MAM
Kansai Nerolac strengthens IPL association with three T20 franchisees
MUMBAI: Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd (KNPL), one of the leading paint companies in India and pioneers in ‘Healthy Home Paints’ has announced its association with Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) while continuing its association with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the ongoing season of Indian Premier League (IPL).
Nerolac has been associated with cricket leagues and championships for a long time and has been associated with T20 franchisees since 2016, leveraging the sports platform for the visibility and to drive skill building as an agenda amongst unemployed youth and encouraging them to take up painting as a profession.
This season Nerolac will introduce two more initiatives apart from skill development; a consumer app and curated designs through “walk to wall” which would enhance consumers experience while painting their house.
Speaking on the association Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd executive director Anuj Jain said, “T20 offers the highest penetration across India that creates a huge opportunity for brands to connect and introduce initiatives. In addition to our continuous association with the league through skill development initiatives, we are also excited to announce our new offerings – A consumer app & a unique design concept ‘Walk to Wall’, that aims to benefit and create transforming experience for people with our healthy home paints range. We wish the players for this season to continue with their zestful performance.”
Commenting on the announcement, Sunrisers Hyderabad CEO K Shanmugham said, “We are delighted to have Nerolac as our principal sponsor for the third year in a row. Sunrisers Hyderabad is currently in its best form and we expect an extraordinary IPL season this time. We look forward to renewed support from Nerolac as we bid to win the title after a solid show last season."
Speaking of the association, Rajasthan Royals executive chairman Ranjit Barthakur said, “We are delighted to associate with Nerolac, the brand that focuses on building long-lasting relationships, a brand value that resonates well with the Royals. We look forward to deepening this relationship in the coming years building a great bond with our fans.”
Royal Challengers Bangalore chairman Sanjeev Churiwala stated, “We are happy to be associating with Kansai Nerolac Paints. At RCB we always look forward to partnerships that increase value and merit to the brand, and through this association, we wish to add more colors for our fans and players that will enhance our brand presence at one of the most watched leagues in the country.”
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
