MAM
SG Sports awards mandate for SG Mavericks Kites & Bengaluru SG Mavericks to Buffalo Soldiers
Mumbai: In a new chapter in sports marketing, creative agency Buffalo Soldiers has teamed up with SG Sports to boost the branding and social media presence of their elite tennis teams: SG Mavericks Kites and Bengaluru SG Mavericks.
The SG Mavericks Kites set to play at the Meteora World Tennis League (Season 2) in Abu Dhabi are prepped for an electrifying tournament. With stars like world number 2 and Australian Open 2023 winner Aryna Sabalenka, Spanish sensation Paula Badosa, Bulgarian dynamo Grigor Dimitrov, and world number 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, the team is poised for a spectacular showcase of tennis prowess.
Buffalo Soldiers’ role in amplifying this excitement through innovative digital strategies is pivotal. Buffalo Soldiers co-founder & head of delivery Arnab Kundu of is enthusiastic about the partnership said, “Tennis is a sport that thrives on passion and precision, much like our approach to branding. We’re thrilled to bring our digital expertise to SG Sports’ teams, promising to create a buzz that resonates with tennis fans worldwide.”
On the other hand, Bengaluru SG Mavericks, fresh from their victory at the Tennis Premier League Season 5, are a testament to Buffalo Soldiers’ successful branding strategies. The agency’s involvement in crafting their online persona played an integral role in building momentum and fan engagement.
Owner of SG Sports Rohan Gupta is confident in Buffalo Soldiers’ abilities and said, “Our teams have incredible talent, and we needed a partner who could match that with equally impressive branding skills. Buffalo Soldiers was the obvious choice, and they have delivered beyond our expectations.”
This collaboration highlights Buffalo Soldiers’ diverse capabilities in handling sports branding, a domain that demands dynamism and innovation. Their work with SG Sports’ tennis teams and their chess team SG Alpine Warriors is a showcase of their ability to blend creative storytelling with sports enthusiasm.
Buffalo Soldiers’ strategy involves not only highlighting the teams’ achievements but also creating an engaging narrative that connects with the audience on a deeper level. It’s about bringing the thrill of the game to the forefront, making each match an experience to remember.
As SG Maverick Kites gear up for their upcoming tournament and Bengaluru SG Mavericks bask in their recent triumph, Buffalo Soldiers are ready to serve up some ace branding and digital play.
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.
