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Sunrise Spices celebrates Poila Boishakh with grand ‘Haal Khata Utsav’ in Kolkata
MUMBAI: Sunrise Spices has turned over a fresh page this Poila Boishakh quite literally, with a giant hand-painted Haal Khata that brought the streets of Kolkata alive. The ITC brand, a leading name in West Bengal’s spices category, organised ‘Sunrise Haal Khata Utsav’ at Gariahat to celebrate the time-honoured tradition of Haal Khata, which symbolises fresh beginnings and renewed relationships for the Bengali New Year.
The highlight of the event was a massive, intricately hand-painted Haal Khata created by trained Sunrise Spices artists using whole and ground spices. The installation was unveiled with much fanfare by Padmashree Gokul Dhaki and a troupe of 10 dhakis, including five female performers, whose rhythmic beats filled the air and drew enthusiastic participation from traders, shoppers, and the local community.
The celebration also featured continuous live dhak performances, interactive games, and a Sandhya Aarti, creating a vibrant festive atmosphere. In a nod to empowerment, female dhakis and spice artists played a prominent role throughout the event.
Extending the spirit of the occasion, Sunrise distributed over 2,000 branded Haal Khata kits to grocery store owners, hawkers, and retailers across Kolkata. Each kit included a special Haal Khata marked with an auspicious Swastik symbol using haldi and sindoor, along with traditional sweets, calendars, turmeric samples, and estimate pads.
ITC Ltd. Business Head, Sunrise Spices Piyush Mishra said, “Haal Khata is a beautiful reflection of Bengal’s spirit. Through the Sunrise Haal Khata Utsav, we are proud to honour this cherished tradition and the communities that keep it alive.”
Padmashree Gokul Chandra Das added, “Haal Khata is not just a ritual, it is a celebration of our roots and relationships. I truly appreciate Sunrise Spices for taking this initiative to revive and celebrate such traditions.”
The event reinforced Sunrise Spices’ deep connection with Bengal’s cultural and culinary heritage while celebrating the essence of Bangaliana through community participation and artistic expression.
In a season of new beginnings, Sunrise Spices has reminded everyone that the best way to start the year is with tradition, togetherness, and a generous sprinkle of flavour. The giant Haal Khata may have been painted with spices, but the real magic was in the memories it helped create.
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.
