MAM
Havells to spend Rs 150 mn in Q3 on promotions during cricket telecast
BANGALORE: Electrical and power distribution equipment manufacturer Havell’s India Limited (Havells) plans to spend Rs 150 million during the October-December quarter towards brand building and mass media communications.
A major portion of these spends will be towards TVCs’ during cricket telecast – more specifically during the forthcoming India-New Zealand Test match and cricket series for which it is one of the co-sponsors.
Overall, during the current fiscal to 31 March 2011, the group plans to spend Rs 1 billion towards three of its existing line of products manufactured by three of its sub-brands – Havells, Crabtree, and Standard.
In February 2011, the company plans to launch products under another sub-brand- Havells Sylvania in India. The group spent around Rs 600 million towards brand building during the first edition of IPL, a major portion of it on TVCs, revealed a source at Havells.
“We may allocate further funds towards the Sylvania brand and some of the other products that we plan to launch over the next few months,” revealed the source.
“A major portion of our mass communication spends are cricket based, since 80 per cent of the Indian population is hooked on to cricket. We do spend for TVCs on some news and regional channels such as TV9,” he added.
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.
