MAM
ITSA removes the middleman for Tradus.com
MUMBAI: The recently-launched agency ITSA has conceptualised and executed Tradus.com‘s second series of film which offers the proposition ‘Remove the middleman and get wholesale prices.‘
The film is about a couple performing a transaction. A young girl representing the buyers tells a boy sitting across the table form her, “I‘d like to buy that phone”. Right in the middle of them sitting on the table is the middleman who has been eagerly waiting, almost drooling at the prospect of making his cut. He snatches the phone and gives it to the girl. With the other hand he snatches the money, gives it to the guy, but not before taking out his own commission.
That‘s when a cursor comes and clicks the Middleman away and a voiceover completes the story, “Remove the Middleman. Log on to Tradus.com and buy directly from sellers and get wholesale prices at your doorstep.”
IbiboGroup CEO Ashish Kashyap said, “This is the second series of Tradus creatives. We wanted to drive home our core differentiation of being a marketplace rather than an online retailer. As a marketplace, Tradus enable sellers to list on their own on the platform and sell directly to the Buyers thereby removing all the inefficiencies. This helps the buyers get wholesale prices. ITSA has been an excellent partner to create a crisp communication via this well produced film.”
ITSA copywriter Emmanuel Upputuru said, “We co-created this spot with the client. Ashish Kashyap, CEO ibiboGroup was very clear in what he was looking for. It was a bold stance to take, to get rid of the middleman. We just had to find a plot that would demonstrate that proposition visually and effectively. So when you take one look at the film you know what the benefit is for the consumer. Manoj Pahwa came to my mind the moment I thought of the idea of putting the middleman on the table.”
Daniel Upputuru who made his debut as a director with this film said, “I wanted to treat the film like a painting. The lighting has been borrowed from Caravaggio. When Emmanuel shared the script I saw the guy and the girl in a beautiful setting. But right in the middle of them is this Middleman who spoils the picture. So the only way to restore the picture is to remove the Middleman.”
Anirban Mozumdar, chief – innovation, strategy and collaboration at ITSA, says, “The purpose of offline communication for any online website is to single-mindedly express its purpose of existence. For Tradus.com it is about telling the consumer that Tradus.com is here to offer a service that wasn‘t there. To buy directly from sellers, so you get wholesale prices at your doorstep.”
ITSA is a three-month-old company and this is their very first television spot, which they have conceived, produced and directed.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
