Brands
Mccain serves a musical treat this Diwali with Usha Uthup’s ‘Jugalbandi’
MUMBAI: This Diwali, McCain is striking all the right chords. The brand’s new campaign, Jugalbandi, brings together three generations of the Uthup family in a heartwarming celebration of food, music, and togetherness.
Created by Schbang, the film stars the queen of Indian pop, Usha Uthup, alongside her daughter Anjali and grandson, in a delightful musical face-off that turns into a moment of family unity. Set at a lively Diwali house party, the film captures Uthup’s iconic disco charm blending with Anjali’s spirited beats and her grandson’s modern DJ flair. The playful competition melts into harmony when the irresistible aroma of Mccain snacks fills the air, bringing everyone together over hot, crispy treats.
With Jugalbandi, Mccain celebrates the idea that food bridges more than just hunger, it bridges generations. By fusing two of India’s biggest passions, food and music, the campaign transforms a simple snack into a symbol of connection and joy.
“These days, families are often spread across cities and time zones, and it’s only on special occasions that everyone comes together,” said Mccain Foods India managing director Mainak Dhar. “Our Jugalbandi campaign celebrates how different generations, each with their own rhythm, can find harmony over a plate of Mccain snacks. Usha Uthup embodies this spirit perfectly, rooted in culture yet modern and relevant.”
Schbang president – brand solutions Jitto George added, “When we set out to create a generational ‘jugalbandi’, the first and only choice was Usha Uthup and her family. Their real bond brought the idea to life, blending nostalgia, music, and the joy of food which is the very essence of Mccain’s philosophy of togetherness.”
The campaign runs across digital platforms, reinforcing Mccain’s role as the snack that turns festive gatherings into shared moments of warmth, laughter, and love.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
