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Tag: Marathi Minded

  • Collective minds as Collective Artists Network sets stage for media power play

    Collective minds as Collective Artists Network sets stage for media power play

    MUMBAI: When content meets culture and creators meet code, you get a media revolution in the making. Collective Artists Network, long known for its fingerprints across India’s pop-cultural pulse, has officially put a name to what it’s already been quietly building: a full-blown media network that spans platforms, talent, tech, and taste.

    But don’t call it a pivot. This is less a launch than a loud confirmation of Collective’s growing dominance across original storytelling, social influence, and digital-first innovation.

    From viral storytelling brands like Terribly Tiny Tales and campus connector Under 25, to creator engine Big Bang Social and AI-optimised visual platform Galleri5, the Collective universe is already humming. Add to that new launches like Rashmika & Ru (with TTT), Marathi Minded (with Neel Salekar), and Not Funny (a creator-led comedy brand with Funcho), and you’ve got a content slate that’s part Netflix, part Reddit, part desi dopamine machine.

    And speaking of machines, meet Kavya Mehra and Radhika Subramaniam, Collective’s two AI-powered creators. They don’t blink, but they do reflect. Kavya’s all about modern parenting and daily life dilemmas, while Radhika decodes digital youth culture. Far from novelty avatars, they’re a peek into the company’s ambitions in synthetic storytelling and culturally responsive AI.

    Adding another layer to its expanding digital dharma is the launch of Sanatani Dharma, a bold new channel that dives deep into Indic tradition, mythology, rituals, and spiritual modernity. It’s Collective’s play to own a space where very few digital-first brands have dared to venture where the Ramayana meets reels, and Vedic wisdom meets algorithmic discovery.

    As Collective scales, it has brought in seasoned content veteran Sudeep Lahiri as head of channels and distribution to steer the ship across creator and platform ecosystems. With Collective’s stronghold on distribution spanning owned platforms, newsletters, and creator networks the move marks a serious upgrade in operational firepower.

    Meanwhile, Galleri5, the group’s creative tech arm, is busy building tools that can sniff out trends, benchmark creative performance, and test drive synthetic content helping creators and marketers stay two scrolls ahead of the curve.

    “In today’s world, new media is about owning eyeballs and through our content, distribution, and influence, we intend to become the media network that defines attention. We have always understood the pulse of pop culture, reflecting it when needed, and influencing it when it matters most,” said Collective Artists Network founder and group CEO Vijay Subramaniam.

    With thousands of creators, millions of impressions a month, and a content strategy that swirls together storytelling, software, and spirituality, Collective Artists Network is sketching out a new blueprint for Indian media, one where every like, loop, and live session is just another piece of a much bigger cultural puzzle.

  • Dettol goes ‘Bindaas’ as Neel Salekar and Collective go all-in on Marathi

    Dettol goes ‘Bindaas’ as Neel Salekar and Collective go all-in on Marathi

    MUMBAI: If Mumbai’s spirit had a middle name, it would be ‘Bindaas’. And now, that bindaas-ness is scrubbing up nicely in a bar of soap. In a mash-up that’s as spicy as a vada pav with extra thecha, content creator-turned-entrepreneur Neel Salekar and the talent behemoth Collective Artists Network have launched Marathi Minded — a cultural cannonball aiming straight at Maharashtra’s heart.

    The new-age creative agency, backed by Salekar’s 2.9 million Instagram followers and the muscle of Collective, promises to do more than just dish out ads. Marathi Minded wants to turn brand storytelling into a regional block party — one meme, one rap track, one qawwali at a time.

    And they’ve kicked things off with a soap that packs a punch — Dettol. Their first campaign, ‘12 Taas Bindaas!’, is a no-nonsense, hyper-local blitz that repositions the humble soap bar as your 12-hour swagger shield. It’s hygiene, yes, but with swagger. Think confidence, energy, and that ‘bring-it-on’ attitude that says, “Aye, I’m sorted.”

    “With ‘12 Taas Bindaas!’, we are excited to take a hyper-local approach that truly resonates with Maharashtra’s vibrant culture. Partnering with Marathi Minded has allowed us to craft a campaign that goes beyond hygiene – it’s about confidence, energy, and living life with a ‘Bindaas’ spirit. We believe this initiative will strengthen our bond with Marathi consumers in a meaningful way,” said Reckitt regional marketing director – health south Asia, Kanika Kalra.

    Forget bland pan-India pitches. This is storytelling that eats misal for breakfast. From college kids dodging potholes in Dadar to families doing Ganpati visarjan in style, ‘12 Taas Bindaas!’ captures the Marathi hustle like never before.

    Salekar — known for his comic timing, musical chops (remember ‘Jinklo’ with D’evil?), and the odd qawwali face-off in Shehensha-E-Qawwali — now wears the CEO hat, though the swag hasn’t faded. With Marathi Minded, he’s bottled the vibe of the state and sold it as brand strategy.

    “I’m beyond excited to have partnered with Collective Artists Network to co-create an initiative that truly celebrates the heart of Marathi culture. Being a part of the process from the ground up has been such a learning experience – blending tradition and rooted cultural insights with actionable inputs for brands to talk to Marathi youth. Marathi Minded will be a universe of content, branded communication in a fresh and dynamic pot-boiler of this critical Indian state and its people not only in India but spread across the world”, said Salekar.

    The campaign also roped in four regional content creators, each bringing in a different flavour from across Maharashtra — because nothing says ‘authentic’ like accents and idioms from every galli.

    Collective Artists Network co-founder Dhruv Chitgopekar summed it up, “With Marathi Minded, we’re shaping a cultural movement powered by authenticity, creativity, and real resonance. Neel represents the new wave of creator-entrepreneurs who understand the pulse of their audience and can translate that into powerful brand narratives. Our work with Dettol is a great example of how national brands can tap into regional energy with heart and relevance. Regional storytelling is not just the future of advertising – it’s the heartbeat of a truly connected India.”

    And that heartbeat is thumping loud and proud. Whether it’s history, food, culture, fashion, sport or straight-up satire, Marathi Minded is gunning for the throne of regional relevance. Brands, take notes — this isn’t your average agency. It’s a full-blown, content-fuelled cultural juggernaut.

    As Salekar puts it, this is just the trailer. The full blockbuster? Coming soon, with subtitles in Marathi.