MAM
Mudra Foundation launches research institute Micore
MUMBAI: Mudra plans to pump in an initial investment of Rs 200 – 250 million towards setting up a Communications Research institute called the Mudra Institute of Communications Research (Micore).
This marks the second venture of the Mudra Foundation for Communications Research and Education after launching C-School Mica in 1991.
With an extension of 6 acres of land to the Mica campus, the new institute will be located in Ahmedabad. Announcing the initiative, Micore acting dean and member of Governing Council in Mica Alan D’ Souza said that the gestation period for everything to fall into place would be about 2-3 years.
From left: Alan D’ Souza, Madhukar Kamath & Dr. Ang Peng Hwa are all smiles at the launch of Micore
Apart from aiming to attract global talent, the institute is conducting a global search for a dean. Also present at the event that briefed the media on the initiative was Mudra Foundation chairman and Mudra MD and CEO Madhukar Kamath and School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore dean and associate professor Dr. Ang Peng Hwa.
The main research domains will include integrated marketing communications, cultural communications, semiotics, entertainment, film studies, computer games and cyber culture studies and social and developmental communications. For this purpose, Micore will draw on the disciplines of psychology consumer behavior, economics, anthropology, sociology, arts, design, languages and management. The idea is to create a symbiotic relationship between Mica and Micore.
Once up and running, the institute will be ready to fund research papers in the areas mentioned and over the course of time also attract external funding. The papers released will not only be featured in an official Micore journal but will also be published in International journals, D’Souza told this website.
He added, “The 21st Century is going to be profoundly influenced by the Communications Sciences and Arts. While there will be an overload of information, what will matter is who communicates what, with whom, when and how. Any attempt to improve the quality of life depends on the development of Communication models.”
“There is need to rework the relation between knowledge, information, meaning, understanding, monologue and dialogue. Technology is increasingly going to change the way we learn, work and entertain ourselves. Hence there is need to study the changing role of Communication in this new context and the tools required to sharpen and make effective the way we relate to people. Original research is needed to bridge the gap between what information is available and what information is needed. Micore will help fill that gap.”
Micore will aim at examining research in areas related to local issues. Micore’s stakeholders will be all kinds of businesses marketing all kinds of goods and services, Government bodies at all levels (National, State, District, Panchayat), Media, National and International agencies involved in Marketing and Developmental communications, NGO’s, Society at large and Communications researchers, practitioners and academicians, informs an official release.
Micore will aim to achieve the following:
1. Constitute Communications as a major Research space and study it in all its aspects.
2. Use Communications Research to demonstrate how Communication Models can empower Communities and to address the need of Industry, and Social Institutions for Communication models that can increase their effectiveness.
3. Forecast changing Institution and Individual landscapes and be able to understand the changing role of Communication in the new environment (e.g. from the Broadcasting mode to the Dialogue mode.)
4. Develop new methodologies and tools, databases, archives and training skills required to develop and sustain activity in the area of Communications Research and to support decision making and public policy making through multidisciplinary research.
5. Develop research based linkages between academia, industry and society in India and abroad
The realm of research India is still low as there is a greater stress on teaching and placement says Dr. Ang. “The Institute will be a repository of communications related knowledge and aspires to be the World’s finest and largest Center for Communications Research and Education.”
Kamath said, “The purpose of the Mudra Foundation was to promote the cause of Education and Research in the area of Communications. The first Institute that was set up by the Foundation was Mica, which over the past 15 years has established itself as a unique institution, dedicated to fulfilling the vision of developing innovative professionals in the practice, development and management of Communications to serve the needs of Industry and Society through education, training research and advocacy. Similarly, Micore will be committed to providing Communications centered solutions to developmental and organizational challenges facing the Country, its driving impetus being to build a strong and just Consumer and Civil society.”
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.
