AD Agencies
CCOs are shepherds, not showmen, say ad veterans in spirited Goafest debate
MUMBAI: At Goafest 2025’s high-energy panel “WTF is Creative Leadership Now?”—powered by Sun NEO and Amar Ujala—the crowd wasn’t just fed insight, it was served a full-course debate. The motion on the table: “The chief creative officer (CCO) is no longer the heart of the creative agency”. What followed was part philosophy, part punchlines, and all-out passion.
Moderated by Ohriginal founder Rohit Ohri, the session featured industry legends and present-day captains: Bobby Pawar, Sonal Dabral, Senthil Kumar (VML India), and Lulu Raghavan (Landor APAC). The format was unconventional—a structured debate—and emotions ran high as both sides made their case.
Pawar, speaking for the motion, fired the opening salvo: “The CCO has become a generalist, not a specialist”. He lamented the erosion of focus, saying creatives today juggle too many hats—part spreadsheet warrior, part HR liaison, part plumber of broken processes. “The CCO is supposed to make people better, not just the work”.
Dabral echoed the sentiment. “The role’s been marginalised”, he said. “Once upon a time, creative work brought in the revenue. Now, we’ve surrendered that ground to consultants and growth officers”.
On the other side, Raghavan mounted a spirited defence. “The CCO is the custodian of the brand’s unified creative vision”, she said. “They’re culture magnets and client counsellors. Yes, the role has evolved, but that doesn’t mean it has weakened—it has amplified”.
Kumar brought the flair, calling today’s CCO a “playing captain”, not a bench-bound boss. “They’re curators of talent and makers of movement. They must know when to step up and when to step back.”
The debate heated up as rebuttals flew. Pawar quipped, “If the client only wants to speak to one person, why do they need the rest of us?” Raghavan countered, “Then make that person the one who inspires, not just manages”.
What united both camps, despite the sparring, was a shared reverence for creativity’s core purpose. All agreed that CCOs must move beyond ego, protect originality, and build cultures that nurture bold thinking. In Ohri’s closing words, “It’s not about idea ownership anymore—it’s about creating open spaces where ideas can roam freely and return home safe”.
The rapid-fire round that followed was peak Goafest theatre. The panelists defined today’s CCO in their own punchy terms: “instigator”, “playing captain”, “creative curator”, “versatile”. When asked to choose between a Cannes Lion or a lifetime client, most cheekily opted for both.
As the session wrapped, the takeaway was clear: the CCO isn’t dead. They’re just shape-shifting—and perhaps learning to lead not from the podium, but from the pasture.
AD Agencies
Microsoft shifts global media account from Dentsu to Publicis Groupe: Reports
Closed review ends decade-long tie-up; Xbox remit may remain with Dentsu
MUMBAI: Microsoft has reassigned its global media planning and buying business to Publicis Groupe, according to media reports, ending Dentsu’s long-standing stewardship of one of the advertising industry’s biggest accounts.
The move follows a closed review and marks a notable shake-up in the global media landscape. Dentsu, which managed the account through Carat, had held the mandate since 2014 and successfully defended it in a 2018 review.
While the broader business is shifting, Dentsu is expected to retain media responsibilities for Xbox, according to media reports, though the exact contours of that arrangement remain unclear. None of the parties involved have publicly outlined the transition timeline or the full structure of the handover.
The scale of the account underscores the significance of the change. Estimates from COMvergence, cited by Ad Age, peg Microsoft’s global media spend at roughly $700 million last year.
For Publicis Groupe, the win deepens an already expanding relationship with the tech giant. Earlier this year, Microsoft Advertising partnered with Publicis Media Exchange and Epsilon to integrate Epsilon’s data into its platform, aiming to sharpen targeting across search, native and display formats.
The decision reflects a broader industry shift, as large advertisers increasingly favour agency partners with strong first-party data capabilities, AI integration and platform-led solutions. Publicis Groupe has been leaning into this model, positioning its data assets and technology stack as a central differentiator.
For Dentsu, the loss is significant. Media remains a core pillar of its global business, and the development comes close on the heels of leadership changes, including the appointment of Takeshi Sano as global chief executive officer.
The shift also carries a touch of irony. Microsoft and Dentsu have worked closely beyond the client-agency relationship, including collaborations around AI tools such as Copilot to support media and creative workflows.
As the dust settles, the message is clear: in today’s data-driven, AI-powered media world, relationships may be long, but they are rarely permanent.
