Gaming
BGMI drops the mic on Ads with a satirical spin
MUMBAI: Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) has taken aim at one of India’s cheekiest advertising tricks, the surrogate ad, and flipped it into a cultural spectacle. Teaming up with creative agency Talented, the brand has launched BGMI Drops, a tongue-in-cheek campaign that turns parody into performance art for the meme generation.
Instead of hiding behind substitutes, BGMI proudly parodies them. The campaign transforms the game’s most iconic elements into fictional FMCG products, BGMI energy drink, BGMI helmet, and BGMI only pans, each with its own delightfully over-the-top commercial.
Directed by Akimbo (Mandakini Menon & Bopanna MG) and produced by Potli Baba Mediahouse, the three short films blend nostalgia, satire, and absurdist humour, paying tribute to India’s golden era of ad jingles and glossy TV spots. The first film alone clocked 4 million organic views in just 24 hours.
The fun doesn’t stop there. Fans can head to trybgmi.com, a parody storefront where they can “shop” for the spoof products, discover hidden easter eggs, and unlock digital experiences, all part of the campaign’s interactive storytelling.
“BGMI has always set the tone for pop culture in India,” said Krafton India associate director – marketing and product Srinjoy Das. “With BGMI Drops, we wanted to speak in the native tongue of our players, referential, meme-driven, and self-aware.”
According to Talented’s Ritika Shriram and Aaliya Sheikh, “Surrogate ads were about hiding intent. We turned that inside out. These films wear their disguise proudly and invite viewers to join the inside joke.”
By remixing nostalgia with internet irony, BGMI Drops turns everyday scrolls into satire. In true 2025 style, it’s not just an ad campaign, it’s a wink, a nudge, and a meme waiting to happen.
Gaming
IICT signs three MoUs to boost AVGC-XR and esports
Partnerships with Zenfluencers, Yologram and Eruditio at Chennai Gaming Show 2026 strengthen education, XR innovation and nationwide talent outreach.
MUMBAI: IICT has just levelled up the game in a big way. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies signed three strategic Memorandums of Understanding on 17 April 2026 at the CII Summit FX – India Gaming Show in Chennai, forging alliances with The Zenfluencers, Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. and Eruditio Consultants to accelerate India’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
The tie-ups combine IICT’s strengths in education, skilling and research with specialist expertise across esports, immersive technologies and large-scale outreach.
- With The Zenfluencers, IICT will roll out globally benchmarked esports programmes, including joint certification courses, industry workshops, tournaments and masterclasses, creating clear career pathways across the full esports value chain.
- The partnership with Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. focuses on gaming, immersive storytelling and extended reality (XR), delivering industry-aligned curriculum, faculty mentorship, student showcases and collaborative research in immersive AI and virtual production.
- Collaboration with Eruditio Consultants targets awareness, accessibility and career alignment, with nationwide counsellor training, institutional engagement and structured guidance frameworks to reach students beyond Tier-1 cities.
IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar said, “As the AVGC-XR sector evolves at a rapid pace, strong collaborations between industry and academia are essential. These partnerships will create meaningful impact across education, innovation and outreach.”
Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. founder Aditya Mani added, “AI-driven creator worlds are transforming games into engines of culture, commerce and careers. Together we aim to empower a generation to build immersive futures.”
Eruditio Consultants founder Indrajit Ghosh noted, “This is not just about awareness, it is about building a structured ecosystem that connects aspiration with opportunity.”
The Zenfluencers CEO Atharva Gupta said, “This MoU is a big unlock moment for the esports ecosystem in India. We’re building a structured pipeline for talent across the full stack.”
By bringing together academia, industry leaders and ecosystem players, IICT is creating scalable models that blend cutting-edge skills with real-world relevance. In a sector racing toward the future, these three partnerships ensure India’s next generation of creative technologists won’t just keep up, they’ll set the pace.
