MAM
Tonic Worldwide launches TWIP – a video programming division
MUMBAI: Tonic Worldwide, an independent digital agency has announced the launch of (TWIP) Tonic Worldwide Intuitive Programming, an exclusive data driven video programming division which will enable brands leverage data better for creating snackable video content.
This follows the launch of Gipsi in 2019, the AI and HI driven research division at Tonic. TWIP is a video content practice which will be powered by Gipsi’s data driven dashboards and insights.
With more than thousands of pieces of content being discovered by a user across platforms on a daily basis, brands are struggling to get noticed and engaged. With the launch of TWIP, brands will be able to produce intent based content, which means content that consumers are looking for, rather than the other way around and content that will resonate with the TG.
Tonic Worldwide chief business officer Sudish Balan said, “These are rapidly changing times with video taking up most of the content in digital media. Campaign bursts by brands will have to be supplemented with a more consistent approach to get discovered when consumers are looking for the content and publish these videos almost on a daily and weekly basis. With TWIP, we intend to power brands with a consistent and continuous video led programming approach, which will be less expensive and generate more effective leads.”
MAM
Star Sports under fire for ‘cringe’ India vs South Africa Super 8 promo
Broadcaster accused of arrogance and disrespect as fans slam Super 8 promotion
AHMEDABAD: Star Sports is facing a wave of criticism after its latest promotional campaign for the India–South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 match triggered a fierce social media backlash, quickly dubbed “Cupcakegate”.
The advertisement, released this week, hinges on a cupcake metaphor that many viewers have condemned as patronising and disrespectful. In the clip, an Indian supporter mockingly offers a pink cupcake to a South African fan, a visual jibe widely interpreted as portraying the Proteas as a soft, easily beaten opponent.
The backlash has been swift across platforms such as X and Reddit, with fans and commentators accusing the broadcaster of tone-deaf bravado at a crucial stage of the tournament. The criticism is sharpened by the context: both India and South Africa arrive in the Super 8s unbeaten, undermining any suggestion of a one-sided contest.
Online, the cupcake symbol has been read as carrying multiple barbs. Some users argue it alludes to South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s domestic nickname, while others see it as recycling the long-running “chokers” trope associated with South Africa in ICC tournaments. The casting choice has also drawn scrutiny, with viewers noting the physical disparity between the actors playing the two fans, which critics described as a cheap attempt to belittle the opposition.
Even Indian supporters have joined the pile-on. Many warned that such chest-thumping marketing risks “jinxing” the team, pointing to past tournaments where aggressive campaigns preceded unexpected defeats.
Star Sports is no stranger to rivalry-led advertising, having struck gold with its earlier “Mauka Mauka” series. But analysts say the cupcake campaign misreads a fanbase that has grown less tolerant of overtly mocking narratives and more attuned to sporting parity and respect.
India and South Africa meet on Sunday, 22 February, at the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium. With South Africa securing their Super 8 berth through a commanding win over the UAE, the fixture is widely billed as a heavyweight clash, not the walkover the ad appears to suggest.
