Brands
Perfetti Van Melle launches Chupa Chups Sour Tubes
Mumbai: Chupa Chups, one of the most iconic confectionary brands from the house of Perfetti Van Melle, is ready to dial up the fun quotient with the launch of Chupa Chups Sour Tubes– India’s first ever jelly in a long tubular format.
The sour tubes come in unique tubular format with a delectable chewy fondant filling and Chupa Chups’ trademark sweet-sour sanding. The product comes in strawberry and watermelon flavours with three tubes in a single pack at Rs 10, and also a bigger shareable modern trade pack with eight tubes at Rs 50. With their vibrant colours and flavour, these tubes promise to be a treat for both the eyes and taste buds!
Chupa Chups has consistently disrupted the conventional norms in the category by introducing groundbreaking innovations that has been captivating consumers. From the fusion of lollipops and bubble gums with Chupa Chups Gum Filled Lollipop to the pioneering range of Chupa Chups jellies’ which have a unique sour sanded and playable formats of belts, bites and mini tubes, the brand has redefined the confectionery segment. With the launch of all-new Sour Tubes, the brand will further solidify its image as an innovative, young brand, especially for those who seek unique and differentiated confectionery products.
Talking about the new launch in Chupa Chups, Perfetti Van Melle India managing director Rajesh Ramakrishnan emphasized the vital role of innovation in the confectionary segment, “Confectionery segment thrives on innovation. For Chupa Chups, we have always endeavoured to explore novel, never-tried-before formats to maintain the brand’s growth while up-aging and premiumizing the category. With the launch of Chupa Chups Sour Tubes, we are taking yet another step in that direction and cannot wait to see our consumer’s response.”
The new launch will be accompanied by a digital campaign that will amplify the brand promise of ‘forever fun’ among target audience. The digital film unfolds with a group of friends in a café cleverly extending their moment of fun by playfully placing the sour tubes as straws in their empty glasses. They hilariously convince a skeptical waiter that they are enjoying an invisible drink while secretly enjoying the delectable flavour of the sour tubes. The sequence is complemented by a lively soundtrack that not only builds excitement but also skillfully holds the entire sequence. All of this is inspired by the fruity flavors of Chupa Chups Tubes, which always espouses the philosophy of Forever Fun. The product launch will be supported by digital and modern trade activations to further engage consumers.
Speaking about the supporting campaign, Perfetti Van Melle India director marketing Gunjan Khetan said, “At Perfetti, we believe in refreshing consumer interest in our product categories with the introduction of contemporary offerings. Chupa Chups’ diversification in the unique format of Sour Tubes benefits the category, and the distinctive shape and texture offers great scope for playful consumption. Therefore, we have attempted to bring alive the same ‘spontaneous fun’ philosophy in our launch campaign as well. The campaign will be supported with digital, product sampling and POSM, providing a comprehensive and engaging experience for consumers.”
Commenting on conceptualizing the campaign, Ogilvy West creative partner Anurag Agnihotri said, “Every Chupa product is fun to play with. Sour Tubes is probably the most playable yet. The long tube shape sparked our imagination. So all we did was, had fun showing how you can have fun with it”.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
