Brands
Cycle Pure Agarbathi launches #PrayforIndia victory challenge
Mumbai: With the anticipation of the World Cup 2023 hosted on Indian grounds, Cycle Pure Agarbathi’s newest #PrayforIndia campaign promises to ignite a nationwide wave of enthusiasm and unity. This campaign, of Cycle Pure Agarbathi, brings in dance and cheer to create an innovative blend of tradition with a modern touch aimed at the younger generation.
“Pray for India, win win India” isn’t just a chant. It’s an emotion conceptualised and brought to life. The campaign’s core objective, amplifying the recall value of #PrayforIndia and spreading its anthem, was masterfully strategised resulting in an engaging hook step that resonates with millions.
Additionally, this conceptualisation also roped in the brand’s brand ambassador Saurav Ganguly to be a part of the movement. The campaign strategy was pivotal in creating an array of social media assets around this collaboration such as posts to promote the giveaways and ensuring the campaign reached an extensive audience.
The campaign’s success is defined by the millions of views garnered across social media platforms. With a multitude of content forms, from animations to reels and vox-pop reels, the brand was able to resonate with the younger generation.
From collaborating with a choreographer to onboard creators for content generation, to conceptualising the influencer matrix and their specific content angles, the campaign’s breadth was truly expansive. The anthem got a refreshing rendition by the creator known as ‘The9teen’, and comedy influencers such as Vicky Pedia were roped in to craft content centered around India’s cherished cricket memories.
But the innovation didn’t stop there. It was elevated a step further by creating an AR filter, which offers users a chance to win an iPhone and Amazon vouchers. To capitalise on this, all one needs to do is engage with posts by these influencers or use the filter.
With the innovative strategies and engaging content formats employed, Cycle’s #PrayforIndia campaign took to new heights where they have gotten the whole country to engage with them through an age-old chant. Their commitment to modern, innovative, and effective campaign strategies ensures that traditional brands like Cycle Pure Agarbathi resonate powerfully with today’s audience. Join the #PrayForIndia movement and let’s rally behind Team India together. This campaign was amplified digitally in collaboration with OWLED Media, a creative marketing agency.
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.
