MAM
Sushant Singh Rajput to be the new face for Bata men’s collection
MUMBAI: European footwear brand Bata has roped in Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput as the brand ambassador to promote its new stylish and casual range of footwear.
This is in line with Bata’s objective to make the brand relevant and aspirational amongst the young and trendy consumers.
The actor from Patna has acted in super-hit films like M. S. Dhoni and Kai Po Che and is considered a youth icon and trendsetter amongst his huge fan base comprising mostly GenNext. Rajput will initially be seen promoting Bata’s New Men’s Casual collection.
Bata India chief executive officer Sandeep Kataria says, “Sushant is a multi-faceted actor who is a favorite amongst today’s youth with his performances and style. He is a perfect fit for the brand due to his charming persona and panache. He brings a freshness to the brand and we are happy to kick off this exciting partnership with him to make Bata more relatable to the youth.”
Bata’s latest new casual collection with mesh, flyknit and lycra materials and light weight soles not only ups your cool quotient but also offers comfort, design and value for men who love the trendy and casual look. These sneakers (low cut and high ankle) are available in navy, beige, brown and olive colours.
“Bata has always been one of my favourite brands and I am super excited to be a catalyst of the brand transformation that Bata is undergoing. I have recently shot for their new ‘Be Surprised’ campaign showcasing the latest men’s casual collections. And believe me it will leave you surprised too,” mentions Sushant Singh Rajput, on his association with Bata.
Bata already has Kriti Sanon as a brand ambassador for its women’s range and Smriti Mandhana as the face of their sports brand – Power. As Bata’s new brand ambassador for men’s footwear, Sushant Singh Rajput will be seen promoting Bata’s popular brands including the newly launched Bata New Men’s Casual collection, already available across all Bata stores.
Bata has held a unique place in the hearts of Indians for more than 85 years. Probably the only footwear brand that offers footwear and accessories for the entire family, Bata has redefined the modern footwear industry in India. It has established a leadership position in the industry and is the most trusted name in branded footwear. It sells about 50 million pairs of footwear every year and serves over 120,000 customers almost every day.
Bata India is the largest footwear retailer in India, offering footwear, accessories and bags across brands like Bata, Hush Puppies, Naturalizer, Power, Marie Claire, Weinbrenner, North Star, Scholl, Bata Comfit and Bubblegummers. It retails in over 1,365 Bata stores, on bata.in and in thousands of multi-brand footwear dealer stores pan-India.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
