From talent incubator to creative powerhouse: The rise of Bangalore in advertising

New Delhi: Bangalore, often considered India's technology hub, plays a crucial role in the advertising industry, especially compared to the country's advertising capitals, Mumbai and Delhi. While Mumbai remains the advertising epicentre and Delhi follows closely, Bangalore's significance lies more in its role as a talent incubator than a business hub. 

The city attracts outstanding advertising and design talent, particularly from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. For them, Bangalore is a launching pad for their careers before they transition into larger markets like Delhi or Mumbai. 

Unlike Kochi, which lacks extensive opportunities, and Chennai, which remains somewhat conservative towards creative professions, Bangalore offers fertile ground for creative growth and professional development. This unique positioning underscores Bangalore's importance in nurturing the next generation of advertising talent in India.

Over the past 20 to 25 years, many of India's most talented advertising directors and writers have emerged from Bangalore. The city has produced notable figures such as Nirmal Pulickal, the creative head of Facebook; V Sunil, who founded Wieden+Kennedy India; and Jojie Jacob of BLKJ Havas Singapore. Many others, like Anant Rajan, have also spent significant parts of their careers in Bangalore. 

The city’s progressive mindset and cosmopolitan nature have fostered creative excellence for the past 30 years. As a culturally rich and historically significant city, Bangalore is seen as a gateway to the South and the North of India, providing a starting point for entering larger markets. 

The future of advertising in Bangalore looks highly positive and promising. Firstly, Bangalore has experienced a start-up boom since around 2015, making it a unique and vibrant city for new businesses. This boom has been attracting many people in their 20s and 30s to Bangalore, rather than the traditionally preferred Mumbai or Delhi.

People are drawn to Bangalore for its culture, favourable weather, and open-mindedness. The city’s innovative spirit is evident in its large number of self-made individuals. In contrast, Mumbai is often associated with inherited legacy, and Delhi with political heritage. Bangalore is known as a city where people come to become entrepreneurs or to experiment. Therefore, the future of advertising in Bangalore looks immense.

For Generation Z, young Millennials, and even older Millennials, Mumbai was once the city to settle down in. However, these younger professionals might now prefer to work in Mumbai for only 3 to 4 years to build their CVs before moving to a city that offers a better quality of life. 

Post-COVID, the crumbling infrastructure, pollution, lack of space, and high cost of living in Mumbai are significant deterrents. These factors make Mumbai less appealing, and as a result, many talented individuals are moving to Bangalore. 

Another reason the future of advertising in Bangalore looks so promising is its connection to future-oriented industries. While Mumbai is traditionally linked to finance, entertainment, and to some extent, FMCG, and Delhi to telecom, FMCG, and manufacturing, Bangalore is aligned with sectors like D2C, start-ups of all kinds, fintech, technology (a lot of Japanese and German companies operate out of the city), IT (Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Accenture and thousands of others) and AI, along with traditional sectors like manufacturing or lifestyle (titan) and automobiles (TVS, Toyota and so on), and a small share of FMCG (ITC and Britannia). 

Many companies in emerging sectors have their head offices in Bangalore and Hyderabad. This connection to industries of the future positions Bangalore as a key hub for advertising in the coming years.

The decline of Delhi as the second advertising city is due to several key factors. Firstly, the rise of the health sector in India has led to the decline of unhealthy FMCG categories. Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola, which have their headquarters in Gurgaon (part of the Delhi NCR), have seen a decrease in marketing spending over the last decade. This is largely due to increased health awareness and a shift in consumer preferences. While people have not entirely discarded these products, the frequency and quantity of consumption have decreased. This decline in marketing spending has significantly impacted agencies operating out of Delhi NCR.

Secondly, the monopoly created by Jio has caused substantial damage to other telecom brands like Vodafone, Airtel, Aircel, and BSNL. This shift has also contributed to the decline of Delhi as an advertising hub, as the once-dominant telecom sector has seen a significant reduction in competitive marketing activities.

This migration pattern is also evident among the upper middle class and the prosperous middle class, which together make up roughly 200 million people in the country. The next point is the significant contribution of individuals and agencies to the rise of creativity across India. This includes the emergence of agencies in Bangalore that have garnered international recognition and awards at prestigious events like the Cannes Lions, the One Show, and Spikes Asia. 

A notable example is Dentsu Webchutney, led by PG Aditya, whose pioneering efforts have spotlighted Bangalore as a burgeoning hub for advertising creativity. This success has underscored Bangalore's potential to lead the way in innovative and creative advertising practices in India.

Bangalore holds promise as a hub for innovation and technology-driven solutions, diversifying beyond its current dominant sectors and raising the bar for industry standards will be pivotal for sustaining its leadership in India's advertising landscape.