MAM
Sunny Side Up champions authenticity in new Bison Panel ad
BANGALORE: Sunny Side Up has rolled out a new campaign for NCL Group’s Bison Panel, aiming to reaffirm the brand’s position as the original in the cement bonded particle board category. Built around the cheeky call of “Original hi lo ji”, the campaign nudges customers and trade partners to choose the genuine board rather than lookalike alternatives.
The idea springs from growing marketplace confusion, where other materials are often pitched as CBPB and casually labelled “Bison”. The agency’s response is a clarity-first strategy that spotlights Bison Panel’s category-defining legacy. Its television commercial captures a customer confronting a dealer after receiving a misleading product, using the scene to underscore the value of selecting the authentic board.
Sunny Side Up creative director Shyam Nair, said the team wanted to tap into a familiar consumer sentiment. “We live in a trust deficit society, but also an increasingly assertive consumer class that demands and values authenticity. The campaign keeps the message simple and reminds people what the right choice in this category has always been.”
The film, titled “Bison Panel, Original hi lo ji”, has been produced by Twenty Seventh Films and directed by Amit Satyaveer Singh.
NCL Industries Limited’s Ravi Pingali, said the campaign builds on the brand’s long standing reputation. “Bison Panel has maintained a standard of reliability and quality for over four decades. This campaign reinforces our leadership position and our commitment to helping customers make informed choices. ‘Original hi lo ji’ formalises our long-standing brand promise.”
The integrated campaign is now live across television, digital platforms, outdoor placements and retail touchpoints. Bison Panel’s latest push leans into clarity, confidence and category pride, inviting customers to trust the name that built the space and still sets its standards.
Brands
Ceat FY26 profit rises 68.6 per cent to Rs 812.7 crore
Q4 PAT up 182.5 per cent; revenue grows 15.5 per cent to Rs 15,214.9 crore
MUMBAI: Tyres are rolling faster and so are Ceat’s numbers. Ceat Limited reported a strong performance for FY26, with profit after tax surging 68.6 per cent year-on-year to Rs 812.7 crore, driven by steady revenue growth and improved operating efficiency. For the full year, revenue from operations rose 15.5 per cent to Rs 15,214.9 crore, compared to Rs 13,171.7 crore in FY25. Total income stood at Rs 15,346.4 crore, reflecting both core growth and higher other income.
The March quarter delivered an even sharper uptick. Q4 FY26 revenue grew 18.2 per cent year-on-year to Rs 4,035.9 crore, while profit after tax jumped to Rs 283.6 crore up from Rs 100.4 crore in the same period last year, marking a 182.5 per cent increase.
Operating performance remained firm, with EBITDA margins improving to 14.55 per cent in Q4 from 11.56 per cent a year ago. Net profit margin for the quarter stood at 7.03 per cent, more than doubling from 2.94 per cent in Q4 FY25.
Cost pressures remained visible but manageable. Material costs for the year rose to Rs 9,197.1 crore, while finance costs increased to Rs 359.5 crore, reflecting higher borrowings. However, stronger topline growth and operational efficiencies helped offset these pressures.
On the balance sheet front, net worth expanded to Rs 5,067.0 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 4,285.8 crore a year earlier. The debt-to-equity ratio stood at 0.59, compared to 0.45 in FY25, indicating a moderate rise in leverage amid expansion and funding activity.
Cash flow from operations remained robust at Rs 1,839.9 crore for FY26, supporting capital expenditure of over Rs 1,076.0 crore towards capacity and asset investments. The company also deployed capital across investments and mutual funds during the year.
In terms of financing, Ceat raised Rs 250 crore through unsecured non-convertible debentures during the year, while Rs 400 crore of such instruments remain outstanding. Additionally, commercial papers worth Rs 500 crore were outstanding but not due for repayment as of March-end.
The numbers suggest a company gaining traction across both growth and profitability metrics, where steady demand, improved margins and disciplined capital allocation are helping CEAT keep its performance firmly on track.
