I started out at JWT in 1996, and over the years have worked with agencies including RK Swamy BBDO, Leo Burnett, Mudra Group, Publicis, and M&C Saatchi, as well as with HCL Tech, a global IT major, where I was Chief Copywriter. Over the years, I’ve worked as a creative consultant for smaller ad and marketing agencies on a wide range of creative assignments. Look at my resume here.
What I bring to the table is the ability to find ideas that move people and businesses, and take that idea to final execution. I’ve worked across industries, and brands like HP, Jim Beam, Maruti, UNICEF, DLF, Sony, Amity University, HCL, Tata Communications, and Lalit Hotels to name a few. My work spans across large and small businesses, local and global brands.
I’ve worked on pitches across different industries, helping make the ideas clearer and the story easier to tell. I’m quick to get a sense of the creative strategy, what the brand’s really about, and identify what needs to be done. No one can predict a breakthrough idea with certainty, but I can tell when something meets the brief and is likely to deliver results. My turnaround time is relatively fast.
I can develop ideas that work across digital, traditional, and emerging platforms. I also have a working understanding of communication metrics, including user engagement data, A/B testing, clickthrough rates, search keywords, and ad targetting.
When it comes to social media, I’ve learned that relevance often outperforms creativity. A piece of content that directly addresses what a user is seeking has a far greater chance of stopping the scroll than one that’s just creatively clever. The message has to promise value and be quick to consume, and in some cases also a quick resolution to their problem - because attention spans online are really short.
In terms of video, I’ve written and conceptualized a lot of AVs, particularly for IT and B2B companies. Earlier in my career, I also worked on TVCs for brands like UNICEF, Thums Up, and Maruti. I can still write for TV with ease, though I may not be fully up to speed with the latest trends in TVC styles or what kind of ad films are delivering the best results on YouTube and social media.
I’m also a visual thinker. When I conceive an idea, I often see the visuals alongside the copy. My process always starts with understanding:
What does the client really want? What matters to the target audience? What’s the ideal outcome for the brand? What need does this communication aim to fulfill? What is the first hurdle to overcome?
Once I understand the context, I work toward ideas that are either creatively compelling or directly impactful, depending on what the situation calls for. Sometimes a clear, simple message is more effective than something highly stylized.
I'm comfortable jumping into live campaigns to deliver fresh creative or additional work. It doesn’t take me long to understand a brief, get the context, and start working on it.
I’ve also started using AI tools in a supportive way. For example, if I have a visual idea, I can use AI to generate mock-ups in seconds. These images are great for concept cards. If I need a shake-up, asking AI, through a well crafted prompt, to give 25 ideas, may yield 1-2 that go on to spark something valuable. I feel GenAI can be very helpful, when the human in the loop does the core thinking and carefully evaluates the final product.
Over the years, I’ve built strong relationships with collaborators:
Art Directors: I have a few trusted partners I’ve worked with who can deliver high-quality design work. Their availability depends on bandwidth at the time.
Film Producers: I know producers across budget ranges (mostly Delhi-based) who can step in as needed.
UX/UI Designers: I work closely with a designer experienced in user interface and experience design—websites, internal apps, workflow design, etc.
Social Media Teams: If the budget is significant, I can bring in people who can create and manage regular content calendars.
I use Adobe tools extensively. This portfolio is built on Adobe MyPortfolio, and I work with collaborators skilled in Premiere Pro and After Effects. I also know basic video editing myself, just about enough to create rough video ideas.
To sum up, whether it's ideating, writing, shaping campaigns, helping teams, or pulling together a last minute pitch idea, I’m happy to step in wherever there's a need.
