MAM
Ajay Gupte’s Wavemaker tops Warc’s agency effectiveness list
MUMBAI: Wavemaker India is riding high, clinching the top spot in the WARC 100 Most Effective Global Ranking 2025—pulling off a victory with the swagger of a Madison Avenue maverick.
As the advertising industry scrambles under the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) watchful eye over alleged price-fixing allegations, Wavemaker has flipped a potential headwind into a jet stream of success.
Ajay Gupte, chief executive for south Asia, isn’t just celebrating—he’s making a statement. “Creativity powered by insight and innovation.” That’s not just a corporate tagline—it’s a battle cry.
The numbers tell a cracking story. Wavemaker Mumbai stormed to 115.3 points, blowing past global giants. More remarkably, it stands as the only Indian agency in the top 10—a statistical unicorn in a rankings table usually ruled by North American and European behemoths.
The global podium:
1) Wavemaker Mumbai, India (115.3 points)
2) Starcom Chicago, US (107.7 points)
3) Mindhare New York, US (78.4 points)
Even as the CCI probes alleged anti-competitive practices in the advertising world, Wavemaker has flipped the script—turning scrutiny into strategy. While some players glance nervously over their shoulders, Wavemaker is already sprinting ahead.
Chief client officer and office head, west, north & east Shekhar Banerjee, calls it a journey of “consistency, evolution and relentless focus. No 1 in 2023 #2 in 2024. Back to #1 in 2025.”
The WARC 100 isn’t just a list. It’s the Everest of media effectiveness rankings—stacked with the most impactful campaigns on the planet.
A massive shoutout to GroupM and Wavemaker India’s leadership for pushing boundaries on tech, measurement, full-funnel strategies and creativity.
While the industry introspects, Wavemaker accelerates.
MAM
Fringe festival finally hits Mumbai stage in March
60 plus shows from 10–15 March 2026 at NCPA plus Bandra venues.
MUMBAI: The Fringe is no longer on the fringe, it’s centre stage in Mumbai, ready to turn the city into a creative playground. After nearly 80 years of shaking up global performance culture from Edinburgh to Prague and Adelaide, the world’s largest open-access arts movement makes its India debut with the Mumbai Fringe Festival from 10 to 15 March 2026.
Kicking off at the iconic Tata Theatre, NCPA, the six-day celebration will spill across Bandra’s buzzing creative circuit, Khar Comedy Club, 3 Art House and indifferent @ Gharonda delivering nearly 60 performances in comedy, theatre, poetry, storytelling and experimental work. This isn’t a sit-down spectacle; it’s a city on the move, with audiences hopping between venues to catch new voices and bold ideas in their rawest form.
The lineup mixes homegrown stars with international heavyweights. Rohan Joshi, Kanan Gill, Varun Grover, Aakash Gupta, Priya Malik, Amandeep Khayal, Urooj Ashfaq and Amit Tandon bring the Indian edge, while global gems include Nigel Miles Thomas’s award-winning solo Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act, The Shakespeare Edit’s striking Macbeth adaptation and David Hoskin’s genre-blending Haunted House (mime, comedy, storytelling mash-up). True to Fringe spirit, the programme thrives on intimacy, invention and fearless creative risks.
Tickets are already live on Bookmyshow, with several shows sold out, signalling strong early buzz. Co-founders Steve Gove (of the 25-year-old Prague Fringe) and Simar Singh (UnErase Poetry) are steering the ship, united by the belief that Mumbai and India is primed for the Fringe model.
Steve Gove said, “Bringing Fringe to Mumbai has been a long-held dream. Cities around the world have embraced this model and watched it reshape their creative landscapes. Mumbai has the energy, the appetite and the talent to make this extraordinary.”
Simar Singh added, “The Fringe model gives artists complete freedom. It creates space for new voices and unexpected ideas to meet audiences directly. Mumbai deserves a platform like this.”
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society chief executive Tony Lankester chimed in, “Born in Scotland nearly 80 years ago, the Fringe has always stood for joy, openness and giving everyone a platform with minimal gatekeeping… We are delighted to see the Mumbai Fringe carry this same spirit forward.”
In a country bursting with artistic tradition, the Fringe’s arrival feels both overdue and electric, a chance for audiences to experience unfiltered, up-close performance that has quietly shaped modern theatre worldwide. Grab tickets on Bookmyshow before the best spots vanish. Mumbai’s creative margins just got a whole lot louder.
