Applications
Britannia, Google Cloud & WPP agencies partner to launch BourbonIT
Mumbai: Britannia Industries, in collaboration with Google Cloud and WPP’s media services company Mindshare and global creative company VML, has announced the launch of Britannia BourbonIT, a pioneering platform utilising generative AI (GenAI) technology to transform recipe creation and culinary experiences in India. This unique initiative, spearheaded by Britannia’s iconic Bourbon, marks a significant milestone in the Indian market, underscoring the power of advanced AI to redefine consumer experiences.
Britannia BourbonIT combines technology and creativity to enhance consumer engagement. Using Google Gemini’s multimodal capabilities, the platform adds a creative twist to traditional recipes, generating visually appealing culinary creations. It offers a smooth user experience with APIs developed using Google Cloud Functions to handle various input formats efficiently. A profanity filter is integrated to ensure content quality and brand safety.
Users can submit recipes in formats such as YouTube videos, HTML links, images, or text. BourbonIT, with Google’s Gemini Flash, adds a Bourbon twist to each recipe, creating an engaging experience for consumers.
Britannia CMO Amit Doshi said, “The launch of BourbonIT marks a key moment in Britannia Bourbon’s journey, demonstrating our dedication to delivering innovative and superior taste experiences. This initiative reflects Britannia’s commitment to evolving with the times while maintaining the flavors that have made Bourbon a household name. This collaboration with Google Cloud and WPP’s Mindshare and VML highlights Britannia’s leadership in adopting cutting-edge technology, setting a new benchmark for AI-driven experiences in India. The teams have worked collaboratively to bring this initiative to life, and their efforts are set to elevate consumer engagement to new heights. The launch of BourbonIT is just the beginning, paving the way for future innovations that will continue to redefine consumer interactions in the culinary space.”
Google Cloud India VP and country MD Bikram Singh Bedi said, “Our work with Britannia and WPP is a testament to how generative AI can drive consumer engagement. The innovative campaign BourbonIT leverages Google’s state-of-the-art generative AI capabilities to deliver unique experiences.”
Mindshare CEO for South Asia, Amin Lakhani said, “We are incredibly excited to launch ‘BourbonIT’. A significant step forward in how AI can enhance our everyday lives, and in this case, our culinary experiences. This innovative application developed by WPP’s Mindshare and VML and powered by Google Gemini, seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology with user-friendly design, making it simple for anyone to unlock their inner chef and explore a world of flavourful possibilities.”
VML’s CEO in India – Babita Baruah said, “We are excited to collaborate with Britannia Bourbon on this innovative project for the iconic brand. By ‘bourbonizing’ users’ own recipes, we aim to bring Britannia Bourbon into every household in a fun and meaningful way to deliver lasting impact, using technology to drive value with a creative twist.”
Britannia Bourbon, long valued for its classic appeal, has evolved to meet changing consumer tastes. The collaboration with Winkin’ Cow to create Britannia Winkin’ Cow Bourbon Shake highlights this evolution. This new product combines the legacy of the original Britannia Bourbon biscuit with a fresh approach, offering consumers a novel way to enjoy their favorite biscuit.
Steps to Bourbon IT the recipe:
● Scan the code on the Britannia Bourbon pack
● Share the link of your favorite recipe or simply type your favourite dish and give it a Bourbon twist
● Submit your Bourbon creation and stand a chance to win a trip to Switzerland and Amazon cashback*
BourbonIt can be accessed via mobile devices here: https://bourbonit.in/ *T&C applied
Applications
Canva acquires animation and AI startups Cavalry and MangoAI
The deals strengthen Canva’s push into enterprise and AI-led design workflows
AUSTRALIA: Global visual communication platform Canva has stepped up its acquisition drive, buying UK-based 2D animation platform Cavalry and US-based AI startup MangoAI to deepen its AI-powered creative stack.
Cavalry, whose tools are used by brands including Amazon, Meta, Google and Netflix, will strengthen Canva’s motion design capabilities. The deal builds on Canva’s 2024 acquisition of Affinity, which has crossed four million downloads since launch. With Cavalry, Canva now counts seven Europe-based acquisitions, underscoring its global expansion strategy.
MangoAI, an early-stage startup focused on video advertising optimisation, will integrate its reinforcement learning systems into Canva AI. The move aims to enable brands to generate personalised marketing content in real time, cutting production cycles while improving campaign performance. MangoAI co-founder Vinith Misra will join Canva as reinforcement learning lead in its research lab.
Canva co-founder and chief operating officer Cliff Obrecht said the acquisitions reflect the company’s ambition to make professional-grade creative tools more accessible without sidelining human creativity. The goal, he said, is to bring everything from vector to motion design into a single, integrated suite.
The company now reports 265 million active users, including 31 million paid subscribers, and $4 billion in annualised revenue, up 36 per cent year on year. The latest buys further position Canva against rivals such as Adobe and Apple’s Creator Studio as it pushes deeper into enterprise workflows.
Canva head of pro design marketing Liam Fisher, said AI is intended to act as a creative assistant rather than a replacement, reinforcing the primacy of craft and individual design judgement.
