Dentsu Creative India’s Amit Wadhwa on the past, present and future of advertising

At the fourth edition of Social Samsoa AgencyCon, Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative India highlighted the transformation of advertising since the early 2000s and shared that the industry has witnessed a paradigm shift from a focus on traditional mediums like print and radio to the rapid emergence of digital platforms. 

He said, “The biggest change we have seen in this industry is the post-pandemic through digital."

He emphasised the significance of understanding consumers and crafting compelling ideas that resonate with the brand essence. He said that the industry has witnessed huge change in the last three years, noting that what previously took decades is now unfolding within a span of just a few years.

The cycle for change to come in, disrupt and even exit has reduced over the last few years.

He believes what is relevant today might not be relevant in the next six months and what people are consuming today, they might just move from that to another platform to another touch point. 

Reflecting on pivotal moments that reshaped the advertising landscape, he identified the advent of digital technology as a significant turning point.

The true adoption of digital has happened in a crazy way and our world has changed after that. Digital is far from complex. I see a huge adoption of technology now.

With consumers increasingly engaging across diverse digital platforms, Wadhwa underscored the need for agencies to adapt swiftly to emerging trends and technologies. 

The role of creativity and AI

Despite the proliferation of digital technology and AI, Wadhwa pointed out the importance of creativity and human intelligence in driving impactful advertising campaigns.

He said, “Creative thinking is still a human shop. There might be executions that the machine takes over or helps in doing but creativity will still remain with people.”

He believes that this will lead to more avenues opening up and jobs will evolve essentially.

He said, "You need to know the tech world. You need to live the profession and love the process. But you need to be open to change."

Wadhwa envisioned a future where consumers actively participate in content creation, blurring the lines between creators and consumers. He emphasised the importance of investing in creativity and leveraging technology to enhance creative experiences.

The future is completely beautiful. With the advent of digital, technology and AI, it is a complex world and scary but at the same time it's beautiful. People are experiencing it.

Rapid fire

Answering the rapid-fire questions round, Wadhwa gave the following responses: 

One mentor you go to for work or life advice?

Rohit Ohri and Ashish Bhasin

Favorite campaign of all time that he has worked on?

The Unfiltered History Tour

Favorite campaign of all time that he wished he worked on?

Moldy Whopper

One campaign that didn’t pan out the way he wanted?

The Game - Pepsi

Best client partner till date?

Then, Pepsi; Now, Maruti Suzuki.

Advice for agency professionals in the room?

Wadhwa emphasised the importance of taking work seriously while also maintaining a sense of enjoyment. He encouraged professionals to loosen up and have fun, highlighting the advertising industry as a space where individuals can truly be themselves and find enjoyment in their work.

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