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Tonic Worldwide gets Suraj Nambiar to lead South operations
MUMBAI: Digital agency Tonic Worldwide has appointed Suraj Nambiar as its managing partner and media head in India. Nambiar brings with him close to two decades of experience in the digital industry across various platforms – creative, media, social and mobile.
A specialist in building brands, along with high performance teams, Nambiar has played a key role in mentoring select start-ups. He will be leading the agency’s operations in South along with driving the national media division, based out of the Bangalore office.
Prior to Tonic, Nambiar was at Wavemaker, where he was responsible for day to day operations of the digital division and managing key client relationships. He has worked with brands across many industries such as Tata Tea Global Beverages, Myntra, Arvind Brands, Enamor, Toyota, Amazon, Puma, Tanishq, 3M, Titan Industries, Mercedes Benz, DHL, Colgate, Nivea, Accenture, Kingfisher, Samsung, Make My Trip, Yahoo, Sony and Canon.
Commenting on the appointment, Tonic Worldwide founder and CEO Chetan Asher said, “We are delighted to have Suraj on board with us. His vast experience of working across different ecosystems and his agency acumen would bring in better efficiency and increased creativity on the table. He also brings in the right kind of dynamism, an astute business sense and the ability to connect well with clients to drive the next phase of growth for our agency, especially in the southern market.”
Talking about his new assignment, Nambiar said, “It’s exciting to work with such a dynamic team across creative, technology and media, layered with strong consumer data and insights. I look forward to being a part of this wonderful people-centric leadership team. Keeping in mind the ever-changing digital ecosystem I believe Tonic Worldwide is poised to deliver in a manner that more than exceeds our client’s expectations, lifting them towards the next level of excellence.”
MAM
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.
