iWorld
YouTube FanFest returns to India with global & local stars
MUMBAI: YouTube and Branded Limited with Pepsi, in association with HP have brought back the YouTube FanFest to Mumbai, which is an exclusive live show bringing together established and emerging YouTube stars from India and around the world with fans.
YouTube FanFest, which debuted in India last February, provides fans with the unique opportunity to meet their favorite internet heroes in person.
This year, YouTube FanFest is set to take center stage on 20 March at the NSCI Indoor Stadium in Mumbai. Over 6,000 fans will get face-to-face with some of YouTube’s biggest stars, local internet sensations and up-and-coming talent performing live on stage.
This year’s show features a dynamic mix of music, comedy, dance, fashion and even cooking, all together on one stage. The line-up for the YouTube FanFest Mumbai encore features 24 widely popular YouTubers, including Superwoman, Bethany Mota, Jus Reign, TVF ONE, Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath and East India Comedy.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen popular Indian creators emerge on YouTube and excite people around the world. We’re bringing YouTube FanFest back to Mumbai for a second showing to celebrate this new generation of YouTube stars with some of YouTube’s most passionate fans in Asia,” said YouTube Asia-Pacific director of content and operations Gautam Anand.
“This FanFest in Mumbai is going to be the largest FanFest ever. More stars, more fun and more screaming fans in one of YouTube’s largest Asian markets,” said YouTube FanFest producers and branded CEO Jasper Donat.
According to PepsiCo India VP – marketing Vipul Prakash youngsters today are creatively inspired, not scared of new experiences and eager to live life in the now. He further stated that consumers and brands across the world are stepping it up to make great things happen through collaborative innovation and a sense of disruption that’s soon becoming a norm.
“For us, the YouTube FanFest exemplifies all of this and stands for original creativity and the young consumer taking control. These values perfectly embody the Pepsi consumer. We are extremely excited to partner with the YouTube FanFest this year, and in true Live It Abhi style, we look forward to cheering the creative, inventive and spirited young consumer,” added Prakash.
HP India head of marketing, printing and personal systems Lloyd Mathias believed that India has one of the youngest populations in the world and through the FanFest, HP is able to connect with the new generation who are bending the rules as they go creating and enjoying content.
“Keeping millennia’s’ needs in mind, HP has a range of stylish, yet productive notebooks, tablets and hybrid devices that will enable them to bring their creativity to life and go that extra mile,” Mathias said.
To make this day more memorable, fans will have chance to get up close and personal with the stars through promotions run by the YouTubers themselves. Jus Reign, Kurt Hugo Schneider, and Sam Tsui will join several other global and local music sensations for the performances in Mumbai.
“I’m pumped to finally be coming out to Mumbai to see many good looking faces that are way more good looking than mine, see you all on the 20th. ALL OF YOU…” said Reign.
“We are really looking forward to this Fanfest. We’ve never been to India and we are totally excited to be coming to Mumbai to meet fans and to collaborate with other artists,” said Schneider and Tsui.
“Biswa and I are extremely excited to host the second-ever FanFest in Mumbai, to see fans who like our work, and to meet other creators from around the world who we are fans of! We’re counting down the days!” said Kanan Gill.
e-commerce
ITC Sunfeast, Zepto host mango-themed experiential ‘Paglu Party’
Event blends Alphonso desserts, DIY sessions and interactive formats
MUMBAI: When mango season peaks, some savour it others go full ‘paglu’. ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations, in collaboration with Zepto, turned summer indulgence into an immersive brand experience with its ‘Mango Paglu Party’, a high-energy, mango-themed event designed to blur the line between dessert and discovery. Built around the brand’s ‘Mad Over Mangoes’ universe, the space leaned into a sensory overload bright, playful and unapologetically mango-drenched. From curated installations to social-first corners, every element was designed to be as shareable as it was experiential.
At the centre of the celebration was the fruit itself, elevated into a menu crafted using fresh, carbide-free Alphonso mangoes sourced by Zepto. The spread ranged from a flaky Mango Pista Kouign Aman to Mango Coconut Serradura Pudding and a Mango Mascarpone Cake, balancing indulgence with seasonal freshness.
But this was not a passive tasting affair. Guests were drawn into the experience through interactive formats, including a DIY dessert session led by the brand’s chef, where attendees created classics like Mango Tres Leches. Zepto chief business officer Chandan Mehndiratta also joined the session, adding a touch of brand personality to the proceedings.
A quirky highlight came in the form of the ‘Aam Paglu Prescription’, a playful, doctor-themed concept that positioned mango indulgence as the only “treatment” worth taking, turning a simple insight into a memorable activation.
The event built up to a theatrical finale, with the crowning of the ‘Aam Paglu of the Day’ followed by the cutting of an oversized mango-shaped Mango Mascarpone Cake, closing the experience on a high note.
More than just a seasonal showcase, the Mango Paglu Party reflects a broader shift in brand storytelling, where products are no longer just consumed, but experienced. For ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations and Zepto, mango season was not just about flavour, it was about creating a moment that audiences could step into, engage with and, quite literally, devour.
