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The 451 Group acquires advisory firm Yankee Group
MUMBAI: The 451 Group, the corporate parent of 451 Research and Uptime Institute, has acquired Yankee Group, the research, data and advisory firm, from Alta Communications, a Boston-based private equity firm.
Post-acquisition, Yankee Group will operate as an independent division of The 451 Group. As such, Yankee Group will join the other divisions of The 451 Group – 451 Research and Uptime Institute – to provide thought leadership, advisory, data and certification services on the evolution of Digital Infrastructure.
Commenting on the acquisition, The 451 Group‘s Chairman and CEO Martin V McCarthy said, “We are delighted to welcome the Yankee Group team to join me and the 200+ current professionals here at The 451 Group. For over four decades, the insights of Yankee Group have served the telecommunications industry and, more recently, the emergent mobility marketplace. Mobility is a huge driver of innovation in business and technology markets globally.
“Its impact in the evolving enterprise and broader consumer IT marketplaces will fundamentally shape the future expansion and strategy of Digital Infrastructure. With Yankee Group, we see an exciting opportunity to significantly extend The 451 Group‘s focus on the evolution of Digital Infrastructure. Yankee Group supports our operating philosophy of long-term, sustainable, profitable, global growth.”
Since 2010, Yankee Group has been led by CEO Terry Waters. Post-acquisition, Waters will continue as CEO of Yankee Group, reporting directly to McCarthy, who will also serve as Yankee Group Chairman.
Commenting on the acquisition, Waters said, “Our joining The 451 Group is an important milestone in the evolution of Yankee Group. Yankee Group is uniquely positioned to lead the industry in navigating the dynamics of the new mobile economy. The support and resources of The 451 Group as a strategic owner will enable Yankee Group to deepen our focus on key themes driving the mobile ecosystem – including mobile money, mobile and connected devices, mobile applications and cloud, mobile broadband and mobile leadership – and to dramatically expand our new Mobile Advisory and Planning Services (MAPS) platform. We are very excited to be joining The 451 Group family, and look forward to continuing to provide actionable research and trusted advice to our clients around the world.”
Founded in 1970 by Howard Anderson, Yankee Group emerged as the first independent information technology market research and advisory firm focused on the communications industry.
In October 2012, Yankee Group launched its new Mobile Advisory and Planning Services (MAPS) product family. MAPS is a revolutionary research and advisory offering that combines the company‘s leading market research with exclusive daily insights and weekly thematic perspectives on the hot issues driving the mobile ecosystem.
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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.
