MAM
Percept/H bags creative mandate of Next Care’s Deo
MUMBAI: Percept/H has been awarded the creative mandate of Next Care‘s to-be-launched perfumed body deodorant brand – Next.
The agency won the account following a multi-agency pitch initiated in July 2011. The size of the business is estimated to be around Rs 30 million.
Gouri Group, the parent company, plans to formally launch the new brand in February 2012.
Percept/H is planning to devise a creative strategy which will be prominent in the already cluttered deodorant market, the agency said.
It will also start various activities like Above the Line (ATL), Below the Line (BTL), Out of Home (OOH) and Digital as a part of integrated brand building exercise to increase their consumer connect.
Percept/H CEO Prabhakar Mundkur said, “We at Percept, have always had the entrepreneur living inside us. Therefore, going with this belief, we decided to partner the company for the launch of Next brand in India. Our endeavour would be to create a distinct imagery for the brand which is closer to the real world.”
Next Care Managing Partner Parminder Sadhu added, “To start with, the agency needs to chalk out a roadmap for NEXT. They need to create a new identity and brand strategy which will enable the brand to meet a turnover of Rs 240 million in the first year of its launch.” Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
