MAM
ESPN Star Sports eyes big gains from Indo-Pak series
MUMBAI: India‘s battering at the hands of English team notwithstanding, sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports has almost sold out its ad inventory for the upcoming India-Pakistan series.
The sports broadcaster has roped in nine sponsors, including four joint presenting and five associate sponsors, for the two T20s and three ODIs.
The joint presenting sponsors include Havell’s, Celikon Impex, Hero Moto Corp, and Micromax LED TV, while the associate sponsors are Coca Cola, Vodafone, Karbonn Tablets, Cadbury and Pidilite.
ESPN Software India EVP Ad Sales Sanjay Kailash said, “We started off with a target to have four joint presenting sponsor and six associate sponsors. As of now, we have signed four joint presenting and five associate. There are multiple spot buyers as well.”
ESS was asking for 800,000 per 10 second spot for the ODIs and a mind-boggling Rs 900,000-1 million for T20s. Advertisers say the price is too steep even from an India-Pakistan series point of view.
ESS, however, claims it has achieved whatever internal revenue targets it had set. “We have monetised India Pakistan ODIs at a rate which is double as compared to the historical industry average. Even rates for India Pakistan T20 are double than the most sought after T20 tournament in the country,” Kailash said. In all, we are sitting pretty having achieved our targets. There is a minuscule inventory which is yet to be sold but we are confident that the same will be done in the next two days.”
The two arch rivals are engaging in a bi-lateral series after a gap of more than five years. The two teams last time locked horns in ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka this year.
MAM
Pulse launches 7th Loyalty Day with #PulseUpYourDrink campaign
Runs May 1 to 15, invites fans to create drinks, 100 winners get merchandise.
MUJMBAI: If candy had a cocktail hour, Pulse is ready to stir things up literally. The Dharampal Satyapal Group’s confectionery brand has rolled out the seventh edition of Pulse Loyalty Day, anchored by a new digital-first campaign, #PulseUpYourDrink, running from May 1 to May 15, 2026. The idea: turn a tangy candy into a creative ingredient, and let consumers do the mixing. Tapping into a growing trend of flavour experimentation, especially among Gen Z and millennials, the campaign invites fans to create mocktails and beverages using Pulse candy. The format leans heavily on user-generated content, with participants encouraged to share their creations on social media by tagging @passpass_pulse.
To kick things off, a set of chefs will introduce Pulse-inspired mocktail recipes, setting the base for fans to remix and reinterpret. Actor Mannara Chopra joins the campaign to amplify reach, signalling a continued focus on youth engagement.
The activation is designed to play out across the digital ecosystem, with nano and micro influencers driving participation and conversation. As an added incentive, 100 participants will win Pulse-branded merchandise, blending fandom with rewards.
Pulse, which has led the hard-boiled candy segment for the past nine years, is increasingly positioning itself as more than just a product leaning into culture, community and online behaviour. Loyalty Day, now in its seventh edition, has evolved into a recurring digital moment where consumers actively co-create the brand narrative.
The strategy is clear: keep the flavour familiar, but the engagement fresh. Because in today’s attention economy, even a candy needs to stay in the mix.
