Brands
Tribes roars loudest at Dragons of Asia 2025
MUMBAI: Tribes Communication has set the stage ablaze at the Dragons of Asia 2025, emerging as one of the most awarded agencies in the region and clinching the prestigious Red Dragon Network of the Year title.
At the glittering ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, the Indian integrated marketing powerhouse swept multiple categories, picking up Gold Dragons for Havells India (brand trial or sales generation) and Kansai Nerolac (B2B marketing), along with Silver Dragons for Honda Drive Thru and Kansai Nerolac. To top it off, the agency bagged six more Black Dragons, marking a clean sweep across disciplines.
“It’s more than just a win, it’s a celebration of passion and ideas that define Tribes,” said Tribes Communication chairman & managing director Gour Gupta. “Every campaign is a collective effort, and these honours reaffirm our teams’ drive to keep pushing creative boundaries and delivering measurable impact.”
The Dragons of Asia Awards recognise marketing programmes that balance creativity with results, spotlighting the region’s best in brand innovation and performance. Tribes’ consistent wins highlight its prowess in blending experiential, digital, and B2B marketing with sharp strategic insight.
With over 600 awards, 450 plus clients, and 17 offices nationwide, Tribes Communication has cemented its reputation as one of India’s most dynamic integrated agencies, proving that when it comes to roaring success, this Tribe leads the pack.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
