The Indian AdGeek podcast is where the best advertising minds sit down to talk real business of building brands, every fortnight, from Mumbai to Madison Avenue. We celebrate the art and business of advertising - showcasing how storytelling and agency P&L are equally important to resonate with…
Marketing has one job: create memory. Everything else - the channel, the format, the algorithm, is just the delivery mechanism. That's the argument Shubhranshu Singh makes in this episode of The Indian AdGeek. Shubhranshu has built brands across categories most marketers only get to touch once in a career - Hindustan Unilever, Star Sports (where his team created Mauka-Mauka), Royal Enfield, and Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles. He's a Global Board Member at the Effie LIONS Foundation, a Global Fellow at The Marketing Academy London, sits on SEBI's Apex & Executive Committee, and writes some…
Why does Indian advertising keep agreeing that its agency business model is broken and then keep behaving exactly the same way? In Episode 34 of The Indian AdGeek, Vishal Mehra turns the questions on Prasad Sangameshwaran, Editor of ET Brand Equity , for a wide-ranging conversation about the economics, power structures and future of Indian advertising. Prasad discusses why agencies have underpriced themselves, how procurement has changed the agency-client relationship, why the industry failed to make pitch fees stick, what the decline of the traditional AOR model means for brands, and why…
In Episode 33 of The Indian AdGeek , host Vishal Mehra sits down with Mike Follett, CEO of Lumen Research, to untangle the science of human attention in advertising. From late-night client debates in Mumbai over how big a logo should be, to building cutting-edge infrared and webcam eye-tracking technology, Mike reveals why traditional focus groups give us useless data and why humans everywhere are wired to ignore ads. We dive deep into: The Advertere Fallacy: Why forcing people to look at ads in focus groups invalidates market research. Media Realities: Why linear TV and cinema ads…
Gautham Narayanan runs Virtue, VICE Brand Group's creative agency, across Europe. Before that, 13 years at AMV BBDO London on brands like Guinness and BT, doubling profits at BBDO South Africa, and a run as Managing Director at Wieden+Kennedy Delhi. In this episode, Gautham talks about what network agencies still do better than anyone else, why he pushes back on the term "anti agency," and the WhatsApp message from a client that unlocked Guinness's Made of Black campaign. He also unpacks how VICE convinces brand-safety-nervous Fortune 500 clients to work with it, why brands are now competing…
What do you actually say when someone asks what AKQA does? That's the question Episode 31 opens with, and Bianca Dordea, Global Client Lead at AKQA answers it. Before AKQA, Bianca was CEO of DDB Berlin, and before that, EVP Client Service Director at Energy BBDO in Chicago. Her career spans three very different definitions of what an agency is supposed to be: a traditional creative shop, a full-service network office, and now a business that refuses to call itself either. 📺 Why AKQA calls itself a "frontier agency" and rejects the labels of creative agency, consultancy, and design firm 📺…
In our milestone 30th episode (& our very first video podcast), we are joined by one of the true greats of Indian advertising: Santosh Desai (MD & CEO of Future Brands India, author of Mother Pious Lady , and legendary columnist). In this unfiltered chat, Santosh talks about why the traditional agency model is fundamentally broken, how tech acts as a consumption pacifier, & why regional brands are leaving national giants in the dust. Inside the strategy behind VIP Suitcases' "Belong Everywhere" shift & an ahead-of-its-time Stayfree campaign that fought shame decades before it was trendy Why…
Episode 29 of The Indian AdGeek features Tracey Barber, Global Chief Transformation and Growth Officer at Havas Creative Network , in a conversation that moves from war rooms to advertising's version of them. Tracey spent eight years as a Non-Executive Director at the UK Ministry of Defence while building her career at Havas, and she brings that same discipline to the biggest question facing global agency networks today: what needs to be transformed, and what simply needs to be replaced. We get into the mindset shift from winning pitches as Global CMO to re-architecting how an entire network…
Episode 28 . What do you get when one of India's sharpest advertising minds walks through the doors of Sequoia Capital, watches how the world's best money thinks about brands, and then decides neither world is doing it right? You get Spring Marketing Capital. India's only SEBI-registered AIF that doesn't send you a retainer invoice, it takes a seat at your cap table instead. Raja Ganapathy, Founding Partner of Spring Marketing Capital, joins Vishal Mehra on Episode 28 of The Indian AdGeek for one of the most structurally unusual conversations this show has ever hosted. 📺 We open with the…
On Episode 27 of The Indian AdGeek , Vishal Mehra sits down with Laurent Thevenet , Head of Creative Technology APAC, Publicis Groupe . What does creative tech actually look like inside a large agency network? Laurent talks about how AI is being used in day-to-day creative work, where it adds the most value, what still needs to stay “technologically inefficient", and why the real moat is not just tools but culture, structure, and taste. Also, APAC’s most underrated innovation pockets, the rise of India as a creative-tech force, & the technologies that may matter even more than AI in the…
What happens to advertising when AI agents shop for us, Q-commerce becomes a media channel, and a team of five can do the work of twenty? In this episode, Babita Baruah, CEO of VML India, talks about her 30 year journey in WPP, breaks down how BX, CX and commerce come together to build human-centric, connected brands in a Bharat-first, AI-fuelled market. We talk global brand guidelines vs local realities, the future of the big TV spot, talent in an AI world, value-based pricing and why creativity still has to stay stubbornly human. 📺 What happens when one of India's most enduring…
Episode 25 What happens when an agency refuses to call itself an agency? In our silver jubilee episode, Vishal sits down with Advait Gupt, Co-Founder & CEO of Kulfi Collective , the Mumbai-based creative powerhouse behind Supari Studios and brand work for Spotify, Netflix, Crocs, Nothing, LEGO, Red Bull, and CRED . Advait unpacks how Kulfi stayed bootstrapped while peers chased eye-watering valuations, what changes now that Divya Karani has joined as chairperson, and why the company sits in the awkward, beautiful space between branded content, original IP, and immersive experiences. The…
Episode 24 What does a Global Chief Strategy Officer at one of the world's most sophisticated out-of-home companies actually think about the state of media? Quite a lot, and almost none of it is comfortable. In this episode of The Indian AdGeek, Vishal Mehra sits down with Ranganathan Somanathan, Global CSO at billups and former CEO of both Publicis Media and Omnicom Media Group across Southeast Asia. Ranga has spent over two decades running some of the most complex media operations in the APAC region, and he's arrived at some sharp conclusions. They cover the holding company model's quiet…
In Episode 23 of The Indian AdGeek , we sit down with Toby Southgate , Global CEO of We Are Social , to dissect the fundamental evolution of the agency model. Toby has navigated every corner of the advertising world, from the upstream consulting of Brand Union and the global scale of McCann Worldgroup to the creative independence of Forsman & Bodenfors. We dive into: 📺 How to build a timeless brand identity in a world of 24 hour trend cycles and algorithmic fragmentation 📺 The shift from influencers to makers and what it means for agency P&Ls 📺 How to justify strategic investment in…
Episode 22 What happens when you stop trying to fix a broken agency model and just build a new one from scratch? This week on The Indian AdGeek , we are joined by Lucy Jameson , the strategist and founder behind the globally celebrated Uncommon Creative Studio . Lucy pulls back the curtain on how Uncommon became the most awarded creative shop in the UK by leaning into "noisy thinking" and "disproportionate fame." We dive deep into: 📺 The Hard No: The clients Uncommon turned down to protect their creative DNA. 📺 The Purpose Trap: Why every brand needs a business objective, but not…
Episode 21 | Adam Ferrier (Founder, Thinkerbell) “If you want to change behaviour, stop asking people what they want.” In this episode of The Indian AdGeek , we dive deep into the mind of Adam Ferrier , the founder of Thinkerbell (Campaign’s Global Agency of the Year), author of Stop Listening to the Customer and perhaps the only ad man who started his career as a forensic psychologist in a maximum-security prison. Adam joins us to dismantle some of advertising's most prevalent myths. We discuss why hyper-personalisation might be a trap, and why "frictionless" isn't always the goal. We also…
Episode 20 What if the future of advertising isn't a great campaign — but a great system ? Rakesh Hinduja left one of the world's most storied agency networks to build something India had never seen: a platform-first martech network that owns its own IP, runs its own tech, and doesn't just rent reach on Meta or Google — it helps brands own their audience relationships. In this episode of The Indian AdGeek, Rakesh breaks down: 📺 Why "platform-first" is more than a buzzword — and what it looks like on day one of a client brief 📺 The logic behind 7+ acquisitions and global expansion via…
In Episode 19 of The Indian AdGeek , we are joined by the man who is literally rewriting the repair manual for the advertising brain: Orlando Wood , Chief Innovation Officer at System1 and author of the seminal works Lemon and Look Out . Western advertising is in a "crisis of effectiveness"—becoming flat, literal, and devitalised. But is India, with its love for music, dance, and high-context storytelling, the last standing fortress of "showmanship"? We discussed: The Roman Empire to Reels: Why 15th-century art is the secret key to understanding why your IG Reels aren't working. The WWE…
Episode 18: How does a digital-first agency transform into a global integrated brand partner with footprints in London and Dubai? In this episode, Vishal Mehra sits down with Shradha Agarwal, co-founder and Global CEO of Grapes , to deconstruct the blueprint of a modern independent agency. Shradha pulls back the curtain on why she’s betting on a "modular" agency structure—launching specialised units like IMAGINE (AI Studio) and the Vernac Room rather than folding them into the core. We dive deep into the math of profitability, where Shradha reveals her "salaries + seat cost" rule for…
Episode 17: In a world obsessed with 15-second micro-trends and "zero-click" conversions, Anant Sharma (CEO of Matter Of Form) is making a radical case for slowing down. In this episode of The Indian AdGeek , host Vishal Mehra sits down with Anant to deconstruct why the term "luxury" has become a marketing crutch and why "timelessness" is the only metric that matters in 2026. We dive deep into: The Anti-Luxury Stance: Why calling a brand 'luxury' is a sign of creative laziness. Positive Friction: Why making your customers work a little harder can actually increase brand loyalty. The AI…
Episode 16 kicks off The Indian AdGeek in 2026 with a powerhouse guest: Tarun Rai , Co-Chairman of Start Design Group UK and former Group CEO South Asia at Wunderman Thompson (JWT). In this wide-ranging conversation, Tarun shares: His first big break in advertising and the decisions that propelled him from Account Executive to Group CEO. Lessons from seven years in publishing before returning to the agency world. A candid take on whether the ‘Super Agency’ model has truly delivered seamless integration—or just created slower giants in the age of AI. How leaders can sell intangible brand…
In our 15th episode and grand finale for 2025, The Indian AdGeek welcomes the legendary Rishad Tobaccowala . As the Omnicom-IPG merger reshapes the global landscape, Rishad joins us to dismantle the myths of "scale" and reveal what the agency of 2026 must actually look like to survive. From the rise of Agentic AI (which is scaling faster than Moore’s Law) to why the most successful brands will stop seeking "personalization" and start mastering "anticipation," this is a masterclass in business evolution. In this episode, we dive deep into: The Merger Reality: Why the Omnicom-IPG merger might…
Is the advertising industry undergoing a mid-life crisis? We are obsessed with youth culture, viral trends, and Gen Z—yet the data shows that Gen X outspends Gen Z by a staggering 10:1 ratio. The 14th episode of The Indian AdGeek features Brent Rivard , founder of Geezer , a "purpose-built" agency hell-bent on helping clients unlock the 50+ demographic. Brent doesn’t hold back. We discuss the "brain drain" of senior talent in agencies and why a 27-year-old creative—no matter how talented—often lacks the lived experience to connect with a 52-year-old consumer. We also dive into the current…
Episode 13 of The Indian AdGeek , Vishal Mehra sits down with Manisha Kapoor , CEO of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and Vice President on the Executive Committee of ICAS, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of advertising standards in India and beyond. From her early love affair with advertising and formative years at Hindustan Unilever and Johnson & Johnson, to over a decade at ASCI leading India’s self-regulation journey, Manisha reflects on the transformative career moments that shaped her philosophy. As someone who has been both a brand strategist and…
What does it take to build not just great campaigns, but great businesses? In this episode of The Indian AdGeek , I sat down with Ivan Fernandes — leading marketing management consultant — to unpack the urgent shifts reshaping the advertising world. Ivan shares how he first found his way into advertising and how his current roles give him a unique vantage point on agency health. From the industry’s fixation on awards over business impact to the need for agencies to move beyond vendor relationships and truly partner with clients, he argues for a fundamental reset in how agencies create value.…
On Friday, October 25, 2025, the advertising industry woke up to devastating news—Piyush Pandey, the Godfather of Indian Advertising, had passed away. The man who gave Indian advertising its own voice, who believed that “no campaign is worth its salt unless the people on the street love it,” was gone. This episode is dedicated to his memory. The Indian AdGeek episode 11 features Gopa Menon. Longtime digital leader and cofounder of Theblurr, Gopa Menon, walks us through two decades of transformation—from JWT and GroupM to a 12-year run at Isobar and leadership at Mindshare—before explaining…
A wide-ranging conversation with Lulu Raghavan on brand building, pitching, and design-led business transformation across APAC, from San Francisco and London to Mumbai and the Delhi airport that changed her work forever. Lulu unpacks the craft of winning clients, the anatomy of a memorable pitch, and how global thinking meets Indian opportunity. What we cover: 📺 How Lulu's lifelong love for brands began. 📺 A defining career moment that reshaped how she thinks about brands. 📺 Building Landor India from scratch: challenges, trade-offs, and the playbook that worked. 📺 A deep dive on a…
In this episode of The Indian AdGeek, we sit down with Anita Kotwani, Chief Client Officer at Dentsu South Asia, to unpack over two decades of industry evolution. From swapping a law degree for manual media formulas to leading digital-first transformation across Creative, Media, CXM, BX, Retail, and Commerce, Anita shares the pivotal moments that reshaped her career and the broader ad landscape. Join us as we explore: 📺 The career pivot from law to advertising and the dramatic shifts Anita has witnessed 📺 Why traditional reach and frequency metrics are giving way to more nuanced KPIs 📺…
In this eighth episode of The Indian AdGeek, we have Rohan Mehta, co-founder and CEO of FCB Kinnect, to trace his personal and professional trajectory—from that serendipitous first spark with advertising to the leap into entrepreneurship back in 2011 and the origins of the name Kinnect. We chart the agency’s evolution from a bootstrapped startup to India’s largest independent digital powerhouse and unpack the strategic moments that led to the FCB Group India partnership and subsequent acquisition—valued at $36.6 million—revealing why FCB became the perfect collaborator and how global and…
Join us for an in-depth conversation with Kunel Gaur, Founder & Creative Director, and Sayantan Choudhury, Senior Partner & Creative Director at Animal—the independent creative agency that’s redefining Indian advertising with their fearless approach to storytelling and design. From a design studio in 2013 to one of Adweek’s 100 Fastest Growing Agencies worldwide, Animal has carved out a unique space in India’s creative landscape. This episode dives deep into their journey, creative philosophy, and the cultural insights that drive their award-winning work—including the acclaimed Hyatt…
In this episode of The Indian AdGeek, Vishal sits down with industry legend Rohit Ohri. He is the founder of Ohriginal & Former Global Partner at FCB. We unpack a career defined by strategic turnarounds, bold acquisitions, and culture-driven growth. From his early days at JWT to reshaping FCB India into Adweek’s International Agency of the Year, Rohit shares the pivotal moments and leadership philosophies that cemented his status as an icon of Indian advertising. What We Discussed • Rohit’s “aha” moment when he knew advertising was his calling • Mentors, people management, and JWT’s pivot…
About The Indian AdGeek
The Indian AdGeek podcast is where the best advertising minds sit down to talk real business of building brands, every fortnight, from Mumbai to Madison Avenue. We celebrate the art and business of advertising - showcasing how storytelling and agency P&L are equally important to resonate with audiences & clients alike. If you build brands, run an agency, or simply love the business behind the work, pull up a chair. www.TheIndianGeek.com
The Indian AdGeek is a English business podcast from Vishal Mehra. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
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