MAM
IPL campaign was a critical milestone towards becoming synonymous with quick-commerce: Zepto CMO
MUMBAI: Ten-minute grocery delivery app and the youngest entrant on the quick commerce scene, Zepto launched its latest IPL campaign last week. Crafted by L&K Saatchi and Saatchi, the third film in what has been a high decibel campaign in more ways than one considering it features powerhouse singers has veteran versatile vocalist Usha Uthup displaying her vocal prowess this time, after Kailash Kher and Shankar Mahadevan.
Aiming to emphasise the time-stretching habits prevalent in our society, the brand films showcase each of the three artists in never-before-seen avatars, stretching their vocal chords in uncharacteristic settings: Kailash Kher as a cocky waiter in a crowded eatery, Shankar Mahadevan as a cool-as-cucumber airline staff at an airport and now Usha Uthup as a matronly nurse in a clinic’s waiting room.
Speaking to IndianTelevision.com, Zepto chief marketing officer Amritansu Nanda reveals the brief given by the brand to the agency for the campaign. “Our consumers lead busy, fast-paced lives, and most of them are not used to having their time valued. The concept of our campaign roots from this very human insight that time is seen as an expendable commodity in India (hence the caption ‘Time kheechne ki aadat se pareshaan’)”.
Whether you are waiting for your food at a restaurant or to board a flight, the infamous ‘Indian Stretchable Time’ is something we’ve all experienced, he continues. “Through our communication, we wanted to bring in a shift and a surprise- Assure our consumers that we value their time and surprise them with how Zepto delivers on time.”
The objective of the campaign, says Nanda, was to move beyond functional communication that only highlights instant gratification, to “a more meaningful, relatable story that aligns with the concept of time”. “We wanted to build stronger resonance amongst the existing TG while acquiring new digitally-savvy consumers.” Beyond it all, the idea was to build a campaign that cultivates competitive mindshare for Zepto; one with high repeat viewability, stickiness, and consumer love for the brand, he adds.
On enlisting the three celebrity singers Shankar Mahadevan, Kailash Kher and Usha Uthup for the ad films, Nanda says, “We wanted to bring in faces that share a deeper connect with our core TG- millennials & Gen Z’s, and also lend credibility to the brand and its concept.”
Stating that the campaign was a critical milestone in Zepto’s journey towards becoming synonymous with quick-commerce, he asserts, “Kailash Kher, Shankar Mahadevan, and Usha Uthup in their unusual roles didn’t just bring alive the concept of ‘Indian Stretchable Time’ in their inimitable style, but also made the case for Zepto and its on-time delivery promise with relatability at its core.” The campaign delivered the perfect blend of entertainment and salience, cutting through the clutter during IPL, he adds.
Being a digitally native brand, Zepto chose to run its IPL campaign on the OTT platform Disney+Hotstar instead of opting for television or on-ground sponsorship, as it speaks to the ‘digitally-savvy’ audience. The brand is stoked with the response that all three of the brand films have been receiving across digital platforms. Says Nanda, “With Hotstar as our central platform, we were able to target the perfect set of audiences across our ten core markets.” The campaign has certainly helped us drive awareness, engagement & trials, he says signing off.
Watch the three brand films here:
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
