MAM
GroupM hires Karthik Nagarajan as national director – social media
MUMBAI: The media planning and buying agency of the WPP group, GroupM, has appointed Karthik Nagarajan as its national director — social media.
Nagarajan will be part of Interaction Leadership Team and will report GroupM MD South Asia Tushar Vyas.
In his career spanning over 10 years in the industry, Nagarajan has worked for over two-and-a-half years as the director of Nielsen‘s online division in India, which he helped set up.
In his role, he led Nielsen‘s audience measurement, social media and advertiser solution initiatives in the digital space. Nagarajan also managed the launch of the Nielsen Mckinsey JV – NM Incite in India.
Nagarajan joined Nielsen from Shipcom Wireless, a technology company based out of Houston, Texas, where he served as Director of Marketing.
Nagarajan has also managed a global research and consulting practice for Frost & Sullivan in the United States, in the areas of biometrics, smart cards and RFID for over four years.
Vyas says, “Karthik will be responsible for strengthening the social media practices across all agencies of GroupM. His presence will help us beef up our efforts of understanding the behaviour of digital consumers and meaningful use of such learning in social environment.”
Digital arms of GroupM include Mindshare Interaction, Motivator, Maxus Interaction, MEC Interaction, Quasar BMS (Brand and Media Solutions) and Blazar.a
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.
