MAM
Rethinking distribution: a vending machine to hand you Super-Max razors
MUMBAI: Super-Max Personal Care Pvt. Ltd, the world’s second largest manufacturer of razors, has developed a novel sales channel for Razors that no grooming products Company in India has ever explored: Razors in vending machines.
Traditionally, in a country which has seen vending machines used to sell snacks and beverages, consumers for the first time will have the opportunity of buying their preferred brand of Super Max from a vending machine.
Talking about the unique initiative, Mr Sameer Khan, National Sales Manager- Super-Max Personal Care Pvt. Ltd said, “This is an innovative sales channel that no grooming company has ever explored in India before. It is an ideal opportunity to reach mass audiences, creating a brand buzz and simultaneously selling products. The plan was to make our products available to our consumers 24×7. In a highly competitive market this step will help the brand in creating visibility and availability to more than 25 lakh of customers daily.”
Currently the vending machines are installed at 15 different locations in Delhi and consumers can try the innovative vending machines at metro stations Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Chawri Bazaar, Anand Vihar ISBT, Karol Bagh, New Delhi Railway Station, Vishwa Vidyalaya.
Mr Anil Kumar Gupta, a government employee who is a daily Delhi Metro commuter from Shastri Nagar to Rajiv chowk said “Razors are something that one needs on a daily basis. Finding the high quality SuperMax razors at vending machine at Metro stations is extremely convenient. Even if stores are shut in the mornings or late in the evenings when I travel from office I can pick a SuperMax razor from vending machines that are visible from a distance with SuperMax branding.”
Super- Max soon plans to take this format to different parts of the country at corporate offices, malls, railway stations etc.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
