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Monday, October 13, 2025

Brandma

Phantom comics to political exposés: How Illustrated Weekly became a must-read

Under editors like Khushwant Singh, M.V. Kamath and Pritish Nandy, the magazine captured the imagination of urban erudite readers.

Bollywood star on ads, Disneyland tickets, space-age branding & yet Thril cola fizzled out

Caught between two worlds, McDowell’s Thril cola made an impact in India, but briefly.

ECE bulb hi laana: How a boring brand name got etched in Indian memory

The TV ad of ECE bulbs featured actor Kanwarjit Paintal and the jingle hit an amazing chord with viewers.

Lambretta: The Italian two-wheeler that became a ‘dad scooter’ for the big Indian family

The much-loved Lambretta is scheduled for a comeback in India with its retro-cool look.

Photography for all: The Hot Shot camera changed the way Indians clicked

The ease of photography with mini Hot Shot cameras meant more candid and fun family albums.

Big Fun: The bubble gum whose claim to fame was its freebie cricket cards

Big Fun’s promotional strategy of giving sports cards with each bubble gum became an instant hit in the 1980s.

Devil’s in the detail: How Onida TV became a household name in the ’80s

Onida’s new TV came when the market was flooded by Sony, BPL and Videocon sets, but it brought home what none of the others could – neighbour’s envy.

India’s first ‘big’ bathing soap failed because it was OK

The ads for Tata's OK soap were hugely popular, but its name and branding let it down.

Before foreign cars came to India, there was foreign-looking Contessa that defined class

The first big, long car in the Indian market also seemingly created a class divide between those with Ambassadors and those who drove Contessa.

Indian Airlines defined flying for three generations post-Independence

Despite chronic delays and unexciting food, Indian Airlines was a brand Indians were close to.

On Camera

No Mamata Banerjee, women’s safety isn’t a curfew issue

For Indian women, the smallest unit of control becomes the family; the largest, the State. Both speak the same language.

Niti Aayog recommends fully decriminalising 12 offences under new I-T Act to ‘foster more trust’

Recommendations appear in Niti Aayog’s Tax Policy Working Paper Series–II. It says there is a need to shift away from fear-based enforcement to trust-based governance.

India, UK sign £350 mn deal for Martlet. What are these Lightweight Multirole Missiles

In service with the British military since 2019, it is also known as the Martlet missile. Ukrainians have also deployed these missiles against Russian troops.

CJI, IPS, IAS & Homebound: A wake-up call 75 years in the making

Education, reservations, govt jobs are meant to bring equality and dignity. That we are a long way from that is evident in the shoe thrown at the CJI and the suicide of Haryana IPS officer. The film Homebound has a lesson too.