MAM
Ibis’ global rebranding campaign involves virtual pillow fight
MUMBAI: As part of a new global rebranding campaign, ibis, the brand family of economy hotels from Accor, will be launching the world‘s biggest virtual pillow fight – the “ibis Pillow Fight Party” on Facebook as an application.
The campaign has been developed by Havas’s Media Contacts Singapore.
The campaign targets Facebook users in the Asia-Pacific region inviting consumers to discover the unique personality of the ibis brand family in a creative way. The inspiration for the campaign is the brand’s iconic pillow logo.
The pillow fight runs until 21 November and all fans of the ibis Facebook page in Asia-Pacific can take part in it. The first step is to become a fan of the ibis Facebook page and connect to the ibis Pillow Fight Party application. Next, participants create customised pillows and craft personalised messages to their friends. Then players throw their pillows at each other to score points – each virtual “throw” earns one point, while each pillow thrown back at them nets them two points.
At the end of the six-week campaign, the top ten highest-scoring players will win a three-night stay at selected ibis family hotels in popular Asia-Pacific destinations including India, Bangkok, Bali and Singapore. In addition, each week one randomly “Mystery Pillow” also rewards one player with a hotel stay.
Accor Asia-Pacific vice president digital marketing and distribution Jens Uwe Parkitny said, “We are very excited to celebrate the rebranding of the ibis brand family with the launch of the ibis Pillow Fight Party Facebook application. Given the rapidly evolving social media landscape – and its growing importance for reaching consumers – in Asia-Pacific, we believe that this application is one of the best ways to introduce the ibis family to our target customers.”
He also added that the Facebook community in the region mirrors the ibis brand – energetic, savvy, connected and on-the-go.
Media Contacts Singapore managing director Gautam Dutt said, “We wanted to use social media to communicate the rebranding undertaken by ibis in an engaging and innovative fashion. We had a great time working on this application and we are hoping that Facebook users in Asia-Pacific will have as much fun in interacting with this as we had in creating it.”
Brands
Funskool India crosses US$40 million turnover in FY 2025-26
Toy manufacturer posts steady growth despite global headwinds.
MUMBAI: Funskool India has played its cards well turning challenges into steady growth while keeping the fun alive in the toy business. The country’s leading toy manufacturer has reported a turnover of $40 million in FY 2025-26, demonstrating resilience in a difficult global environment. The company recorded an average growth of 14 per cent over the past two years, with exports growing at a healthy 19% year-on-year.
While domestic business grew at a modest single-digit pace, Funskool saw encouraging traction in key categories such as Fundough (dough) and Handycrafts (arts & crafts).
Funskool India Ltd. CEO K.A. Shabir said, “We successfully navigated the challenges posed by US tariffs last year and continued to grow both our export and domestic businesses. Given the ongoing geopolitical situation in West Asia, we are currently working with a moderate growth outlook of 12–15 per cent, with plans to revisit our targets after Q1 once the situation stabilises.”
He highlighted strengthened partnerships with global companies including Spin Master (Canada), Moose Toys (Australia), Melissa & Doug (USA), Asmodee (France), Learning Resources (USA), and Buffalo Games (USA). The expansion of the company’s Goa plant is progressing and is expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year.
Looking ahead, Funskool expects a significant shift in domestic growth momentum for FY 2026-27, driven by new categories such as friction vehicles under the brand “BlazeTrix”, remote-control cars under “VoltRush”, and the addition of popular licences like Paw Patrol.
In an industry where playtime never stops, Funskool has shown that even in turbulent times, a smart strategy and strong partnerships can keep the business ticking along nicely. As it gears up for the next financial year, the company appears well-positioned to build on its solid foundation and bring even more joy to children worldwide.
