MAM
AXN chalks awareness campaign around ‘The Contender’
MUMBAI: One of AXN’s major programming initiatives for the year is The Contender. The boxing based reality show kicks off on 10 March with a double episode at 9 pm. The next episode airs at the same time on 11 March. Thereafter it will air every Monday live at 8 am with a primetime repeat at 10 pm.
The show from US broadcaster NBC’s stable deals with 16 boxers competing for the chance to win a million dollars and go professional. To create awareness around the same the channel will conduct an integrated marketing campaign.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com on this Sony assistant VP marketing Rohit Bhandari who looks after the channel in India says, “We will be using different mediums for The Contender. You will see hoardings coming up in the Metros. We will be using the backs of buses. As far as radio is concerned we have tied up with Red and Go 92.5 FM. There will be promotional spots as well as contests.”
Online, the broadcaster has tied up with MSN and Yahoo. Besides contests through which AXN will be handing out merchandise, visitors can also get further information on the show. Bhandari adds “Right now we are not looking at tying up with retail outlets. We are at the awareness building stage. However once the show picks up momentum we could look at tying up with youth hangouts. We are also examining the possibility of holding a contest whereby one winner goes to Las Vegas to view the final bout.”
Mountain Dew, LG and Skoda are sponsoring the show. Bhandari expressed optimism on the show doing well. “Sylvester Stallone and Mark Burnett who is the show’s creator are well known names. Historically boxing fights are more popular when a famous name is involved in some capacity. The Contender has also roped in boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard.”
Bhandari however does not feel that a local production for a sports based reality show will work in India. “It is too early for that. Right now awareness about sport outside cricket is limited. There is some awareness for hockey. Tennis is growing to a certain degree due to Sania Mirza. I however feel that the growth of Formula One’s popularity will be restricted because the Indian viewer cannot experience it first hand. When you see cars live zooming at the venue that is when you get a real feel for the sport.”
Brands
Kaayu Rituals enters India with science-backed daily Ayurvedic wellness
UK-backed brand turns self-care into structured daily rituals for modern India
NEW DELHI: UK-backed wellness brand Kaayu Rituals has officially arrived in India, offering a fresh take on Ayurvedic self-care. The brand blends age-old rituals with modern science, making preventive wellness a daily habit rather than an occasional indulgence.
With interest in Ayurveda surging across the country, consumers are increasingly seeking solutions that go beyond treatment to focus on consistent self-care. Kaayu Rituals aims to meet this demand by creating a structured framework for inner wellness, herbal teas, skincare, and haircare, all designed to encourage long-term consistency and measurable wellbeing benefits.
Founder and CEO Preeti Choudhary, a regulatory affairs veteran with 18 years’ experience spanning pharmaceuticals, medtech, microbiology, and global compliance, explained the brand’s unique approach. “After nearly two decades in healthcare regulation, I realised we apply extraordinary rigour to crisis care but not to daily stress, hormonal health, or emotional wellbeing,” she said. “India doesn’t need more wellness products. It needs structure, consistency, and trust. Ayurveda has always offered that. We are simply bringing modern regulatory rigour and clarity to it.”
Unlike conventional wellness brands, Kaayu Rituals focuses on ritual-first engagement rather than purely product-led offerings. Its science-backed approach promises transparency, safety, and quality assurance, setting a new standard in a largely unstandardised self-care market.
The brand will launch with a direct-to-consumer model through kaayurituals.com, before expanding to curated retail and wellness partnerships across major urban centres in 2026.
