MAM
Mccain launches #PartyShuruWithMcCain campaign
Golden snacks and catchy jingle turn house-party awkwardness into instant celebration, 12.1 million views on social.
MUMBAI: House parties always hit that awkward lull until McCain drops the mic (and the fries) to declare the fun officially started. Mccain Foods India has rolled out #PartyShuruWithMcCain, a lively campaign that tackles the universal truth of every gathering, the slow start filled with polite smiles, small talk, and those painful silences before the real warmth kicks in. Created by Schbang, the push positions McCain’s restaurant-style crispy snacks as the ultimate ice-breaker, paired with an infectious jingle that becomes the party’s unofficial anthem.
The hero film captures it perfectly, a host senses the vibe dipping, cues the McCain jingle, serves up the golden snacks, and watches the room transform hesitation melts, laughter erupts, conversations flow. It’s a simple but spot-on insight: good food plus the right soundtrack can flip the switch from stiff to lively faster than you can say “pass the dip”.
The social rollout across Instagram and Facebook delivered strong numbers, over 12.1 million views, reach beyond 7.9 million people, and more than 4 million engagements across formats. The content encouraged users to adopt the jingle as their own party starter, turning viewers into participants.
Mccain Foods India head of marketing Shreyashi Kesari said, “#PartyShuruWithMcCain celebrates how Indian families actually celebrate, at home, with people they love, over food that brings everyone together. Our jingle became the party anthem because it captures that crucial moment when a gathering transitions from polite to genuinely fun.”
Schbang, president of solutions Jitto George added, “We decided to own that initial lull through Mccain’s incredibly catchy jingle, making it the anthem that signals the party has officially begun, paired with their crowd-favourite snacks.”
By leaning into the at-home celebration occasion where most Indians actually host friends and family Mccain isn’t just selling snacks; it’s selling the spark that turns a quiet evening into a memorable one. In a world of instant everything, sometimes the best way to break the ice is with a plate of crispy perfection and a tune that refuses to stay stuck in your head.
Digital
Anthropic eyes $900bn valuation in new funding round ahead of IPO: Reports
Claude maker may surpass OpenAI as investor interest heats up sharply
SAN FRANCISCO: Anthropic is exploring a fresh funding round that could value the company at more than $900 billion, potentially making it the world’s most valuable artificial intelligence startup, according to Bloomberg reports.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reported that the Claude maker is in early-stage discussions with investors and is entertaining offers at more than double its current valuation. No deal has been finalised yet.
The interest marks a sharp jump from February this year, when Anthropic raised $30 billion at a valuation of $380 billion. Since then, investor appetite appears to have intensified, with multiple pre-emptive offers on the table.
According to TechCrunch, the company has received proposals to raise around $50 billion at valuations ranging between $850 billion and $900 billion. A decision is expected to be taken at a board meeting in May.
If the deal goes through at the upper end of that range, Anthropic would overtake OpenAI, which was valued at $852 billion in March, to become the most valuable AI startup globally.
The potential fundraise also comes against the backdrop of a possible initial public offering, which could be launched as early as October, the Bloomberg report noted.
The company counts tech heavyweights such as Amazon and Google, part of Alphabet, among its key backers. Both firms have continued to deepen their ties with Anthropic through multi-billion-dollar, performance-linked investments.
Interestingly, earlier reports had suggested that Anthropic was cautious about raising funds at valuations of $800 billion or more. The latest developments, however, indicate that market enthusiasm for advanced AI models and infrastructure may be shifting those thresholds quickly.
As the race for AI dominance accelerates, Anthropic’s next move could set a new benchmark for startup valuations, and signal just how high investors are willing to bet on the future of artificial intelligence.
