Brands
Xiaomi’s Diwali campaign ‘Deals, Drama & Diwali’ lights up the festive frenzy
MUMBAI: When deals sparkle, so does drama. Xiaomi India has ushered in Diwali with a campaign that captures the chaos, colour, and joy of the season like never before. Titled “Deals, Drama & Diwali,” the festive initiative, created in collaboration with Wit & Chai, transforms the frenzy of big offers into a cinematic celebration of humour, emotion, and high-energy storytelling.
Launching as part of Xiaomi’s Diwali big sale, the campaign brings to life the rollercoaster of emotions that sweep across households when irresistible deals hit the market. Rather than blending into the festive clutter of predictable offers, Xiaomi chose bold, kinetic storytelling rooted in everyday relatability, showing how a small, logical action can snowball into hilariously over-the-top mayhem, perfectly capturing the highs and lows of Diwali shopping.
Wit & Chai chief creative head Saurabh Sankpal explained, “Festive offers can often feel repetitive, but Diwali itself is a festival of contrasts: chaos and calm, humour and heart, frenzy and family. Our films celebrate that duality, the mayhem of big deals and the magic of big emotions, creating narratives that entertain while driving engagement.”
Xiaomi India associate director of brand marketing Ritij Khurana added, “Diwali is a time when chaos and joy coexist. Our films mirror that with witty, relatable, and heartwarming stories. They’re not just about announcing deals, they’re about homecoming, connection, and togetherness.”
Featuring two blockbuster films, the campaign revels in the unpredictable energy of the festive season, with every frame designed to make audiences laugh, relate, and hit that ‘buy’ button. In a landscape oversaturated with sameness, Xiaomi’s campaign cuts through the clutter by embracing chaos instead of avoiding it. Disruptive, memorable, and unapologetically festive, it captures the true spirit of Diwali: bold, big, and deeply human.
The campaign was executed for Xiaomi India by the brand team comprising Ritij Khurana, Chirag Vegad, and Antima Mishra, in collaboration with the creative agency Wit & Chai, led by chief creative head and writer Saurabh Sankpal. The production was handled by tmrw factory, with direction by Nachiket Pendse and producers Anish Joag and Prithviraj Mali. Cinematography was overseen by DOP Niteesh Jangeed, while Ranjit Gugle served as executive producer. The assistant directors were Gourav Shelke and Rashmi Navalkar, with music composed by Ankush Boradkar and lyrics by Saurabh Sankpal.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
