Brands
Ford India partners with Google to bolster sale of EcoSport
MUMBAI: Ford India has teamed up with Google to launch a first-of-its-kind digital campaign in the automobile space in India for its new Ecosport SUV car. Titled ‘Fun on Your Side’, the digital campaign aims to bring different aspects of ‘fun’ to life that customers can experience with the all-new EcoSport even when they search for it online.
Starting 9 November till 15 November, people searching for ‘Fun with EcoSport’ on Google search will be asked to choose their favourite fun activity such as movie mania, make a trip, grab a meal and fun hangout. After voting, consumers will need to click on a ‘Thank You’ link to get a chance to win vouchers related to the voted option, from Coupon Dunia.
Ford India vice president of marketing Rahul Gautam says, “We have worked with Google for the new campaign to ensure that the spirit of fun spreads beyond our dealership floors to everyone searching for it.”
Google India director sales Vikas Agnihotri says, “Research shows 89 per cent of car buyers’ decision making is influenced through digital and majority of their journey starts with Google search. The digital campaign for the launch of the new EcoSport combines strong intent cues from consumers with the innovative search voting feature to provide a fun-filled and memorable experience.”
Ford is one of India’s leading users of programmatic advertising in India, and the campaign for the all-new EcoSport further builds on this and will enable the teams to engage audiences across all offline and online touch points in an integrated manner.
Conceptualised by Global Team Blue, part of WPP Group, the campaign promotes the new Ford EcoSport and its core features of fun, style and technology across online, print and TV.
Brands
Hocco crosses Rs 530cr revenue in two years
Sauce.vc-led Rs 100cr raise values ice cream brand at Rs 2,500cr pre-money as quick commerce hits 20 per cent of sales.
MUMBAI: Hocco has just scooped a seriously sweet milestone crossing the Rs 530 crore revenue mark in just two full years of operations. The fast-growing Indian ice cream and indulgence brand announced it has raised Rs 100 crore in fresh capital led by Sauce.vc. The round values the company at Rs 2,500 crore pre-money and underscores investor confidence in its rapid scale and distinctive India-first approach.
Founder Ankit Chona said the brand’s success stems from solving real Indian challenges extreme summer heat, fragmented cold chains and culturally rooted tastes. “In India, product development doesn’t end in the lab. It only ends when it survives the street,” he noted. This philosophy has produced viral hits such as Aamchi mango ice cream, BIX cake-sponge sandwiches, the Oh cone and culturally relevant collaborations like Haldiram’s Barfi and festive Modak specials.
Hocco currently operates manufacturing facilities in Ahmedabad and Panipat with a production capacity of approximately 3 lakh litres per day, running near full capacity in peak season. The fresh capital will help expand this to around 4.5 lakh litres per day.
Quick commerce has emerged as a major growth engine, now contributing ~20 per cent of overall business and growing nearly 2x year-on-year. The channel has boosted product discovery, increased consumption frequency and helped extend ice cream beyond its traditional seasonal limits.
Sauce.vc founder Manu Chandra said, “At Sauce, we believe that when you chance upon an outlier business, you double down with stronger conviction. We see Hocco as just that.”
With a strong innovation pipeline, deeper distribution and continued focus on cultural relevance, Hocco is entering its third year aiming to capture even more mind space and market share. In a category long dominated by legacy players, this young brand is proving that the coolest way to win is to build for India’s realities, one scoop, one street and one satisfied craving at a time.
