MAM
Bollywood Stars Rajkumar Rao, Rannvijay Singha and Sports icons Sunil Chettri & Gurpreet Singh, Launch the Spykar Vintage and Rare Denim collection
MUMBAI: Rannvijay Singha, Rajkumar Rao, Sunil Chettri & Gurpreet Singh unboxed the much-awaited Vintage & Rare Limited Edition Collection Jeans by India’s top fashion denim brand, Spykar.
The pre-launch campaign included a teaser release on social media to build curiosity and buzz around the product before the big reveal. Here, the celebrities were seen giving a sneak peek of the wooden cask packaging on their Instagram stories and a shoutout saying “stay tuned for the unboxing tomorrow!”
On the launch day, these celebrities unboxed the specially curated wooden cask. After much build-up, the contents of the wooden casks were finally revealed… The Limited Edition Vintage & Rare Jeans by Spykar! The campaign story was weaved around the concept ‘Born 18’ to highlight the importance of being 18. The narrative was to focus on vintage denims that have been pre-aged 18 years using authentic treatments. So now, one doesn't have to wait 18 years to get into a vintage pair of denims to kindle or rekindle their 18-year-old spirit. Here, the celebrities were seen sharing personal experiences and stories about being 18.
The next phase of this campaign included India's top fashion bloggers promoting the limited edition Vintage & Rare Jeans on their Instagram handles through posts and insta-stories. These bloggers were carefully chosen to meet with our brand's aesthetic and theme of the collection. Our main aim was to focus on genuine engagement and quality content rather than chasing the ‘number of followers’.
To amplify the campaign further, radio was added to the mix. India’s leading RJ, Mallishka and her counterparts were been on-boarded to spread the word.
So, What made this collection so special? Spykar’s Vintage & Rare Collection Jeans are inspired by aged whiskey. Just as spirit tastes better with age, so is true for denims. The older the denim, the more character. Spykar’s Vintage & Rare collection jeans are pre-aged 18 years using authentic treatments and various wet & dry processes to help achieve that mended, long preserved vintage look. These jeans are handcrafted by skilled artisans and are made with eco-ethical practices. Spykar’s Vintage Jeans are a blend of Vintage Vibes with Contemporary cuts for young men.
Sanjay Vakharia, CEO of Spykar says, “Spykar is known for its product innovation & design. And every season we launch an innovative concept for our customers. We realize that we are catering to the “NOW” generation who can’t wait 18 years to create their own Vintage. That inspired us to launch a Pre-Aged 18 year old denim that’s handcrafted to deliver the Vintage vibes in Contemporary cuts”.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
