MAM
TEDxGateway partners with communications specialists Genesis Burson-Marsteller for sixth consecutive year
MUMBAI: A melting pot of ideas, imagination and innovation – TEDxGateway is back with its 10th edition on 2nd December 2018 in Mumbai. Bringing to the fore some path-breaking ideas that have the power to change the world, TEDxGateway is one platform that promises to leave you spellbound. Growing in leaps and bounds, this year, TEDxGateway Dec 2018 will witness 20+ powerhouse speakers from all corners of the world as they take centre stage to a crowd of over 5500 attendees at the Dome at NSCI Mumbai.
Carrying forward TED’S legacy and theme of ‘Ideas Worth Spreading’, TEDxGateway Dec 2018 promises an eclectic mix of achievers, thought leaders, visionaries and disruptors from diverse areas of expertise like education, science, technology, art and culture. Additionally, the main event will also be webcasted across 200 campuses in India and multiple cities hosting TEDx’s across the world, targeting over 150,000+ viewers.
To further bolster the TEDx platform and partake in the phenomenal journey together, Genesis Burson-Marsteller is collaborating with TEDxGateway as its official communications partner. This partnership marks Genesis Burson-Marsteller’s sixth year of association with TEDxGateway, consistently playing a pivotal role in sharing the same vision and amplifying it over the years.
On partnering with TEDxGateway 2016, Prema Sagar, Vice Chair, Burson-Marsteller, Asia-Pacific and Principle Founder, Genesis Burson-Marsteller, said: “TED is a universally recognized platform that has carved a niche for itself by creating a community of intellectually stimulated individuals from across the world. As India’s largest platform for ideas, TEDxGateway truly replicates the same in our homeland. Like every year, Genesis Burson-Marsteller is proud to be associated with TEDxGateway in transforming the world one idea at a time.”
Yashraj S. Akashi, Curator of TEDxGateway and Senior Ambassador of TEDx in India said, “We at TEDxGateway are extremely delighted to continue in our strategic partnership with Genesis Burson-Marsteller for the sixth consecutive year. This year, we are set to take it up a notch with a robust communication driven approach. Coupled with expertise and the creativity that Genesis Burson-Marsteller brings to the table, we are certain that this time TEDxGateway Dec 2018 is set to scale newer heights.”
This year’s TEDxGateway will host achievers including Seema Bansal, an education innovator; Haaziq Kazi and Gitanjali Rao, child prodigies; Mihir Shah, an innovator and entrepreneur; Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, Oncologist, Professor & Healthcare Expert; Shri. Raghu Rai, Padmashri Awardee & Acclaimed Photographer; Levon Biss, Photographer; Parag Khanna, Global Strategy Advisor & Geopolitical Futurist; Tom Wujec, technologist and design thinker; Harssh A. Poddar, IPS Officer; Parvati (Paro) Anand, author, storyteller & children's literature advocate; Shabana Basij-Rasikh, educator & humanitarian; Megha Rajagopalan, Investigative Journalist; Rives, host, poet & storyteller; Madhumita Murgia, European Technology Correspondent; Dr Binish Desai, social entrepreneur & innovator; Shantha Barriga, Director of the Disability Division at Human Rights Watch to name a few.
Moreover, the spectacular line-up also includes Storror, Parkour Collective; Maati Baani, World Music Collaborators and Curators; Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Biodiversity Scientist & Former President of Mauritius; Ananda Shankar Jayant, classical dancer & choreographer; Ashwin Ram, Computer Scientist & AI Expert; Tao Issaro, Freelance Musician, Producer, Programmer, multi-instrumentalist and Eldar Blau aka. The Legendary Strawberry Man, Street Artist.
The event will also see grand performances by Storror, Maati Baani & Shankarananda Kalakshetra followed by multiple sponsored initiatives at the venue. Additionally, the main event will be telecast live on the website TEDxGateway.com/live.
Before the big day, this year, TEDxGateway has introduced UnPlugged – the first ever idea camp and open mic which allows you to immerse yourselves in a day full of disruptive ideas. A freestyle attendee driven idea camp, UnPlugged serves as a platform for anyone who has an extraordinary story to tell and for people who thrive on ideas and innovation. Slated to be held on 3rd November 2018, at ISDI Tower, One Indiabulls Center, Lower Parel; the event opens the doors for one and all to get a glimpse of the TEDxGateway experience before the main event!
MAM
Brands push beyond compliance as trust takes centre stage
ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026 spotlights shift from legal checks to credibility.
MUMBAI: In a world where a disclaimer can be legally sound yet socially suspect, brands are learning that compliance may tick boxes but trust wins markets. At the inaugural ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026, a panel on “Beyond Compliance: The New Currency of Trust” unpacked a growing industry reality: the gap between what the law permits and what consumers accept is widening and fast.
Moderated by Meenakshi Ramkumar of National Law School of India University, the discussion brought together leaders across law, marketing and academia to examine how brands must evolve in a digital ecosystem increasingly shaped by scrutiny, scepticism and speed.
Ramkumar set the tone by highlighting a critical shift, advertising today operates in the same digital space that fuels misinformation, scams and fake news, making credibility harder to establish. “The challenge is not just about what brands do, but the broader context of low institutional trust,” she noted, adding that when violations go unchecked, trust erodes not just in brands but in the regulatory system itself.
This vacuum, she said, has given rise to consumer activism from boycotts to social media backlash as a parallel accountability mechanism.
For Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer at Marico, the distinction was clear, legal compliance is non negotiable, but insufficient. “Compliance is the minimum threshold. The real challenge is staying aligned with changing consumer expectations,” he said.
He pointed to how advertising narratives have evolved from traditional depictions of gender roles to more shared responsibilities reflecting a broader societal shift. “Earlier, it was fine to show one person doing the household work. Today, that may not land well. Consumers expect brands to reflect reality,” Bhasin observed.
He also highlighted internal debates where campaigns that may be legally permissible are still rejected for being culturally insensitive, noting that responsible advertising often requires asking uncomfortable questions before the public does.
If compliance is the baseline, reputation is the battlefield.
Bhasin noted that reputational risk has become a far greater concern than legal exposure, particularly in an era where campaigns can be dissected within hours online. “Earlier, a controversial ad might invite a newspaper editorial. Today, within hours, you’re at the centre of a storm,” he said.
Brands, he added, now evaluate campaigns through a dual lens legal viability and reputational vulnerability with the latter often proving more decisive.
From a healthcare perspective, Satish Sahoo of Cipla Health underscored the complexity of operating within fragmented yet stringent regulatory frameworks, spanning drugs, food, cosmetics and Ayush. “Anything under a drug licence is the most tightly regulated,” he said, adding that this necessitates proactive, not reactive, compliance.
He shared an example from the oral rehydration salts (ORS) category, where Cipla resisted the temptation to position products aggressively despite competitive pressure. “Our product is WHO compliant, and our communication reflects that. We chose not to blur the lines, even if others did,” he noted.
The long term payoff, he suggested, lies in credibility built over consistency, not quick wins.
Yet, as Harsha N of National Law School of India University pointed out, even perfect compliance does not guarantee trust. Drawing from historical and modern examples from exaggerated product claims in the 1800s to contemporary environmental and health advertising, he argued that legal frameworks often lag behind consumer expectations. “A brand can be fully compliant and still be perceived as misleading,” he said, citing instances where fine print disclosures fail to reach or convince the average consumer. He added that larger companies carry a disproportionate responsibility to set ethical benchmarks, even in areas where the law remains silent.
The conversation also turned to digital advertising, where the challenge extends beyond content to how ads are experienced. From algorithmic targeting to personalised messaging, brands now operate in an environment where regulation struggles to keep pace with technology.
Sahoo noted that social media has amplified awareness, with influencers and consumers increasingly scrutinising product claims and calling out inconsistencies. “Awareness has gone up dramatically. People are questioning what goes into products and what brands are saying,” he said.
The role of self regulatory bodies such as Advertising Standards Council of India also came under the spotlight.
Harsha acknowledged that while SROs play a crucial role, they are not immune to criticism, particularly around perceived conflicts of interest and enforcement gaps. “SROs have a higher threshold of responsibility not just to interpret the law, but to anticipate societal expectations,” he said.
He added that failures in self regulation often push the burden back onto government intervention, underscoring the need for stronger, more proactive oversight.
One of the more nuanced debates centred on whether building trust comes at a cost. While Sahoo acknowledged that quality and compliance can increase costs, he argued that companies must absorb them as part of their long term strategy.
Bhasin, however, framed the challenge differently not as cost, but as competitiveness in a market where not all players play by the same rules. “The real tension is when others cut corners and you choose not to,” he said.
The panel concluded with a call to embed trust into business metrics.
Sahoo suggested that organisations must go beyond revenue targets to include consumer equity and trust based KPIs, ensuring that ethical considerations are not sidelined in the pursuit of growth. “Trust sounds abstract, but it can translate into measurable consumer equity,” he said.
As the discussion wrapped up, one message stood out: the rules of advertising are being rewritten not just by regulators, but by consumers themselves. In an ecosystem where attention is fleeting and scepticism is high, brands that merely comply may survive, but those that build trust are the ones that endure.
