Shreyas Kulkarni

1 week ago | afaqs.com | Shreyas Kulkarni

Not every day does an advertisement open with women being repeatedly slapped across the face in a parlour. That is SleepyCat for you, a sleep-solutions brand, and its latest commercial, where beauty is equated with pain. The smack of the slap is not jarring but mildly arresting, drawing the viewer in as they wait to understand what is unfolding. Credit goes to professional slap facialist Preewara Thanaratphatsorn, who continues her family’s peculiar legacy of polishing faces with open palms.

1 week ago | afaqs.com | Shreyas Kulkarni

As traditional advertising models falter, Dabas believes it’s time to rethink everything from pricing to persuasion. When Jitender Dabas departed McCann Worldgroup after 14 years, most recently as its chief operating and strategy officer, to become the new chief executive of Cheil X and group chief strategist of Cheil SWA, many speculated whether Omnicom’s acquisition of rival agency network IPG had influenced his decision.

2 weeks ago | afaqs.com | Shreyas Kulkarni

Dheeraj Sinha believes leadership demands honesty and vulnerability. “You don't need to pretend you know everything and have all the answers, or know the future,” says the FCB Group CEO for India and South Asia. He adds that it is best for leaders to speak candidly with their teams and share everything. His remarks come at a critical juncture. The advertising industry, particularly its creative wing, is facing an existential threat.

2 weeks ago | afaqs.com | Shreyas Kulkarni

What do Karan Johar, Justin Bieber, Jackie Shroff, Orry and Bad Bunny have in common beyond their ties to show business? It is what they wear on their feet. All have been seen wearing or endorsing Crocs, the American footwear brand that the world both adores and derides with equal fervour. Their selection is no accident but a calculated decision based on the distinctiveness of their personalities. This lies at the heart of Crocs’ marketing strategy: to champion individuality and self-expression.

2 weeks ago | afaqs.com | Shreyas Kulkarni

India’s premier advertising gathering is changing address. Goafest, the country’s most prominent festival of creativity, will in 2025 swap its long-time lodgings at the Hyatt for Taj Cidade de Goa. “We sought to reimagine the experience, something akin to a festival village, where an entire city bends to the event,” says Mohit Joshi, co-chair of the Goafest 2025 organising committee and chief executive of Havas Media Network India.