MAM
Perfetti leverages Nimbuzz‘s Chatbuddy for its marketing campaign
MUMBAI: Cross-platform global communications solution provider Nimbuzz has roped in confectionary manufacturer and marketer Perfetti Van Melle India (PVMI) as the company‘s first client for its mobile-based brand interactive platform Nimbuzz Branded Chatbuddy.
Under this partnership, Nimbuzz has developed a unique proposition for Perfetti‘s latest marketing campaign “Mentos Batti Jalao” by leveraging its Chatbuddy module.
Mentos currently has a contest in progress by the name Khooni Kaun Hai? A television commercial consisting of a series of clues is being aired and the viewers are asked to guess the killer‘s identity in order to win a prize.
Chat Buddy will enable PVMI‘s confectionary brand Mentos to leverage the mobile platform and establish a one-to-one connect with its target audience by directly connecting with 25+ million Nimbuzz users as chat friend.
Under this initiative, the Chat Buddy will allow Nimbuzz users to install Mentos Batti Jalao Buddy on their mobiles, participate in the contest and solve the murder mystery. The Mentos Batti Jalao Buddy will also release daily hints to unfold the mystery. This Chat Buddy will be visible to all Nimbuzz users across India.
“With the ever-increasing mobile user base in India, mobile is an important medium for marketers today. With an average time of 55 minutes per session spent by a user, Nimbuzz offers a great platform for us to connect with our target audience on a one-to-one basis,” said Perfetti Van Melle India Director Marketing Nikhil Sharma.
Nimbuzz head-sales Anubhav Sharma said, “We are thrilled to connect with the excitement of Mentos and we are confident that Khooni Kaun Hai mystery will bring more enthusiasm for our users. We are pleased to work with some great marketing minds from PVMI, Maxus India and certainly, this endeavour will bring a change in the mobile advertising thought process.”
Maxus South Asia head of digital Unny Radhakrishnan added, “Mobile phones have now become an indispensable consumer touchpoint. Marketers, solution providers and technology partners are discovering newer and innovative ways to interact with consumers instead of interrupting them. Here, Chat buddy enhances the overall communication story delivered in traditional channels by offering consumers real time interaction with brand on their personal handsets.”
MAM
Star Sports under fire for ‘cringe’ India–SA Super 8 promo
Broadcaster accused of arrogance and disrespect as fans slam Super 8 promotion
AHMEDABAD: Star Sports is facing a wave of criticism after its latest promotional campaign for the India–South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 match triggered a fierce social media backlash, quickly dubbed “Cupcakegate”.
The advertisement, released this week, hinges on a cupcake metaphor that many viewers have condemned as patronising and disrespectful. In the clip, an Indian supporter mockingly offers a pink cupcake to a South African fan, a visual jibe widely interpreted as portraying the Proteas as a soft, easily beaten opponent.
The backlash has been swift across platforms such as X and Reddit, with fans and commentators accusing the broadcaster of tone-deaf bravado at a crucial stage of the tournament. The criticism is sharpened by the context: both India and South Africa arrive in the Super 8s unbeaten, undermining any suggestion of a one-sided contest.
Online, the cupcake symbol has been read as carrying multiple barbs. Some users argue it alludes to South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s domestic nickname, while others see it as recycling the long-running “chokers” trope associated with South Africa in ICC tournaments. The casting choice has also drawn scrutiny, with viewers noting the physical disparity between the actors playing the two fans, which critics described as a cheap attempt to belittle the opposition.
Even Indian supporters have joined the pile-on. Many warned that such chest-thumping marketing risks “jinxing” the team, pointing to past tournaments where aggressive campaigns preceded unexpected defeats.
Star Sports is no stranger to rivalry-led advertising, having struck gold with its earlier “Mauka Mauka” series. But analysts say the cupcake campaign misreads a fanbase that has grown less tolerant of overtly mocking narratives and more attuned to sporting parity and respect.
India and South Africa meet on Sunday, 22 February, at the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium. With South Africa securing their Super 8 berth through a commanding win over the UAE, the fixture is widely billed as a heavyweight clash, not the walkover the ad appears to suggest.
