Brands
‘Mary Kom’ a hit amongst advertisers
MUMBAI: MC Mary Kom winning the Bronze in Olympics made news everywhere and so did the announcement of her biopic starring Priyanka Chopra. The news not only excited the viewers and audiences, but it has also thrilled the advertisers.
The marketing leaders found a perfect opportunity to be associated with the brand ‘Mary Kom.’
The biopic has partnered with 20 brands including Havmor, Monte Carlo, Usha International, Artemis Hospitals, Edelweiss, Tokio Life Insurance and many more. Media channels like Ten Sports and India TV have also been incorporated in the movie.
Viacom18 Motion Pictures marketing head Rudrarup Dutta says, “Powerful stories like Mary Kom reaches out to all sections of society. It also touches the lives of people across demographics and interests. The story lends itself to collegial propositions with brands.”
“All the brands have been woven into the movie’s script,” he adds.
To leverage the integration, the brands too are promoting the movie through co-branded TVC, radio and digital contests. For instance, Mother Dairy has a TV campaign which promotes its product featuring Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom.
Dutta says that the biopic became a sensation from the moment it was announced. “And due to its association with names like Viacom 18, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Priyanka Chopra and Mary Kom, the brands were interested in getting attached to the name since day one.”
Even though Dutta did not comment on the cost of the movie or the revenue garnered by the brands, he mentions that the partnerships is giving the movie an impact value of Rs 20 crore – 25 crore.
In the past, too, films have incorporated brands in the script by giving them prominent visibility in scenes like Coca-Cola in Taal (1999) and more recently, Nokia in Chennai Express.
The film production house organised ‘Cineshorts,’ a short-film contest, which allowed aspiring filmmakers and documentary makers to submit five-minute long films on the theme ‘Against All Odds’. According to the marketing head, this was purely a Viacom 18 initiative and the associated brands did not sponsor the contest.
On 5 September, Mary Kom will hit 1800-2000 screens in India and around 300 screens internationally. While Zee has the music rights, Colors has the satellite rights for the movie.
Viacom 18 earlier hit gold with a biopic on Milkha Singh and now hopes that it will be able to punch its way in box-office with Mary Kom.
Brands
Hyundai launches updated Ioniq 5 with 84 kWh battery, 690 km range
Priced at Rs 55.7 lakh, adds design, tech and safety upgrades.
MUMBAI: Charge it up, stretch it out, Hyundai’s latest electric upgrade is going the distance, quite literally. Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has introduced an updated version of its Ioniq 5, packing in a larger 84.0 kWh battery that delivers a claimed range of up to 690 km (ARAI-certified), marking a significant leap in everyday usability for its flagship electric SUV.
Built on Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the refreshed IONIQ 5 aims to balance performance with practicality, reducing range anxiety while making long-distance electric travel more viable. The upgrade builds on a model that has already secured global recognition, including the World Car of the Year title.
The changes aren’t just under the skin. On the outside, the SUV gets a sharper, more futuristic look with redesigned front and rear bumpers, new skid plates, sporty alloy wheels, a revised rear spoiler and updated V-garnish lighting, all while retaining its signature Parametric Pixel design.
Inside, Hyundai has focused on making the experience more intuitive. The cabin now features a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel with illuminated pixel elements, dual 12.3-inch displays, and a reworked wireless charging pad integrated with physical controls for seat functions small tweaks that aim to improve day-to-day usability.
On the tech front, the IONIQ 5 gets Hyundai’s Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), Controller Over-the-Air (C-OTA) updates, and now supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. New additions such as Active Sound Design and in-car payment integration for EV charging reflect a push towards a more seamless, connected ownership experience. Remote immobilisation via Bluelink has also been introduced as an added security layer.
Safety sees incremental upgrades too, with features like Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (Rear) and side parking distance warnings enhancing manoeuvrability in tight urban spaces.
The updated IONIQ 5 is available in four colour options Gravity Gold Matte, Midnight Black Pearl, Titan Grey and Optic White with an Obsidian Black interior theme.
Priced at Rs 55.7 lakh (ex-showroom), the new IONIQ 5 positions itself as a more rounded offering, less about futuristic promise, and more about making electric mobility fit seamlessly into everyday life.
