Brands
‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ trio gets into the oil business with Bail Kolhu
NOIDA: BL Agro has secured a multi-starrer brand endorsement with Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pankaj Tripathi as the faces of the company’s 50-year-old brand, Bail Kolhu.
The actors of Gangs of Wasseypur fame will endorse Bail Kolhu Kacchi Ghani Mustard Oil and will be soon seen together in the brand’s TVCs and on social media campaigns. The trio holds a very strong persona as actors, and epitomise the brand Bail Kolhu, which has also created a robust position in the category over the last 50 years.
BL Agro chairman & MD Ghanshyam Khandelwal said, “Bail Kolhu is our company’s flagship product, which has been in the market for the last five decades. It holds a very strong market and a goodwill in the edible oils category, and we wanted somebody who hold the similar position in the minds of people. Manoj ji, Nawazuddin ji and Pankaj ji are not only actors but are household names who connect with people from across the country. All the three gentlemen are self-made and are the legends in the Bollywood industry. Their determination, grit, hard work and perseverance to reach to the heights they are at today, corresponds our journey as well. We also started our journey from nowhere; had our own set of challenges, learnings, and ultimately, we saw success.”
Leads Brand Connect director Richa Khandelwal added, “Bail Kolhu is the pioneer and flagship product of BL Agro Industries which is a symbol of purity and strength. A thoughtful brand positioning was important for Bail Kolhu, which has been successfully there in the market since ages. On-boarding the iconic trio was an introspective decision as all three of them reflect strength, vibrance and power, as individuals. Also, they share a great chemistry, coming from small towns and humble family backgrounds, similar to Bail Kolhu, which was started by family members from a modest background who hailed from a small town in Uttar Pradesh. Also, the three actors have a great fan following and are famous names amongst the masses, they could be easily connected with the brand, which also has a cult following across the nation.”
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
