AD Agencies
Aalap Desai launches ad agency – “TGTHR”
Mumbai: In a bold move to redefine the advertising industry landscape, Aalap Desai – former chief creative officer of Dentsu Creative West and Dentsu Creative Experience India – has announced the launch of TGTHR (Together) – India’s first future-focussed, full-funnel ad agency.
This move comes after Aalap’s departure from Dentsu Creative, driven by a burning question: “If you were to leave today, which agency would you like to join?” Fueled by a vision to combine exceptional work with an unparalleled culture, Aalap Desai introduces TGTHR as a place where happiness meets creativity to produce extraordinary results.
Speaking on the launch, Aalap Desai said, “The advertising industry is often filled with a sea of sameness. The saviours of this industry are the sparks of creativity that we see scattered here and there. It is challenging to find the right people for the job. The one who knows how to create a great TV ad might not know how to increase followers on a social handle. The one who has mastery over social media may have no idea about master branding. What if all these talents could come together to form a cohesive whole? If one great creative person is a force, imagine what could be achieved when they all combine as a force multiplier! This is especially true when you create an environment where they can thrive. That’s the idea behind TGTHR. Bring together expertise, talent, and passion to deliver clients unparalleled quality, connectedness, and effectiveness. All the while ensuring that we love where we work.”
TGTHR is a powerhouse of creativity, encompassing expertise from every domain, including mainline (TVC, print, outdoor), digital, film production, design, content, and media. What makes this agency different from everyone else claiming the same thing? The talent. The agency boasts an impressive collective experience of 110+ years in advertising, 550 plus International and National awards, and a track record of delivering over 12,000 campaigns. Headquartered in Mumbai, TGTHR also has branches in Delhi and Bengaluru.
Aalap Desai – a creative force to be reckoned with, held the role of chief creative officer at Dentsu Creative West and Dentsu Creative Experience India. His journey at Dentsu included being the National Creative Director at Dentsu McGarry Bowen India and co-heading the creative team at Dentsu Webchutney Mumbai. Aalap made waves with standout projects like Code Name: Uri, The 8-bit Journo for Vice, and The World’s Most Reported Trailer for Thappad. Throughout his career, Aalap has significantly contributed to agencies like Disney+ Hotstar, Leo Burnett, JWT, DDB Mudra, Ogilvy, and Ambience Publicis. He played a crucial role in shaping the stories of popular brands like McDonald’s, Complan, Huggies, Nerolac, Videocon d2h, as well as youth-focused ones like Early Salary and MTV India.
Aalap’s creative prowess has garnered over 200 International and National awards, including 10 Cannes Lions and 42 shortlists. Noteworthy recognitions include being labelled India’s “Hottest Young Creatives” by Brand Equity in 2014 and making Impact Magazine’s “Hottest 30 under 30” Media Creatives list in 2015. His recent successes include winning several accolades at Cannes Lions 2023 for Mortein’s Suraksha ka Teeka and Vedantu’s The Everything Book campaigns.
Beyond advertising, Aalap Desai has ventured into scriptwriting for feature films, web series, and TV shows like MTV Sound Trippin’. His discerning eye has also led him to serve on the jury for esteemed awards such as Kyoorious, Cannes Lions, and Spikes Asia. He has also directed ad films and short films that has won awards nationally and internationally.
AD Agencies
AdTrust Summit 2026 to examine trust, AI and Gen Alpha in advertising
Two-day summit in Mumbai to explore ethics, regulation and the future of advertising trust
MUMBAI: At a time when advertising is navigating a delicate trust deficit, the Advertising Standards Council of India is preparing to bring the industry to the table. On 17 and 18 March, the body will host the inaugural AdTrust Summit 2026 in Mumbai, a two-day gathering designed to spark conversation around responsibility, regulation and credibility in modern advertising.
The summit, to be held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex, will bring together leaders from advertising, media, technology and policy to examine how brands can build trust in a marketplace increasingly shaped by algorithms, influencers and artificial intelligence.
In an age of deepfakes, dark patterns and blurred lines between content and commerce, the question is no longer just how brands capture attention, but whether audiences believe what they see. The AdTrust Summit aims to unpack that challenge.
Day one will turn its attention to the youngest digital natives. Titled Decoding Gen Alpha, the session will unveil ‘What the Sigma?’, a study by ASCI and Futurebrands Consulting that explores how children growing up in a hyper-digital environment encounter advertising and commercial messaging.
The report presentation will be delivered by Santosh Desai, founder and director at Think9 Consumer Technologies and a social commentator known for his insights into consumer behaviour. The discussion that follows will attempt to decode how Gen Alpha consumes media, interacts with brands and navigates the growing overlap between entertainment and marketing.
In a move that mirrors the subject itself, two Gen Alpha students will also join the conversation, offering a rare perspective from the generation advertisers are trying to understand.
The second panel of the day will shift the focus from observation to implication, asking what the report’s findings mean for brands, agencies and society. Speakers include Karthik Srinivasan, communications strategy consultant; Preeti Vyas, president at Mythik; and Abigail Dias, associate president planning at Ogilvy. The session will be moderated by Sonali Krishna, editor at ET Brand Equity.
Day two moves from insight to regulation. Under the theme From Compliance to Trust, ASCI will release its Ad Law Compendium, a comprehensive guide to India’s advertising regulations.
The day will open with a keynote by Sudhanshu Vats, chairman at ASCI and managing director at Pidilite Industries, followed by a chief guest address by Sanjay Jaju, secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Legal experts from Khaitan & Co., including Haigreve Khaitan, senior partner, and Tanu Banerjee, partner, will present an overview of the current advertising law landscape in India and examine whether existing frameworks are equipped to deal with emerging technologies and formats.
Subsequent panels will explore issues increasingly shaping the industry’s ethical compass. Conversations will range from the limits of persuasive design and the rise of dark patterns, to the growing scrutiny brands face from digital creators and consumer watchdogs.
One session will also feature Revant Himatsingka, widely known online as the Food Pharmer, whose critiques of packaged food brands have sparked debate around transparency and corporate accountability.
Later discussions will turn toward media literacy among Gen Alpha, asking how children can be equipped to navigate a digital world where gaming, content and commerce are becoming indistinguishable.
The summit will conclude with a final panel on the future of advertising, bringing together voices from agencies, legal circles and technology platforms to discuss how innovation, intelligence and integrity can coexist.
For an industry built on persuasion, trust has always been its quiet currency. But as audiences grow more sceptical and digital ecosystems more complex, that currency is under pressure.
Events like the AdTrust Summit suggest the advertising world knows it cannot afford to take credibility for granted. The real challenge now is turning conversation into commitment.
