Brands
Tic Tac Seeds partners with Influencers to redefine the post-meal experience
Mumbai: Tic Tac, the confectionery brand of Ferrero India (part of Ferrero Group), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sweet-packaged products is excited to announce its collaboration with prominent influencers on Instagram, as it establishes its unique proposition of being the ultimate “post-meal mouth freshener.” In India, where flavourful cuisine leads the food habits, Tic Tac Seeds offers a delightful blend of modern mint with a touch of traditional flavours, providing the perfect ending to every desi meal.
Recognising the Indian tradition of its diverse and aromatic dishes, Indians have long cherished the practice of enjoying a traditional mouth freshener after a meal. Tic Tac Seeds taps into this cultural preference by delivering a modern twist to the traditional experience. With crushed seeds of Saunf and other desi flavours enclosed within the classic Tic Tac pill, Tic Tac Seeds captivates taste buds with its balanced blend of modern minty freshness and the nostalgic appeal of traditional flavours.
To further enhance its connection with the target audience, Tic Tac is embracing the popular internet trend of infinity zoom videos or picture-in-a-picture format. By leveraging this creative format, Tic Tac Seeds is giving a challenge to popular influencers, to spot the Tic Tac Seeds pack in the video, the aim is to captivate viewers and effectively communicate its proposition of ‘Post Meal Mouth freshener’ to the digitally savvy generation.
The collaboration with renowned food and entertainment vloggers will enable Tic Tac Seeds to reach a wider audience and showcase the product’s unique offering in an engaging and relatable manner. Through an immersive experience, Tic Tac Seeds aims to establish itself as the go-to choice for individuals seeking a refreshing and desi post-meal experience.
“We are excited to collaborate with popular food and entertainment influencers by leveraging a popular internet trend, and establish Tic Tac Seeds, an innovative product format with crushed Seeds inside the Tic Tac pill, making it the ultimate companion for post-meal refreshment. At Tic Tac, consumer has always been at the heart of all our endeavours. & We strive to keep understanding their preferences and curate products that cater to their unique needs”, said Ferrero India pills & gums marketing head Zoher Kapuswala.
Tic Tac Seeds, presenting a perfect fusion of tradition and modernity, is set to revolutionise the way people conclude their meals, adding a touch of Indian tradition to everyday post-meal moments.
Brands
Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
