Brands
Ad Man for All Seasons Enters the Hall of Fame at AdAsia Beijing
MUMBAI: In a world where ad campaigns come and go with the seasons, one man has managed to make his impact timeless. Srinivasan Swamy, chairman of R K Swamy ltd., was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) at the grand AdAsia Beijing, joining an elite circle of legends who’ve defined the region’s advertising landscape.
The honour AFAA’s highest recognition was presented by Raymond So, immediate past president of AFAA, in the presence of delegates from 32 countries, each applauding a career that has shaped not just Indian advertising, but global marcom thinking.
For over 40 years, Swamy has been more than an adman, he’s been an architect of industry institutions. The citation, read before a full house, traced a remarkable career spent leading and building one of India’s largest integrated marketing groups, the R K Swamy Hansa group, which he has helmed for over 25 years.
But his legacy stretches far beyond boardrooms. Swamy has steered nearly every major advertising and marketing body worth its acronym AFAA, IAA, CAAAA, AAAI, ASCI, ABC, AIMA, and more with distinction, diplomacy and a deep sense of purpose.
He’s been President of the India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) for an unprecedented four years, President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for a record three consecutive terms (and now, re-elected again in 2025), Chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), and even President of the All India Management Association (AIMA).
And that’s not counting his presidencies at the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Madras Management Association, and the Advertising Club Madras, where he remains a beloved mentor and fixture.
Swamy’s fingerprints are on some of the most defining industry moments from the birth of GoaFest, the country’s biggest celebration of creativity, to the IAA World Congress 2019, the IAA Silver Jubilee Summit in Kochi, multiple editions of the CII International Brand Summit, and the AIMA World Marketing Congress.
Each of these events, powered by Swamy’s vision, cemented India’s stature on the global advertising map. His leadership style, a mix of quiet conviction and unflagging optimism has turned committees into communities and conferences into milestones.
Swamy’s shelf of awards could fill a museum and each comes with a story of grit, growth and generosity.
He’s the only Indian to have received the Award of Appreciation from the Japan Advertising Association, the IAA Global Compass Award, and the AdStar Korea Lifetime Honour Award rare distinctions that underscore his global influence.
Add to that the AFAA Special Merit Award, the IAA Inspire Champion Award, the IAA North Star Medal, Honorary Life Fellowship from AIMA, Lifetime Achievement Awards from AAAI, Rotary Club of Guindy, and Indira Institutions, and it’s clear the industry has been applauding his impact for years.
Even his alma mater, Alagappa College of Technology, honoured him with a Distinguished Alumni Award during its Platinum Jubilee celebrations, a homecoming moment that completed the circle.
But what sets Swamy apart isn’t just the positions he’s held, it’s the purpose behind them. His contributions extend to education, healthcare, culture, and community development, where he has quietly but consistently supported institutions and causes that build social capital alongside business growth.
Colleagues often describe him as “approachable yet awe-inspiring,” a man whose friendly demeanour, wise counsel, and willingness to help have earned him as much affection as admiration. In an industry known for its egos, Swamy’s humility stands out like a perfectly written headline simple, powerful, and memorable.
As AFAA conferred its Hall of Fame honour, the applause in Beijing carried a sense of inevitability. Here was a man who didn’t just witness the evolution of Indian advertising he helped write its script, one association, one reform, one landmark event at a time.
Swamy’s story mirrors the evolution of India’s creative economy itself: rooted in Madras, reaching the world, powered by persistence and propelled by purpose.
In an industry built on ideas that sell, his greatest idea has been service to the profession, to people, and to progress.
So, what do you call an adman who’s outlived every campaign, outperformed every title, and outshone every accolade? In the language of advertising, a timeless brand. And as Srinivasan Swamy takes his rightful place in the AFAA Hall of Fame, one thing’s clear: legends don’t retire, they just find better placement.
Brands
Yes Madam taps Rajpal Yadav’s Chota Don nostalgia to power new digital campaign
Home salon platform ropes in Tanya Mittal as it bets on humour and pop culture to showcase trust and convenience
NOIDA: India’s fast-growing home salon platform Yes Madam is leaning on nostalgia and a dose of comic chaos to pitch its services. The brand has launched a new digital campaign starring Rajpal Yadav and influencer Tanya Mittal, reviving Yadav’s much-loved Chota Don character to underline the reliability of at-home beauty services.
The campaign marks Yes Madam’s first collaboration with Rajpal Yadav and revisits the quirky Chota Don persona made famous in the 2007 film Partner. Produced with Footloose Films, the film blends slapstick humour with a nostalgic callback to spotlight the platform’s promise of dependable, quality services delivered at home.
The storyline plays out like a miniature action comedy. Tanya Mittal finds herself surrounded by goons and calls for help, only for Rajpal Yadav to appear in full Chota Don mode, dispatching the attackers in his trademark comic style as Mittal cheers him on. The drama then flips abruptly to a calmer scene, with Mittal relaxing at home while enjoying a Yes Madam service and insisting the heroic episode really happened, even as posters of Chota Don decorate her house. The film ends with Yadav’s voiceover declaring that the incident may or may not have happened, but the trust and quality of Yes Madam’s services certainly have.
The collaboration also follows a broader show of support for Rajpal Yadav within the industry. In the growing wave of backing for the veteran actor, Mayank Arya, co-founder and chief executive of Yes Madam, publicly supported actor-producer Sonu Sood’s call for concrete help from the film industry and corporate brands. Arya took to the social media platform X urging companies to move beyond expressions of sympathy and instead offer tangible opportunities to the actor amid his ongoing legal and financial challenges.
He wrote, “Seconded @SonuSood. Even brands should come forward to help the great talent. @Rajpalofficial will also be a part of an ad film @_yesmadam! Have already aligned the team on it. #ComeBackStronger.”
Seconded @SonuSood. Even brands should come forward to help the the great talent.@Rajpalofficial will also be a part of an ad film @_yesmadam !
Have already aligned the team on it.#ComeBackStronger https://t.co/Q7qpJttLTs— Mayank Arya (@iammayankarya) February 11, 2026
Rajpal Yadav recently surrendered at Tihar Jail after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea seeking additional time to repay dues in a long-running cheque-bounce case. The actor had been accused in the case in 2018 after he was unable to repay a loan taken for a film project that failed at the box office. The court later ordered him to surrender after the dues remained unpaid.
The situation triggered a wave of support from several high-profile figures. Sonu Sood emerged as one of the most prominent voices, expressing solidarity and promising Yadav a role in his next film. Sood emphasised that industry support should be about dignity and real job opportunities rather than charity. Celebrities including Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Gurmeet Choudhary and Guru Randhawa have also publicly extended financial and professional support.
Before surrendering, Rajpal Yadav shared an emotional statement in which he spoke about feeling alone and unsupported, a remark that struck a chord with many in the industry. However, his brother later clarified that the actor would never have intended to suggest that he lacked support from colleagues or well-wishers.
Reflecting on the campaign, Mayank Arya said the film was designed to entertain while strengthening the brand’s message. “At Yes Madam, we have always believed in creating campaigns that connect with audiences in an engaging and memorable way. I had earlier spoken about the importance of extending meaningful opportunities to Rajpal Yadav, and we are glad to be the first brand to take that step forward with this collaboration. Through this film, we wanted to create a compelling narrative while also reinforcing the trust and reliability that customers associate with Yes Madam’s services,” Arya said.
Akanksha Vishnoi, co-founder, said the campaign leans on nostalgia to strike a chord with digital audiences. “Consumers today engage deeply with content that blends entertainment with relatability. With this campaign, we wanted to revisit a nostalgic moment while subtly reinforcing the convenience and reliability of at-home services. Rajpal Yadav’s Chota Don is an iconic character that instantly evokes nostalgia and humour, making it the perfect fit for this campaign. Tanya Mittal’s presence added a vibrant energy and helped us bring the vision of the campaign to life,” Vishnoi said.
Founded in 2016, Yes Madam offers salon and spa services at home through trained professionals using hygienic, single-use product formats. The platform now operates in more than 55 cities across India, pitching convenience, transparency and quality to a growing base of urban consumers.
The new campaign, rolling out across social media and video platforms, makes its pitch with a wink. The Chota Don rescue might be fiction, but the promise of a salon at your doorstep, the brand suggests, is the real deal.
