MAM
Kotak Life turns retirement on its head with a reinvented life script
MUMBAI: If life gives you a second innings, Kotak Life wants you to swing bigger, bolder and far beyond the boundary. In its latest campaign, the insurer reimagines retirement not as a winding-down point but as a stage set for reinvention, a moment where purpose, passion and long-paused dreams finally take centre stage.
Launched in partnership with Wondrlab, the campaign challenges the long-held idea that retirement is synonymous with slowing down. Instead, it casts it as a powerful new beginning, urging Indians especially those set to retire in the next decade to plan early so they can step into their next chapter with financial freedom and unshakable confidence.
Fronting the film is acclaimed actor Rajkummar Rao, playing an ordinary man at an extraordinary crossroads. It is a familiar mid-forties moment: milestones ticked off, routines crystallised, and yet a quiet ache for something deeper. The film lingers in this pause that sliver of time where restlessness meets possibility, where the life lived so far meets the life that could still be shaped.
Kotak Life, CMO and head of customer value management and health tech Ashish Nair said the campaign reflects the country’s evolving mindset. “Retirement is no longer about slowing down; it’s about moving forward with confidence and renewed purpose. Our film captures that pivotal moment when achievements feel complete, yet a deeper purpose calls. We want to empower Indians to embrace this reinvention with life-insurance benefits, financial security and the courage to live their next chapter to the fullest.”
Wondrlab chief creative officer & managing partner Hemant Shringy said, “Kotak Life is evolving the idea of retirement itself: from retirement to reinvention. It’s not just category-defining but deeply relatable. Those in their forties have spent twenty years building lives and carrying responsibilities and now face another twenty to reimagine. Rajkummar’s nuanced performance makes this narrative feel lived-in and honest.”
The film delivers its message through subtle storytelling rather than sermonising, capturing emotion without excess, a cinematic nudge reminding viewers that reinvention isn’t reserved for the young; it is powered by preparation.
With a multi-platform rollout planned, the campaign aims to reach Indians across digital and traditional touchpoints, sparking a national conversation on planning early, dreaming freely and reinventing boldly.
A full life, Kotak Life suggests, isn’t about counting the years behind you, it’s about preparing for the ones waiting ahead.
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
