MAM
McDonald’s India – North and East’s new TVC features Kartik Aaryan’s iconic monologue
Mumbai: McDonald’s India- North and East, one of India’s most loved restaurant brands, has launched a quirky television commercial featuring its brand ambassador, Kartik Aaryan revealing his favourite McDonald’s meal. The TVC takes the fans on a laughter-filled roller coaster with his signature monologue style in a unique McDonald’s way.
The Kartik Aaryan Meal includes his favourite, go-to menu items from McDonald’s – the classic McAloo Tikki Burger, delicious cheesy fries, ever-so favourite Pizza McPuff with a regular beverage, served as a four-piece meal. To add to the fans’ delight, the 4-pieces meal will be served in a special Kartik Aaryan-themed, QR-code-enabled packaging offering fans an opportunity to take a virtual selfie with their favorite celebrity.
Talking about the launch of the TVC, McDonald’s India – North and East MD Rajeev Ranjan said, “This campaign is all about knowing a little better the ones we like & love and celebrating the feel-good delicious moments and shared laughter at McDonald’s. We’re proud to unveil and bring Kartik’s favourite go-to McDonald’s meal to our customers and fans and provide a limited-time-opportunity to our customers to eat as their favourite celebrity and youth Icon. We are hopeful of this campaign reigniting our customer’s and fans’ love for our food and creating another cultural moment for our brand’s association with youth and the younger generation.”
Conceptualised by DDB Mudra, the TVC opens in a McDonald’s restaurant, where Kartik Aaryan and his friend stand at the counter, greeted by a warm smile at the front counter. Before Kartik can respond, his friend asks about his order. Kartik looks at him a little annoyed and begins to vent about how his friends always ask the most obvious things in every imaginable scenario. Just when he mentions that his best friend doesn’t even know his favourite meal, the server smoothly slides a tray in front of Kartik, revealing the “Kartik Aaryan Meal.” The TVC ends with Kartik suggesting McDonald’s to create a meal named after him so that his friend never forgets it.
“No matter who you are, everyone has a go-to McDonald’s order. This truth forms the basis of McDonald’s global platform called ‘Famous Orders’. The new Kartik Aaryan Meal aims to transform a visit to McDonald’s into an opportunity for people to connect with their hero, creating a one-of-a-kind cultural experience for youth tastemakers,” said DDB Tribal creative head Iraj Fraz.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
