Brands
Metro Brands strengthens marketing vertical; onboards Deepika Deepti as SVP – marketing
Mumbai: With an aim to further strengthen brand positioning and commitment to consumer centricity, Metro Brands Ltd., India’s fashion footwear retailer, has appointed Deepika Deepti as senior vice president – marketing.
Listed among the top 100 leaders in India by Luxebook for 2020, Deepti will work alongside managing director Farah Malik Bhanji and CEO Nissan Joseph of the eight-decade old footwear brand to spearhead the company’s marketing mandate. Deepti brings to the business an extensive 18 years of experience with the retail industry and has been known for building brands.
At Metro Brands, Deepti will help steer the company through its vision of being a leading new-age Indian footwear retailer with a strong omni-channel presence across the country by strategically strengthening the brand portfolio. Her understanding of product, business acumen and skills of the new age marketing tools, like social & digital, collaborations with celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Pharrell Williams, Stan Smith led her to her biggest wins at adidas by leading a revolution of sneaker culture in India with adidas Originals. Deepti’s decade-long stint with adidas is testimony of her in-depth knowledge of the footwear industry and her capability to boost the revenue growth of a brand.
Prior to joining Metro Brands, last year Deepti was CEO & chief marketing officer at Camp SMA and worked with brands like Veg Non-Veg as well as the contemporary luxury clothing brand Bhaane (2020-21), where she played an integral part in expediting growth of e-com at bhaane.com. As former director brand activation, emerging markets at adidas, Deepika spent a decade gaining in-depth knowledge of Indian and international retail markets to strategically grow the business. Her trophy brands during her stint there included adidas Originals, Yeezy, Statement & Neo across India and emerging markets.
“It is an honor to be part of a celebrated legacy company like Metro that has stood the test of time. In my current role here, I look forward to upholding and elevating the company’s many brands by building cultural relevance and value for each of them. My focus will be to keep pace with marketing innovations and continue to build brand aspiration,” said Deepti.
Metro Brands currently operates 720 stores in 160 cities as well as multiple websites and dedicated pages across major Indian e-commerce marketplaces. Metro Brands has brands like Metro Shoes, Mochi, Walkway under its banner and operates retail stores for FitFlop, Biofoot and Crocs exclusively in India.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
