Brands
CEAT hops on as segment sponsor for IPL 2015
MUMBAI: CEAT has hopped on board as one of the central sponsors for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2015.
CEAT will be the prime sponsor for the Strategic Time Out segment in Pepsi IPL. CEAT and Pepsi IPL association leverages on common values between both the brands i.e. premium and dynamic. The association also acts as a perfect marriage between two brands that are youth centric.
CEAT as a brand has always been associated with cricket, which includes CEAT Cricket Ratings amongst others and recently launched CEAT Cricket gear. The tie up with Pepsi IPL will make CEAT’s association with cricket even stronger. The partnership with Pepsi IPL will leverage CEAT as a global brand, increasing its brand awareness in key markets.
CEAT will also be leveraging the partnership with Pepsi IPL through multiple on-ground and digital activations during the upcoming season. For its Facebook and Twitter followers, CEAT has planned contests around Strategic timeout. The contest will comprise tricky questions around strategic timeout creating buzz around this segment for cricket enthusiasts.
Additionally, this property will also allow the brand to be actively visible on various platforms for entire IPL period. CEAT will also be launching an app on cricket that will have elements of the IPL theme.
CEAT managing director Anant Goenka said, “We have signed a three year deal with BCCI by picking up the sponsorship of Strategic Time Out for Pepsi IPL. Pepsi IPL has emerged as the biggest cricket property in India and given CEAT’s long term association with cricket this became the perfect platform for us to come on board. This property allows us to bring saliency around the brand through which we hope to build value for our customers over the next three years. Further, this allows us to be synonymous with Pepsi IPL in the tyre category and bring excitement to both our internal & external customers.”
Brands
Radico Khaitan appoints Kunal Madan as chief marketing officer
Promotions signal focus on premium spirits, global expansion and homegrown leadership
UTTAR PRADESH: Radico Khaitan has elevated two long-serving insiders to its top leadership team, signalling a bold push into premium spirits and global markets. Kunal Madan steps in as chief marketing officer, while Sudhir Upadhyay takes charge as chief sales officer, both part of what managing director Abhishek Khaitan calls a consciously built next-generation leadership bench.
“At Radico Khaitan, our growth has always been powered by people,” Khaitan said. “True leadership is not imported, it is cultivated.” He added that empowering internal talent ensures continuity while keeping the company globally competitive and future-ready.
Madan, with over 20 years of experience across global sales and marketing, will drive brand architecture, marketing strategy, and the premiumisation agenda, including travel retail. Upadhyay, who has 25 years in the industry and was most recently national sales head, will oversee distribution expansion and execution across markets.
The leadership reshuffle comes amid Radico’s intensified focus on premium spirits, a segment driving higher margins and international growth. Last year, Ajay Kakkar was brought on to head the Premium On-Trade vertical, targeting modern and institutional channels to boost presence in high-growth segments.
Meanwhile, Amar Sinha stepped down as chief operating officer after contributing across multiple growth phases. Khaitan acknowledged Sinha’s role in supporting the company’s trajectory, while Sinha described his tenure as “an absolute privilege,” crediting Khaitan’s leadership for shaping the company’s strategic direction.
With a homegrown leadership bench and a clear premium agenda, Radico Khaitan is set to accelerate its global expansion while doubling down on brand elevation and market impact.
