MAM
Surf Excel engages with consumers via Vijay TV’s show ‘Little Big Film Makers’
BANGALORE: Unilever’s detergent brand Surf Excel has partnered with the Star Network’s Tamil offering to create a one hour television show–‘Surf Excel Little Big Film Makers’ (LBFM) that has helped the brand to engage with consumers in three cities in Tamil Nadu – Madurai, Coimbatore and Chennai. The initiative kicked off in early February this year.
Based on the brief by the sponsors, Vijay TV gave an opportunity to children between 8 and 14 years of age in the three cities to tell a story that highlighted the concept “Dirt is good” (‘Daag aache hai). Surf Excel had started using the tag line Daag aache hai sometime towards the end of 2005 and continues to use it even today in many of its television commercials and promos. Exciting and interesting stories were identified and shortlisted by the show judges – leading director A.R. Murugadoss and actor Suhasini Maniratnam.
Vijay TV says that it has conducted road shows in the selected cities and had hundreds of school children participate in narrating their ideas. Eight of the selected stories told by these kids were converted into ad films by three ad film makers – Roshni Chandra and Socrates
from Primary Colours, Balaji from Reel Root and Sendil from Phoenix Films under guidance from the authors of the stories.
LBFM went on air a few weeks ago on the Sunday morning 10 am slot and Vijay TV will be airing the tenth episode and the grand finale of LBFM on April 24 at 10 am.
“Tamil Nadu is an important market; as a matter of fact, it is the largest market for us. This initiative was more for consumer engagement and we may have similar programmes with other channels if the opportunity arises,” explained Surf Excel brand manager Tanveer Khan.
“Our current on-air ‘Daag aache hain’ campaign has been created by our agency Lowe. We may use the eight short films which are about 2 to 2 and a half minutes long each in cinema theatres and selectively on television,” revealed Khan.
The eight selected stories that have been made into ad films are:Happy Birthday Patti” by Abhinaya (a short and sweet film about how a little girl whips up a surprise for her dear grandmother on her birthday); Kitchen Galatta by Evangeline (a fun film about a father and son who decide to surprise the mother with a lunch prepared by them in the kitchen); Anbulla Amma by Vasundhara (an emotional tale of a girl and her prized artwork that she presents to her parents before leaving for boarding school); My new friend by Rahul (a story of how a new boy in the class is bullied in the class and his new classmate comes to his rescue and they become friends; Thaatha’s Treasure by Raja (a story of magic and hidden treasure, little Tejas is out to seek a hidden treasure for his grandmother); Chutti Ponnu by Ziya (a story of little girl Riya, who saves her friend the waiter from an angry customer at her birthday party); Chicken Champion (the writer Arun Balaji has written the chicken story as two boys become friends over a chicken coop); and Muniyamma by Abhay (a tale of a boy who goes out of his way to help a distressed woman on the street).
Vijay TV will be airing the eight ad films during the grand finale and present awards to the children that helped create them. As a part of the festivities, special performances by the contestants of Junior Super Stars – Lakshmi, Alsabeth, Priyanka, Balasarangan, Jayanth and Shanmugapriya and dance performance by Junior Jodis Rinson & Gabriella will be aired during the grand finale.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
