MAM
ixigo rolls out new campaign with Jackie Shroff & Suniel Shetty
Mumbai: ixigo has roped in Bollywood celebrities Jackie Shroff and Suniel Shetty as the new faces of the brand for their campaign “#NikalLo.” The campaign has been designed to create buzz and increase brand awareness ahead of the festive season and will be launched across television and digital platforms.
The television commercials feature Jackie Shroff and Suniel Shetty engaged in interesting banter, which reflects the close bond they share in real life. One of the videos features Jackie Dada struggling to pronounce the brand name ‘ixigo’ in true bhidu style, with Suniel Shetty correcting him. The ads encourage the audience to travel and end with the catchphrase “ixigo travel app download karo, bindaas ticket book karo, aur nikal lo!”
The brand decided to team up with Jackie Shroff and Suniel Shetty as the actors enjoy mass appeal with a wide fan base spread across metros as well as tier 2 and 3 cities across India.
Speaking on their collaboration with ixigo, Jackie Shroff and Suniel Shetty said, “We are excited to team up with ixigo for this campaign. We’ve been wanting to come together for a project for a while now, and ixigo seemed to be the perfect fit! We really resonate with the company’s resilience and growth journey. The trust and friendship that we share amongst one another is synonymous with the faith that travellers have in ixigo! We love how easy it is to book flights, train or bus tickets on ixigo. Their apps offer travellers lots of convenience and flexibility, with a wide array of features on board. Being avid travellers ourselves, we look forward to this collaboration!”
Talking about this campaign, ixigo co-founder & group CEO Aloke Bajpai and co-founder & group CPTO Rajnish Kumar said, “We are pleased to announce our association with two legendary stars like Jackie Shroff and Suniel Shetty for our brand campaign. We have grown up watching these Bollywood icons and their passion, commitment to work and resilience resonates with our brand ethos. Travel is back with a bang this year and our aim with this campaign is to maximise awareness around ixigo ahead of the festive season. Ixigo is a unique brand name and was actually generated using an algorithm. For years, we have seen users trying to pronounce ‘ixigo’ with some interesting variations, and that was our inspiration behind the first video.”
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
