MAM
Peps Industries launches the most boring ad campaign ever
MUMBAI: Inner spring mattress company Peps Industries has launched its latest digital campaign BEDTalks. Inspired by TED Talks, but infinitely more boring, Peps BEDTalks is a curated series of incredibly boring topics aimed at putting people to sleep.
It features incredibly boring topics ranging from “The accounting history of debt contracting” to “Biodiversity of snails in forest ecosystems in Brazil”. Peps BEDTalks is designed to be the most boring ad campaign ever, on purpose!
Conceptualized with Phantom ideas Pvt. Ltd, the campaign is Peps’ unique take on engaging with its audience. Most brands try to entertain audiences. Peps Industries, which has always disrupted norms in the mattress business, takes the opposite path by creating some of the most boring communication pieces ever published.
Peps Industries managing director Madhavan says, “The lockdown has been quite stressful for people because anxiety is the enemy of sleep. So, as the leaders of the Spring mattress category, we at Peps wanted to do something to alleviate the stress. BedTalks seemed like a very disruptive way of bringing that goal to life.”
According to Phantom founder and chief creative officer, the idea was to do something a little different from the usual barrage of ‘stay home, stay safe’ campaigns from brands during this period. “That’s when we stumbled upon the idea of the BedTalks, as a devious little spin on that famous speaking platform. It is a hugely extendable idea, and we had quite a challenge to execute it, given that the voiceover delivery had to be supervised over video-conferencing, and the whole spot produced despite all the hurdles of the lockdown.”
The campaign videos can be viewed here:
Episode 1:https://www.instagram.com/p/B_iKe1IBUrx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Episode 2:https://www.instagram.com/p/B_scOFuBkvo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Episode 3:https://www.instagram.com/p/B_2pOT_hPoZ/
Episode 4:https://www.instagram.com/p/CABD5lMBQ30/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
