Brands
Kamat Hotels plants flags in Himalayan foothills and tech hub
MUMBAI: Kamat Hotels (India) Limited has thrown open the doors to two contrasting properties that capture India’s dual identity: a wellness sanctuary beneath the snow-capped Himalayas and a sleek business hotel in the country’s tech capital.
The hospitality chain unveiled The Orchid Rishivan Hotel in Rishikesh and IRA by Orchid Hotel in Hyderabad on Sunday, adding 117 rooms to its expanding empire and planting its flag firmly in both India’s spiritual heartland and its commercial nerve centres.
In Rishikesh, where the Ganges rushes down from sacred peaks, the 54-room Orchid Rishivan Hotel promises to marry ancient mysticism with modern luxury. Guests can stretch into sunrise yoga sessions beside a centuries-old Shivling temple, then retreat to a state-of-the-art spa surrounded by whispering forests. The property operates under a revenue-sharing model and caters to the booming wellness tourism market, complete with conference facilities for corporate retreats and intimate wedding venues.
Some 1,500 kilometres south, the 63-room IRA by Orchid Hotel stakes its claim in Hyderabad’s bustling business district. The leased property targets the city’s army of technocrats and deal-makers with contemporary rooms and dining that blends authentic Hyderabadi spices with international flavours.
“We are tapping into the rising demand for wellness tourism and destination weddings, while Hyderabad positions us to serve a thriving corporate market,” said executive director Vishal Vithal Kamat. His father, executive chairman and managing director Vithal Venkatesh Kamat, described the openings as highlighting the group’s “dual focus” between eco-luxury and metropolitan hospitality.
The launches underscore Kamat Hotels’ strategy to capture both ends of India’s travel spectrum: spiritual seekers fleeing urban chaos and business travelers powering the country’s economic engine. With wellness tourism surging and corporate travel rebounding post-pandemic, the group is betting that India’s contradictions—ancient and modern, spiritual and commercial—can fuel profitable growth.
Brands
DeVANS sparks buzz with self-chilling beer can April Fools campaign
Godfather stunt racks up 7 million impressions, blending humour with hype
NEW DELHI: DeVANS Modern Breweries has stirred up the marketing pot with a playful yet high-impact campaign teasing a futuristic “self-chilling beer can” under its flagship Godfather label.
What began as a seemingly bold product innovation quickly turned into one of the most talked-about brand moments online, before being revealed as an April Fools’ Day prank. The reveal, however, did little to cool the buzz.
The campaign clocked over 7 million organic impressions across platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X, with users debating whether the concept was a genuine breakthrough or clever marketing theatre. Thousands of shares and comments turned the idea into a full-blown conversation, drawing in both consumers and industry insiders.
The hook was simple but effective. A self-chilling can positioned as an on-the-go convenience product tapped into the imagination of younger, urban audiences. Add the timing around April Fools’ Day, and the campaign struck the perfect balance between curiosity and scepticism, keeping audiences guessing.
Marketing experts have pointed to the campaign as a case study in leveraging cultural moments. By leaving just enough ambiguity, the brand invited audiences to participate rather than simply observe, turning passive viewers into active contributors to the narrative.
“Godfather has always been an iconic brand, but iconicity must evolve to stay meaningful,” said DeVANS Modern Breweries chairman and managing director Prem Dewan. “The ‘Self-Chilling Can’ was our way of showing up in a cultural moment with confidence and a sense of humour.”
Beyond the numbers, the campaign signals a broader repositioning for Godfather. Long seen as a legacy beer brand, it is now leaning into youth culture, digital-first storytelling and topical engagement to stay relevant in a crowded alcobev market.
In a space where attention is fleeting, DeVANS has shown that sometimes the coolest idea is the one that keeps people guessing.
