MAM
HDFC Bank, Escotel’s co-branded international debit card
NEW DELHI: HDFC Bank and Escotel which claims to be the leading cellular service provider in Kerala, UP, Uttranchal and Haryana, have announced the launch of the HDFC Bank Escotel co-branded international debit card. Both parties offer customers benefits through the first of its kind debit card.
For an Escotel customer, whether prepaid or post paid, the debit card will come virtually free, as the Rs 150 paid towards the cost of the card will be credited back to him as talk time. This will be done by way of first free credit of Rs 100 upon registration and second free credit of Rs 50 on first usage of the debit card at merchant outlets within 31 days of card issuance.
Escotel’s CEO Rajan Swaroop made the following remarks about the endeavour. “It has always been our effort to provide our customers with value that goes far beyond the normal benefits of mobile usage. That is why we have entered into this tie-up with HDFC Bank to give our customers a whole range of benefits and value-additions. We are sure the HDFC Bank Escotel Debit Card will find wide acceptance among our customers.”
An official release informs that among the exclusive benefits being offered to postpaid customers is the waiver of Rs 532 activation fees along with the waiver of the national roaming rental worth Rs 1,200 for a lifetime. On the other hand, the prepaid customer gets an exclusive offer of credit of Rs 50 worth talk time on his first five recharges.
HDFC bank has also offered to waive off the one per cent processing fee on HDFC Bank personal loans and two per cent on HDFC Bank two-wheeler loans. The initiative also has a social side to it. The two companies will also be donating two rupees to People for Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) compassionate citizen programme against every co-brand card issued in Kerala, states the release.
Brands
Reliance Retail acquires Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s haircare brand Anomaly
India’s biggest retailer bets on clean, vegan haircare as it muscles into the country’s fast-growing beauty market
MUMBAI: Reliance Retail has acquired Anomaly, the global haircare brand founded by actor and entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas, in a move that hands India’s largest retailer full ownership of one of the more internationally recognised homegrown beauty labels. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal covers Anomaly’s trademarks, brand assets and digital properties, giving Reliance Retail complete ownership of the brand’s intellectual property and digital ecosystem. Chopra Jonas, who launched Anomaly in 2021, will stay on as creative director, overseeing innovation, product development and brand vision.
Built on a clean, vegan and high-performance positioning at accessible price points, Anomaly has established an international presence across multiple global markets since its launch. Reliance Retail now plans to scale the brand aggressively through its expansive offline retail network and omnichannel platforms, including Tira, its beauty retail arm. India will be a priority market, with a focus on developing products tailored to Indian hair and scalp needs. The company also has its eye on North America, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.
Isha Ambani, who oversees Reliance Retail’s consumer businesses, was forthright about the strategic logic. “Bringing Anomaly into our portfolio marks a strategic step in expanding our basket of new-age, high-growth beauty brands,” she said. “Anomaly’s strong global positioning, clean formulation philosophy, and accessible pricing make it a compelling addition to our ecosystem.” She added that Reliance saw “immense potential in collaborating with Priyanka to scale the brand in India by leveraging our omnichannel capabilities and deep consumer insights, while continuing to grow its international presence.”
Chopra Jonas framed the acquisition as a milestone rather than an exit. “This is a defining moment for Anomaly,” she said. “What began as a deeply personal journey has grown into a brand with real purpose and global ambition, and Reliance Retail’s acquisition marks an exciting new chapter.” She added that Reliance’s “scale, retail expertise, and commitment to innovation will allow us to bring Anomaly to far more consumers in India and around the world.”
The acquisition slots neatly into Reliance Retail’s broader push into premium and digital-first consumer brands across fashion, beauty and personal care. In a beauty market growing at pace and increasingly receptive to clean, ingredient-conscious formulations, Anomaly gives Reliance a brand with genuine international credibility and a founder whose global profile does the marketing almost by itself. For Chopra Jonas, it means her haircare label gets the retail muscle of India’s most powerful consumer conglomerate behind it. Not a bad chapter two.
