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UNICEF ropes in Big B as goodwill ambassador
MUMBAI: UNICEF appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its international Goodwill Ambassador in a formal signing event with UNICEF executive director Carol Bellamy.
“Amitabh has the star power to illuminate the lives of the millions of children who are living in dire circumstances. We look forward to a long collaboration with him, and we feel honoured to have him as part of the UNICEF family,” said Bellamy.
Bellamy appoints Amitabh Bachchan a UNICEF goodwill ambassador at UNICEF House Bachchan’s collaboration with UNICEF began in 2002 when a polio outbreak in northern India threatened to spread. His appearance in a series of award-winning television and radio commercials encouraging parents to take their children for vaccination against the crippling disease played an important role in saving lives.
Following the devastating tsunami in December, Bachchan appeared in a public service announcement on behalf of the victims and reminded people of their collective duty to protect and care for children, especially in times of crisis.
Bachchan addresses the gathering at the ceremony appointing him a UNICEF goodwill ambassador at UNICEF House with Bellamy. As a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, Bachchan’s special areas of focus will be polio eradication and HIV/AIDS. His role will include highlighting these issues with field visits, public appearances, and speaking out on behalf of children.
Bachchan is joining a select company of other public figures who have stood up for children, from the first goodwill ambassador Danny Kaye appointed in 1954 to the legendary Audrey Hepburn to the present day champions for children, Sir Roger Moore, Harry Belafonte and singer Angelique Kidjo, to name a few.
UNICEF goodwill ambassador Amitabh Bachchan presents a copy of his autobiography ‘To Be or Not To Be – Amitabh Bachchan’ to UNICEF executive director Carol Bellamy
UNICEF staff greeted Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan to the UNICEF House in a traditional Indian welcome for honoured guests. He then met with Bellamy and later signed a letter of commitment for a two-year assignment with the agency.
“I am thrilled to be named goodwill ambassador, this is a great honour for me. I truly hope I will be able to make a difference in children’s lives,” said Bachchan.
Also present at the function were Amar Singh, Tina Ambani and Abhishek Bachchan.
MAM
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.
