MAM
Cultivating success: A deep dive into Hybrid India’s journey to growth & excellence
Mumbai: Hybrid India is one name that is shining like a star in the evolving landscape of Indian digital advertising. From its humble beginnings in 2020, Hybrid India has grown to become a powerhouse of innovation and stability in the Adtech industry. As of May 2024, the company stands with a proud team of over 25 experienced staff members who demonstrate uncompromising dedication to quality and excellence.
Hybrid India’s greatest strength lies in its “people-first” approach. Employees are not regarded as “just resources” but highly valued members. This sense of belonging has been the key factor for many team members who have been associated with the company for the last three to four years and have contributed to its growth and success.
“Our “people” have been and will remain the most valuable asset of our company. Their long-term dedication and zeal are the main factors that made the brand grow and prosper during all these years. We strongly believe that a culture of trust and collaboration should be fostered, wherein every employee feels appreciated and encouraged to participate in the overall endeavour,” said Hybrid INSEA MD and co-founder Shreyas Saathe.
One of the reasons behind the brand’s success in India is its work-life balance approach. Hybrid India is an oasis of sanity in an industry that is known for its long hours and high-stress jobs. Recognising that a brand’s success is founded on a team of happy and contented employees, the organization constantly tries to provide the kind of support and resources that each team member needs to grow and develop personally and professionally.
“Apart from building a culture that promotes a healthy work environment, we always prioritize employee renewal and team bonding by regularly organizing annual off-site events that provide a space for relaxation, team building, and rejuvenation. Fun Fridays, team lunches, and other activities also contribute to the camaraderie and create memories that extend beyond the office walls”– Hybrid country head, India Gandharv Sachdeva.
Recently, Hybrid India took a major step by relocating to a larger, modern office space in Gurgaon, Sector 58, establishing it as the new corporate headquarters. The new office not only stands for the company’s aspirations for growth but also reflects the trust that employees have in the leadership.
The company’s unwavering commitment to its people, clients, and vision has propelled it to the forefront of the AdTech landscape and as it continues to evolve and expand, it remains looking for fresh talent to join its ranks. Be it a long-time professional or a recent graduate, Hybrid India offers unparalleled opportunities for growth, development, and personal fulfilment.
What Employees Say
“Hybrid fosters an environment of collaboration, respect, and growth. Here individuals feel valued, supported, and motivated to contribute their best. With open communication channels and development opportunities, the company nurtures personal and professional fulfilment.”– Hybrid India associate director – publisher relations Garima Choudhary
“The work environment in Hybrid is both dynamic and fast-paced but also friendly and supportive. It is a place where passion and purpose are combined and where each day is a new chance to learn, grow, and add value to the organization. I consider myself fortunate to be a part of such a great group and I cannot wait to write the next chapter of success.”– Hybrid India director of sales, North Sushant Chopra
“Being part of Hybrid isn’t just about a job; it’s about being part of a community that cares deeply about your success and well-being. It’s a feeling of belonging that I cherish every single day, and I’m grateful to be part of such an inspiring journey”– Hybrid India emerging market lead Subhasish Maitra.
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.
