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Sunrise Spices adds extra flavour to Chhath with music, art, and devotion
MUMBAI: When devotion meets melody and colour, the Sun never sets on Bihar and Jharkhand’s Chhath celebrations. ITC Sunrise Spices, a stalwart of Eastern India’s culinary and cultural heritage, has rekindled its iconic campaign ‘Urja Ka Vardaan’, honouring the energy, faith, and devotion that define Chhath Puja.
Originally launched last year, the campaign connects deeply with the people of Bihar and Jharkhand, spotlighting the rituals, stories, and artistry that have shaped generations. This year, Sunrise takes the narrative further, journeying back to the origins of Chhath, from Sita’s first vrat, king Priyavrata and queen Malini’s prayer for a child, to the Pandavas’ devotion and Karna’s worship of Surya Dev. The aim: to engage younger audiences with the timeless significance of this festival.
To bring these stories alive, Sunrise has introduced two creative pillars: a devotional music video, “Chhath Ki Mahima”, sung by Bihar’s very own Maithili Thakur, and an illustrated storybook, “Urja Ka Vardaan – Chhath Ki Kahaniyaan”, rendered in traditional Madhubani and Tikuli art styles. While the music video channels emotion and devotion through song, the storybook visually immerses audiences in the festival’s rituals, colours, and cultural pride, celebrating the sacred link between the Sun and a mother’s love.
The storybook will be distributed across ghats in Bihar and Jharkhand, and shared digitally via Swiggy Instamart, enabling devotees nationwide to experience these narratives. In a move that blends tradition with technology, Sunrise has also relaunched its ‘Chhath Companion’ Whatsabpp Bot, offering sunrise and sunset timings powered by IMD data, ritual guides, recipes, devotional songs, and insights into the festival’s cultural essence. This year’s edition incorporates the new song and illustrated stories, enriching the digital experience for devotees across India.
Sunrise Spices, business head Piyush Mishra highlighted the brand’s enduring connection with regional culture: “Sunrise has always believed that culture is the truest flavour of a region. Beyond enriching meals, we celebrate the festivals, artistry, and heritage that define the soul of Bihar and Jharkhand. Through traditional music and folk arts, we aim to keep Chhath stories alive and inspire younger generations to stay connected to their roots.”
Echoing this sentiment, Maithili Thakur said, “Chhath Puja is not just a festival, it’s an emotion lived in every home across Bihar and Jharkhand. Through this song, we honour the faith, discipline, and strength every devotee carries. Sunrise’s effort to share the stories of Chhathi Maiya and Surya Dev through music and illustration brings our tradition alive for the next generation. I feel truly blessed to be a part of it.”
With ‘Urja Ka Vardaan’, Sunrise Spices continues to blend heritage with innovation, from devotional melodies to folk-art storytelling and digital tools, ensuring that every devotee’s Chhath experience be it on the ghats or online is immersive, enlightening, and unforgettable. This initiative cements Sunrise’s role not just as a spice brand, but as a custodian of Eastern India’s cultural soul, celebrating devotion, artistry, and the timeless energy of the Sun.
The campaign perfectly captures the festival’s essence: a radiant union of faith, music, art, and technology, a reminder that Chhath Puja is as much about storytelling as it is about worship.
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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.
