MAM
McCann Erickson to design IBF’s digitisation campaign
NEW DELHI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) is launching a countrywide awareness campaign to apprise viewers of television about the benefits of digitisation.
The campaign is being designed by McCann Erickson (India). The agency was selected out of four which had responded to bids invited by the IBF.
IBF director (finance) Naresh Chahal told indiantelevision.com that a major focus of the campaign would be to encourage people to buy digital set top boxes as the four metros covered under Phase I of digitisation would not be able to get either free-to-air or encrypted channels from 1 July this year unless they have switched to new STBs.
He said the aim would be to educate the viewers about the fact that a digital STB would enable him to get more channels, give additional value added services, and ensure transparency, apart from proving to be economical in the long run.
Asked about the budgeting of the campaign, he said the TV channels would bear their own costs as every channel was going to be affected by digitisation. However, IBF would work out further details as it decides to use the print media, cinema, out-of-home, and online advertising as the next step.
Although he refused to name the other three bidders, it is understood that they included O&M.
Parliament has already passed the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Second Amendment Bill to speed up the process of digitisation of cable networks.
The Government has set 31 December 2014 as the final sunset date for digitisation of the cable networks. It had earlier announced a timetable for complete digitisation of cable television in the four metros by 31 March 2012, but this was put off to June 2012 in a notification issued subsequently.
The target date for completely digitising cable sector in cities with population of more than one million was 30 March 2013, all urban areas by 30 September 2014, and the whole country by 31 December 2014.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has been authorised under the Bill to fix the tariff for ala carte basis.
Apart from improving the quality of reception, digitisation would also empower the cable operators to give larger number of channels to the consumers. There will be no prime band after digitisation.
MAM
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.
