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GoQuest media ventures appoints Paula Mcharg as head of Europe and North America
MUMBAI: Independent distributor GoQuest Media Ventures has appointed Paula McHarg as Head of Europe and North America.
Reporting to Vivek Lath, Managing Director, GoQuest Media Ventures, Paula will lead business development and operations in Europe and North America as an integral part of the Company’s strategic expansion into the regions. Leveraging the Company’s successful distribution business in Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa, Paula will play a key role in bolstering the Company’s expansion and presence in Europe and North America. She will oversee the distribution strategy of the existing catalog as well as continue to drive the aggressive acquisition strategy that GoQuest has successfully implemented to date.
Based out of Tel Aviv, Paula comes with a rich distribution background and experience across all genres in both format and finished program sales, with a specialization in foreign language program sales. She previously led the European expansion of fledgling, boutique Israeli content house yesStudios (the producer and distributor of the hit series Fauda) as well as served a five-year tenure at Keshet International during its meteoric rise globally.
“Paula comes with an unparalleled depth of experience in the content landscape. We welcome her to the GoQuest family to spearhead our ambitions to become an important player in the development and distribution of the scripted business,” said Vivek Lath.
Paula McHarg added, “I’ve been continually impressed over the years with GoQuest’s successful expansion and diversification of their business and especially as they've grown into the European market. I’m thrilled to now help lead that strategy with such a forward-thinking and dynamic company”.
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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.
