MAM
Ashika Group brings in Vishesh Sharma as CMO
Mumbai: Finacial services provider Ashika Group has appointed Vishesh Sharma as chief marketing officer (CMO). He will be based in Mumbai and report directly to Ashika Group CEO Chirag Jain.
The bolstering of the company’s leadership ranks is in line with its vision of fortifying the personal finance ecosystem and transforming how New India manages its savings and investments with the newly-launched My Dhanush app, said the statement.
At Ashika Group, Sharma will be responsible for brand building, content marketing, social media, and corporate communications for the retail business, which is stacked under the company’s master brand, My Dhanush, it added.
“We are excited to welcome Vishesh, a passionate brand-builder, and are confident he will play a vital role in building a truly world-class FinTech brand,” said Chirag Jain. “I believe under his able leadership and in-depth understanding of customer communication, we will strengthen Ashika further and drive growth across our portfolio.”
A communications veteran, Sharma joins Ashika Group with 13 years of extensive and diverse work experience across fields, including brand communication, content marketing, corporate communications, reputation management, internal communications, public affairs, and financial education. In his previous stint, he was with Angel One as head of content marketing, corporate communications, and strategic alliances, where he successfully transformed the company’s image from a traditional broker to a fintech. He also led the retail communication for Angel One’s IPO.
Earlier, Sharma also served as the chief content strategist for Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, where he helped set up the digital assets department. He has worked with some prominent brands like Dalal Street Investment Journal, Progressive Media Group among others.
In the last couple of years, he has been conferred with multiple marketing awards, including Corporate Communications Person of The Year, Marketing Leader of the Year (BFSI), and Content Marketing Professional of the Year.
“I am excited to join such a fast-growing organization and play a part in building one of India’s very first personal finance super app My Dhanush. Ashika has an excellent track record of helping its clients grow their wealth by helping them invest wisely,” said Vishesh Sharma. “With a strong vision to build solutions that revolutionize the way new India invests, I look forward to helping Ashika strengthen its national leadership to be both a force for growth and a force for good.”
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.
