MAM
L&K Saatchi & Saatchi bags creative mandate of Akasa Air
Mumbai: L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has won the creative mandate of India’s newest airline brand, Akasa Air. As its creative partner, the agency will manage strategic and creative initiatives for the airline, which include developing brand and tactical communication for above-the-line and below-the-line elements. It will also develop brand communication campaigns and creatives for launch and sustenance phases and be involved in designing brand identity applications across mediums.
The account will be managed by the Mumbai office of the agency.
Commenting on the association, Akasa Air co-founder and chief marketing & experience officer Belson Coutinho said, “We are on a journey to build India’s most dependable and affordable airline that delivers warm, reliable, and efficient service. Hence, it is inevitable to have a communication strategy that complements both the brand promise and our actual delivery on the ground. We want our brand communication to be authentic, drive creativity and innovation, and at the same time reflect our core value of empathy.”
“We found L&K Saatchi & Saatchi an ideal partner to help us on our journey with their creative, collaborative, and insights-led approach, and we are pleased to have them on board as our Agency on Record,” he added.
Sharing his views on how Akasa Air would power India’s growth engine, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Paritosh Srivastava said, “It’s literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch an airline; it doesn’t get bigger than this. The experience of being a part of the core team at Akasa and going through the journey of the launch of something as massive and transformational for our country and people is truly humbling. Aviation is a tough business, and everyone involved has to bring their best game to the table. We will try everything in our power to contribute to Akasa’s success in the time to come. We believe we are not an agency for Akasa; we feel a sense of ownership, and treat this as our own business.”
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
