Inside NBA’s India Strategy With Rajah Chaudhry; Brand Play At Rath Yatra 2025; Shamsuddin Jasani, Aatsi Desai Jasani & Gopa Menon Launch ‘Theblurr’

Greetings of the day!

Dear Reader

Welcome to another edition of 'Scoop', your bi-weekly dose of news from Marketing Mind!

When basketball collides with beats, streetwear, and star power, it sparks more than just a game - it fuels a cultural wave. That’s exactly what played out in Mumbai last month, as the NBA and Budweiser unveiled the high-voltage BUDX NBA House. In a candid conversation with Marketing Mind, Rajah Chaudhry, Head of Strategy at NBA Asia and Country Head for NBA India, unpacked how the league is building deeper emotional connections with fans - from grassroots growth to immersive cultural crossovers - and why the future of basketball in India lies in making it a way of life.

This year’s Rath Yatra wasn’t just a spiritual journey, it was also a brand-powered celebration of service, sustainability, and storytelling. From cooling caps and hydration carts to holographic darshans and AI-powered mythological tales, brands stepped away from traditional advertising and leaned into meaningful engagement. Marketing Mind explored how names like Coca-Cola, Aashirvaad, Sunfeast, Polycab, Pulse, Omnigel, and POGO found creative ways to connect culture with care - one thoughtful act at a time.

From the world of advertising comes a bold new venture built for the age of acceleration. Industry veterans Shamsuddin Jasani, Aatsi Desai Jasani, and Gopa Kumar Menon have launched Theblurr - an AI-native, full-service marketing solutions company with a clear mission: to merge creativity, media, data, and strategy into results that matter. Backed by 60+ years of leadership experience and powered by their proprietary 'HumAIne' process, Theblurr aims to help brands grow sharper, faster, and smarter in an ever-evolving landscape.

To know it all, here’s our ‘Scoop’ of news, hot off the press & curated especially for you! Happy reading :)

• Squid Game Season 3 Sets New Netflix Record By Crossing 60 Mn Views In 3 Days

• Swiggy Launches ‘99 Store’, Bets On Affordability With Free Delivery

• Delhi HC Stays Rs 340 Cr Damages Order Against Amazon In Trademark Dispute 

• CloudTV Partners With Magnite To Launch CTV Ad Platform

• Delhi HC Bars Patanjali From Running Misleading Ads Against Dabur Chyawanprash

• Agoda Ropes In Ayushmann Khurrana For New Campaign Urging India To Travel Stress-Free

• Former MullenLowe Lintas Leader Naveen Gaur Launches Fairway Consulting India

• Wondrlab Appoints Bharatesh Salian As President – Digital 

• Sujeet Behra Elevated To President, Carat & Chief Strategy Officer At Dentsu Media

• Gaurav Kalra Joins JSW Sports As Chief Content & Marketing Officer 

• Vinay Kumar Guwalani Joins Saregama As SVP- Music Monetisation & Marketing

• Nitin Kanodia Elevated To Business Head At Parag Milk Foods’ Avvatar Sports Nutrition

More on People Spotting

• Madison Media Omega Wins Media Mandate For Farmley For Tamil Nadu

• Zuno General Insurance Renews Social Media Mandate With BC Web Wise

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