MAM
Allen jumps the gun as prep takes centre stage before JEE results
Multi-state newspaper blitz backs mindset over marks, ahead of peak results noise.
MUMBAI: While most test-prep brands wait for ranks to roll in before rolling out ads, Allen Online has decided to play a different game and play it early. Days before the JEE Advanced results are even declared, the edtech player has gone to print with a bold, multi-state newspaper campaign that flips the usual results-season script.
Running across Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra, the campaign spans six leading publications and lands ahead of the most crowded advertising window in the education calendar. Instead of celebrating toppers after the fact, Allen Online places the spotlight squarely on preparation, student mindset and confidence while making a striking forward-looking claim of 175 plus IIT-qualified students even before the results are out.
Traditionally, the test-prep category comes alive only after competitive exam results are announced, with rank-led hoardings and congratulatory ads dominating newspapers and digital feeds. Allen Online’s move challenges that rhythm, signalling a shift from reactive storytelling to proactive narrative-building.
By entering the conversation early, the brand appears to be betting on recall before clutter. Results season is notoriously noisy, with multiple coaching institutes vying for the same slice of attention in a narrow time frame. A campaign timed before the announcement may help brands shape perception when audiences are not yet overwhelmed by celebratory claims and percentile wars.
“In highly competitive categories, timing can be as important as messaging. We saw an opportunity to engage audiences at a different moment in the results cycle and explore a narrative that advances outcome-led communication to a much earlier point in the results cycle,” an Allen Online spokesperson said.
The approach also subtly reframes success from a single-day outcome to a longer journey rooted in discipline and preparation. Whether this pre-results gamble pays off will be known soon enough, but for now, Allen Online has ensured it enters results season not with a whisper after the noise, but with a confident headline before it.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
