MAM
Ad Club Bombay’s Cannes scholarship test on 3 May
MUMBAI: The Advertising Club, Bombay and The Times Group, the official representative of Cannes in India, is offering an opportunity to students this summer to earn the prestigious Cannes Lions Academy Diploma.
A statement issued by the Ad Club Bombay states that the contest is open only to Ad Club student members; however, others can also participate by paying a registration fee of Rs 200. Applicants must possess a valid passport and be final year students of an applied commercial art course, BMM, B.Com (vocational advertising) or fine arts degree course.
The written test for the same will be held on 3 May 2003 for all those students who registered by 30 April 2003. This will be followed by the making of a theme based creative ad at a venue to be announced later. Their work will be judged by a panel of top ad professionals. Shortlisted candidates will be required to participate in a group discussion and appear for an interview on Saturday,10 May, 2003. The name of the final winner will be announced on Monday, 12 May 2003.
AD Club secretary MG Parameswaran was quoted as saying: “The Advertising Club Bombay will sponsor the winner who gets an all expenses paid seven day trip to the Cannes Advertising Festival plus the Cannes Lions BA Scholarship involving one week of training under Michael Conrad who was earlier with Leo Burnett Worldwide.”
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
