Brands
Sting launches ‘Sound of Six’ cricket campaign
Pepsico energy drink ties signature sonic to every boundary hit with Yuvraj Singh and Ravi Shastri.
MUMBAI: Sting just turned every six into its own personal anthem because nothing says “energy” like a boundary that hits different notes. Pepsico India’s Sting energy drink has rolled out the latest chapter of its sonic branding with “Sound of Six”, a nationwide campaign syncing the brand’s signature “Sting” sound to the varying power of cricket sixes this season. The push positions Sting as the audio heartbeat of high-octane moments on the pitch, using its sonic identity to “qualify” shots from gentle lofted clears to monster maximums.
The launch film, featuring cricket legends Yuvraj Singh and Ravi Shastri, unfolds on a sunlit ground with playful banter that builds into a sequence of escalating hits. As Singh smashes the ball, he quips that the length and force of the shot should dial up the intensity of the Sting sound. Shastri’s commentary ramps up accordingly, riffing on the brand name with escalating flair to match each strike’s energy turning a simple boundary into an audible spectacle.
Pepsico India category head for energy portfolio Diksha Bajaj said, “Cricket is a major passion point in this country. Our campaign is rooted in the insight that no two sixes are the same. We set out to use the Sting sonic identity as a qualifier that redefines every hit.”
Yuvraj Singh added, “This campaign turns the feeling of hitting a six into something fans can hear. It is bold and matches the intensity of the game.”
Ravi Shastri chimed in, “Commentating on a six is an exhilarating part of the game. This campaign adds a new dimension by introducing a distinct sonic. The idea of owning the sound of every six is relatable for fans.”
Leo Burnett South Asia chief creative officer Vikram Pandey noted that pairing Singh’s power-hitting with Shastri’s iconic voice lets the brand relive cricket’s electric moments through a fresh, auditory lens.
The campaign will air across television, digital platforms, and social media, timed to catch the fever of the ongoing cricket season. For fans who live for the roar of the crowd and the crack of the bat, Sting’s betting that the next big six won’t just be seen, it’ll be heard loud and clear.
Brands
Dunkin’ Donuts to exit India as Jubilant FoodWorks ends 15-year franchise deal
The quick service restaurant giant is ending a 15-year franchise partnership with the American doughnut chain, even as it renews its Domino’s agreement for another 15 years
NOIDA: Dunkin’ is done in India. Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, the country’s leading quick service restaurant operator, has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with the American coffee and doughnut chain, and will wind down its Indian stores in a phased manner before December 31, 2026, bringing a 15-year partnership to a quiet, loss-laden close.
The decision, approved by JFL’s board on March 30, 2026, ends a relationship that began with a Multiple Unit Development Franchise Agreement signed on February 24, 2011. JFL will now evaluate and undertake what it described in a regulatory filing as the “rationalisation and/or cessation of certain operations and/or sale, transfer or disposal of assets and/or assignment or transfer of franchise rights,” all in consultation with Dunkin’s brand owners and strictly within the terms of the original agreement.
The numbers tell the story bluntly. In the financial year 2024-25, Dunkin’ India posted a revenue of Rs 37 crore against a loss of Rs 19 crore — a haemorrhage that was always going to test the patience of a parent company recording revenues of Rs 6,104 crore and a profit of Rs 194 crore in the same period. Doughnuts, it turns out, were never going to move the needle.
The contrast with JFL’s handling of its other marquee franchise could hardly be sharper. Even as it walks away from Dunkin’, the company has just doubled down on Domino’s, signing a fresh Master Franchise Agreement on March 31, 2026, granting it exclusive rights to develop and operate Domino’s Pizza stores in India for 15 years, with an option to renew for a further 10.
JFL, incorporated in 1995 and promoted by the Bharatia family, operates a network of more than 3,500 stores across six markets — India, Turkey, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Its portfolio includes Domino’s and Popeyes on the global side, and two home-grown brands: Hong’s Kitchen and COFFY, a café brand in Turkey.
For Dunkin’, India was always a stretch. The brand never quite cracked the cultural code in a market where filter coffee and chai command fierce loyalty and where the doughnut remains, at best, an occasional indulgence rather than a daily habit. Fifteen years, mounting losses and a parent with better things to spend its capital on was always going to be a difficult equation to solve.
The doughnut has had its last day. The pizza, however, is staying.
