MAM
BBDO India elevates Shruthi Subramaniam to executive creative director – Mumbai
MUMBAI: BBDO India has announced the elevation of Shruthi Subramaniam to the role of executive creative director – Mumbai. With over 14 years of experience, Shruthi brings a powerful combination of creative excellence and strategic acumen to her new leadership role.
At BBDO India, Shruthi has been the creative force behind campaigns for iconic global brands such as WhatsApp, Bumble, Neutrogena. Her portfolio also includes work for industry giants like Unilever and Mercedes-Benz – projects that are as impactful as they are culturally meaningful. Most recently, she was honoured with a prestigious CLIO Music Award, earning recognition alongside international names like Harry Styles and Ozzy Osbourne – a testament to her ability to create work that resonates across borders and audiences.
In her new role, Shruthi joins BBDO India’s core leadership team, where she will help shape the agency’s creative direction, lead key client partnerships, and mentor emerging talent. Her focus will be on driving innovation in both storytelling and “story-doing,” while pushing the boundaries of modern advertising.
Commenting on Shruthi’s promotion, Josy Paul, Chairman & CCO, BBDO India, said, “Shruthi’s work is famous, her craft is brilliant, and her vision for the future of advertising is inspiring. She’s been an integral part of BBDO India’s growth story. With our vibrant, diverse talent pool, we’re confident she’ll bring even more value to our clients while moving the agency and industry forward.”
Speaking on her new role, Shruthi Subramaniam, ECD, BBDO India shared, “The BBDO Ashram is my home – I want to decorate it with ideas, fill each room with the warmth of conversation, and have people over who never want to leave. Belonging is the start of everything. My wish is to make people belong, bloom and become.”
Brands
From mega bills to spontaneous dates: Swiggy Dineout Valentine’s report
From mega bills to last-minute plans, India celebrated love with flair
MUMBAI: Valentine’s Day 2026 was a feast for the senses and wallets alike, according to Swiggy Dineout. India’s on-demand dining platform revealed how the nation celebrated romance with big gestures, lively nights out, and plenty of spontaneous bookings.
Metropolitan hubs continued to rule the roost with Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad seeing the most reservations. Emerging cities aren’t far behind, with Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh joining the party. Growth was particularly striking in Surat (up 180 per cent), Vadodara (155 per cent) and Bhubaneswar (145.5 per cent) compared with the previous Saturday.
Mumbai stole the headlines with a single customer splashing out Rs 130,155 – the highest bill in the country. The city also hosted the largest single group booking, with 30 diners coming together to celebrate in style. Most Valentine’s transactions took place between 10pm and 11pm, proving love, and hunger, strike late.
Mumbai stole the spotlight with a mega-spender whose bill made everyone else blush, while savvy diners were cashing in on discounts, including a Pune customer saving 60% and another in Bengaluru saving 50 per cent. Fine dining was on fire, with bookings up 121 per cent year-on-year, though pubs, bars, and lounges remained the crowd favourites, accounting for 30.6 per cent of all reservations. Last-minute romance was the order of the day, with 66 per cent of diners booking within two hours of heading out. Together, India saved over Rs 6 crore, proving that love can be grand, yet thrifty.
Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi led the premium dining rush, showing a growing appetite for curated, high-end experiences. Meanwhile, spontaneous bookings reinforced modern lifestyles, where convenience and instant gratification rule the day.
Whether it was big spends, huge groups, or a last-minute romantic dash, Valentine’s Day 2026 proved love and dining go hand in hand – and sometimes, they go all out.
