Brands
McDonald’s India launches crispy fried chicken
Mumbai: To expand its fried chicken offerings in the South market, McDonald’s India (W&S), owned by Westlife Foodworld, has launched crispy fried chicken, enhancing its chicken portfolio in the region. McDonald’s India has also partnered with Kannada movie star Kiccha Sudeep as the face of its new campaign, ‘Let the Crunch Takeover’.
The campaign features a TVC, conceptualised by DDB Mudra Group starring Kiccha Sudeep. These TVCs showcase the Kannada star relishing the crispy fried chicken and highlighting the product’s defining crispy texture.
The TVC opens with a comical scene of the police interrogating Kiccha Sudeep at his home, which appears a bit ransacked. As the officers scribble in their notepad, asking “if they remember anything else?” Kiccha is seen calmly enjoying a McDonald’s crispy fried chicken. A family member then exclaims, “Yes, Crunch sound! We were eating crispy fried chicken,” before grabbing a piece and biting into it with an exaggerated crunch sound. The police officer tries the same as well, repeating “Oh…like this!” as the family continues debating the perfect “this” crunch sound. The spot closes with a showcase of the mouth-watering crispy fried chicken bucket.
McDonald’s India (W&S) chief marketing officer Arvind R.P. said, “At McDonald’s, we are constantly strengthening our menu portfolio to offer a variety of chicken products for our customers in the Southern markets. Our new crispy fried chicken with the campaign featuring Kiccha Sudeep is a testament to this strategy. His expansive fan base and connection with our core audience in this region will drive strong consumer engagement and preference for our offerings.”
Kiccha Sudeep said, “I am truly excited to partner with McDonald’s India (W&S) for the launch of their new Crispy Fried Chicken. Glad to see the brand truly capturing the essence of crunch and flavour in this new offering. I cannot wait for my fans and food lovers across the South to experience its mouth-watering taste. The crispy fried chicken is sure to get everyone hooked on the same satisfying crunch that I love”.
Over the years, McDonald’s India has leveraged the influence of South Indian movie stars to strengthen its brand presence in the region. Alongside the partnership with Kiccha Sudeep for the crispy fried chicken launch, the brand has previously collaborated with stars like Rashmika Mandanna and Jr. NTR. These partnerships have helped McDonald’s India connect with its core audience and build brand loyalty in the South Indian market.
Brands
Oyo parent Prism appoints former Sebi chief Ajay Tyagi to Board
Former market regulator joins Prism to strengthen governance for IPO
NEW DELHI: Prism, the parent entity of Oyo, has appointed former Sebi chairman Ajay Tyagi as an independent director, as the hospitality firm gears up for its planned Rs 6,650 crore initial public offering (IPO).
Tyagi, a 1984-batch IAS officer, served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) from 2017 to 2022. His appointment is aimed at strengthening the company’s governance framework and providing strategic oversight as it moves closer to a public listing.
He joins a high-profile board that already includes several prominent names from global business and policy circles. These include Troy Matthew Alstead, former CFO and group president of Starbucks; Aditya Ghosh, co-founder of Akasa Air; Deepa Malik, paralympic athlete and Padma Shri awardee; William Steve Albrecht, professor of accountancy at Utah State University; and Bejul Somaia, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Prism founder Ritesh Agarwal, said Tyagi’s experience in capital markets regulation and public-institution stewardship will be critical as the company scales operations and enhances long-term accountability.
The company recently filed preliminary papers with Sebi to raise Rs 6,650 crore through a confidential route. Market sources estimate its valuation will be in the range of $7 billion to $8 billion.
Over the course of his career, Tyagi has held senior roles in the ministry of finance, where he oversaw investment policy and financial-sector reforms. His induction to the Prism board signals a renewed focus on aligning the company’s internal standards with the stringent requirements of public markets as it advances toward its IPO.
