MAM
MPG loses Rajagopal, gets Kari on board
NEW DELHI: Media Planning Group‘s (MPG) outdoor arm, MPG Active has appointed Krishnamurthy Kari as its chief operating officer. Kari was earlier with Aircel as the head of Out-of-Home and activations.
He has nearly 15 years of experience in the field. At MPG Active Kari will be responsible for acquiring the network business for MPG Active and enhancing the existing roster of MPG network accounts and deliver an integrated solution to the clients‘ needs.
MPG Active has full service offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Punjab and Hyderabad, with a staff strength of more than 24 professionals. Some of its key clients are Capgemini, Hyundai, Skoda Motors, VLCC, Jabong.com, National Geographic, VIACOM 18, News 24, Cleartrip.com, fashinara.com, Quicker.com, BNP Paribas, Carlsberg, Smile Group, DBS, Fire Luxorand Puri Constructions.
At MPG, its VP – investments (West) Gautam Rajagopal has quit. MPG CEO Mohit Joshi confirmed both the people movements to indiantelevision.com.
Rajagopal had joined MPG in May 2011. Before this, he was with Beehive Communications as vice-president, media services for nearly four years.
Rajagopal has more than 17 years of experience. He has worked with Contract Advertising, Madison, Mediavision and Carat Media Services. In 2003, Rajagopal joined Starcom MediaVest Group as group head, broadcast investment. After two years, he moved to Mudra (Optimum Media Solutions), where he worked for the next two years, before joining Beehive Communications.
He has worked across various categories of brands such as HDFC Bank, Asian Paints, Parle, Bisleri, P&G, Heinz, Skoda, Bajaj and Cadbury.
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.
