Brands
Pogo and Kellogg’s Chocos to join hands to launch branded mini-series
MUMBAI: Pogo and Kellogg’s Chocos have collaborated to deliver the first of its kind branded mini-series. Featuring India’s favourite superhero Chhota Bheem and Chocos mascot Coco, the four- episode series titled Coco aur Chhota Bheem ka Dhamaal will air every Sunday in October at 9:30 am only on Pogo.
In a highly competitive and cluttered TV advertising environment, this endeavor seamlessly integrates a brand into the storyline of the content. Within the kids’ genre, this is an unconventional route to engaging children with entertaining content that also subtly reinforces the brand’s attributes.
Kellogg’s marketing director, India and South Asia Harpreet Singh Tibb said: “At Kellogg’s we believe in providing wholesome nutrition and tasty breakfast options to nourish families so they can flourish and thrive. Kids in our view are fearless and there is no anxiety among them as they are growing up. We need to ensure that we provide kids the right environment so they can enjoy childhood and are prepared to take on the challenges thrown at them. Our brand Chocos believes in celebrating “uninhibited childhood” and we are always looking at creating experiences that enable the kids to have fun while growing up.”
He further adds: “The brand has been creating unique experiences such as the chocos cereal factory at Kidzania and the online gaming platform Chocoland to engage and educate kids. We have now signed up a unique partnership between the brand Chocos and Chhota Bheem wherein Coco, the brands mascot gets an opportunity to become part of Chhota Bheem’s gang. This unique association brings together two brands loved by kids: Chocos and Chhota Bheem. Both coming together under one platform will surely delight kids. When Mindshare proposed the idea of associating with a show like Chhota Bheem we knew this would help grab innumerable eyeballs among the target group.”
Mindshare has been the catalyst in conceptualising and executing this project. Mindshare west Anita Kotwani said: “This is the first of its kind initiative in the kid’s space. From a brand perspective what works is that it is not an innovation for the sake of innovation, but a strategic initiative intrinsic to what the brand stands for and that is what we did by partnering with POGO at the scripting stage itself instead of looking at tactical opportunities in the show. We are proud of the outcome and hope to be well received.”
Turner International India South Asia managing director Siddharth Jain said: “This partnership brings together two very much loved brands in India and showcases the kind of creative and innovative solutions Turner can offer in engaging our viewers in an entertaining and compelling manner.”
In the four episodes of Coco aur Chhota Bheem ka Dhamaal, Bheem and his friends will leave Dholakpur to explore the new world of Chocoland with Coco and undertake exciting adventures with their new friend. Coco aur Chhota Bheem ka Dhamaal will air on 05, 12, 19 and 26 October 2014 at 9:30 am on Pogo.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
