Brands
Brands share excitement behind partnership with season 6 of ‘Game of Thrones’
MUMBAI: Game of Thrones season 6 has managed to lure viewers and attract advertisers alike with a roster of big brands associating with it. Star World Premiere HD has roped in e-commerce giant Amazon as presenting sponsors, Maruti Suzuki Baleno is a driven by sponsor and London Dairy and Ola Micro are powered by sponsors. Additionally other brands that have come on board are Housing.com, Matrix and Motorola as partners and Essilor, Yamaha, Himalaya and Sunny Lite as associate sponsors. Expedia, Skore and P&G OralCare are some other sponsors that the channel has roped in.
It is safe to say that the demographic tuning into the on-screen adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s spectacular creation may just be close to the total population on the planet! Inspiring new hordes of fans of the fantasy genre each year, Game of Thrones is now a household name right across the globe, attracting critics, literary geniuses, lovers of edge-of-the seat thrills and just like that the commoner who enjoys a truly well-made and well-narrated show.
Here is what brands have to say:
London Dairy head of marketing Shweta Shrivastava said, “Season 6 has been filled with potpourri of emotions and the series stays true to its intriguing twists and turns. Of course, Jon Snow was not going to wake up in the first episode as the teasers indicated, but the short sequence on Sansa, Theon and Brienne brought some sense of relief to a series where audience heartbreak has been the only constant. However, the true form of Melis and retrumped all else in terms of shock value. A character that shows absolutely no self-doubt throughout the series is finally showing fine cracks. What I await to see is what Bran brings to this convoluted series of events. We are proud to partner with Star World Premiere HD in helping get this much awaited series to India and look forward to unravel the series even as our consumers unravel the sheer indulgence of London Dairy ice creams this summer.”
Expedia marketing head Manmeet Ahluwalia voiced, “Once in a while a show comes along that transports you to another world and makes you believe in the magic of television again. Game of Thrones is one such show. It strikes the perfect balance between brooding medieval angst and wonderful fantasy story telling. It sticks loyal to the books and doesn’t “dumb things down” for a wider audience. My favorite character across all seasons is Arya Stark, Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen because of their strong personality. I loved the first season; it brilliantly established the universe of George R.R. Martin’s source material. The most memorable scene for me is when Jon Snow gifts Arya ‘Needle’- the sword with a teaching- ‘Stick them with a pointy end.’ I am eagerly waiting to see if Jon snow will be joining Daenerys Targaryen. Though, it’s quite predictable that Jon Snow will join the Khaleesi and prove the prophecy right.”
Skore Condoms marketing head Vishal Vyas added, “My favourite season on the show so far is Season 1 because the introduction of the all main characters was very interestingly done. Moreover, Ned Stark’s beheading was extremely unexpected and that invited a very different twist on the show. I am hooked to Season 6 since the story seems to now start unraveling and I would love to see Tyrion Lannister rule the seven kingdoms. He is also my favorite character on the show because he is funny and probably the smartest guy in the series.”
Procter & Gamble Oral Care assistant brand manager Abhijit Aswath shared, “I am an ardent Game of Thrones fan. I feel every season is packed with qualities that define great story telling – building some key characters, shifting the balance of power and rise and fall of power houses. Season 4 is probably my favorite season of the series since it is extremely action packed with 3 key characters – Jon Snow, Daenerys, Tyrion all pushed to the Wall; literally for Jon Snow and figuratively for Khaleesi & the little man, and how each of them use their best wits, skills and political acumen to come out strong. After Mahabharata, Game of Thrones probably is one such story which has all the complexity and drama you need in a grand tale -tussle of the truth/what’s right/wrong, magic and politics. After Season 5, the stage was set for the story to go to the next level and Season 6 lives up to this expectation so far. My fan theory is that next, Daenerys and the dragons will discover a land of wealth, wit and great science capable of defeating the Dead Men by giving them Moksha – a land called Industeros.”
Brands
Domino’s Q1 profit falls 6.6 per cent, announces $1 billion buyback
Sales rise 3.4 per cent as pizza giant balances growth and shareholder returns
NEW YORK: Domino’s reported a mixed start to 2026, with first-quarter net income slipping even as global sales and store expansion held steady. The company also announced a fresh $1 billion share buyback, underlining its continued focus on shareholder returns.
Global retail sales rose 3.4 per cent on a constant-currency basis to $4.74 billion. The US remained a key growth engine, with same-store sales inching up 0.9 per cent, supported by a 1.5 per cent rise at company-owned outlets.
International markets, however, painted a more uneven picture. While Domino’s added 161 net new stores overseas during the quarter, international same-store sales declined 0.4 per cent. Overall revenues still climbed 3.5 per cent to $1.15 billion, driven by higher supply chain revenues and a 2.6 per cent increase in food basket pricing for franchisees.
On the profitability front, net income fell 6.6 per cent to $139.8 million, compared to $149.7 million a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share dropped to $4.13 from $4.33. The decline was largely attributed to a $30 million unfavourable swing in unrealised gains linked to its investment in DPC Dash Ltd.
Despite this, operational performance showed resilience. Income from operations rose 9.6 per cent to $230.4 million, supported in part by a $7.8 million pre-tax gain from the sale of a corporate aircraft.
Domino’s footprint continued to expand, with the company ending the quarter at 22,322 stores across more than 90 markets. In the US, digital orders remained dominant, accounting for over 85 per cent of retail sales in 2025.
The company also maintained its dividend payout, declaring $1.99 per share, payable on 30 June 2026. After repurchasing $75.1 million worth of stock during the quarter, the new authorisation lifts the total available for buybacks to $1.29 billion.
Domino’s chief executive officer Russell Weiner said the company’s scale and store-level economics position it well to capture further market share in 2026, even as competition intensifies.
As Domino’s leans into expansion and capital returns, the latest results show a business managing short-term pressures while keeping its long-term growth strategy firmly in play.
