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Huawei Devices signs Chetan Bhagat as brand associate
MUMBAI: Huawei Devices has signed author Chetan Bhagat as brand associate for its smartphones and tablets category.
The Chinese telecommunications company is all set to introduce its flagship range in India – an Android 3.2 powered tablet – Mediapad and Vision cloudphone – a smartphone based on cloud services.
Under his association with Huawei, Bhagat an engineer from IIT, will support the launch of Huawei’s products ranging from smartphones to tablets and will also be a part of all digital, above the line (ATL) and below the line (BTL) activities. His upcoming book Revolution 2020 will also be used to engage customers.
Bhagat known for his youth oriented novels Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes of life (2008) and 2 states-the story of my marriage (2009) has also inspired Hindi films like 3 Idiots and Hello.
Huawei Devices marketing and solutions director Anand Narang said, “Huawei’s latest range of Smartphones and tablets cater to the youth and we are positive that our association with Chetan Bhagat will help us engage youth in meaningful ways. Chetan is an innovator who has created an entirely new market in Indian publishing. And this aspect of his personality is in sync with Huawei which is an innovator with its focus on leading-edge technology and design.”
Bhagat added, “As an engineer from IIT, I have always been very interested in technology and its applications. Telecom has been one of the fastest growing sectors in India and Huawei has played a big part in this growth. I have also discovered that it is rated as one of the most innovative companies in the world by many prestigious publications like the Economist. I am really looking forward to be associated with their latest range of Smartphones and Tablets.”
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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.
