Brands
Steve Madden taps Shanaya Kapoor as first India brand ambassador
MUMBAI: Steve Madden is rolling the dice on Hindi cinema’s next generation. The American footwear and accessories brand has named actress Shanaya Kapoor as its first-ever brand ambassador in India, marking a calculated bet on youth appeal as it deepens its retail footprint across the subcontinent.
Kapoor, whose style straddles contemporary trends and accessible glamour, will front the brand’s autumn-winter 2025 and spring-summer 2026 campaigns. The partnership, brokered through Reliance Brands, aims to position Steve Madden’s shoes and handbags as tools of self-expression for a generation that treats fashion as identity.
“Steve Madden has always been a go-to brand for me—it’s where I find pieces that are both fashion-forward and incredibly versatile,” says Kapoor. “I am honoured to be their first brand ambassador in India.”
The announcement arrives alongside the brand’s latest campaign, Step Into Your Story, which pitches its products as declarations of individuality rather than mere accessories. It’s standard-issue empowerment marketing, but Steve Madden reckons India’s fashion-conscious youth will buy it—literally.
Reliance Brands, which operates over 1,590 stores across India, is banking on Kapoor’s reach to crack a market where aspiration meets affordability. Steve Madden already sits in its sprawling portfolio alongside Burberry, Versace and Tiffany & Co.
For Kapoor, it’s another rung on the ladder. For Steve Madden, it’s a wager that star power still shifts product. Time will tell if the shoes fit.
Brands
EcoMedia Solutions launches EcoMeter to track carbon impact in media
New tool aims to bring real data and accountability to ads and events
GURUGRAM: EcoMedia Solutions has rolled out EcoMeter, a new solution designed to bring sharper carbon accountability to advertising, media, marketing and events.
Built on its proprietary EMS platform, EcoMeter aims to help brands and agencies measure the environmental impact of campaigns and on-ground activations using real-world data rather than broad estimates.
The move comes as sustainability gains traction across boardrooms, even as measurement within the advertising ecosystem remains patchy and often reliant on spend-based assumptions. EcoMeter attempts to change that by using localised emission factors and activity-based inputs, offering a more grounded view of carbon output.
“Today, most carbon calculations in our industry are derived from spends or broad averages. That does not reflect what is actually happening on the ground,” said EcoMedia Solutions founder & CEO Rumjhum Gupta. She added that the tool factors in variables such as location, execution and materials to deliver a more accurate picture.
The platform allows users to compare media choices based on environmental impact, plan lower-carbon campaigns and generate data-backed ESG and BRSR reports. It spans formats including OOH, DOOH, print, digital and live events, bringing sustainability into the same decision-making framework as cost and performance.
EcoMedia Solutions says the larger goal is to move the industry beyond surface-level sustainability claims towards measurable action. As scrutiny from consumers, investors and regulators intensifies, tools like EcoMeter could play a key role in helping brands back intent with credible data.
With this launch, the company is betting that the next big metric in advertising will not just be reach or ROI, but impact that can be counted in carbon.
