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
Paroma Dayal joins dentsu as VP, sports, e-sports, gaming & live experiences
Senior leader to steer brand partnerships and live experiences in fast-evolving space
MUMBAI: Paroma Dayal has taken on a new role at dentsu as vice president for sports, e-sports, gaming and live experiences, signalling the agency network’s sharpened focus on high-growth content ecosystems.
In her new position, Dayal will lead strategic expansion across sports and gaming, working at the intersection of brand partnerships, live experiences and integrated marketing solutions. The mandate reflects a broader industry shift where fandom, content and commerce increasingly converge.
Dayal brings over 15 years of experience spanning digital platforms, broadcast networks and advertising sales. Most recently, she served as senior client partner for APAC at Quora, where she worked on business strategy and client growth across the region.
Before that, she was associate director at MX Player, overseeing monetisation and brand solutions for MX Player and MX Takatak. Her earlier stint at Viacom18 Media Private Limited saw her rise to senior manager and group head north for ad sales and brand solutions across youth, music and English entertainment channels.
She also held roles at Viacom, managing advertising sales for brands such as MTV, VH1 and Comedy Central, and began her career with stints at Star India Pvt Ltd, India Today and NDTV.
Academically, Dayal completed an executive MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management in 2024, adding formal training in brand management and digital marketing to her hands-on industry experience. She is also a graduate of Jesus and Mary College in New Delhi.
Her appointment comes at a time when brands are doubling down on sports and gaming as cultural touchpoints, not just media channels. With Dayal at the helm, dentsu appears set to play a more active role in shaping how brands show up in these fast-moving arenas.
