Brands
Reliance’s Campa Cola secures major IPL deal, setting stage for summer cola wars
MUMBAI: Reliance Consumer Products’ Campa Cola has secured the co-presenting rights for this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) for nearly Rs 200 crore, reports The Economic Times. The deal marks one of the tournament’s most visible sponsorship positions, previously held by Coca-Cola’s Thums Up. However, Indiantelevision.com sources informed us that the actual figure is about 50 per cent higher than what The Economic Times estimated.
The acquisition signals Campa’s national ambitions, as the brand prepares for its first summer of pan-India competition in the cola market. Reliance is also planning to debut advertising for its sports drink Spinner and RasKik Gluco Energy, both priced at Rs 10, during the tournament.
Spinner, co-created with former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, has separately partnered with five IPL teams – Lucknow Super Giants, SunRisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola will maintain its partnerships with Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The combined advertising revenue from television and OTT platforms for IPL 2025 is expected to rise by 8-10 per cent over last year to approximately Rs 4,500 crore, according to media buying executives quoted by the newspaper.
The tournament, scheduled from 21 March to 25 May, coincides with peak summer sales period, which typically accounts for over 50 per cent of annual soft drink sales
Tata Motors remains the title sponsor, having retained the rights for five years for Rs 2,500 crore, making it the tournament’s most valuable sponsorship deal to date.
Brands
Parle-G celebrates Bihu with music-led campaign rooted in culture
Two-part films blend nostalgia and storytelling to capture Assam’s festive soul
MUMBAI: Parle-G has turned to music, memory and meaning in its latest campaign celebrating Bihu, offering a culturally rooted tribute that goes beyond typical festive advertising.
Created by Thought Blurb Communications, the two-part campaign builds on the brand’s long-standing thought of finding joy in others’ happiness. It begins with a music-led prequel and culminates in a narrative-driven film that explores the emotional essence of the festival.
The campaign opened with a two-and-a-half-minute Bihu music video featuring Partha Hazarika, with music composed by Nilotpal Bora and vocals by Dikshu. Rather than positioning itself as a conventional brand piece, the video leaned into authenticity, capturing the vibrancy and rhythm of Bihu. Viewers also drew emotional parallels to Zubeen Garg, whose absence lent the film a nostalgic undertone. The response was swift, with over 12 million combined views across YouTube and Instagram within a week.
Building on this momentum, the main film tells the story of Ahir, a musician struggling to compose a Bihu song within the confines of a studio. His journey takes him into the open landscapes of Assam and eventually to the banks of the Brahmaputra, where a boatman helps him rediscover the true spirit of Bihu. The narrative underscores a simple idea that the festival cannot be manufactured in isolation, it must be experienced in nature, community and shared joy.
Speaking about the campaign, Parle Products vice president Mayank Shah said the initiative aims to celebrate not just the festival but the emotion behind it. He noted that Bihu reflects the idea that joy multiplies when shared, a theme that sits at the heart of the story.
From the agency side, Thought Blurb Communications chief creative officer Vinod Kunj said the team sought to tap into Assam’s cultural pulse, acknowledging the emotional void left by the absence of Zubeen Garg while celebrating the enduring spirit of the festival.
Adding to this, Thought Blurb Communications national creative director Renu Somani Karwa said the campaign draws from deeply human stories, where small acts of generosity become powerful expressions of connection.
Meanwhile, Thought Blurb Communications executive creative director Auryndom Bose highlighted the importance of nature in shaping Bihu’s identity, noting that the film attempts to capture how music and movement emerge organically from the landscape itself.
With this campaign, Parle-G leans into cultural storytelling with a lighter brand footprint and a stronger emotional core. By placing music and community at the centre, it offers a reminder that some stories are best told not in studios, but in the shared rhythms of real life
