MAM
Mars wrigley confectionery goes local with india inspired doublemint® paanmint
MUMBAI: Mars Wrigley Confectionery today announced the launch of DOUBLEMINT® PAANMINT, a new, India inspired entrant to the freshness category.
Inspired by the local favorite ‘Paan’ flavor, DOUBLEMINT® Paanmint is the first product from Mars Wrigley Confectionery which has been developed exclusively for the Indian market. The new product brand, under the DOUBLEMINT® master brand aims to widen its presence in the freshness category, a segment it leads globally. It is being launched on the back of extensive consumer research and shall offer the freshness of mint with the much loved desi flavour.
Talking about the launch, Mr. Yogesh Tewari, Marketing Director, Mars Wrigley Confectionery, said, “The launch of DOUBLEMINT® Paanmint is a significant milestone in our journey in India. It is the first time we have developed a product specifically for the Indian market in the freshness category. The new product builds on DOUBLEMINT®’s proposition of long-lasting freshness and gives it a unique, local twist with a flavor that Indians are familiar with and immensely fond of. DOUBLEMINT® Paanmint is a unique, differentiated product and we are confident that the product will be well received by our consumers here.”
DOUBLEMINT® PAANMINT offers a contemporary burst of freshness and flavor and will be available across traditional trade outlets for INR 10.
The new product is being launched in India with the proposition Pehle Paan, Phir Naya Connecshaan. This will be brought to life through an exciting television and digital campaign, conceptualized by creative agency BBDO India. A series of three comical TVCs depict people in situations where they unexpectedly choose to eat DOUBLEMINT® Paanmint before momentous occasions in their lives.
The first TVC depicts Pehle Paan, Phir Kanyadaan wherein a father dramatically stops the bride at her wedding altar, only to reach for a pack of DOUBLEMINT® Paanmint, which he offers to the groom. The second film sees a twist to the proposition by way of Pehle Paan, Phir Jaan Pehchaan. Set in an office space, it follows a new employee as she is introduced to her new colleagues. Just as she extends her arm for a handshake with one of the employees, the guy, instead of reciprocating, takes out takes out a pack of DOUBLEMINT® Paanmint and offers it to her, reiterating the adage Pehle Paan, Phir Naya Connecshaan. The third film opens at a college where an awkward and nervous fresher is performing for his seniors who, in turn, are laughing at him. Post this performance, when it is time for the next fresher to sing, instead of being flustered, he reaches for a pack of DOUBLEMINT® Paanmint. His simple gesture of offering it to his seniors impresses them, reiterating the message of Pehle Paan, Phir Gaan.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
