MAM
Mindshare wins media duties of Merino Group
MUMBAI: GroupM‘s media agency Mindshare has won the Merino Group‘s mandate for handling their media consulting and deployment duties across all mediums. Mindshare bagged the account without a pitch.
The Merino account will be handled out of the Mindshare‘s Delhi office.
Mindshare South Asia leader Ravi Rao said, “The win is the latest in a series of new account appointments for our Delhi office. We are really excited to have the opportunity to serve Merino. They have a great vision for the category and we believe we can do some game-changing work for the brand.”
The Merino Group, which was started in 1968, deals in building-interior products, such as laminates, plyboards, ready doors, cubicles and acrylic counters for homes, offices, commercial and public areas. The company also owns the FMCG brand Vegit that manufactures and markets dehydrated potato flakes and instant snack mixes. It has also diversified into farming, biotechnology and food processing.
Merino Group deputy general manager marketing Kamal K Mishra said, “To orchestrate the reach and delivery of our multimedia brand campaign, we were seeking a versatile and seasoned partner for media operations and Mindshare is a much-recommended name in the field.”
Mindshare partner client leader Saket Sinha said, “We are fully geared to choreograph the journey for the brand to meet its consumer.”
Brands
DeVANS sparks buzz with self-chilling beer can April Fools campaign
Godfather stunt racks up 7 million impressions, blending humour with hype
NEW DELHI: DeVANS Modern Breweries has stirred up the marketing pot with a playful yet high-impact campaign teasing a futuristic “self-chilling beer can” under its flagship Godfather label.
What began as a seemingly bold product innovation quickly turned into one of the most talked-about brand moments online, before being revealed as an April Fools’ Day prank. The reveal, however, did little to cool the buzz.
The campaign clocked over 7 million organic impressions across platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X, with users debating whether the concept was a genuine breakthrough or clever marketing theatre. Thousands of shares and comments turned the idea into a full-blown conversation, drawing in both consumers and industry insiders.
The hook was simple but effective. A self-chilling can positioned as an on-the-go convenience product tapped into the imagination of younger, urban audiences. Add the timing around April Fools’ Day, and the campaign struck the perfect balance between curiosity and scepticism, keeping audiences guessing.
Marketing experts have pointed to the campaign as a case study in leveraging cultural moments. By leaving just enough ambiguity, the brand invited audiences to participate rather than simply observe, turning passive viewers into active contributors to the narrative.
“Godfather has always been an iconic brand, but iconicity must evolve to stay meaningful,” said DeVANS Modern Breweries chairman and managing director Prem Dewan. “The ‘Self-Chilling Can’ was our way of showing up in a cultural moment with confidence and a sense of humour.”
Beyond the numbers, the campaign signals a broader repositioning for Godfather. Long seen as a legacy beer brand, it is now leaning into youth culture, digital-first storytelling and topical engagement to stay relevant in a crowded alcobev market.
In a space where attention is fleeting, DeVANS has shown that sometimes the coolest idea is the one that keeps people guessing.
