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Amish Sabharwal named senior ECD of Havas Creative Group India
Mumbai: Havas Creative Group India on Tuesday announced the appointment of Amish Sabharwal as senior executive creative director and creative head of digital experience, effective immediately. He will be based in Gurgaon and will report to Havas Creative Group India national creative director Ravinder Siwach.
In his new role, Sabharwal will lead the Havas integrated creative digital team with a renewed focus on the digital-first agenda of Reckitt. In addition, he will manage the mandates of many other key brands and clients. He will work closely with the teams to further build integrated strategies and marketing campaigns, which reflects the global vision of creating Meaningful Brands, the agency said in a statement.
With over 13 years of work experience, Sabharwal has several national and international awards to his name. He has worked with some of the leading agencies such as JWT, McCann, Dentsu Impact and Grey, during his career. He brings a rare combination of traditional brand-building skills with native digital thinking as he has led both digital and traditional offerings in his previous stint at Grey Delhi.
“Amish brings with him a vast experience of some of the most well-known brands and categories. I believe his unique approach will bring in a breath of fresh air to the creative landscape and fuel our promise of meaningful storytelling further,” said Havas Group India chairman & chief creative officer Bobby Pawar.
Havas Creative Group India national creative director Ravinder Siwach added, “It’s been our constant endeavour to offer differentiated and engaging storytelling for our clients. Amish will add more muscle to this vision with his varied background.”
“I am excited to start new innings with Havas Creative Group India. With Bobby Pawar and Rana Barua at the helm, hunger is evident in the agency’s culture,” said Sabharwal on his appointment. “My role is to build on the sterling legacy these guys have established and make brand Havas an even bigger name to reckon with.”
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.
