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Tag: Youri Guerassimov

  • Raj Kamble takes the chair as ANDYs’ first Indian Asia head

    Raj Kamble takes the chair as ANDYs’ first Indian Asia head

    MUMBAI: When it comes to big ideas, Raj Kamble now has the best seat in the house. The founder & CCO of Famous Innovations has been named the Asia Chair for the 2026 ANDYs Regionals, a first for India in the award show’s history.

    Joining Kamble on the global roster of Regional Chairs are Yaa Boateng (Africa), Youri Guerassimov (Europe), Josefina Casellas (LATAM), Emma Robbins (Pacific) and Federico Fanti (SWANA), forming a jury line-up that spans every creative corner of the globe.

    Far from a run-of-the-mill awards programme, the ANDYs Regionals flip the script: entry is free, with fees kicking in only if the work is shortlisted for the global show. And the track record is enviable 90 per cent of ANDYs-winning ideas later go on to win at Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Clios and other heavyweight festivals.

    “I’m thrilled to be chairing the Asia Jury at this year’s ANDY Awards Regionals. The ANDYs have always stood for fearless creativity and bold ideas. With 90 per cent of this jury having served as Jury Presidents at shows like Cannes Lions, D&AD and The One Show, we have the chance to not only recognise but also advocate for groundbreaking work from Asia. Let’s push creative boundaries together and make waves on the global stage,” said Famous Innovations founder & CCO Raj Kamble.

    By design, the ANDYs are more than a gong show, they’re an advocacy platform for creativity, ensuring winning work doesn’t just get applauded regionally but also gains momentum globally. With Kamble at the helm for Asia, expect some bold ideas from the region to earn their rightful place on advertising’s world stage.

  • Being uncomfortable is a creative superpower, says Marcel CEO Youri Guerassimov at Goafest 2025

    Being uncomfortable is a creative superpower, says Marcel CEO Youri Guerassimov at Goafest 2025

    MUMBAI: At Day three of Goafest 2025, Marcel (Paris) chief creative officer & CEO Youri Guerassimov delivered a wake-up call to a packed house, reminding brands that playing safe is a fast-track ticket to irrelevance. His keynote, titled ‘Creativity That Dares to Disrupt’, challenged marketers to ditch comfort and lean into creative bravery.

    “Bravery in advertising is about stepping outside comfort zones and challenging norms”, said Guerassimov, adding that brands face an uphill battle for attention with over 6,000 ads bombarding consumers each day. Visibility alone no longer cuts it; what cuts through is conviction.

    Citing global studies, he noted that 86 per cent of consumers (Edelman) now expect brands to take a stand on social or environmental issues, and 66 per cent (Accenture) are willing to switch allegiance if companies remain silent. “Fear is temporary”, he warned. “Regret is forever”.

    Drawing from iconic campaigns, Guerassimov spotlighted Nike’s controversial Colin Kaepernick ad as a case of calculated defiance and cultural impact. He also praised Volvo for its courage in sharing a safety innovation with rivals—an act that served both purpose and people.

    Importantly, he clarified that bravery in branding doesn’t always require provocation. “Bravery can be strategic, design-led, or business-oriented”, he said, showcasing Mcdonald’s minimalist billboard and Marcel’s ‘Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables’ campaign. The latter began as a simple retail concept and grew into a national movement tackling food waste.

    Guerassimov also emphasised that bravery lies not in budgets but in belief. Whether it’s a few purposeful words added to a contract or overhauling a store layout to reflect values, real change comes from intent and execution.

    He celebrated Patagonia’s headline-making move to donate its profits to climate activism as a prime example of purpose-driven disruption. “Bravery is a strategic tool”, he affirmed. “A superpower to connect with consumers and lead markets”.

    Ultimately, Guerassimov urged brands to trust their ideas and act on them decisively. “When you feel a little uncomfortable with your idea, that’s often the sign you’re on the right track”.

  • AI, angst and applause: Goafest day three blends bold ideas with brave tech in storytelling

    AI, angst and applause: Goafest day three blends bold ideas with brave tech in storytelling

    MUMBAI: Day three at Goafest 2025 opened not with a whisper but a roar. Under the theme Ignite Hungama, Indian playback singer Javed Ali lit up the morning with a rousing set, presented by Mahindra Auto and Mahindra Electric Origin SUV in association with Bingo! What followed was a cocktail of courage, code, and craft.

    Marcel France CCO & CEO Youri Guerassimov delivered a punchy keynote on ‘Creativity That Dares to Disrupt’ – presented by Youtube under the theme Ignite Bravery. He challenged the room to get comfortable with discomfort. “Fear is temporary. Regret lasts far longer”, he said, quoting campaigns like Nike’s Colin Kaepernick ad and Marcel’s own ‘Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables’. Guerassimov pointed out that 86 per cent of consumers expect brands to take a stand, and 66 per cent are willing to jump ship if they don’t.

    Next, the session ‘How AI is Rewriting the Language of Visual Storytelling’ took centre stage. Amazing Indian Stories founder & CEO Vivek Anchalia demonstrated how AI was bulldozing old production paradigms. From replacing animatics to cutting the need for bloated crews and locations, AI was making storytelling faster, cheaper, and sharper. His upcoming AI-powered film Naisha will feature machine-generated drone shots of Uttarakhand. In the fireside chat that followed, Landor president-APAC Lulu Raghavan summed it up: “AI is underhyped. Master it early, lead the next wave”.

    Anchalia added nuance: while AI could mimic drone pans and 3D shots, it couldn’t replace emotional tonality in sound or a filmmaker’s rhythm. He also advised self-learning over formal AI education, hailing online creative communities as the real labs of experimentation.

    Meanwhile, the Bioscope – The Cinema ran a series of sessions under the theme ‘What Ignited the Jury Room?’. Havas Creative India CCO & JMD Anupama Ramaswamy insisted the jury prioritised the power of creative ideas over just causes. Famous Innovations founder & CCO Raj Kamble brought his signature candour, likening case studies to ads that must hook judges in seven seconds. VML India CCO Senthil Kumar reminded the room: “If a film makes you want to watch it again, it’s doing its job”. Youri Guerassimov rounded off the jury talks, reiterating that creativity must remain consistent across platforms.

    Adding a personal note, The Advertising Club COO Bipin Pandit launched his book presented by Amazon MX Player and powered by Mediakart. From a viral Linkedin post to a deadline set by AdClub president Rana Barua, the book’s origin story was as compelling as its content. It featured a foreword by Piyush Pandey and an article by Prasoon Joshi. A microsite, www.bipinpandit.com, was launched, along with a Walk of Work display at Cascade.

    Day three also served up a buffet of masterclasses. Gowthaman Ragothaman led a session on data, privacy and intelligence, followed by Vijay Singh’s take on game commerce. Nick Eagleton of D&AD unpacked creative liberation with ‘Ideas Unlocked’. Sana Shaikh from Flipkart Ads outlined their latest innovations. Amogh Dusad from Amazon MX Player guided attendees on seamless brand integration. Meanwhile, Krishnendu Dutta and Vara Prasad of MRSI demystified AI’s impact on consumer insights.

    Lunch was hosted by Vijayavani, wrapping up a first half that balanced firebrand ideas with futuristic tech.

     

  • Brave new ads win hearts while playing it safe fades into the feed

    Brave new ads win hearts while playing it safe fades into the feed

    MUMBAI: If your campaign doesn’t make you squirm a little, you’re probably doing it wrong. That was the bold takeaway from Paris-based creative powerhouse Marcel CCO & CEO Youri Guerassimov who took the Goa Fest 2025 stage with a keynote titled Creativity That Dares to Disrupt.

    In an age where consumers are bombarded with over 6,000 ads a day, Guerassimov made a case for courage over comfort. “Visibility is not enough,” he said. “To stand out, you have to stand for something.”

    And the numbers agree. According to Edelman, 86 per cent of consumers expect brands to take a stand on social or environmental issues. Two-thirds (66 per cent) are even willing to switch loyalties if a brand stays silent on values that matter. In short: if you’re not bold, you’re forgettable.

    Guerassimov pointed to iconic examples of brand bravery from Nike’s controversial Colin Kaepernick campaign to Volvo’s decision to open-source their safety innovations. Whether it’s risking backlash or sharing competitive advantage, these brands chose purpose over polish and won loyalty in the process.

    But bravery, he clarified, isn’t just activism. “It can be design-led, strategic, or operational.” Take McDonald’s minimal outdoor ad that simply showed its fries arches pointing to the nearest outlet. Or Marcel’s own work with Intermarché, turning ugly produce into a national movement with the “Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables” campaign.

    Some acts of courage are barely visible like adding a few meaningful words to a supplier contract. But when done with conviction, even the smallest gestures echo the brand’s beliefs. “True bravery can show up in backrooms and boardrooms,” he said.

    He also highlighted Patagonia’s radical profit pledge, where the brand’s CEO donated all company profits to fight climate change, as the ultimate example of purpose-driven marketing that became part of global culture.

    According to Guerassimov, bravery is not about budget or bravado, it’s about belief. It’s a tool to cut through the noise, create culture, and connect with consumers on a level that spreadsheets can’t quantify.

    As he put it with disarming simplicity, “Fear is temporary. Regret is forever.”

    So the next time a campaign idea gives you a nervous twitch, take it as a sign you might be on the right track.