MAM
Dulux Paints uses vignettes for brand promotion
MUMBAI: AkzoNobel, the paints and coatings company, has launched a new media innovation in India for its flagship decorative paints brand, Dulux.
Exploring a new format Dulux Paints has tied up with three television serials from Star Plus and Sony Entertainment Television to create small vignettes, which echo the ethos of the of its recently launched thematic campaign, ‘Apne Rang Chhalakne Do‘.
As part of the media innovation, Dulux has shot the lead pair from ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai‘ and ‘Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon‘, both from Star Plus and ‘Saas Bina Sasural‘ from Sony in their own setting and created vignettes that bring alive the relationship between personality and colour.
The vignettes highlight the relationship between different characters and how each character has a different shade to them. Each media clip showcases the relationship between the main two protagonists and explains it in terms of a Dulux shade.
AkzoNobel India Dulux marketing manager Pushkar Jain said, “The new proposition of Dulux, ‘Apne Rang Chhalakne do‘ has a universal appeal. The simplicity of the media vignettes makes this a powerful communication. Since daily soaps are a big draw in India and the consumer follows their journey closely, the protagonists of the daily shows had the appeal that was needed to propel the idea.”
Maxus general manager north and east Mausumi Kar said, “We won‘t term what we created and executed for Dulux as vignettes. These are brand stories which are a perfect mix of brand communication with the channel content.”
Brands
Amazon inks $30m carbon credit deal with Indian rice farmers
Methane-cutting farming push links climate goals with farmer income
NEW DELHI: Amazon has signed a $30 million agreement to purchase carbon credits generated by Indian rice farmers, marking one of the largest agriculture-linked carbon deals in the country to date and signalling a shift in how corporates approach climate action.
The agreement is being executed through the Good Rice Alliance, a collaboration between Bayer, GenZero, and Shell Nature-Based Solutions, backed by Singapore’s Temasek. Rather than dealing directly with individual farmers, Amazon is tapping into this alliance to scale the programme efficiently.
At the heart of the initiative is a relatively simple shift in farming practice known as Alternate Wetting and Drying. Traditionally, rice paddies remain flooded, creating oxygen-free conditions that produce methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Under the new method, fields are periodically allowed to dry, disrupting methane formation while maintaining crop yields.
The benefits go beyond emissions. The approach significantly reduces water usage, a crucial advantage in regions already facing water stress. For farmers, it also opens up a new income stream. By adopting climate-friendly techniques, they earn carbon credits that can be sold to companies like Amazon, effectively turning sustainability into a revenue opportunity.
The current phase of the project covers more than 13,000 smallholder farmers across roughly 35,000 hectares. Amazon expects the initiative to offset about 685,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, offering a measurable contribution to its broader climate commitments.
The deal is notable not just for its scale but for its direction. While many companies have historically focused on forestry or renewable energy offsets, this move highlights growing interest in agriculture-based solutions that tackle methane emissions directly. It also reflects the increasing sophistication of carbon markets, where even small, decentralised farms can be integrated into global climate strategies.
For India, the implications are significant. As the world’s largest rice producer and one of the biggest methane emitters, scaling such models could play a meaningful role in meeting climate targets while supporting rural livelihoods.
For Amazon, the message is clear. Climate action is no longer just about reducing emissions within operations. It is also about reshaping supply chains and ecosystems. And in this case, the path to net zero runs straight through the paddy fields.
