MAM
Hindi GECs make a comeback; Star plus continues to lead
MUMBAI: The Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) have roared back in week 18 (28 April-4 May 2013) of the Tam ratings roster. Last week, Max had taken them to the cleaners by registering a 32 gross rating points lead over leader Star Plus. But in week 18 Max shed some points and Star Plus gained nine points to come level with it with 224 GRPs.
As per TAM data (HSM including 5 new LC1 markets, C&S, 4+) sourced from a channel, the new Star Plus talent hunt-cum-reality
show India‘s Dancing Superstar notched up a 2.6 TVR even as fiction shows such as Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai and Diya Aur Baati Hum showed improvements in their ratings from 1.2 to 1.4 and from 3.7 to 4 TVR respectively.
Despite shaving 16 GRPs, Zee TV continued to occupy the second spot on the Hindi GEC charts with 175 GRPs. Zee TV‘s top performer was the fiction series Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke (it scored a TVR of 3) which also occupies the No 2 spot amongst all Hindi fiction shows. Its reality talent hunt India‘s Best Dramebaaz showed a growth in viewers on Sunday from 1.4 to 2.4 TVR even as it delivered lower ratings of 1.9 on 4 May Saturday (2.4 last week). Most of the other Zee TV shows had ratings being nibbled off them.
Colors added a couple of GRPs to close the week with 166 GRPs (last week 164). It aired a special event Sitaare Zameen Par which notched up a 1.2 TVR even as fiction show Sasural Simar Ka went up by marginally.
Sony too gained four GRPs at 154 on the back of a good showing of its non-fiction shows such as CID Chote Heroes and CID Mahaepisode (1.8 TVR), CID (2.2 vs 2.0), Crime Patrol (2.0 vs 1.8) and Comedy Circus (1.5 vs 1.2). Its fiction shows either stagnated or dipped marginally during the week.
Sab gained six GRPs as it ended the week at 131 GRPs. Its leading fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah inched up marginally (2.9 vs 2.8) and Chidiya Ghar gained (1.5 vs 1.4).
Meanwhile, Star India‘s second rung Hindi GEC Life OK closed the week with 102 GRPs (last week 101).
Sahara One with 15 GRPs (last week 20) remained at the bottom of the GEC heap.
Hindi movies seemed to have become a hit with viewers last week as viewers sought entertainment other than cricket and drama series, with channels such as Zee Cinema (110 vs 105) and Movies OK (60 vs 52) showing healthy gains.
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.
