Brands
After Max, Sony comes out with branded postcards
MUMBAI: “The postal department has met Sony Entertainment Television half way to make it possible,” Maharashtra Circles’ chief post master general K Noorjehan was quick to offer. The occasion to inaugurate the special cover with cancellation and Meghdoot postcards marking the first anniversary of Sony’s flagship show Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi.
Showering the show (Jassi…) with a liberal dose of praise, Noorjehan said that she had been flooded with numerous calls from media about the preferential treatment meted out to Jassi. Rightly so, as she and the speaker before her – Sony Entertainment Television India’s CEO Kunal Dasgupta – informed that the special cover with special cancellation was normally offered only to commemorate meretious services of over 50 years and above.
“Even to consider the proposal and to process the demand, the postal department requires one year’s time,” Noorjehan said. So what makes Jassi so special that she could jump the queue? “She rescued us from the weepy dramas. General masses like you and me can identify with her. She has shown us that its is not really important to be good looking but you can succeed if you have enough grit and determination,” she said.
The same sentiment was echoed by the Sony team and as executive vice president programming and response Tarun Katial put it in his inaugural speech, “One year already since we introduced the masses to this unlikely heroine with spectacles and braces. Despite being labeled an ugly duckling, she has shown the world that you can succeed just on merit with your grit, determination, intelligence and hard work.”
But hasn’t the show been slipping lately. “Not really. It is just a cyclic phenomenon. In fact, we have quite a few changes in the pipeline to pump in the vigour.” Although he said that Jassi won’t really be shedding her braces and spectacles soon, but viewers will witness a transformation in her attitude, Katial informed. “Plus we will have a climax to the current build up of the plot, where Jassi becomes aware of Armaan and his devious plots and falls in love with Purab,” he added.
What the show has offered to television besides a different storyline is a case study for marketing innovations.
“We get numerous phone calls every day from educational institutes, who want to speak to us about the effectiveness of the marketing innovation and the excellent adaptation,” DJ Creatives producer Deeya Singh said. But she did admit that the story wasn’t following the original very closely. “But it has worked wonders for the show. Look at the way Purab’s track has been accepted by the masses,” she argued.
A clear indication of the popularity of the show was the Centrium Auditorium at the World Trade Centre in Mumbai, where the press conference was held. Professionals working in the neighbouring offices were trying constantly to sneak in to get a peek of their favourite telly character.
And what did the star of the show Jassi aka Mona Singh have to say about it, “I am extremely honoured and deeply humbled.”
It needs to be noted here that in February this year, Sony’s sister channel Max had also introduced branded postcards wherein they had tied up with the Indian postal department. The post card, apart from carrying the Max logo, also promoted the 5 pm movies on the channel with a message: ‘Har shaam paanch baje dekhiye.’
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
