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Tuesday, December 23, 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

Goa’s new favourite bar isn’t chasing tourists. It’s fiercely local

A little over a year into operation, after opening in early 2024, Grumps has become one of Goa’s most coveted dining destinations.

To meet fund crunch, Karnataka to auction plots in Bengaluru, raise Rs 4,000 crore

Siddaramaiah govt’s five schemes strain finances as GST changes hit revenues; debt to jump nearly Rs 80,000 crore. State also plans to auction liquor licences & extend bar timings.

Turkiye delivers second MILGEM-class corvette Khaibar to Pakistan Navy, two others in making

Contract for construction of four MILGEM-class ships was signed in 2018. PNS Bedir is to be delivered by June 2026, while PNS Tariq is due for delivery in first quarter of 2027.

Dhurandhar shows hard cinema is soft power and Pakistan is unapologetically the target

If Pathaan gave both conservatives and liberals room to hide, Dhurandhar extends no such courtesy. Aditya Dhar ripped open that tent of hypocrisy and turned the knife.