MAM
Sushant Singh Rajput: A beloved of brands
NEW DELHI: The sudden demise of popular actor Sushant Singh Rajput has shocked the entire nation. The beloved actor who successfully transitioned from television to films made a mark for himself in a short span. His speculative acting, cheerful smile and the humble attitude towards fans and others gained him a special place in the heart of millions.Â
Prime minister Narendra Modi also condoled his death, saying ‘a bright young actor gone too soon.’
His aura wasn’t restricted to the film industry but trickled down to the advertising world also. He was among those stars who had a kitty full of brands and was recognised for his quality work instead of quantity.Â
In 2011, he was spotted for the first time in a TVC of LUX soap with Aishwarya Rai. In 2013, Pepsi announced him as a brand ambassador for its sub-brand Pepsi Atom. He was seen promoting the product in ad campaigns. Rajput endorsed multiple brands and a variety of products ranging from Kingfisher, Lux Cozi, Garnier Men, Nissan Terrano to Close up, Flying Machine and One Plus.
However, clear with his choice, he refused to endorse a fairness cream, and even rejected a proposal of Rs 15 crore, as he found it racist.Â
In 2018, Rajput joined hands with NITI Aayog to promote women entrepreneurship and motivate women to come forward and build a vibrant ecosystem. At the same time, he was seen promoting NITI Aayog’s digital payments campaign transforming India into a less-cash economy.Â
For another cause, he partnered with DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance to launch the Behtar India campaign, with an aim to take India towards a healthier, cleaner and greener future towards building a better India.
Here’s a look at his most appealing ad campaigns over the years:
Donear NXG
Menswear brand Donear NXG collaborated with Rajput as its new brand ambassador. He was seen promoting the latest collection of the brand.Â
BATA
European footwear major Bata roped him as a brand ambassador in 2018 to promote its casual range of footwears, and help brand become more relevant and aspirational among the younger generation.
Whirlpool
In 2018, the brand announced the association of Rajput along with Kriti Sanon to promote its wide range of appliances, and help accelerate the brand’s value among the new age customers. The duo was seen promoting various products in different ad campaigns.
Syska
In 2017, when the brand forayed into personal grooming category, it roped Rajput as its first brand ambassador to connect with the target audience. The move was intended so that the brand becomes familiar not only in the metro but also in the non-metro cities.
Sonata
Tata Group’s affordable watch brand Sonata roped in Rajput in 2017. The brand intended to showcase the aspiration of younger generations by the bold choices they make. The ad film, Khud Par Yakeen Karo was highly praised by people.
He debuted with Zee TV’s popular daily soap Pavitra Rishta and soon entered Bollywood with his first film Kai Po Che! in 2013. The actor was critically praised for his performance in the film. His films such as PK, Kedarnath, Shuddh Desi Romance and MS Dhoni: The Untold Story helped him achieve tremendous success and established him in the Bollywood industry. He also played the role of an Indian detective in Byomkesh Bakshy for which he received critical acclaim. His latest movie, Chhichhore, won applauds from the audience. The actor will be posthumously seen in his last film Dil Bechara which was slated to release in May but postponed due to ongoing lockdown. The film will be  released online.
MAM
Smytten appoints Shishir Varma as CEO of Pulseai Research
Rebranded AI platform scales with 150 plus clients and 30 million users.
MUMBAI: In a world obsessed with what consumers say, Smytten is betting on what they actually do. The company has appointed Shishir Varma as chief executive officer of Pulseai Research, signalling a sharper push into AI-led, behaviour-driven consumer insights. The move comes as Smytten rebrands its insights vertical from Smytten PulseAI to Pulseai Research, marking a shift away from traditional, project-based research towards a more continuous, intelligence-led model.
Varma brings over 30 years of global experience across APAC markets, including India, China and Japan. Most recently managing director, Insights at Kantar Japan, he has built and scaled consumer insight businesses across geographies, including playing a key role in establishing Millward Brown in India. His mandate now: turn Pulseai into a category-defining platform in a space still dominated by surveys and static reports.
The pitch is straightforward but ambitious. Instead of relying on claimed responses, Pulseai Research taps into observed behaviour leveraging Smytten’s ecosystem of 30 million users built over a decade of product discovery, trials and purchases. The idea is to close the long-standing gap between what consumers claim and how they actually behave.
The numbers suggest early traction. In under 18 months, the platform has onboarded over 150 enterprise clients across sectors, pointing to growing demand for faster, more reliable alternatives to legacy research models.
Under the hood, the platform blends behavioural data with AI and large language model-led analysis to deliver real-time sentiment tracking, scalable qualitative insights, faster quantitative studies and always-on brand intelligence. In practical terms, that means compressing research timelines from weeks to days without sacrificing depth.
The ambition extends beyond FMCG. Pulseai Research is positioning itself as a cross-category intelligence layer, spanning auto, education, gadgets and emerging consumer segments anywhere behaviour-rich data can sharpen decision-making.
For Smytten, the leadership hire is less about optics and more about direction. With Varma at the helm, the company is leaning into a simple but powerful premise: in the age of AI, insight isn’t just about asking better questions, it’s about watching more closely.
