AD Agencies
itch: A new agency on a mission to redefine advertising
Mumbai: A new digital agency, itch, has emerged with a clear vision to transform the advertising landscape. Founded by three industry veterans, itch aims to make ads feel less like ads, creating work that sparks curiosity and leaves a lasting impression.
Beyond creativity, itch is built on agility and the philosophy of bringing method to the madness. By refining processes and staying nimble, they ensure that their ideas not only sound great in the boardroom but come to life with real impact. The agency aims to tackle the growing need for more meaningful, innovative campaigns that prioritise substance over noise.
“Our goal with itch is not just to do different things but to do things differently, we’re at a point where people are saturated with overt messaging, so we’re constantly asking ourselves, how can we deliver a message that doesn’t feel like one? It’s about crafting stories that people want to engage with where the creative work doesn’t scream ‘ad.’” said itch co-founder and creative director Naman.
“At itch, it’s as much about the people as it is about the brands. We’re building an ecosystem that fosters bold ideas, nurtures talent, and challenges norms. Agility is key in today’s market, where brands seek more than just surface-level marketing, and hence quick adapting becomes essential,” itch’s co-founder Apoorva, who spearheads growth & talent, explained how the itch community operates.
“Running an agency is a delicate balance between structure and freedom. We wanted to bring a level of process that makes it easier for creativity to thrive, allowing our team to execute bold ideas efficiently and consistently. Our approach is all about making things work smarter, not harder,” on the operational front, co-founder and operations lead Surbhi emphasised.
By blending creativity and collaboration, itch aims to redefine the connection between talent and brands, leaving a lasting impact on the industry. The agency has already secured several key accounts and will announce these wins shortly. With a focus on strategic thinking, creativity, and refined processes, itch positions itself as a distinct player in the advertising world, promising to deliver work that is anything but ordinary.
AD Agencies
Publicis Brazil’s creative chief Mauro Ramalho lands the jury chair at Abby Awards 2026
Mauro Ramalho brings 25 years of global advertising firepower to the new creative commerce, use of data and B2B category at Goafest
GOA: The Abby Awards 2026, powered by The One Club and The One Show, has appointed Mauro Ramalho, chief creative officer of Publicis Brazil, as jury chair for its newly launched creative commerce, use of data and B2B category. The announcement, made on 18 March, signals the awards’ intent to bring serious international muscle to a category that sits squarely at the intersection of creativity and commercial performance.
Ramalho is not a name that needs much introduction in global advertising circles. Over 25 years spanning three countries, he has worked at some of the industry’s most creatively restless addresses. At AKQA in San Francisco, he worked across McDonald’s, Nike, Fox, Target, Kraft Foods and GAP, and helped lead “The Lost Ring” for McDonald’s, one of the first alternate reality campaigns and among the most awarded projects of its era. He later moved to Organic in Toronto, bridging the Detroit and Toronto offices on Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler, before spending over a decade building CUBOCC into one of Brazil’s most iconic and innovative independent agencies, which subsequently joined the IPG network.
A stint at FCB followed, where Ramalho led integrated work bridging online and offline, before he joined R/GA São Paulo as vice-president and executive creative director, stitching together the São Paulo office with New York, London, Portland and California on global clients including Verizon, Google, Meta, Samsung, American Express and Heineken. He now heads Publicis Brazil as its chief creative officer.
His trophy cabinet includes Clios, Effies, TikTok awards and MMA Smarties, and he has served on juries at the Andys, TikTok and the Lisbon Awards.
The Abby Awards 2026 is scheduled to take place at Goafest 2026 on 20, 21 and 22 May in Goa.
For Indian advertising, landing a jury chair of Ramalho’s calibre for a category built around data-driven creativity and commerce is a statement of ambition. Goafest just raised its own bar.
