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The Campaign Breakdown: The ad stars Supriya Pathak and revives a timeless Indian tradition—where a mother uses kajal to apply the classic nazar ka tikka  on her child. But RENÉE throws in a twist: their Midnight Kohl Pencil  refuses to smudge. The result? Comic gold, emotional payoff, and a masterclass in product storytelling. This isn't just any eyeliner ad. RENÉE taps into Bollywood nostalgia marketing , using the emotional pull of 80s-era traditions, retro visuals, and Supriya Pathak's expressive face to create a moment . Marketing Takeaways: Emotional Anchoring:  Using the first paycheck ritual creates immediate relatability and emotional connect. Unexpected Twist:  The smudge-proof joke delivers a memorable punchline while demonstrating product performance. Icon Casting:  Supriya Pathak’s presence bridges generations—young millennials know her from Sarabhai vs Sarabhai , and older audiences remember her from Ram Lakhan  and Bazaar . Bollywood x Beauty Crossover:  RENÉE proves once again that the fusion of desi traditions and modern innovation is where real brand love is built. Conclusion: RENÉE’s Midnight Kohl campaign is a love letter to Indian rituals and a mic-drop moment in beauty advertising. This is what happens when your product has character , not just benef

When Bollywood meets branding, sparks fly — but when a legendary father-son duo shares the screen for the first time  in 25 years? That’s when history is made. Enter: ExxonMobil’s latest Mobil 1 commercial under their Unforgettable Journeys  campaign, featuring none other than Hrithik Roshan and Rakesh Roshan. The Ad: More Than Just Engine Oil On the surface, the ad promotes Mobil 1, a synthetic engine oil known for performance under extreme conditions. But underneath? It’s a narrative masterclass. Celebrating Hrithik’s 25 years in the industry, the campaign seamlessly ties his enduring stardom with Mobil 1’s durability and innovation. The Bollywood-Brand Parallel This isn’t just a celebrity endorsement. It’s a symbolic baton pass. Hrithik’s journey mirrors India’s rise — and Mobil 1 positions itself as a companion on that ride. The campaign hits the emotional gearshift by showing Hrithik and Rakesh Roshan—two icons of different Bollywood eras—sharing a screen, linking cinematic legacy with brand legacy. Why This Works (Marketing Insight) Authentic Alignment:  Hrithik = Performance. Mobil 1 = Performance. It’s not forced. Emotional Engineering:  Playing on nostalgia, father-son dynamics, and cultural memory. High Recall Hook:  First-time screen sharing moment is a headline magnet. Conclusion: In a crowded endorsement landscape, the Mobil 1 ad stands out because it doesn’t just  sell oil — it sells a story. A journey . An engine that doesn’t age, much like Hrithik himself. It’s what brand marketers dream of: relevance, resonance, and...Roshans.

Amazon Fashion just delivered a standout campaign with Many Many Mes —a stylish, psychology-backed celebration of personal identity, fluid style, and Gen Z’s love for multiple aesthetic cores  in a single day. With Ananya Panday front and center, this campaign isn’t just about clothes. It’s about creating a digital mirror for every consumer's internal vibe shift. The Creative Pivot: One Girl, Many Selves Produced by Monks India, the campaign smartly uses the idea that we all play different versions of ourselves in a single day. The morning you is a different beast from the dinner date you—and Ananya embodies this transformation with flair. Whether she’s in chic officewear, a relaxed denim brunch look, or a glam party avatar, the transitions feel organic, relatable, and most importantly— shoppable . From Brand Challenge to Insight-Driven Brilliance Here’s the kicker: internal research showed most consumers didn’t even realise Amazon had the latest fashion trends. So the idea wasn’t just to promote clothes—it was to reposition Amazon as a destination for trendy, affordable fashion . This insight, combined with Ananya’s mainstream yet millennial-friendly appeal, creates the perfect storm for fashion engagement. Mix, Match, and Mirror Me: Two standout aspects of the campaign are: Trend Spotting:  Amazon offers fashion cues for every occasion, helping users stay ahead. Mix & Match:  The spotlight is on building looks, not just buying items. It's content meets commerce  done right. Omni-channel Rollout for Maximum Impact Running across TV, Connected TV, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and outdoor placements, Many Many Mes  positions itself where its core audiences live—digitally and IRL. Conclusion: Amazon has played its cards right— empathy-led marketing meets aesthetic utility . This campaign doesn’t just show clothes, it shows who you can be  in them. And that’s a powerful conversion hook in today’s dopamine-driven, identity-fluid culture.

The IPL 2025 season hasn't just been a cricketing spectacle it’s also been a masterclass in modern advertising. As millions tune in to watch their favorite teams battle it out, brands are locking in prime ad slots and celebrities are still the weapon of choice. But this season, the numbers reveal a shifting pattern in star-driven advertising. Star Stats & Celebrity Dominance: Data from live match broadcasts revealed that celebrity-led ads made up 61%  of all ads during IPL 2025 matching last year’s percentage but with a slight uptick in total volume. And the most visible face this time? Ananya Panday , surpassing even long-time ad kings like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, contributing a 9% share of total ad time. Cricketers as Co-Stars in Ads: On the sports side, MS Dhoni  remained the undisputed leader with a 15.1% share  among athlete-led ads. Young guns like Yashasvi Jaiswal , Mohammed Siraj , Rinku Singh , and Ruturaj Gaikwad  emerged as strong contenders, each holding around 8–10% share. Fewer Faces, More Screen Time: Here’s where it gets interesting—while total ad volumes grew, the number of unique celebrity endorsers actually fell from over 65 last season to just 45 this year. Brands are clearly shifting towards quality over quantity , aiming for deeper audience associations with fewer, but more prominent, personalities. What’s Selling with Celebs? From biscuits  to pan masala , and face wash  to gaming apps , just five categories alone drove over 70% of celeb-led ad time. Some of the biggest spenders in this space included Dream11 , Playgames24x7 , Parle , Vishnu Packaging , and K P Pan Foods . Conclusion: IPL advertising has officially graduated into a world of strategic star power . As Ananya Panday leads a new wave of endorsement queens and Dhoni continues to be cricket’s ultimate brand icon, one thing is clear—brands are moving from scatter-shot celeb casting  to focused brand storytelling . It’s no longer about who appears in the most ads—it’s about who owns the screen .

The Indian music and cinema industries are colliding in the best possible way. Meet Hanumankind a Kerala-based rapper who took the internet by storm with Big Dawgs , shot a video in the well of death, performed at Coachella, and now? He's bringing the heat to Tamil cinema alongside superstar Thalapathy Vijay. But this latest move? Game-changer. Hanumankind has teamed up with music director Anirudh Ravichander for a rap track in Jana Nayagan , Thalapathy Vijay’s final film before his political pivot. Directed by H Vinoth, the film has blockbuster buzz, and Hanumankind’s announcement that he’s "rendered a great rap song for Thalapathy" has fans hyped. This isn’t just a one-off. This is the future. Indian rap is finally being woven into the mainstream narrative of massy Tamil cinema. With someone like Hanumankind at the forefront—backed by Anirudh’s genius—the crossover has credibility, creativity, and cultural relevance. Conclusion: Thalapathy’s farewell film now doubles as a hip-hop milestone. Hanumankind’s rise reflects a larger shift—where language, region, and genre boundaries are melting into a bold, new Indian pop culture landscape. Watch this space. Better yet, listen closely.

In the dynamic world of Indian digital media, where every scroll counts and attention is the new currency, Collective Artists Network  has made a power move. With the launch of its new media division—Collective Media Network , the company isn't just expanding its portfolio—it's shaping the future of pop culture distribution. By bringing together platforms like Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) , Under 25 , Big Bang Social , and Galleri5 , Collective Media Network has created a content ecosystem that seamlessly merges storytelling, youth culture, lifestyle, and education. These aren't just platforms—they're digital micro-communities with cult-like followings. Whether it's relatable narratives from TTT or the Gen Z energy of Under 25, the network is tapping into attention hubs that already command trust. But here’s where it gets even more meta: Collective is now betting on AI-powered creators . Yes, actual synthetic personalities like Kavya Mehra  and Radhika Subramaniam  are now part of the squad, delivering content on modern parenting, youth culture, and beyond. These AI creators aren’t gimmicks—they’re strategic prototypes of what’s coming next in scalable, personality-led content. And with Sudeep Lahiri  stepping in as Head of Channels and Distribution, Collective’s mission to “own eyeballs” isn’t just a metaphor—it’s an operational strategy. Lahiri’s two-decade experience means this isn’t just creative chaos—it’s distribution intelligence. As founder Vijay Subramaniam  put it: “We reflect pop culture when needed, and influence it when it matters most.” That’s not just a tagline—it’s a blueprint. In the attention economy, Collective Media Network isn’t just keeping up—they’re writing the algorithm.

In a classic case of sequel-itis meets strategic rebranding, reports are swirling that Kartik Aaryan  and Varun Dhawan  are in talks to headline Mujhse Shaadi Karogi 2 . While there’s no official confirmation yet, the buzz highlights Bollywood’s ongoing obsession with rebooting millennial hits for a Gen Z audience. The Sequel Strategy: The original Mujhse Shaadi Karogi  (2004), starring Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, was a loud, chaotic romantic comedy drenched in early-2000s machismo and beachy vibes. With time, the brand of humor and masculinity it championed has aged — sometimes poorly. Enter the new-age charmers: Kartik Aaryan, fresh off the success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 , and Varun Dhawan, who balances masala flicks with modern sensitivity. Why This Move Makes Marketing Sense: From a branding lens, this sequel is not just about story continuation — it’s IP reactivation. It’s about turning a legacy property into a Gen-Z-friendly rom-com that can trend on Instagram Reels and meme pages. Think “love triangle with 5G network speed” — glossy, quippy, influencer-cameo ready. Kartik represents today’s “relatable romantic lead” — goofy but sensitive. Varun offers energy and dance chops. Together, they can pull off a sanitized version of the original chaos — but with modern filters. Risky Business? Yet, the question remains: is Gen Z really nostalgic for early-2000s films they never watched in theatres? Bollywood’s reliance on known IPs often ignores shifting audience preferences, where authenticity  and original storytelling  are winning. Conclusion: If Mujhse Shaadi Karogi 2  happens, it will serve as a marketing case study in how legacy Bollywood content is re-skinned for newer platforms. Whether it bombs or breaks the box office, one thing’s certain: this is Bollywood’s way of rebooting romance for the reel generation.

In an industry glittering with glamour, sometimes the most impactful moments are the ones that break the façade like when Babil Khan, son of the late Irrfan Khan, posted an emotionally raw Instagram Story on May 4, 2025. As he deactivated his account amid tears and scathing critiques of Bollywood’s culture of bullying and insincerity, he inadvertently sparked a conversation that marketers and brand strategists can’t ignore. The Power of Authentic Vulnerability Babil’s unfiltered outburst calling out nepotism, name-dropping peers, lamenting “the most fakest industry,” and sharing personal grief on his father’s anniversary was the opposite of a polished PR stunt. It highlighted a growing appetite for authenticity in the digital age. For brands, this means that showing genuine human moments, rather than glossed-over perfection, can forge deeper emotional bonds with audiences. Lessons on Narrative Control and PR Backfire Within hours, news outlets, Reddit threads, and Twitter debates exploded. Fans praised Babil’s courage to speak out, while skeptics accused him of a publicity ploy for his underperforming film Logout . His family’s carefully worded damage-control statement only fueled the fire, illustrating how rigid PR responses can clash with raw audience sentiment. Marketers should note: once an authentic narrative is unleashed, it’s nearly impossible to corral it back into a corporate soundbite. Navigating Industry Cliques and Community Building Babil’s candid naming of peers brought nepotism and bullying allegations to the forefront. In brand communities, exclusionary practices can erode trust just as quickly as in Bollywood. Inclusive engagement inviting user-generated content, spotlighting community voices, and practicing transparent collaboration builds loyalty far better than exclusive “insider” access ever could. Mental Health as Brand Responsibility The conversation around Babil’s mental health journey underscores another key takeaway: audiences demand that brands show empathy and social responsibility. Incorporating mental health support, advocating for well-being, and using platforms to destigmatize vulnerability can transform a brand from selling products to championing people. Conclusion Babil Khan’s tearful critique wasn’t just a celebrity meltdown it was a wake-up call for marketers and brand storytellers. In an era where audiences see through staged perfection, the brands that embrace authenticity, inclusive community-building, and genuine empathy will emerge as the true stars of the digital age.

When you think of Amitabh Bachchan, you picture iconic film roles, powerful dialogue, and a career spanning over five decades. But in a bold pivot that merges Bollywood flair with interactive entertainment, Mr. Bachchan has co-founded Tara Gaming , marrying his storytelling prowess with AAA game development. With the unveiling of The Age of Bhaarat  trailer, Tara Gaming is staking its claim on the global gaming stage—and it’s all about ‘Create in India.’ From Silver Screen to Game Engine India boasts a treasure trove of mythology and epic narratives, yet its representation in big-budget gaming has been minimal. Tara Gaming’s vision is to harness this cultural capital through AAA production capabilities , bridging the gap between folklore and cutting-edge game design. By bringing Amitabh Bachchan on board alongside author-broadcaster Amish Tripathi and industry veteran Nouredine Abboud, the brand signals a convergence of creative storytelling and technical mastery. Why The Age of Bhaarat Matters Cultural Authenticity:  Drawing from Indian epics  and folklore , the game promises a uniquely Indian flavor in a market dominated by Western mythologies. Star-Power Marketing:  Amitabh Bachchan’s involvement isn’t just ceremonial; his narrative instincts will shape world-building, generating hype beyond traditional gaming circles. Global Reach:  With AAA quality on PC and consoles, Tara Gaming aims for worldwide distribution, positioning India as an equal player in the multi-billion-dollar gaming industry. Controversy as Catalyst Some critics argue that leaning on a film legend risks sidelining indigenous developer talent. Yet controversy drives conversation—and anticipation. Tara Gaming’s approach could redefine how brand collaborations work in entertainment. Conclusion The Age of Bhaarat trailer offers a glimpse into sweeping landscapes, mythical beasts, and layered storytelling infused with Indian heritage. With Amitabh Bachchan’s stamp of approval, Tara Gaming’s ‘Create in India’  initiative isn’t just a tagline—it’s a bold claim that Indian narratives deserve a throne in global gaming. Whether you’re a Bollywood buff or a hardcore gamer, this fusion promises one of 2025’s most exciting cultural moments.

Move over emotional violins and cliché cards—AJIO’s latest digital campaign for Mother’s Day hits refresh with humour, influencer culture, and a gentle guilt trip served piping hot. Featuring the ever-brilliant Sheeba Chaddha, Movement of Offended Mothers  is more than just a short film—it’s a smartly-scripted marketing masterstroke. The Setup: The campaign introduces a fictional support group for moms of India’s top influencers and comedians—women who raised these “superstar kids” only to be handed cheap mugs or forgotten on Mother’s Day. With Sheeba playing the deadpan, sassy group leader, the film becomes a relatable, laugh-out-loud PSA on modern gifting fails. The Strategy: Here’s where AJIO flexes marketing genius. Rather than guilt-tripping audiences directly, it uses satire to mirror real-life gifting apathy. The humor opens viewers up, while the solution—AJIO’s curated Mother’s Day Gifting Store —is seamlessly integrated. From pet moms to plant moms, the diversity of gifting options smartly acknowledges how motherhood has evolved. It’s fashion-meets-feels, with a side of influencer satire. Why This Works: Psychological Marketing : Guilt and nostalgia are leveraged with humour, making the message memorable. Audience Targeting : Millennials and Gen Z who are both content consumers and gift givers. Social Currency : Relatable, meme-worthy concept—primed for viral shares. Platform Strategy : The campaign runs across Instagram, YouTube, and fashion platforms—where their audience already lives. Conclusion: AJIO’s Offended Moms  is the kind of culturally aware, self-aware campaign that today’s digital-first brands should take notes from. It’s not just an ad—it’s a reminder that sometimes the best marketing gift is understanding your audience’s mom guilt... and packaging it with fashion.

At the WAVES Summit 2025 in Mumbai, industry insiders gathered for the Roundtable on “OTT & Digital-driven Democratization of Content Creation” to witness the unveiling of PRESS PLAY, India’s OTT Story Goes Global . This comprehensive research report highlights how Maharashtra—under the dynamic leadership of Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar —is architecting the next wave of streaming success. Maharashtra’s Strategic Edge Maharashtra has long been a cultural powerhouse, but its recent policies have turbocharged growth in media, gaming, and digital arts. Ashish Shelar’s office has championed startup incubators, relaxed shooting clearances, and invested in state-of-the-art studios—lowering barriers for creators and proving that heritage and innovation can thrive side by side. Key Highlights from ‘PRESS PLAY’ Policy Reforms:  Streamlined content regulations and incentives for local OTT platforms. Infrastructure Boost:  New film and gaming hubs in Pune and Navi Mumbai. Talent Development:  Collaborations with AAFT and Creativeland Studios for training programs. Voices from the Summit Joining Shelar on stage were global executives—from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to JioHotstar, Zee, and Google—alongside creative visionaries such as David Unger (Artists International Group) and Nicolas Granatino (Novaquark). Their unanimous praise underscored Maharashtra’s blueprint as a model for other states. The Road Ahead As Ashish Shelar puts it, “Our mission is to democratize storytelling—empowering every creator, from indie filmmakers to game developers.” With this ethos, Maharashtra is set to export its OTT expertise worldwide. Conclusion: The WAVES Summit 2025 has firmly established Maharashtra—and Ashish Shelar’s policy leadership—as the driving force behind India’s OTT revolution. As PRESS PLAY  goes global, the state’s blend of tradition and tech is poised to reshape digital entertainment for years to come.

A wave of fresh romance is set to grace Bollywood with Zee Studios and Mini Films’ Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan. Starring the versatile Vikrant Massey and introducing the charming Shanaya Kapoor, this heartwarming love story promises to captivate audiences with its depth, emotion, and irresistible chemistry. Mark your calendars for 11th July 2025, as a new chapter of romance unfolds on the big screen. In her much-anticipated Bollywood debut, Shanaya Kapoor steps into the spotlight opposite the supremely talented Vikrant Massey, known for his effortless performances and relatable charm. Together, they create an on-screen pairing that feels fresh, spirited, and impossible to look away from. Their natural connection and sparkling chemistry breathe life into a story that feels both timeless and new. Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan is more than just a love story. Woven with heartfelt emotions and a soul-stirring musical score by Vishal Mishra, it promises to touch hearts and leave audiences humming its melodies long after the credits roll. Every glance, every moment, every note is designed to make you believe in the magic of first love all over again. Presented by Zee Studios and Mini Films, and produced by Mansi Bagla and Varun Bagla, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan is directed by Santosh Singh and written by Niranjan Iyenger and Mansi Bagla, with music composed by Vishal Mishra. With Vikrant Massey and Shanaya Kapoor leading the way, this musical romance is ready to steal hearts when it releases in cinemas on 11th July 2025.