ITV News
Schbang puts India on Cairns map with twin finalist teams
Four young creatives make Asia-Pacific shortlist, take on UN brief in a live showdown
MUMBAI: A Mumbai-born agency with no global network backing is punching above its weight. Schbang has landed two teams in the finals of Cairns Hatchlings 2026, sending four young creatives to compete at the Cairns Crocodiles festival in Australia this May.
The Asia-Pacific competition, a proving ground for emerging creative talent, has shortlisted 30 teams from across Australia, Japan and India. Two of those teams come from Schbang alone, a rare feat for a homegrown independent.
The finalists include Priyanka Gohil and Aman Aragonda in the digital category, and Beverly Coutinho and Sneiden D’souza in publishing. They will face a high-stakes, live brief from the United Nations Foundation, unveiled on stage by CMO David Ohana, with just 24 hours to respond. Flights and accommodation for all 60 finalists will be covered by the festival.
For decades, the global creative spotlight has centred on Cannes. But Cairns Crocodiles, now in its second year, is fast redrawing that map. This time, India is not just watching, it is competing at the table.
“What makes this moment remarkable isn’t just that Schbang has two teams in the finals,” the company said. “It’s that four young creatives from India earned their place at Asia-Pacific’s biggest creative table, backed not by a legacy global network, but by an agency that was born in Mumbai just a decade ago.”
Dipshika Ravi, national creative director at Schbang, said, “We are thrilled and excited to see our young Schbangers representing us at prestigious global events such as the Cairns Crocodile Awards. This completely aligns with Schbang’s goal of taking India to the global stage.”
She added, “When I saw the ideas, I knew they had merit and the potential to take them places. I am glad that not one, but four people from Schbang will get to experience the adrenaline-pumping energy of the industry, connect with great minds, and showcase their talent to the world while working on the 48-hour brief. Kudos to them, and here’s wishing them all the very best.”
The finalists, for their part, are already eyeing the global stage. “We believed in our work and seeing it stand tall on its own has been incredible,” said Gohil and Aragonda. “Representing India at a stage this big, on a brief from the United Nations Foundation, is something we never imagined when we started our careers. We’re ready for Cairns.”
Coutinho and D’souza struck a similar note: “Publishing is often overlooked for the role it plays in big brand campaigns, shaping how stories are understood and remembered. With our idea leading the way, the opportunity to fly to Australia and work on a live UN brief in 24 hours, that’s the kind of creative pressure we thrive on. Here we come, with one eye on the brief, and one on the crocs.”
Schbang, founded in 2015, has grown into a 1,200-strong creative, media and technology outfit with offices from Mumbai to London and Amsterdam, working with brands from Jio and Britannia to Philips and ASUS.
From a Mumbai startup to a double finalist on Asia-Pacific’s biggest emerging stage, the signal is unmistakable. The centre of gravity in global creativity is shifting, and this time, India is not on the sidelines.
ITV News
TVS iQube launches new campaign as India’s Favourite Family EV
High-impact TV push celebrates 850,000 families and everyday journeys.
MUMBAI: TVS iQube just rolled out a campaign so family-focused, even the scooter feels like it’s got a permanent seat at the dinner table. TVS Motor Company has launched a nationwide television campaign for its flagship electric scooter TVS Iqube, reinforcing its positioning as India’s Favourite Family EV. Built around the deep emotional connection shared by more than 850,000 Indian families, the campaign highlights how the scooter powers daily life from school runs and office commutes to shared family moments.
The film weaves real-life scenarios with key features like pillion backrest, hill hold assist, low running costs, smart connectivity and large under-seat storage, delivering the message, “Behind every person’s journey, is an entire family. And behind every happy family is a TVS Iqube.”
TVS Motor Company VP for marketing for EV business Saurabh Kapoor said, “We have always believed that meaningful innovation is rooted in customer needs. TVS iQube’s journey has been built on the trust of lakhs of customers who have made it an integral part of their everyday lives. This campaign is a natural progression of that journey, strengthening our positioning as India’s favourite family EV.”
The campaign marks one of TVS’s biggest TV efforts to date, with high-impact media rollout across marquee properties including the IPL and movies to reach diverse markets nationwide.
Inspired by three core principles Power Of Choice (range, connectivity, colours), Peace Of Mind (safety, delivery promise, ownership experience) and Simplicity Of Operation, the TVS Iqube is currently available in over 1000 cities through 3300 plus dealerships.
In a country where families ride together and dreams ride along, TVS isn’t just selling an electric scooter, it’s selling the quiet promise that every trip, big or small, starts and ends with the people who matter most.
