MAM
HDFC Life unveils campaign featuring Rajasthan Royals Players
MUMBAI: Private life insurance company, HDFC Life, has unveiled a new campaign featuring Rajasthan Royals players such as Shane Warne, Rahul Dravid, Ross Taylor, Shaun Tait, Ashok Menaria, Faiz Fazal and Abhishek Raut.
The two television commercials have been conceptualised and scripted by Leo Burnett and directed by Sanjay Shetty from Opticus.
The advertising would be on air across major television channels from this week.
The theme of the campaign is ‘to promote and propagate self respect, or living life with head held high’. It also attempts to blend the common values of both HDFC Life and Rajasthan Royals‘ self-pride — the youngsters redefining self-respect through conviction v/s highly experienced international players.
HDFC Life plans several activities in the coming months along with Rajasthan Royals. Some of them include financial planning sessions for the young players in the Rajasthan Royals team and other on-ground initiatives.
The promotion also attempts to capture the essence of self belief, pride, and conviction by showcasing the team spirit among the highly experienced international players with the fresh but confident young lot.
Said marketing and direct channels EVP and head Sanjay Tripathy, “HDFC Life recently refreshed our brand look with a more youthful approach. Our association with Rajasthan Royals fits perfectly with our Brand communication to draw inspiration from the highly experienced parentage and applying this to redefine Self Respect for today’s youth… Sar Utha Ke Jeena Ka Naya Andaaz. That’s what the new HDFC Life symbolizes. The Rajasthan Royals team this year is a heady mix of youth, experience, emerging talent, innovation and professionalism.”
In this association with the Rajasthan Royals, HDFC Life will reward excellence in the field with the “Sar Utha Ke Jiyo”- Most Valuable Player of the Match award.
The Rajasthan Royals coaching staff along with the team captain, Shane Warne, will select the most valuable player of the day from the Rajasthan Royals team, who will receive this honour along with a cash incentive of $ 1000.
HDFC Life is the principal associate sponsor of Rajasthan Royals for the third consecutive year in the Indian Premier League 2011.
Brands
Jubilant Foodworks to end Dunkin’ franchise in India
Pizza chain operator will not renew agreement when it expires at end of 2026.
MUMBAI: When the doughnuts stop turning and the coffee goes cold, even a global giant like Dunkin’ can find the Indian market a tough brew to crack. Jubilant Foodworks has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Dunkin’ when the pact expires on 31 December 2026, according to a Reuters report. The operator, best known for running Domino’s outlets in India, said it would evaluate options for its existing Dunkin’ stores, including a potential sale or transfer of franchise rights, in consultation with the US-based brand.
The decision follows years of underperformance in a market where local tastes and intense competition have made it difficult for international coffee-and-doughnut formats to gain traction. Jubilant, which has increasingly focused on its core pizza business and newer bets like Popeyes, indicated that the exit would not materially affect its financial or operational position.
Dunkin’ accounted for just 0.61 per cent of Jubilant’s revenue in the fiscal year ending 2025 and recorded a loss of approximately Rs 191 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company operated 27 outlets as of December 2025, having shuttered seven stores over the preceding year.
The retreat comes even as Jubilant’s broader business shows signs of momentum. The company reported a 65 per cent rise in quarterly profit for the October to December period, reaching Rs 70.9 crore, up from Rs 42.91 crore a year earlier.
For Jubilant, the exit reflects a sharpening strategic focus. For Dunkin’, it marks another setback in a market that has proven resistant to imported café concepts without significant localisation.
In the cut-throat world of Indian quick-service restaurants, sometimes the sweetest deals are the ones you quietly walk away from leaving more room for the brands that truly rise to the occasion.
