MAM
Duroflex expands leadership team to strengthen the brand and business
Mumbai: Duroflex, leading brand in the sleep solutions category, is proud to announce the appointment of Ullas Vijay as chief marketing Officer and Sudhanshu Krishna as chief sales officer – Consumer Business. This move is part of Duroflex’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its market position. By building its leadership team, Duroflex aims to drive innovation, enhance customer engagement, and accelerate growth in the highly competitive sleep solutions market.
Ullas Vijay, who joins as the CMO, will be taking the reins of Duroflex’s marketing. With over 16 years of experience managing brands across lifestyle, fashion, sports, and FMCG categories, Ullas has a proven record of accelerating market share and building strong brands. In his last role as Head Category & Communication at Bata India, he has excelled in identifying market gaps, leveraging consumer insights and ensuring product-brand alignment. His expertise in marketing and communications has led to successful campaigns, elevated customer experiences, and earned him several awards.
Speaking about his appointment, Duroflex Pvt. Ltd CMO Ullas Vijay said, “I’m delighted to join Duroflex, a company renowned for its pioneering innovations in the sleep solutions industry for over six decades. I look forward to driving growth and strengthening our relationships with our customers. By focusing on innovation, and enhancing customer experience at every touchpoint, I hope to make Duroflex the most loved sleep solutions brand.”
Sudhanshu Krishna, who joins Duroflex as the CSO, will be leading the sales function for the consumer business of the organization. Prior to Duroflex, Sudhanshu was with Eurreka Forbes as Vice President and CoE Head of Direct Sales. With over 18 years of experience, he has steered many prominent brands to success. Beyond his leadership in sales and business, Sudhanshu brings strategic thinking, analytical acumen and a talent for driving organizational change. His unique leadership style presents an opportunity for optimizing resources, refining sales processes and enhancing overall company performance.
Commenting on this new role, Krishna said, “I’m delighted to join Duroflex, a brand which is committed to quality and innovation in the sleep solutions industry and has earned immense trust from its consumers. With Duroflex, I hope to set a standard for excellence in the industry through superior solutions. I look forward to building strong relationships with our channel partners and continuously improving our skills to deliver exceptional results and drive profitable business growth.”
Speaking on both the leadership appointment, Duroflex group CEO Sridhar Balakrishnan said, “We are glad to welcome Ullas Vijay and Sudhanshu Krishna to the company’s leadership team. Their combined experience will be instrumental in further driving the growth and success of the organisation. We are excited to onboard these leaders who will steer Duroflex to become the top sleep solutions provider in India by enhancing our market position and value to the consumers as well as stakeholders.”
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
