Brands
Alia Bhatt goes digital with Maybelline New York
MUMBAI: Alia Bhatt loves her fans and this time around she put together an innovative method to spend a fun evening with them talking about the things she loves most – make-up and her films!
Staying true to its core values of being fun, edgy and fashionable, Maybelline New York, the world’s No. #1 make-up brand hosted India’s first multi-city integrated Google Hangout with the Bollywood diva and brand ambassador, Alia Bhatt. Pioneering the digital space with groundbreaking initiatives and launches, Maybelline New York once again proved itself to be a front runner in innovation, beauty and youth connect.
Visitors at Shoppers Stop in Delhi and Mumbai were in for a treat as they got the chance to interact with Alia Bhatt LIVE via a Google Hangout. Since Alia’s latest make-up favorites from Maybelline are the new Color Show nail colors, she quizzed her fans on the names of the shades and had a fun session with them sharing make-up and beauty tips. In addition to this, a few lucky shoppers were handpicked by Alia Bhatt from the crowd and received nail art tutorials from an artist present during the Hangout.
Commenting on this fun way to interact with her fans, Alia Bhatt, brand ambassador of Maybelline New York, said, “I’ve always loved Maybelline New York not only for the innovative products they launch, but also for the initiatives they take up to engage with their consumers and fans. The experience of talking to so many fans in two different cities at the same time and sharing some of my thoughts on beauty was fantastic. It was such an interesting way to brighten up a regular Friday evening and at the same time get some amazing feedback from the fans on my work and Maybelline’s new launches.”
Leena Shoor, Marketing Manager, Maybelline New York India, said, “As a tech savvy make-up brand, Maybelline New York has always aimed to engage with its consumers and fans in a very innovative manner. In order to continue representing the essence of the brand of being fun, edgy and fashionable, Maybelline introduces various novel initiatives with new product launches. Taking the brand to a next level of engagement, Maybelline decided to host India’s first multi-city integrated Google Hangout with Alia Bhatt who is the face of the brand and represents the brands core values.”
Across India, over 92,121 fans tuned-in LIVE to the Hangout which received an overwhelming 92 Million impressions across Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram. The popular make-up brand represents the young, contemporary cosmopolitan girl who is attuned to fashion and loves to experiment with make-up products. Hence, all of its campaigns have been clutter breaking in the cosmetics industry. Over the years, Maybelline New York has pioneered various brand engagement strategies through innovative use of the digital platforms to get fans and consumers to sit and take notice, get educated and eventually use the unique products on offer by the brand.
Brands
Dunkin’ Donuts to exit India as Jubilant FoodWorks ends 15-year franchise deal
The quick service restaurant giant is ending a 15-year franchise partnership with the American doughnut chain, even as it renews its Domino’s agreement for another 15 years
NOIDA: Dunkin’ is done in India. Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, the country’s leading quick service restaurant operator, has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with the American coffee and doughnut chain, and will wind down its Indian stores in a phased manner before December 31, 2026, bringing a 15-year partnership to a quiet, loss-laden close.
The decision, approved by JFL’s board on March 30, 2026, ends a relationship that began with a Multiple Unit Development Franchise Agreement signed on February 24, 2011. JFL will now evaluate and undertake what it described in a regulatory filing as the “rationalisation and/or cessation of certain operations and/or sale, transfer or disposal of assets and/or assignment or transfer of franchise rights,” all in consultation with Dunkin’s brand owners and strictly within the terms of the original agreement.
The numbers tell the story bluntly. In the financial year 2024-25, Dunkin’ India posted a revenue of Rs 37 crore against a loss of Rs 19 crore — a haemorrhage that was always going to test the patience of a parent company recording revenues of Rs 6,104 crore and a profit of Rs 194 crore in the same period. Doughnuts, it turns out, were never going to move the needle.
The contrast with JFL’s handling of its other marquee franchise could hardly be sharper. Even as it walks away from Dunkin’, the company has just doubled down on Domino’s, signing a fresh Master Franchise Agreement on March 31, 2026, granting it exclusive rights to develop and operate Domino’s Pizza stores in India for 15 years, with an option to renew for a further 10.
JFL, incorporated in 1995 and promoted by the Bharatia family, operates a network of more than 3,500 stores across six markets — India, Turkey, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Its portfolio includes Domino’s and Popeyes on the global side, and two home-grown brands: Hong’s Kitchen and COFFY, a café brand in Turkey.
For Dunkin’, India was always a stretch. The brand never quite cracked the cultural code in a market where filter coffee and chai command fierce loyalty and where the doughnut remains, at best, an occasional indulgence rather than a daily habit. Fifteen years, mounting losses and a parent with better things to spend its capital on was always going to be a difficult equation to solve.
The doughnut has had its last day. The pizza, however, is staying.
