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CVL Srinivas replaces Sakhuja at GroupM as South Asia CEO
MUMBAI: CVL Srinivas, who has put in his papers at Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), will join GroupM to succeed Vikram Sakhuja as its South Asia CEO.
At SMG, Srini, as he is fondly known, was designated as SMG India chairman and LiquidThread APAC MD.
Effective from early 2013, Srini will be responsible for all GroupM operations in India, Pakistan, SriLanka and Bangladesh. He will also join the GroupM APAC executive committee.
In his new role, Srini will report to GroupM APAC CEO Mark Patterson.
Patterson said, ” Srini was our first choice by some stretch for this role. In his previous roles in GroupM he excelled and he rejoins us with more and different experiences under his belt which will serve our clients , our people and our ambitions well. We have a world class business in the South Asia region and Srini has the skills, personality, relationships and attitude to build the business on strategy and with his own style and ideas too.”
“He will add huge value in South Asia, to our business in the wider APAC region and no doubt WW too. I am personally very excited and delighted to work with Srini closely once again as I am sure are many of his colleagues and friends in GroupM,” he added.
Srinivas said, ” I am really looking forward to taking up this role and going back to an organisation where I learnt the ropes and built a business . Vikram and his team have done a phenomenal job in growing the business and diversifying the service offerings to date I am thrilled to be joining a talented team and working with such a portfolio of powerful media brands and fantastic clients . Mark has outlined a vision for the business regionally and globally that I am excited and challenged about and one I look forward to participating in fully. “
Sakhjua , former GroupM Asia CEO, was announced as the global CEO for Maxus in July. “It has been a privilege and a joy over the past fifteen years to work with Srini as a client, a colleague and a competitor . Srini brings truly disruptive thinking to the party and to my mind is the best person I can think of to take GroupM South Asia to an increasingly integrated , digital , data driven and addressable age. Welcome back to the family Srini,” Sakhuja said.
Also read:
Mallikarjunadas replaces Srinivas as SMG India head
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Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
