MAM
SPRD bags the PR mandate for Wubba Lubba Dub Dub
Mumbai: Stories.PR.Digital (SPRD) has bagged the public relations mandate for Bengaluru-based meme marketing company Wubba Lubba Dub Dub (WLDD).
SPRD is passionate about building a brand story for communications. It will manage industry alliances and help the client build thought leadership in addition to public relations.
Commenting on the mandate win, SPRD director Asif Upadhye stated, “In a world full of routines, people seek solace in ‘memes’. It’s a fun as well as challenging way to accomplish customer retention strategies by deepening the connection with your audience. We are definitely looking forward to unfolding what this collaboration beholds.”
Creating a meme revolution in India, WLDD has helped several businesses break through the clutter via snackable and entertaining communication models. With relatable content, they’ve introduced meme marketing to over 100+ brands so far and have expanded their horizons as a leader in digital assets. “Everything your audience sees online leaves an imprint on them, and through an extension of tech products, our aim is to showcase how this industry can continue to be profitable, number-driven, and accessible for all. We’re committed to solidifying our impressions and communications with this partnership,” added WLDD chief executive officer Arihant Jain.
Memes have gained immense popularity today and play an integral role in an organisation’s marketing plan. Leveraging this strategy since its inception as a startup turned pioneer of meme and experiential marketing in India, WLDD has successfully ventured into community building by expressing and engaging with audiences via a diversified meme-connect. Founded in 2018 by Arihant Jain, Jaidev Kesti, and Vivekanand Kilari, three college friends from Belgaum, WLDD envisioned reaching greater heights with new-age memes and experiential marketing. This indicates the tremendous growth opportunity for the meme companies which would benefit from this trend.
Brands
Airtel, Jio, Vi quietly raise tariffs with tweaks ahead of major hike
Airtel, Jio and Vi test subscriber response with subtle plan changes
NEW DELHI: India’s top telecom operators, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, are quietly reworking their prepaid plans in what appears to be a calculated run-up to a broader tariff hike expected later this year.
Rather than announcing headline-grabbing price increases, the operators are opting for subtle tweaks that are less likely to trigger immediate consumer backlash. Industry observers describe this as a “testing the waters” approach, where small changes help gauge subscriber sensitivity while gradually improving revenues.
Among the most visible moves is plan pruning. Airtel has discontinued its popular Rs 799 pack, widely seen as a high-value offering, while nudging up the price of its Rs 859 plan to Rs 899. The changes may seem marginal, but across millions of users, they translate into meaningful revenue gains.
Reliance Jio, on its part, has taken a sharper route by slashing the validity of its Rs 195 plan from 90 days to just 30 days. The price remains unchanged, but the value per day has dropped steeply, effectively raising costs for consumers without altering headline tariffs.
Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea is restructuring its “NonStopHero” packs, limiting unlimited data benefits to night hours in several circles. The move trims usage flexibility while keeping plan positioning largely intact.
Another common tactic is bundling. Operators are increasingly pairing plans with OTT subscriptions such as streaming services, framing price adjustments as value additions even when the core offering remains largely unchanged.
The broader goal behind these moves is to lift ARPU (Average Revenue Per User), a key profitability metric in the telecom business. Airtel is targeting an ARPU of around Rs 300, up from roughly Rs 250, while Jio is under pressure to demonstrate stronger revenue growth ahead of a potential IPO. For Vodafone Idea, the urgency is more immediate as it seeks higher cash flows to fund 5G expansion and manage outstanding dues.
Industry estimates suggest that these incremental changes are a precursor to a larger, industry-wide tariff hike of 15 to 20 per cent, likely towards the end of 2026. The delay in announcing a full-scale increase is partly due to macroeconomic concerns, including inflation and volatile fuel prices, which could dampen consumer sentiment.
The push to monetise 5G is also gathering pace. After investing more than Rs 3 lakh crore in next-generation networks, operators are expected to gradually phase out free 5G data and reposition it as a premium service.
For consumers, the impact is already visible in small but steady increases in monthly bills. For telcos, however, this is a carefully choreographed build-up, easing users into higher spending before the bigger pricing reset arrives.
