AD Agencies
itch: A new agency on a mission to redefine advertising
Mumbai: A new digital agency, itch, has emerged with a clear vision to transform the advertising landscape. Founded by three industry veterans, itch aims to make ads feel less like ads, creating work that sparks curiosity and leaves a lasting impression.
Beyond creativity, itch is built on agility and the philosophy of bringing method to the madness. By refining processes and staying nimble, they ensure that their ideas not only sound great in the boardroom but come to life with real impact. The agency aims to tackle the growing need for more meaningful, innovative campaigns that prioritise substance over noise.
“Our goal with itch is not just to do different things but to do things differently, we’re at a point where people are saturated with overt messaging, so we’re constantly asking ourselves, how can we deliver a message that doesn’t feel like one? It’s about crafting stories that people want to engage with where the creative work doesn’t scream ‘ad.’” said itch co-founder and creative director Naman.
“At itch, it’s as much about the people as it is about the brands. We’re building an ecosystem that fosters bold ideas, nurtures talent, and challenges norms. Agility is key in today’s market, where brands seek more than just surface-level marketing, and hence quick adapting becomes essential,” itch’s co-founder Apoorva, who spearheads growth & talent, explained how the itch community operates.
“Running an agency is a delicate balance between structure and freedom. We wanted to bring a level of process that makes it easier for creativity to thrive, allowing our team to execute bold ideas efficiently and consistently. Our approach is all about making things work smarter, not harder,” on the operational front, co-founder and operations lead Surbhi emphasised.
By blending creativity and collaboration, itch aims to redefine the connection between talent and brands, leaving a lasting impact on the industry. The agency has already secured several key accounts and will announce these wins shortly. With a focus on strategic thinking, creativity, and refined processes, itch positions itself as a distinct player in the advertising world, promising to deliver work that is anything but ordinary.
AD Agencies
AdTrust Summit 2026 to examine trust, AI and Gen Alpha in advertising
Two-day summit in Mumbai to explore ethics, regulation and the future of advertising trust
MUMBAI: At a time when advertising is navigating a delicate trust deficit, the Advertising Standards Council of India is preparing to bring the industry to the table. On 17 and 18 March, the body will host the inaugural AdTrust Summit 2026 in Mumbai, a two-day gathering designed to spark conversation around responsibility, regulation and credibility in modern advertising.
The summit, to be held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex, will bring together leaders from advertising, media, technology and policy to examine how brands can build trust in a marketplace increasingly shaped by algorithms, influencers and artificial intelligence.
In an age of deepfakes, dark patterns and blurred lines between content and commerce, the question is no longer just how brands capture attention, but whether audiences believe what they see. The AdTrust Summit aims to unpack that challenge.
Day one will turn its attention to the youngest digital natives. Titled Decoding Gen Alpha, the session will unveil ‘What the Sigma?’, a study by ASCI and Futurebrands Consulting that explores how children growing up in a hyper-digital environment encounter advertising and commercial messaging.
The report presentation will be delivered by Santosh Desai, founder and director at Think9 Consumer Technologies and a social commentator known for his insights into consumer behaviour. The discussion that follows will attempt to decode how Gen Alpha consumes media, interacts with brands and navigates the growing overlap between entertainment and marketing.
In a move that mirrors the subject itself, two Gen Alpha students will also join the conversation, offering a rare perspective from the generation advertisers are trying to understand.
The second panel of the day will shift the focus from observation to implication, asking what the report’s findings mean for brands, agencies and society. Speakers include Karthik Srinivasan, communications strategy consultant; Preeti Vyas, president at Mythik; and Abigail Dias, associate president planning at Ogilvy. The session will be moderated by Sonali Krishna, editor at ET Brand Equity.
Day two moves from insight to regulation. Under the theme From Compliance to Trust, ASCI will release its Ad Law Compendium, a comprehensive guide to India’s advertising regulations.
The day will open with a keynote by Sudhanshu Vats, chairman at ASCI and managing director at Pidilite Industries, followed by a chief guest address by Sanjay Jaju, secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Legal experts from Khaitan & Co., including Haigreve Khaitan, senior partner, and Tanu Banerjee, partner, will present an overview of the current advertising law landscape in India and examine whether existing frameworks are equipped to deal with emerging technologies and formats.
Subsequent panels will explore issues increasingly shaping the industry’s ethical compass. Conversations will range from the limits of persuasive design and the rise of dark patterns, to the growing scrutiny brands face from digital creators and consumer watchdogs.
One session will also feature Revant Himatsingka, widely known online as the Food Pharmer, whose critiques of packaged food brands have sparked debate around transparency and corporate accountability.
Later discussions will turn toward media literacy among Gen Alpha, asking how children can be equipped to navigate a digital world where gaming, content and commerce are becoming indistinguishable.
The summit will conclude with a final panel on the future of advertising, bringing together voices from agencies, legal circles and technology platforms to discuss how innovation, intelligence and integrity can coexist.
For an industry built on persuasion, trust has always been its quiet currency. But as audiences grow more sceptical and digital ecosystems more complex, that currency is under pressure.
Events like the AdTrust Summit suggest the advertising world knows it cannot afford to take credibility for granted. The real challenge now is turning conversation into commitment.
