MAM
Fintech’s new sheriff: Shishir Kataria to spin Mobikwik’s marketing magic as AVP
MUMBAI: Ever tried convincing your grandad to ditch cash for a flashy QR code? Imagine doing that for millions. Enter Shishir Kataria—the man who turned fashionistas into Tata Cliq loyalists and made cricket fans binge-watch IPL as if their lives depended on it. Kataria has swapped runway trends for digital wallets, joining Mobikwik as AVP of marketing, because, hey, why not make finance fun?
“Excited to start my journey as AVP, Marketing at Mobikwik,” said Kataria. “Fintech in India has evolved rapidly, transforming the way we transact, save, and invest. As digital payments and financial inclusion accelerate, I look forward to be a part of this journey.”
At Mobikwik, Kataria now oversees brand, social, content, design, and creative operations. Before diving headfirst into fintech, he dazzled at Tata CLiQ, masterminding the rebranding to ‘Tata Cliq Fashion’, making Gen Z’s heart skip a beat. His strategies boosted customer acquisition and squeezed costs tighter than a budget traveller in Mumbai.
Previously at Disney+ Hotstar, he combined cricket and entertainment, launching hits like Hotstar Dosts during IPL 2021, resulting in a whopping 30 per cent subscription spike. At Disney Star, he made IPL even bigger, drawing a record-smashing 462 million TV viewers in 2019. How’s that for knocking it out of the park?
Kataria’s marketing prowess doesn’t stop there. He once convinced parents across India that Complan Nutrigro could turn kids into geniuses and led sales teams in Tamil Nadu with more gusto than Rajinikanth fans on premiere day.
Can Kataria now convince a billion people to swipe more, tap less, and never see their physical wallets again? Knowing his record, it seems he’ll be laughing all the way to the digital bank.
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.
