MAM
How Maitri’s South-first strategy is shaking up Indian advertising
MUMBAI: Nearly three decades ago, in the laid-back lanes of Kochi, three ex-Mudra execs took a punt on building an ad agency rooted in the South—but with national ambitions. Fast forward to 2025, and Maitri isn’t just holding its ground—it’s quietly becoming one of the most disruptive indie agencies in Indian advertising.
With offices now spanning South India, the Maldives and Seychelles, Maitri has turned its bootstrapped beginnings into a ₹75-crore creative juggernaut. Its client list reads like an FMCG-Culture-Tech dream team: Netflix, Krafton, Wipro, Saffola, Disney+ Hotstar, and longtime loyals like Muthoot Finance and Mathrubhumi.
So what’s their killer app? Not AI. Not jargon. But cultural intimacy.
While the big Delhi-Mumbai shops took a north-to-south approach, Maitri did the opposite—leaning into its home-turf understanding of southern India. It didn’t just talk local; it thought local.
As managing director Raju Menon puts it, “Nothing can beat consistency. When you deliver creatives to the clients that they love, year after year, you build a relationship. And that relationship builds the brand.”
That philosophy has brought Maitri not just loyalty, but serious hardware.
In 2025 alone, the agency walked away with 17 metals at the Indian Marketing Awards South—a haul that included 5 Golds, 8 Silvers and 4 Bronzes for campaigns that blended heart, humour and serious social impact.
Some of the show-stoppers?
● “How BGMI made a scam ad to expose scam ads” – a digital, social, and influencer-led takedown of online fraud (3 Silvers, 1 Bronze)
● “The suicide note that saved 50+ lives” – a haunting but hopeful campaign for Muktaa Charitable Foundation (1 Gold, 2 Silvers)
● “Let your life shine” for Muthoot Finance – proving finance can feel (1 Gold)
● “Kappa Cultr 2025” – a cultural blast that nabbed a Gold for omnichannel mastery
Also in their trophy cabinet: campaigns for Asianet, myG, Brahmins, and Mathrubhumi’s International Festival of Letters. Each piece a masterclass in blending storytelling, strategy, and South Indian soul.
And Maitri’s not just creatively consistent. Their secret sauce is also in the staffing. Employee churn is shockingly low in an industry notorious for its exits. Most of the agency’s top talent—many of whom cut their teeth at global agencies—have chosen to come home, literally and creatively.
The result? A shop that has the polish of a multinational and the pulse of a neighbourhood storyteller.
With four consecutive Agency of the Year titles under its belt, Maitri’s next chapter looks like one hell of a ride. Quietly confident, fiercely local, and globally savvy, they’ve proven that a deep understanding of people beats flashy pitches—and that sometimes, the most powerful ads come not from the centre, but from the edge. Or in this case, Kochi.
MAM
Aparna Bhawal steps down as KFC India CMO after three years
Set to exit by May 2026, launches AB Advisory Group for growth strategy.
MUMBAI: From brand buckets to building her own playbook, Aparna Bhawal is swapping the CMO seat for the founder’s chair. Bhawal has resigned as chief marketing officer of KFC India and its partner markets, drawing the curtain on a three-year stint with the Yum! Brands portfolio. She is currently transitioning responsibilities through March and is expected to complete her exit by May 2026.
The move marks a shift towards entrepreneurship, with Bhawal setting up AB Advisory Group, a venture aimed at working with founders and scaling businesses on growth strategy, execution and commercial focus. The decision, she indicated, has been a long-considered one centred on building a platform that helps companies navigate growth with sharper strategic direction and stronger marketing fundamentals.
With over two decades of experience, Bhawal’s career spans leadership roles across HT Media, The Coca-Cola Company and Procter & Gamble, covering brand building, consumer engagement and business growth across categories.
Beyond corporate roles, she has remained closely involved with the industry ecosystem. She is part of the managing committee of The Advertising Club of India for 2025–26 and serves as an advisory board member at the Indian Influencer Governing Council.
Her contributions have also earned recognition, including features in BW’s Top 100 Marketers list and BW Marketing World’s Most Influential Women list in both 2024 and 2025.
As Bhawal steps into her next chapter, the shift reflects a broader trend in marketing leadership where seasoned operators are increasingly moving from building brands to building businesses.
