GERETY TALKS: Indian Creativity

On Tuesday, April 12th Gerety talks Indian creativity with Swati Bhattacharya, Pallavi Chakravarti and Kainaz Karmakar

Just like the award show, the Gerety Talks series puts some of the marketing and creative industry’s true changemakers in the spotlight – and at the centre of the conversation – with the aim to drive progress within the industry on a global scale. The series will bring together agency and brand leaders from around the globe for a refreshing take on what leadership looks like.

Swati Bhattacharya , chief creative officer, FCB India

Swati Bhattacharya takes emotional storytelling for brands to a level where they break free from the constrains of media, formats, platforms, and speak to consumers as ideas that make an impact to their lives. Start with the consumer, she says, as the only reason why brands exist, is because they serve a human need. Her ideas reflect the deep conviction that it is the ‘responsibility of brands to inspire people to create the kind of world they deserve’

Under her leadership, FCB India has won more than 160 awards including Glass Lion, Gold Lions, Clio golds, D&AD Yellow Pencil and three Spikes Grand Prix. Her work has transformed FCB Ulka’s creative reputation making it the NO1 most awarded Indian Agency. And making her the 5th most awarded creative director in Asia. (Campaign Brief Asia ranking 2021) She was the Cannes see it be it ambassador in 2019/2020.

Acknowledging that women have historically faced challenges from a socio-cultural expectation point of view, she advocates a ‘culture of generosity’ that allows women employees an opportunity to balance work and life in a way that enriches both, instead of one suffering at the hand of the other. Especially for young mothers, she believes that the time spent with her family or children actually adds to their experience of life in a way that results in better creativity at work and richer stories for the brands.

Pallavi Chakravarti, creative head of west, DDB Mudra

In the business for 18 years now, Pallavi Chakravarti has worked on global brands such as Facebook, Instagram, J&J, Unilever, P&G, Pepsi, Uber, General Mills, American Tourister and Airtel as well as local giants like Times of India, Marico, ITC, Aditya Birla Capital, Parle Products, Hotstar, Star Sports and Eureka Forbes Limited.

She is currently the creative head of west at DDB Mudra in India, having worked at Taproot Dentsu, Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT and Grey previously.

From shows like Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Adfest Asia Pacific, Spikes Asia, Kyoorius and the Abbys at Goafest to effectiveness awards like Effies and Appies, her work has been recognised everywhere. She has well over 150 metals to her credit. She was also the recipient of the Best Ad Screenplay plaque at the prestigious 2015 Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival.

The past eight years have seen her serve as a jury member for several shows, including Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx, New York Festival, Global Awards, Gerety Awards, Kyoorius Awards and the Abbys at Goafest, across categories like Film, Outdoor, Direct, Radio and Integrated Advertising. She also mentors young talent in the industry through initiatives organised by ICW and The 30 Minute University of Planning.

Psychology, theatre and music make her tick, both on the job and off it.

Kainaz Karmakar, chief creative officer, Ogilvy India

She believes great ideas can drive business and impact social change. Her passion for purpose-led work has been recognised by clients and juries.

She has led her team to win over 40 Global Metals – CANNES GOLDS, ONE SHOW GOLD, ONE SHOW ASIA, D&AD WHITE PENCIL, SPIKES, D&AD IMPACT, for education and humanitarian work, the coveted CANNES GLASS LION and Asia’s first CANNES GRAND PRIX for CREATIVE EFFECTIVENESS.

In the Cannes Creativity Report of the Decade published in 2020, her brand ITC Savlon’s Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks, features as ‘Iconic Work of the Decade.’

She has been a jury member at One Show, D&AD, Clio, One Show Asia, Spikes and ADC. She has taught the craft of writing to young advertising students.

She loves coming to work because of her unshakable partnership with Harshad Rajadhyaksha and because she believes creativity can solve anything.

Kainaz enjoys working hard, she likes being kind and she loves to see her people shine. If you ask her to describe her work, she would say, “Brave.”