Brands
Aashirvaad adds ‘masala’ to selfies with AI posters starring Nani
MUMBAI: From spice rack to star track, Nani joins fans in masala movie moments. In a deliciously cinematic twist, Aashirvaad Masalas has turned the humble kitchen into a movie set. Following the blockbuster launch of Telugu star Nani as its brand ambassador in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ITC’s masala brand is now blending AI with AP cinema fandom serving up movie-style posters that put the homemaker centre stage.
The interactive campaign lets users co-star with “Natural Star” Nani by generating personalised movie posters via a Whatsapp bot. And the plot twist? You only need a selfie, some genre flair action, romance, thriller or comedy and a dash of confidence.
Branded under the tagline “Dammu Meede, Star Meere” (You’ve got the dum, you’re the star), the initiative celebrates the unsung heroes of the kitchen those who bring fiery flavour and boldness to the everyday meal. Now, they also get their own reel-life moment, courtesy of AI-generated poster magic.
To jump into the action, users can scan the QR code on the Aashirvaad Chilli Powder pack or click a link via Aashirvaad Masala’s Telugu social handles. Once connected to the bot, they simply choose their preferred language, genre, and character setting before uploading a selfie. Within seconds, they receive a film poster starring themselves alongside Nani cinema-style drama, sans studio.
As if starring opposite Nani weren’t enough, select participants might just find their faces up in lights on real billboards or snag movie tickets as part of the promotion.
Blending the region’s deep love for cinema with a love for spice, this campaign is more than digital wizardry, it’s a slice of pop culture that makes the consumer feel like the superstar they truly are.
So whether you’re perfecting your biryani or clicking the perfect selfie, Aashirvaad Masalas invites you to spice things up one poster at a time.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
