Archives 2026

Every house party follows a familiar pattern: it starts with polite smiles, small talk, and awkward silences before warmth and laughter truly set in. Connections don’t happen instantly, and these intimate gatherings need that perfect ice-breaker to lift the mood and spark real warmth.

McCain Foods India has unveiled its #PartyShuruWithMcCain campaign, addressing this common challenge at house parties: breaking the ice. Created and conceptualised by Schbang, the campaign positions McCain as the perfect ice-breaker through their golden, crispy snacks working in tandem with a catchy jingle that serves as the party anthem to ease awkward tensions and get celebrations started.

With this campaign, McCain strengthens its leadership in the growing in-home celebration and sharing occasions category, reinforcing its role beyond everyday snacking. #PartyShuruWithMcCain is as much a strategic brand move as it is a creative one, expanding the at-home snacking occasion and cementing McCain’s place at the centre of how India actually celebrates at home.

McCain acts as the magnet that brings everyone together. Just like good music transforms the energy of a room, McCain’s restaurant-style snacks, universally loved and instantly shareable, get the conversation flowing, turning hesitation into ease and silence into genuine connection. The McCain jingle becomes the party anthem that, paired with crispy, golden snacks, sparks real warmth and transforms gatherings into lively McCain-wali parties.

At the heart of the campaign is a film that captures this transformation perfectly. It opens on a house party filled with polite small talk and stiff silences. The host, with her sixth sense for bringing ‘maza’ to any gathering, reads the room. Instead of simply asking if everyone’s bored, she breaks into a song sequence with the McCain jingle, a familiar device the audience instantly recognises. The moment McCain snacks are served and the jingle plays, the atmosphere shifts entirely, turning the slow-starting get-together into a lively, warm celebration. It’s a narrative choice that shows the host intuitively understanding what the party needs. This core narrative was amplified through a strategic social media execution across Instagram and Facebook, with content designed to reinforce McCain’s role as the ultimate party catalyst and encourage audiences to make the jingle their own celebration anthem.

Behind the creative execution lies a deep-rooted insight about party dynamics: the #PartyShuruWithMcCain initiative recognises that parties inevitably have that initial lull when people just arrive, combining an infectious musical hook with smart positioning that makes McCain the signal that celebration has officially started. The campaign’s warm, playful approach resonated strongly with young adults and families in top metros who value hosting comfortable yet fun celebrations at home.

Across Instagram and Facebook, the #PartyShuruWithMcCain campaign generated over 12.1 million views and reached 7.9+ million people. The content sparked significant engagement with 4M+ engagements across formats, demonstrating that the campaign’s culturally relevant approach to party ice-breakers genuinely connected with audiences.

Shreyashi Kesari, Head of Marketing at McCain Foods India, says, “#PartyShuruWithMcCain celebrates how Indian families actually celebrate: at home, with people they love, over food that brings everyone together. Our jingle became the party anthem because it captures that crucial moment when a gathering transitions from polite to genuinely fun. Paired with our golden, crispy snacks that deliver restaurant-style taste, we’ve made breaking the ice effortless and turned initial awkwardness into memorable warmth.”

Jitto George, President of Solutions at Schbang, says, “At Schbang, we wanted to tap into a universal truth about house parties. They all have that slow start, that initial lull when people just arrive. We decided to own that moment through McCain’s incredibly catchy jingle, making it the anthem that signals the party has officially begun, paired with their crowd-favourite snacks. Because while every party needs that ice-breaker, only McCain combines the perfect snack with the perfect soundtrack to get celebrations truly started.”

The #PartyShuruWithMcCain campaign establishes McCain Foods India as a snack brand that thinks differently about celebration. One that understands the at-home gathering occasion deeply, and has the creative ambition and strategic clarity to own it.

Hyderabad, Feb 23: A roundtable was organised by Telangana Tourism, bringing together senior representatives from government and industry. The discussion focused on deliberating the institutional role, governance structure, and long-term direction of the proposed Telangana State Medical Tourism Society (TGMTS), while also examining a framework for establishing an integrated Medical Value Tourism (MVT) hub in Hyderabad. The initiative aims to position Telangana as a leading destination for structured and coordinated medical tourism. 

The first session focused on industry expectations from the Telangana State Medical Tourism Society (TGMTS) as the proposed central coordinating body for Medical Value Tourism in Telangana. The discussion examined the envisioned role of TGMTS in stakeholder alignment, facilitation, governance, and long-term sectoral coordination. Participants underscored Hyderabad’s competitive strengths, including strong clinical outcomes, advanced healthcare infrastructure, cost advantages, and a seamless healthcare-hospitality-aviation ecosystem. These assets position the city to capture a larger share of the global medical tourism market. Key deliberations focused on establishing a Telangana Medical Tourism Society to effectively drive policy, global branding, international outreach, ethical self-regulation, and unified industry representation. They emphasised a comprehensive framework featuring transparent grievance redressal, targeted familiarisation programs for global delegates, and a formal licensing system for facilitators to uphold ethical practices, credibility, and consistent patient experiences. 

The second session involved a detailed deliberation on a recommended framework for establishing an integrated MVT Hub in Hyderabad, proposed as one of the five national MVT hubs outlined in the Union Budget. The group deliberated on a green field medical city hub to be created that in a PPP model with hospitals, wellness providers, ayurveda institutes, medical college, research centers, tourism faciliation among others. A detailed recommednation paper would be created for the same. 

India’s medical value travel sector continues to expand under the national Heal in India initiative, with industry estimates placing the market at USD 20.4 billion by 2026 and USD 25–28 billion by 2030, driven by rising global demand, improved visa facilitation, and integrated care delivery.

While Delhi and Chennai have traditionally led the sector, Hyderabad has consistently ranked among India’s top three medical value travel destinations and now seeks to move into a leadership position through the proposed TGMTS. International patient inflows to the city have more than doubled over the past decade, supported by 50+ NABH- and JCI-accredited hospitals, approximately 12,000 hospital beds, strong tertiary-care capabilities, competitive accommodation options, a well-developed tourism ecosystem, and global connectivity through Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, which handles over 31 million passengers annually.

Chairperson of the round table discussion, Ms V. Kranthi, Managing Director, Telangana Tourism Development Corporation, said, “Hyderabad stands institutionally and operationally ready to scale as a globally trusted medical value tourism destination. With our integrated healthcare-hospitality-aviation ecosystem and clinical excellence, we are poised to lead as one of India’s five Regional Medical Value Tourism Hubs under the Union Budget 2026 vision.”

Moderator of the round table discussion, Mr Shaaz Mehmood, industry expert and founder, Medijourn, added, “Hyderabad’s advanced infrastructure, cost competitiveness, and integrated ecosystem make it ideally positioned as one of India’s five Regional Medical Value Tourism Hubs. The proposed Telangana Medical Tourism Society will be at the forefront for policy advocacy, and enable joint international outreach.”

Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai proudly presents official visuals of its newly unveiled 10,000-square-foot ballroom, a landmark venue designed to elevate celebration. Located in Worli’s vibrant cultural and social hub, and designed as a refined spatial experience rather than a conventional banqueting hall, the pillarless ballroom brings together scale, proportion, and thoughtful detailing to create an atmosphere that feels expansive yet intimate. The ballroom, which opened on 29th January, 2026, combines architectural elegance, cutting-edge technology, and the signature personalised service that defines the Four Seasons experience.

 A private arrival porch and dedicated entrance set the tone for exclusivity, leading into a 1,300-square-foot pre-function area ideal for welcome rituals, cocktails, and elegant mingling before guests step into the main hall. At its core lies a 5,700-square-foot uninterrupted volume with soaring ceilings and seamless sightlines, offering exceptional flexibility for weddings, social soirées, milestone celebrations, fashion showcases, automobile launches, and corporate galas alike. Integrated LED panelling across an entire wall, advanced audio-visual systems, and adaptable lighting enable effortless transitions from sunlit ceremonies to immersive evening celebrations.

The design palette of deep blues, nuanced gold accents, and luminous whites creates a contemporary yet timeless setting, while subtle spherical motifs and bespoke finishes lend warmth and architectural rhythm to the space. A live kitchen concept, anchored by a dedicated local maharaj, ensures culinary artistry remains central to every occasion.

“At Four Seasons, we believe celebrations should feel deeply personal and effortlessly grand. This ballroom has been crafted to honour life’s most meaningful milestones where every wedding vow, every toast, and every gathering is elevated by design, service and heartfelt attention”, says Nitesh Gandhi, General Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai.

In line with the hotel’s dedication to conscious luxury, sustainable principles inform the ballroom’s offerings, including locally sourced menus, collaborations with eco-luxe décor partners, and a zero-waste culinary philosophy that underscores indulgence with responsibility.

The official imagery showcases the ballroom’s grandeur, design details, and atmosphere, offering a compelling preview of what awaits within this iconic space. Now open, the ballroom at Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai stands as the city’s most coveted stage, where impeccable service, architectural elegance, and thoughtful personalisation come together to create occasions that are not merely hosted, but exquisitely experienced.

Mumbai, 23 Feb: Following the lifestyle-driven narrative of Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra discovering Switzerland beyond the expected, Switzerland Tourism has launched an integrated multi-city campaign across Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurugram to amplify the story at scale.

Anchored in Neeraj’s immersive journey through Zurich and the alpine heights of Schilthorn, the campaign positions Switzerland as a destination where urban culture, refined lifestyle, and high-adrenaline adventure coexist seamlessly.

As part of the rollout, the campaign leveraged strategic print integrations across leading English dailies in Mumbai and Delhi, spotlighting the core narrative and enhancing editorial visibility. The print presence lent strong credibility to the storytelling, reinforcing Switzerland’s positioning among premium urban audiences.

To further strengthen mass awareness, the campaign was supported by high-impact Out-of-Home (OOH) installations across airports, premium malls, and key lifestyle districts in Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurugram. The 15-day sustained visibility drive ensured strong engagement across high-footfall urban touchpoints, targeting frequent flyers, young professionals, and aspirational travellers.

By combining impactful print storytelling with dominant outdoor visibility, the integrated campaign delivers both credibility and scale. Through this strategic amplification, Switzerland Tourism reinforces Switzerland’s appeal as a multifaceted destination—where culture, creativity, leisure, and alpine adventure come together in one seamless journey.

Every February 22, Saudi Arabia marks Founding Day, a national celebration of the Kingdom’s origins in 1727. More than a remembrance, the day symbolizes a nation rooted in history and driven by ambition. It reflects how Saudi Arabia continues to redefine its identity and share it with the world through a compelling, future-focused narrative.

Media: The Voice of Modern Saudi Arabia

Media has long been a tool of nation-building. Today, it serves as a strategic bridge between Saudi Arabia and the world, showcasing its transformation, cultural richness, and global openness.

Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom has reimagined its media strategy. It now speaks in multiple languages, uses immersive visuals, and reaches audiences across traditional and digital platforms. The goal is clear: to tell Saudi Arabia’s story in its own words and ensure it’s heard globally.

National Storytelling Through Global Platforms

Saudi Arabia now tells its story through experiences. Events like Riyadh Season, Winter at Tantora, and Formula 1 serve as real-time stages where the world watches a dynamic, modern Saudi Arabia unfold.

 It’s not just what is said. It’s how it’s shown. From fashion and art to production quality and digital interaction, the Kingdom’s storytelling is immersive and intentional. The message is powerful: Saudi Arabia is not only changing, it’s leading.

Tourism and Media: A Powerful Alliance

With over 30 million international visitors in 2025 and a goal of 150 million annually, Saudi tourism is booming. But it’s not growing alone. Media is its engine.

Campaigns highlighting the smart tourist journey, digital convenience, and diverse attractions have positioned the Kingdom as a destination where heritage meets innovation. Visitors come not only to witness but to deeply understand the culture, innovation, and transformation.

Destinations That Speak Volumes

From the ancient wonders of AlUla’s Hegra to the high-tech promise of NEOM’s The Line and Trojena, the Kingdom’s destinations are as diverse as its story.

Whether it’s the coastal charm of Jeddah, the cultural revival of Diriyah, or the natural magic of Abha, Tabuk, and Umluj, Saudi Arabia offers experiences that resonate far beyond its borders.

Smart Media Powered by Technology

Media in Saudi Arabia is not just reactive. It’s data-driven and proactive. With tools like AI, audience analytics, and global influencer marketing, storytelling is both strategic and emotional.

Thousands of digital moments, from the Boulevard Riyadh City buzz to hiking Jabal Al-Soudah, have become global impressions that reflect the Kingdom’s vibrancy.

Founding Day as a Global Media Moment

Founding Day has evolved into a worldwide storytelling event. It features documentaries, social media campaigns, cultural parades, and immersive shows.

These celebrations blend history with modernity, helping international audiences connect with the Kingdom’s deep roots and future-forward vision.

Insight from the Media Sector

W7Worldwide Strategic Communications Agency, conveyed its congratulations on Founding Day, noting that it represents the deep historical roots of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and continues to inspire a forward-looking journey of growth and prosperity. The agency emphasized that Saudi media has proven to be a vital partner in national development, playing a key role in shaping the Kingdom’s image and connecting its rich heritage with its ambitious future.

Through an integrated media approach — including press coverage, visual storytelling, creative content, and effective digital engagement — Saudi Arabia is presented as a dynamic and welcoming destination for living, investment, and visitation.

Telling the Story with Purpose and Clarity

Saudi Arabia leads the global dialogue with a confident and authentic voice. The Kingdom actively shapes its own narrative, anchored in deep heritage, fueled by ambition, and supported by a forward-thinking media strategy.

Founding Day embodies this vision. It highlights how a nation celebrates its legacy, defines its identity, and crafts a compelling future for generations to come.

Driver redesign led by Bootlin sees GPIO forwarder library and pinctrl driver merged into Linux 6.18 release. 

(Eindhoven, The Netherlands – Feb 23) AAEON’s UP brand, a leading provider of professional developer boards, is excited to announce that full Linux kernel support for its UP Squared series’ 40-pin I/O header has been officially merged into the Linux 6.18 release.

Following the brand’s 10-year anniversary last May, UP outlined its intention to complete the upstreaming of its DKMS drivers to the Linux mainline kernel. This objective was part of a broader set of initiatives aimed at providing users with a more streamlined route from concept to project deployment.

Upstream support is a goal that AAEON had been working towards for a number of years. However, coordinating the FPGA and Intel® SoCs on UP hardware has made mainline Linux support for the 40-pin header a challenge.

To resolve this issue and assist in pushing the project to completion, AAEON approached Bootlin, a leading embedded Linux and open-source development company. Bootlin’s embedded Linux development expertise was instrumental in resolving the pain points encountered during previous attempts to upstream support for its 40-pin header. By rewriting the pinctrl driver to remove Intel-specific code, adding a GPIO forwarder library, and extending the gpio-aggregator driver to create a reusable library, full upstream support was achieved. As a result, the UP Squared series’ 40-pin header now supports GPIO, I²C, UART, and SPI out-of-the-box on mainline Linux 6.18.

“This achievement is the result of a multi-year effort and close collaboration with Bootlin, and one that will provide a huge benefit to the entire UP community,” said Victor Lai, Managing Director of UP and AAEON Europe. “With upstream integration for our UP Squared series now established, we are already working hard to expand this support across our product family and help even more users transform their ideas into real-world successes.”

Kolkata, West Bengal, 23 Feb: In a significant step toward ensuring inclusive early childhood care, Mobile Creches, with the support of EFS Facilities Services, inaugurated a creche and childcare centre in a ragpickers’ colony in Kolkata, West Bengal. This is the first structured childcare facility of its kind in the community, created to support children of waste picker and informal worker families who often lack access to safe spaces, nutrition, and early learning opportunities.

The centre was formally inaugurated by Mr. Tariq Chauhan, Vice Chairman, EFS Facilities Services, in the presence of local leader and ward councillors, community members, caregivers, and representatives from Mobile Creches and SPAN.

The newly established centre will provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for young children, ensuring access to early childhood care, nutrition, health monitoring, and age-appropriate learning activities. By providing reliable childcare services within the community, the initiative will also enable parents—particularly mothers engaged in waste picking and other informal work—to pursue livelihoods while knowing their children are safe and cared for.

For families in the colony, the creche represents more than just a childcare facility—it is a lifeline. Rabia Bano a waste picker and mother of two, shared, “Earlier, I had to take my child along to work or leave them at home with older siblings. Now, I can work with peace of mind knowing my child is safe, learning, and getting nutritious meals.”

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Tariq Chauhan, Vice Chairman of EFS Facilities Services, reaffirmed EFS’s long-term commitment to inclusive growth and community upliftment. He thanked the Mobile Creches and SPAN teams for their dedication in bringing the initiative to life and expressed his intent to collaborate on future projects that create sustainable impact. “This first-of-its-kind creche in a ragpickers’ colony is a powerful example of what collective commitment can achieve. It has brought together local leaders, ward councillors, caregivers, families and children around a shared purpose. As a People-First organisation, EFS’s responsibility extends beyond the workplace. Through Abhaar, our worker welfare arm, we focus on dignity, care and overall wellbeing. With our presence across more than 200 cities in India and operations globally, we remain mindful of the role we can play in supporting the communities around us. Our commitment to this cause is thoughtful, steady and long-term.”

The creche will offer a safe and child-friendly environment where children receive early learning through play-based activities, along with nutrition support, growth monitoring, and regular health and hygiene practices. The centre will also engage closely with parents and the community to support children’s overall development and well-being.Mobile Creches has been working for over five decades to ensure that young children from underserved communities have access to quality childcare and early learning opportunities. The establishment of this centre in a ragpickers’ colony marks an important step in extending childcare services to some of the most vulnerable urban communities.

Feb 23: As organizations accelerate AI adoption and digital transformation, the real differentiator in 2026 will not be experimentation — but disciplined execution. Addressing this shift, Kellogg Executive Education introduces two high-impact programs designed to equip leaders with the capabilities to drive product growth and enterprise-wide AI strategy: the Post Graduate Certificate in Product Management (KLG PM) and AI Strategies and Applications for Leaders (KLG AIS).

Recent industry reports underscore the urgency. While AI adoption across India is widespread, governance and enterprise-level execution remain inconsistent. With organizations integrating AI tools rapidly, leaders who can bridge product leadership with structured AI strategy will define the next phase of competitive advantage.

1) Build Products That Scale

KLG PM – Post Graduate Certificate in Product Management

Why It Matters Now

India’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, but product success today is defined by measurable outcomes — revenue growth, adoption, and retention — not feature velocity. Modern product leaders are expected to connect customer insight, analytics, experimentation, and financial impact seamlessly.

What Leaders Build

End-to-End Product Ownership
Participants lead the full product lifecycle, from opportunity discovery and MVP development to launch and growth strategy.

Evidence-Based Decision-Making
The program integrates opportunity sizing, pricing strategy, and portfolio management with financial impact.

Designing for Adoption
Through UI/UX frameworks, experimentation, and prototyping, leaders learn to de-risk launches before scaling.

Fluency in Data and AI Tools
Participants leverage analytics and GenAI-enabled workflows, including tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Mixpanel, and Maze, to accelerate discovery and validation.

Executive-Ready Deliverables
The program culminates in stakeholder-ready roadmaps, go-to-market plans, metrics frameworks, and a capstone demonstrating measurable business value.

Who It Is For:
Mid- to senior-level professionals and cross-functional leaders from engineering, UX, marketing, and sales seeking outcome-driven product leadership.

Lead AI at the Enterprise Level

KLG AIS – AI Strategies and Applications for Leaders

Why It Matters Now

AI usage is accelerating across industries, yet few organizations have scaled it into enterprise-wide value creation. The challenge is no longer technological access — it is strategic prioritization, governance, and disciplined deployment.

What Leaders Build

Strategic AI Prioritization
Participants apply Kellogg frameworks such as AI Canvas 2.0, AI Radar 2.0, and AI Capability Maturity Models to assess readiness and value potential.

Operational AI Across the Value Chain
Leaders identify high-impact use cases across customer experience, operations, and support functions.

Responsible and Governed AI Leadership
Ethics, regulatory exposure, workforce impact, and governance are embedded into transformation planning.

Understanding GenAI and Agentic AI
Through faculty-led sessions, leaders gain clarity on AI agents, RAG-style architectures, and enterprise implications.

CEO-Ready Business Case
The capstone requires participants to craft a “Memo to the CEO,” outlining AI readiness, prioritized use cases, ROI logic, and a phased execution roadmap.

Who It Is For:
C-suite leaders, consultants, and functional heads across marketing, sales, and technology who require a strategy-first AI approach. No coding background required.

What This Signals for Leaders in 2026

As AI becomes embedded in everyday operations and organizations demand measurable returns, leadership advantage will come from disciplined execution. Professionals who can build scalable products with market impact — or lead AI transformation with governance, accountability, and clear ROI — will define the next era of growth.

Through KLG PM and KLG AIS, Kellogg Executive Education equips leaders not just to understand change, but to operationalize it — translating strategic intent into measurable outcomes aligned with where the market is heading.