MAM
Bikano launches new range of evening snacks targeting northern HSM
Mumbai: Packaged snacks brand Bikano has launched a new range of maida-based tea-time snacks targeting the northern Hindi-speaking market. With this move the company seeks to boost revenues, and further organise the segment while cementing its position as a key player.
Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, MP and Chhattisgarh are the main target markets for the initial phase of the launch. Each of the seven products including Bhakar Badi, Tikoni Mathi, Gol Mathi, Matar Para, Methi Mathi, Mini Samosa and Chai Puri will be available in packs of 200g and 400g so as to appeal to both value and premium consumers.
The range focuses on hygiene and taste.
“With these items, we not only wish to help patrons relive the tradition involving regular savouries that accompany their chai-drinking, but also expand the range of snack options that they often combine with their beverages,” said Bikano director Manish Aggarwal. “Apart from satisfying mid-meal cravings and filling the void in snacking routines, these snacks can also serve as a substitute for regular meals when one is travelling, or is stationed in a remote place. Suitably filled in 200 gm convenience packs, they are easy to carry and consume anywhere, anytime.”
Sharing the business objective behind the launch of the new range, Bikano’s head of marketing, Dawinder Pal added, “Even during the tough pandemic time Bikano has continued to carry out market due diligence, maintain the spotlight on distribution and undertake brand- building through focused product campaigns with an eye on improving revenue growth. With COVID-19 showing no signs of relenting plus the fear of the incoming third wave, normalcy is unlikely to return in this quarter too. With all that in mind, we have started to build our innovation funnel slowly and this new range of chai-time snacks is one step towards it. With Bikano’s core competency being in the snacking segment, the launch of these products will give a further competitive advantage to the brand.”
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
