MAM
Trust issues solved NYK bets on Anushka Sen for real travel finds
MUMBAI: In an internet crowded with five-star fatigue, Nowyouknow is choosing friends over filters. The social-led travel and food discovery platform, better known as NYK, has roped in actor, singer and digital creator Anushka Sen as its brand ambassador and not just the poster face kind.
Founded by siblings Krishna and Pia Shivdasani, NYK is pitching itself as an antidote to algorithm-heavy discovery, where recommendations come not from strangers, but from people you actually trust. Think personal networks, shared taste and a carefully chosen set of creators, rather than anonymous ratings shouting into the void.
The timing is deliberate. As online discovery scales noisily, younger users are circling back to smaller, more credible signals, the café a friend bookmarked, the street food a creator genuinely revisits, the neighbourhood that made it into someone’s private notes. Sen’s content sits squarely in that lane. From cafés in Seoul and European backstreets to Indian street food joints, her recommendations are built on lived experience rather than viral intent.
That alignment runs deeper than a campaign brief. Sen has taken an equity stake in NYK, signalling a longer-term belief in its model. Her own habits maintaining personal lists, saving places and sharing notes within her circle mirror the behaviour NYK is trying to organise into one platform. Her food content, ranging from ramen experiments to casual cooking diaries, further strengthens the credibility play the app is making.
NYK’s founders argue that discovery today is scattered across Whatsapp chats, screenshots, bookmarks and half-remembered Reels. The platform aims to pull that chaos into a single space powered by what it calls a “taste graph” recommendations shaped by your circle and the creators you consciously choose to follow.
In a market as diverse as India, the company is making a pointed argument: a single aggregated score cannot capture personal preference. What matters is context who is recommending, and why you trust them.
With Sen on board, NYK is sharpening its core message. In a world run by algorithms, the most valuable recommendation still comes from someone you know or at least someone whose taste feels familiar.
Brands
Raj Cooling Systems launches Agreyas appliances brand
Emraan Hashmi named brand ambassador for consumer appliance push.
MUMBAI: A company known for cooling solutions is now heating up its ambitions in the home appliances market. Raj Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. has launched a new consumer appliances brand, Agreyas, marking its entry into India’s rapidly expanding home appliances sector valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The move represents a strategic diversification for the company, which has traditionally focused on cooling solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Through Agreyas, the firm plans to tap into growing consumer demand for energy efficient and technology driven household appliances.
To build brand visibility, Agreyas has appointed Emraan Hashmi as its brand ambassador. The campaign has been developed under the banner of Zoommantra Productions, with actor and filmmaker Rohit Roy contributing to the creative direction.
The brand’s initial portfolio will include mid premium air conditioners, washing machines, geysers and other white goods designed to cater to modern Indian households seeking efficient and reliable appliances.
Raj Cooling Systems, founder and chairman Kalpesh Ramoliya said the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion plans.
“The launch of Agreyas is in line with our vision to build a strong presence in India’s consumer electronics and home appliances market. The brand has been developed as a standalone identity to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” he said.
Hashmi said the collaboration comes at a time when Indian buyers are increasingly looking for innovative and functional home solutions.
“I’m looking forward to working with Agreyas at a time when consumers are seeking more innovative and efficient home products. The brand reflects changing consumer behaviour around functionality, innovation and ease of use,” he said.
Raj Cooling Systems plans to invest around 10 million dollars in developing the brand, with an additional 5 million dollars earmarked over the next three to five years for product development and distribution expansion.
Agreyas will follow a multi channel distribution approach, selling through online platforms, retail outlets and dealer networks aimed at both urban and semi urban markets across India.
With the launch, the company is positioning Agreyas as a standalone consumer facing brand while continuing to leverage its existing manufacturing, engineering and research capabilities built through its core cooling solutions business.
