MAM
Aakash Educational Services appoints Yuvraj Singh as brand ambassador
MUMBAI: Aakash Educational Services (AESL), has appointed ace cricketer Yuvraj Singh as its brand ambassador. The cricketer will promote the company and its various brands including Aakash Institute, Aakash IIT-JEE, Aakash Digital and Meritnation. As the face of Aakash, Yuvraj Singh will lead the brand's latest omni-channel 'Success is Waiting' campaign for Aakash Digital.
The ‘Success is Waiting’ campaign, conceptualised in partnership with Cheil India, the creative agency of AESL, will be for students re-appearing for medical and engineering entrance examinations. It intends to inspire such students to give it another shot and will be visible through the digital medium.
Yuvraj was the ideal fit to drive home the message effectively as the company needed an inspiring comeback story of a sportsperson, with the core messaging of ‘come back stronger’. With Cricket being the most widely followed sports in the country, the communication has been designed around the comeback story of Yuvraj Singh. He has been an inspirational figure for many Indians, first through his successful cricketing career, then his battle with cancer and his inspirational comeback and now with his humanitarian initiatives.
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Commenting on the collaboration with Yuvraj Singh, Aakash Educational Services director and CEO Aakash Chaudhry said, “We are pleased to make Yuvraj Singh a part of the Aakash Family. We believe that every student gives their best shot during these critical examinations but we also acknowledge the fact that one does not taste success every time. We want to make the students understand that we not only stand with them in their struggle but also understand their weaknesses and are ready to work on them with the support of the aspirants. Striding on Yuvraj’s popularity amongst the youngsters and his path breaking success story and inspiring comeback, we are sure that he will inculcate the route to celebrate failure while bouncing back with all the more determination, strength and focus.”
The film unfolds as a long walk with Yuvraj Singh capturing the protagonist’s highs and lows in lives. At relevant moments, he walks past a set of cricket stumps uprooted, past trophies and medals, past pictures of his fans screaming for his autograph, newspaper headlines that speak of his not being part of the team, etc. Interspersed with the shots, we see school kids studying, looking into a mirror with determination or at times looking unsure. The film motivates the students to resume their journey on the path of success with renewed vigour.
Yuvraj Singh said, “I connect with Aakash as they train students to never give up and offer a helping hand to them in cracking such tough entrance exams. The theme of the film too in a way mirrors the journey of my life. I have faced many ups and downs. Through the film I want to tell the students that when the world calls you a failure, you call yourself a success. Find a coach who will have more faith in you than he would have in himself. And I assure you that once that happens, there is no looking back.”
Owing to the current scenario and shorter preparation cycle available to the repeaters, digital format is the most preferred medium amongst students. With the strong pedagogy of Aakash Institute in test preparation coupled with the superior digital capabilities, Aakash Digital stands out amongst the masses.
Aakash Institute aims to help students in their quest to achieve academic success. It has a centralized in-house process for curriculum and content development and faculty training and monitoring, led by its National Academic Team. Over the years, students from AESL have shown proven selection track record in various Medical & Engineering entrance exams and competitive exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads.
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
