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Friday, April 19, 2024

Brandma

Orkut, the site where Indians made ‘frandships’ before Facebook came along

For Indian social media users, Orkut was something they 'did' before Facebook, but long after the world had dumped it.

Dunlopillo — the coveted foam mattress that superstars Meena Kumari & Ashok Kumar advertised

The mattress was one of the three typical things that Indians always brought back from the Gulf states.

How Polson made butter a commercial product in pre-Independence India

Polson butter had monopolised the business by the 1930s and become a household name in India, much before the Amul revolution.

Mumbai horse racing & Amul girl as jockey – how an ‘utterly butterly’ idea kicked off

From Rahul Gandhi’s hug to cricketer Gautam Gambhir joining politics, Amul girl has chronicled India for over 50 years.

Garden Vareli ads with three Miss Indias made the everyday saree a fashion statement

Top actresses and models – Namrata Shirodkar, Madhu Sapre, Aishwarya Rai and Lisa Ray – were a part of the ads, which gave the saree a new modern twist.

Godrej Vatni was India’s foremost Swadeshi soap, and it didn’t remind you of Partition

Godrej Vatni soap continued to carry the map of undivided India for many years, even after Partition.

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.

On Camera

Stop asking fans to explain why they like Taylor Swift. Belittling Swifties reeks of sexism

She’s perhaps the only artist that one still has to offer a ‘reason’ for liking. No one bats an eye if you like Harry Styles or Beyonce. But god forbid you express your love for Swift publicly.

CBDT signs record 125 Advance Pricing Agreements, 31% more than last year

The 125 APAs include 86 Unilateral APAs (UAPAs) and 39 Bilateral APAs (BAPAs). The total number of APAs since the start of the APA programme has risen to 641, with 506 UAPAs and 135 BAPAs.

Agniveer applicants in Army up nearly 10% compared to last year

This year, the Army has scheduled an online combined examination that will span 174 locations across the country. The examination window is from April 22 to May 7.

44 years on, two things that have changed in Modi’s BJP, and one that hasn’t

As the BJP heads for a likely third successive term in power, it's fascinating to debate how true it looks to the original proposition: a party with a difference.