MAM
Zodiak Kids launches international research department
MUMBAI: Zodiak Kids, Zodiak Media‘s children‘s division, has set up an international research department and promoted François Vallerian to VP, marketing research, Zodiak Kids from his previous position as Marathon Media‘s research manager.
The research lab will provide market information to all Zodiak Kids production companies including Marathon Media (Totally Spies, Redakai), Tele Images Productions (The Basketeers, Extreme Football), The Foundation (Waybuloo, Mister Maker), Zodiak Active (The Qpiz), as well as to its international sales and licensing teams.
The surveys, conducted by independent institutes, will assess Zodiak Kids‘ new developments in order to help creative teams adhere to kids‘ expectations, and also assess the sales potential of its current productions in key territories.
The research unit will focus on three different areas: Commission qualitative and quantitative studies with kids in Europe and North America; Track the performance of Zodiak‘s shows worldwide for its sales team; and monitor key market trends worldwide.
It will look into international property launches, audience hits, changes in kids‘ expectations, developing themes, emerging genres, and changes in interactivity as well as taking a broader look at the evolving relationship between kids & families and media & leisure activities.
One of the first surveys commissioned by the new research lab was an online panel conducted in the USA on the animated series The Basketeers, produced by Tele Images Productions for M6, by Harris Interactive and Aloa Consulting.
The panel revealed excellent results among children 6-11: 77 per cent of them liked the show, and 85 per cent of them judged The Basketeers to be “very different from what they know”. They appreciated the mix of action, adventure, basketball and comedy that, according to 65 per cent of them. It appeals to girls just as much as boys. These results are very encouraging for sales of the programme in the US.
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.
