Brands
Supercell launches #AlagSaAction campaign with actor Kartik Aaryan
Mumbai: Supercell launched campaign #AlagSaAction with Bollywood heartthrob Kartik Aaryan as the brand ambassador for its mobile title ‘Brawl Stars’.
Brawl Stars is a fast-paced multiplayer team action game available on the App Store and Google Play. The actor also stars in the game’s new promotion campaign which is centered in the Brawl Universe.
“I’ve been into gaming since my college days, and during the last lockdown, I discovered Brawl Stars. What instantly drew me to this unique game was its pace and intensity, and the fact that I could play it with friends. That makes it more fun for me, as I absolutely love it when some friendly competition is involved,” said Kartik Aaryan.
Talking about his recent association with Supercell, Aaryan added, “It was great fun working with a brand that goes all out in the creative department. From the script to the game, everything about the whole process was quite in- sync with my vibe. I also loved exploring the action hero genre for a change, and I hope the audience enjoys watching a different avatar of mine!”
The #AlagSaAction campaign launched on 20 June, starring Kartik Aaryan illustrates the game’s unique take on multiplayer action. Its launch also coincides with the ‘Brawl Stars’ latest Brawl Pass, bringing unique quests and exclusive rewards. The game’s popularity has been soaring in India with 20 million views and over 3.5 M+ engagement for the new campaign across social media platforms recorded in just the last four days, said the brand on Thursday.
Sterling AG, founder, Abhishek Gupta, Founder said, “Digital marketing is a fairly cluttered space. With this campaign, we wanted to capitalize on the game’s quirky take on action and personalize our outreach. Storytelling is crucial when marketing to Gen Z, especially through quality video content. An action-packed storyline, a glint of humor and the innovative use of music and lyrics, this campaign strikes all the right chords. Gaming in India has become one of the most exciting industries and we wanted to ensure that we tapped into the country’s vast gaming community with this campaign.”
“With this campaign, Sterling AG engaged with the vast gaming community in India Fans enjoyed the ‘cinematic feel’ of the campaign and Kartik’s seamless integration into the gameplay. Leading gaming influencers such as Nery (3.14L Subscribers) and Clashing Adda (7.19L Subscribers) created organic reaction videos (a video format popular on streaming platform, YouTube) garnering a further 222K views for the campaign,” the brand said in a media statement.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
