was launched in the middle of this month and will be on till mid-February. Ironically, the brand, which till now has been appreciated for its unprecedented take on the social causes, had to take a step back in this case.
Sources from the industry reveal that the campaign has been at the receiving end from certain sections of the society since the time it was launched, some even claiming the ad to be objectifying women. Thus, the brand was compelled to take off the ad.
Lowe Lintas’ NCD Arun Iyer confirmed the news with indiantelevison.com and said that it was a mutual decision taken by both the teams (brand and creative) to take off the advertisement. However, a new campaign will replace it within 24 hours, he informs.
The brand has over eight million likes on Facebook.
Brands
PeakAmp names Aditya Prakash and Akhil Yerawar as co-founders
Leadership expansion sharpens focus on India’s battery circular economy
GURUGRAM: PeakAmp, a young company tackling one of the electric vehicle sector’s messiest problems, has strengthened its leadership bench with two co-founder appointments as it gears up to scale its battery recycling ambitions.
The company has elevated Aditya Prakash to co-founder and appointed Akhil Yerawar as co-founder and chief strategy officer, signalling a sharper push towards building what it calls India’s most trusted end-of-life battery management platform.
Founded in 2024 by Vijay Gond and Aditya Sudhanshu, PeakAmp is developing a full-stack, technology-led system to collect, sort and recycle lithium-ion batteries. Its model spans everything from safe collection and segregation to second-life repurposing and high-purity material recovery. The goal is simple in theory but complex in practice: ensure that yesterday’s EV batteries power tomorrow’s progress instead of piling up as hazardous waste.
Yerawar, an IIM Raipur gold medallist with over a decade of experience across green energy, consulting, banking and consumer sectors, will steer strategic growth, investor relations, government partnerships and the commercial roadmap for second-life battery applications. His brief is to ensure the business scales in step with India’s rapidly expanding EV market.
Prakash, who has been part of PeakAmp’s journey from the early days, brings hands-on experience in battery recycling operations, circular supply chains and sustainability initiatives. As co-founder, he will oversee overall strategy and operations, focusing on expanding supply-chain networks, strengthening ecosystem partnerships and driving operational rigour across the battery lifecycle.
“I’m excited to step into this role at a pivotal time for both PeakAmp and India’s EV ecosystem,” said Prakash. “As electric mobility scales, reliable and compliant after-life solutions for batteries become essential. Our focus is to ensure every end-of-life battery is channelled back into productive use.”
Yerawar added, “India’s clean energy transition will only succeed if circular solutions keep pace with growth. By combining disciplined execution with commercially viable models, we aim to scale alongside the country’s EV momentum.”
India’s EV market is expected to expand rapidly over the next decade, bringing with it a wave of spent batteries. Industry estimates suggest recycling capacity may struggle to keep up with future demand. PeakAmp believes its integrated model, which includes diagnostics-led second-life deployment and material recovery of more than 99 per cent purity, can help close that gap.
With a broader founding team now in place, the company plans to deepen partnerships with OEMs, mobility operators and battery manufacturers, while investing further in technology for traceability, compliance and efficient resource recovery.
In a sector where power is everything, PeakAmp is betting that stronger leadership will keep the current flowing.
