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Madison logs into digital future with Vivek Das as chief digital officer
MUMBAI: When the digital world calls, Madison Media answers with a double click and its newest hire is set to hit refresh on the agency’s future. Madison Media, part of Madison World, has roped in Vivek Das as chief digital officer, a role in which he will report to Ajit Varghese, partner and group CEO, Madison Media and OOH. With more than 20 years of experience spanning entrepreneurship, integrated media, and digital transformation, Das is no stranger to reshaping how brands connect with audiences.
Most recently, he was on the India leadership team at Essencemedia.com, where he helmed Google India and Southeast Asia WPP’s second-largest account globally. His résumé also features leadership stints at Mindshare and VML (formerly Wunderman), besides a CEO turn at Foxymoron. Beyond the boardroom, he mentors LGBTQIA+ professionals and startup founders, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and new-age entrepreneurship.
Welcoming him aboard, Varghese noted, “Vivek joins us at a pivotal time… At Madison, we are building an AI-first planning framework and embedding digital-first thinking into everything we do. His rich experience makes him the perfect leader to accelerate this journey.”
Das added his own perspective: “I am thrilled to join Madison at a time of great opportunity and change… In the era of platforms, LLMs, and Artificial Intelligence, I look forward to strengthening Madison’s leadership in new media and enhancing the value we bring to clients and the industry.”
For Madison, this appointment isn’t just about filling a role, it’s about future-proofing its position in a market where AI, creativity, and consumer-first strategies are rewriting the playbook
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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.
