MAM
Zomato announces Rohithari Rajan as new global head Ad Sales Business
MUMBAI: In a recent development, Zomato has appointed Rohithari Rajan as business head, global ad sales. Prior to joining Zomato, Rajan was leading Egon Zehnder digital practice in the Asia Pacific, and consumer, retail and media practice in India.
Earlier Rajan was a principal in the New Delhi office of the international consulting firm Bain and Company, where he advised clients across consumer products, private equity, telecom, and industrial goods in organisational and growth strategy, go-to-market strategy, and new business development.
Zomato Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said, “I worked with Rohit while I was at Bain, and learned a lot from him in my time there. Rohit has played an instrumental role in driving growth at all of the previous organisations he’s been at, and we’re thrilled to leverage his knowledge and experience to strengthen our ad sales business globally.”
Commenting on his new role, Zomato global head, ad sales Rohithari Rajan says, “Zomato is arguably one of the most resilient and innovative companies in its space. I’m delighted to be a part of Zomato and look forward to working with this team towards our mission of delivering better food to more people across the world.”
Rohit is an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and studied economics at Delhi University. He is also the author of IIM-Ganjdundwara, a short novel based in rural India
Rajan has also spent six years at Hindustan Unilever, where he helped set up Shakti, a business initiative that doubled Unilever’s direct reach in rural India. As a rural business specialist, he also worked with the United Nations Development Program in New York, developing a toolkit for pro-poor business models to deliver development goods in low-income regions, and helping the UNDP formulate its strategy for private sector engagement.
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.
