Brands
Eastern’s new campaign stirs Kerala’s age-old love affair with sambar
MUMBAI: Now here’s some food for thought: Eastern, Kerala’s leading spice and masala brand, is stirring the pot with its new campaign “Sambar Poru” (Battle of Sambar). The playful film celebrates the state’s age-old love affair with sambar, a dish that comes in as many variations as Kerala has districts.
The brand’s consumer research revealed two camps of loyalists: those who swear by the classic balanced version, and those who prefer the punchier kayampodi (asafoetida-heavy) profile. Rather than choosing sides, the brand is embracing both, spotlighting its Sambar Powder and Thani Nadan Sambar Powder.
The TVC brings this to life through a light-hearted culinary face-off between a mother and daughter, each defending her sambar style. As relatives gather and the son-in-law plays the enthusiastic referee, both sambars win equal love.
“Kerala’s love for sambar is as nuanced and diverse as the state itself- shaped by tradition and generations of homegrown recipes,” said Girish Nair, CEO of eastern business unit. “This campaign is a tribute to the regional pride and varied choices we see in kitchens across the state.”
Elango M, vice president of FCB India added, “From the length and breadth of Kerala, there are different types of Sambar! It’s a very versatile dish, so in our campaign, the task was to show that Eastern caters to different preferences. So, we created the ‘Battle of Sambar’ as the creative device [sic].”
Running from 21 August to 15 September across TV, radio, cinema, digital and on-ground activations, the campaign promises to keep Kerala talking and tasting.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
