Digital Agencies
Dentsu Aegis Network India Launches ‘CCS 2019’
MUMBAI: In its continuing focus to mine consumer insights and deliver sharp intelligence, Dentsu Aegis Network has launched the third round of its proprietary consumer-based system, widely known as CCS (Consumer Connection System). This proprietary and in-depth research has robust consumer understanding as it unfastens the power of consumer behaviour by comprehending their mindset & interests.
This edition, CCS 2019, is the most comprehensive single source study available, which enables discovery of the consumer insight and identifies the most valuable consumers and their relationship with communications. CCS provides completely unique actionable insight into communication usage and engagement across 60+ bought, owned, and earned digital, experiential and media channels.
Speaking on the launch of CCS 2019, Dentsu Aegis Network president- media brands Kartik Iyer said, “It’s amazing what CCS has thrown up over the years. It has enabled us to understand consumers and predict trends well before the Industry. In fact, the results of the last round a couple of years ago already showed that we needed to plan across video screens, which is why we set up the Video Stack practice for multiscreen planning for our clients in 2016. This round has already started throwing up surprises like the increasing Social media and Newspaper readership for women which if looked closer definitely have a relationship. We are most excited with CCS’ latest round and I am sure that all of the DAN agencies and their clients will benefit hugely in keeping ahead of trends and connecting with their most valuable consumers.”
The latest fieldwork has been conducted across 24 cities which includes representation of tier 2 towns as well and covers a sample of over 17,000 respondents representing 83 Mn people in urban India. The study also covers the younger audience aged 12-14 as they are the key influencers for many categories today and driving the future purchase.
Through this large scale research-based system, Dentsu Aegis Network will continue to provide the most advanced understanding of the consumer behaviour on their path to purchase across several categories, with a deeper understanding of the media impact in their decision making, thereby enabling the most efficient selection of media focused on delivering to marketing KPIs.
Overall, CCS has a global sample size of over 400,000 across 52 markets, making it the world’s largest research of this nature. CCS is offered exclusively to DAN clients and is applied both internationally and locally to deliver enhanced communications strategy and planning, benefiting brands with improved targeting, precision and efficiencies.
The research design is based on CCS globally and adapted locally keeping in mind India’s dynamic landscape, while the field work was managed through Hansa Research using the CAPI methodology with the questionnaire available across 10 languages and rendered on tablets. Extensive use of technology with aspects like GPS tracking of field teams, daily quality checks, audio recording of field interviews ensured that the data quality & authenticity was maintained. Since the questionnaire is intensive, global best practices and techniques were used to ensure that the data doesn’t get compromised by respondent fatigue.
BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.
But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.
Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.
The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given
Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.
In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.
Scale has changed rverything
Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.
Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.
Guesswork quietly wears teams down
One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.
When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.
Actionable feedback is a shared skill
Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.
Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:
What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.
Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)
The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.
When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.
From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:
● Does this meet the brief?
● Does this solve the problem?
● Does this align with the goal?
This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.
2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops
There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.
In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.
Ending guesswork is a mindset change
Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”
Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.
