MAM
Beck’s Ice launches first India campaign with BBH
MUMBAI: Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) – the leading global brewer has appointed BBH as the creative agency for its new brand Beck’s Ice. An integrated mandate, BBH will also be responsible for social media marketing.
Part of AB InBev family, Beck’s is renowned for its uncompromising quality by consumers in over 85 countries. With 100 per cent pure malt liquid that delivers a refreshing taste, Beck’s Ice is inspired by its German heritage from 1873 that is sure to appeal to unisex consumers.
The brand also launched its maiden campaign in the country this month. The campaign, conceptualised and executed by BBH, derives from the cultural insight that Indian millennials are constantly on the lookout for new experiences to escape the monotony and pressures of urban life. Beck’s Ice with its uncompromising quality offers just this – a world of pure & unmitigated fun that one can enjoy with friends.
AB InBev marketing director for India Kartikeya Sharma says, “We are glad to appoint BBH as our creative agency for Beck’s Ice in India. BBH had a thorough understanding of our market requirements giving us the confidence to award them the mandate. BBH partnered us in finding a unique positioning for the brand, which is much differentiated in its category and resonates with young millennials, our key TA. We are getting a good early response and we hope the momentum will carry forward with all creative assets going live.”
BBH chief creative officer and managing partner Russell Barrett adds, “Working on Beck’s Ice has been an exciting journey. From the way we were briefed (at a golf course) to the very first presentation, the entire process has been wildly exciting. The creative team, led by Sapna and Yohan, along with Akash Bhatia, the director, have created a beautiful film that makes you feel the tension of everyday life and the release that a break in the mountains brings. The film exhorts you to escape the everyday, to the purity, of the mountains where time and stresses are put in their place. You can’t help but agree with that message.”
MAM
Star Sports under fire for ‘cringe’ India–SA Super 8 promo
Broadcaster accused of arrogance and disrespect as fans slam Super 8 promotion
AHMEDABAD: Star Sports is facing a wave of criticism after its latest promotional campaign for the India–South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 match triggered a fierce social media backlash, quickly dubbed “Cupcakegate”.
The advertisement, released this week, hinges on a cupcake metaphor that many viewers have condemned as patronising and disrespectful. In the clip, an Indian supporter mockingly offers a pink cupcake to a South African fan, a visual jibe widely interpreted as portraying the Proteas as a soft, easily beaten opponent.
The backlash has been swift across platforms such as X and Reddit, with fans and commentators accusing the broadcaster of tone-deaf bravado at a crucial stage of the tournament. The criticism is sharpened by the context: both India and South Africa arrive in the Super 8s unbeaten, undermining any suggestion of a one-sided contest.
Online, the cupcake symbol has been read as carrying multiple barbs. Some users argue it alludes to South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s domestic nickname, while others see it as recycling the long-running “chokers” trope associated with South Africa in ICC tournaments. The casting choice has also drawn scrutiny, with viewers noting the physical disparity between the actors playing the two fans, which critics described as a cheap attempt to belittle the opposition.
Even Indian supporters have joined the pile-on. Many warned that such chest-thumping marketing risks “jinxing” the team, pointing to past tournaments where aggressive campaigns preceded unexpected defeats.
Star Sports is no stranger to rivalry-led advertising, having struck gold with its earlier “Mauka Mauka” series. But analysts say the cupcake campaign misreads a fanbase that has grown less tolerant of overtly mocking narratives and more attuned to sporting parity and respect.
India and South Africa meet on Sunday, 22 February, at the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium. With South Africa securing their Super 8 berth through a commanding win over the UAE, the fixture is widely billed as a heavyweight clash, not the walkover the ad appears to suggest.
