MAM
Nothing’s pink phone tease sparks viral buzz
Tech firm Nothing India blends nostalgia with innovation in cheeky Rooh Afza campaign for upcoming Phone 4a launch.
MUMBAI: Nothing’s stirring the pot or rather, mixing up a rosy elixir with a campaign that’s got Bengaluru abuzz and social media fizzing like a summer sherbet. In a clever nod to India’s beloved pink-hued Rooh Afza drink, the London-based tech upstart Nothing has splashed its Bengaluru flagship store in Indiranagar with graffiti proclaiming “I love Rooh Afza” in vibrant pink spray paint. What first looked like cheeky vandalism to passers-by has turned out to be a masterful marketing ploy, teasing a fresh pink colour variant for the Nothing Phone 4a, set to debut on 5 March alongside the Phone 4a Pro.
Launched on 25 February, the campaign taps into cultural nostalgia, with Nothing’s India handle posting gems like “I don’t usually be poppin’ bottles but when I do it’s Rooh Afza.” It’s the brand’s first foray into pink across its smartphone lineup, positioning the shade as “expressive and optimistic” rather than just another hue. The move has sparked online chatter, from amused locals filming the store window to comments ranging from “paid collaboration” to playful jabs like “now Rooh Afza may write Nothing on their bottles.”
Nothing isn’t stopping at graffiti; activations have popped up across stores, including in London, blending street art with tech hype. As whispers of vandalism gave way to viral reels, one Instagram post clocked thousands of views in hours, the stunt has cleverly woven tradition into modern gadgetry, proving that sometimes, a splash of pink is all it takes to refresh a launch.
With the global rollout on 5 March at 10:30 GMT, expect the Phone 4a to shake up the mid-range market, pink variant and all. Whether it’s a hit or just fizzy fun, Nothing’s campaign shows how a dash of local flavour can turn heads in a crowded tech scene.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
