Digital Agencies

Guest column: Digital campaigns for social change

Published

7 years ago

February 17, 2019

India’s digital transformation is proceeding at a breakneck pace. As a generation, we are fortunate to be witnessing the unprecedented absorption of digital in our lives. Digital has the power to orient young populations into better thinkers and conscious citizens, and exponentially enhance the power of campaigns turning them into mass movements. For brands and agencies, there has not been a better time than this age of the viral wave to come together to right the wrongs and transform the social order. Here are a set of fundamental learnings to gulp before you ideate a development campaign.

Think issue first, brand second

While we may argue that the cause must be apparently contextual to the brand’s vision, as responsible citizens, we must remember that issues are looming, the social atmosphere seems bleak and the need for corporations to step forward and drive action has never been greater. Having a direct connect between the brand and the issue is archetypal, but there is also a great assurance of consumer-confidence in atypically championing a cause and changing the public discourse. A campaign crafted with concern for the issue, compassion for people and conviction in the idea will find a brand to front it with full might.

Vicks, a brand with a lineage in the Family Care segment, with its ‘Touch of Care’ campaign went beyond the traditional definition of a family, emphasising how a simple step of affection, unbound by blood or reason, can give someone’s life a new purpose.

Discover your social conscience

To change the way people live, you need to change the way people think. That requires you be a better citizen yourself, be empathetic to people and problems, and have clear intent. Look beyond issues that only affect you, instead those that affect the population at large.

Suicides are an issue grappling nations, as pressures around academics, careers and relationships rise. While suicide by a person impacts the immediate society around the person, it took the Suicide Prevention India Foundation to convey through #GiveSubtitlesToSuicide, that all that is needed is an alert and patient ear to one’s problems, to identify subtle signs of suicidal behaviour and to address them timely. Not only did the campaign uniquely leverage the subtitles feature on YouTube, but also had a genuine conscience to delve into a crisis and create empathy among peers for each other to help in times of distress.

Research is key, mobilise stakeholders – civil and political

Delving deep into the subject allows you to understand the social, economic and political complexities surrounding it and identifying the barriers to change. Research is indispensable and mustn’t be limited to the realm of the theory available online. Identify stakeholders responsible for the problem, those affected, those pioneering solutions for it. The takeaways gathered become the rationale for a strategy which has been critically developed and sensitively constructed.

#KidsNotForSale, a disruptive sale showcased by Save The Children on snapdeal.com went beyond the edge to expose gruesome, lesser reported stories of children trapped in trafficking situations.

The research was uncompromising. It resonated with key opinion leaders including celebrities and MPs and led them to lend their voice of support.

Attach issues to capitalism

It is a myth that the multitude of social problems surfacing in India concerns only the underprivileged, while the urban and affluent are immune to them. Danger is knocking on the door for all and the urban that have access to information to curb the damage tend to ignore it more often than not.

Stakeholders have to be made to realise how not solving the issue will directly impact them and have a long term bearing on their life and commerce.

#StartALittleGood by HUL impeccably weaves in issues of nature conservation and thoughtfully picks the protagonists of the campaign.

The messaging of reducing your shower time to save water is age-old, but the creative route of placing a glass shower in the middle of a drought-affected desert and to draw that inconsistency is fit to provoke an indifferent urban resident to rethink his habits.

Don’t think big

You are combating issues that are age-old, rooted in culture, and that has only gotten complex over time and civilizations. Base your campaign strategy in a specific target group and geography. Aim to affect change at the most local level with concrete actions, gauge impact and then tread forward. Small can lead to scale.

A pilot matters

Testing what you create, on a targeted focus group can hold evidence for the potential of the strategy and uncover areas that need work before the campaign is rolled out.

A cause needs no day

If you have an impending crisis and an idea to tackle it, don’t wait for a topical day. As ambitious as it may sound, one initiative sparked by you could save a child from getting trafficked, a couple in love from getting killed for honour, an ailing person battling for life in the wait for an organ. Got an idea, convert it!

Close Up’s latest #FreeToLove movement is a fresh wave that the world needed in this critical climate of resistance.

Be remembered

Your audiences are going through kilometre-long timelines. The challenge is to create messaging that cuts through a cross-section of audiences. Simplicity is your weapon.

We all remember some remarkable ads of the decades gone by not just because of linear, appointment viewing of the television, but also because of great themes and character iconography. Break down complex information into a language that resonates with all, create messaging that educates and entertains, imagery that is iconic and a delivery format that is disruptive and you will be one step closer.

Engagement beyond hashtags and petitions

Trending hashtags and rising numbers on online petitions are great. But, go beyond. Capitalise the time spent by your audiences on digital and use them to fuel community interventions and ground movements. Encourage the young – the protagonists of social media – to initiate change at home, engage families and peers into a debate, introduce positive practices, and question the political regime or media to change the landscape.

Sustain

People resist change. Making them think differently is difficult, and sustaining that change is even more challenging. The intent for change has to be consistent, ideation has to be continuous, engagement has to grow, and if behaviourial responses from communities get mature, you have won!

Thinktanks of agencies – this is the hour. The social sphere can be transformed dramatically. Are we ready to push the envelope and write the alternate narrative?

(The author is Group Head for Video Strategy and Production, at WATConsult. The views expressed here are her own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

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Digital Agencies

GUEST COLUMN: Deepankar Das on the feedback problem slowing creative teams

Published

2 weeks ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

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.

Digital Agencies

Kunal Wanvari steps up as senior brand and digital marketing manager at Franklin Templeton India

Published

4 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Franklin Templeton India has elevated Kunal Wanvari to senior brand and digital marketing manager, signalling a continued push towards data-driven brand building and digital-first engagement in a crowded asset management market.

Wanvari has spent nearly eight years with Franklin Templeton India, steadily rising through the marketing ranks. Prior to this role, he served as marketing manager and assistant marketing manager, working across brand strategy, content, digital media and campaign execution from the firm’s Mumbai office.

Before joining Franklin Templeton, Wanvari built his digital credentials at WATConsult, where he handled brand strategy and account leadership roles, and earlier at Kush Infosystems, focusing on SEO and performance marketing. His career began in sales and marketing roles, giving him a ground-up understanding of commercial storytelling.

A computer engineer by training with deep digital marketing expertise, Wanvari’s elevation reflects Franklin Templeton’s bet on hybrid marketers—equal parts brand, data and digital—as competition for investor attention intensifies.

Digital Agencies

PSB Xchange appoints Ankush Aggarwal as CXO, Sahil Sikka as CBO and CFO

Published

1 month ago

January 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: PSB Xchange, India’s digital marketplace for financial solutions and a flagship platform of Veefin Solutions Limited, has reinforced its leadership team with two senior appointments as it prepares for its next phase of growth.

Ankush Aggarwal has been named chief experience officer, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience across corporate banking and the SME ecosystem. In his new role, he will focus on shaping simple, seamless and results-oriented experiences for banks, corporates and ecosystem partners. Aggarwal has previously held leadership roles at Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank and SG Finserve, where he led initiatives across customer onboarding, credit processes, servicing operations and digital transformation.

Widely recognised for connecting technology, operations and business strategy, Aggarwal has consistently built scalable and compliant experience models. At PSB Xchange, his focus will be on strengthening platform thinking, governance and continuous improvement to enhance efficiency and customer outcomes.

Alongside him, Sahil Sikka joins PSB Xchange as chief business officer and chief financial officer. With over 15 years of experience in banking and financial services, Sikka has played a key role in building and scaling businesses. He was part of the founding leadership team at SG Finserve, where he helped create a listed NBFC, overseeing business strategy, capital planning, product development and governance. His work earned him the best CFO financial services award at the India CFO Awards 2024.

Earlier in his career, Sikka worked with HDFC Bank, Aditya Birla Finance and Kotak Mahindra Bank, driving growth across corporate banking and structured finance. In his dual role at PSB Xchange, he will focus on strengthening growth strategy, scaling operations sustainably and delivering long-term value through strong governance and collaboration.

Commenting on the appointments, PSB Xchange and Veefin Solutions Limited CEO Sorabh Dhawan, said the additions reflect the platform’s ambitions as it expands its engagement with banks and financial institutions. He added that Aggarwal’s experience-led approach and Sikka’s strategic and financial expertise will be central to driving sustainable growth and value creation in the years ahead.