MAM
Rahul Welde exits Unilever after 31 years
MUMBAI: Unilever’s EVP – Digital Transformation and Digital Business Rahul Welde has decided to move on from Unilever after a stint of more than three decades at the FMCG conglomerate. He made the announcement on social media. While Welde did not disclose details of his future plans in his post, he said he is embarking on a new chapter, adding– “building a portfolio career, charting new waters and fostering the spirit of reinvention”.
Sharing a pic of himself handing over his Unilever employee pass, Welde wrote: Time does fly. It has been 31 years since I started my career at Unilever on a bright day. What a ride! I am fortunate to have been able to ‘pivot’ my career several times, long before the word became fashionable, all while being in the same company.
“I have always believed in owning your spirit – in my case, following my mantra of ‘Joy over Success’. And sustaining my undying thirst for the new and left field,” he continued, adding, “Unilever is a great company – just too good to sum up in words. When I completed 30 years I said (and it’s there on Twitter for posterity) – “When you are in the company that long, I guess you really bleed blue. It’s so much more than brands and business – it’s a family.”
“How does one leave family then? A fork in the road does come though, and it is time to move on from Unilever,” he further added.
Having joined Unilever as a management trainee back in 1991, Welde was appointed media director – south asia and general manager – media services in 2005. Thereafter, he held various senior positions like VP-media and global VP-Digital Transformation before being elevated to the post of EVP-Digital Transformation in April 2018. He undertook the additional role of EVP- digital business at the British multinational in February 2020.
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.
