ADGEEK

Reading the Indian consumer

Santosh Desai examines culture, brands and the assumptions advertising makes about India.

20 Jul 202659 min

Listen

Watch

The conversation

In our milestone 30th episode (& our very first video podcast), we are joined by one of the true greats of Indian advertising: Santosh Desai (MD & CEO of Future Brands India, author of Mother Pious Lady , and legendary columnist).

In this unfiltered chat, Santosh talks about why the traditional agency model is fundamentally broken, how tech acts as a consumption pacifier, & why regional brands are leaving national giants in the dust.

Key Highlights:

Inside the strategy behind VIP Suitcases' "Belong Everywhere" shift & an ahead-of-its-time Stayfree campaign that fought shame decades before it was trendy Why the K-shaped economy and digital "doom scrolling" are redefining what aspiration actually means in non-metro India How centralized agency structures fail to comprehend hyperlocal realities, and why the linear development gap between cities is officially dead Why AI easily replaces mediocre advertising, and how the industry completely missed the short-form creator boom on Reels A sharp critique of why the advertising industry is desperately obsessed with self-referential validation & patting its own back

Additional subjects

Consumer Behaviour

Guests

Santosh Desai

Santosh Desai joined The Indian AdGeek as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Futurebrands India. He is the author of Mother Pious Lady and a columnist. His conversation examines consumer culture, regional brands and the assumptions built into agency structures. The interview places advertising within the changing social and commercial realities of India.