Mumbai: BBH India, a leading creative agency, part of Publicis Groupe India, has announced the appointment of Swati Balani as executive creative director (ECD), in Mumbai.
She will report to BBH India chief creative officer Parixit Bhattacharya in her new role.
Welcoming Balani to the barn, Bhattacharya said, “We are casting for a high talent density collective. Where every individual inspires the other and impacts the work positively. Swati represents the very best of our industry. Her work puts technology, data, and platforms to the service of great insights. She has taken a modern, social approach to marketing across a variety of projects. Swati will guide the output of some of our key brands while pushing the boundaries on breakthrough, non-traditional work. We want Swati to make the best work of her life with the team here while laughing the hardest she ever has.”
Balani has over 14 years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry with a combined knowledge of both traditional and digital platforms. Her expertise lies in combining creativity with tech and leveraging creativity while making use of digital platforms. She has worked with Ogilvy, DDB Mudra, FCB, AutumnGrey, and Sideways Consulting. Throughout her career, she has built several brands across various sectors, including fintech, healthcare, BFSI, consumer durables, tech startups, FMCG and more. Over the years, Balani has collaborated with leading brands across industries, including ITC, Burger King, USL Diageo, Microsoft, P&G, PepsiCo, and Aditya Birla among others.
Balani’s career has been marked by campaigns that have captivated the digital landscape. Notable achievements include spearheading Pepsico India’s first AR campaign for Slice, which showcased the inspiring stories of COVID warriors in lieu of traditional branding. She also played a pivotal role in the launch of Microsoft’s first AI chatbot in India and Diageo’s gifting portfolio with a consumer-first UGC (user-generated content)-led launch.
She has won several national and international advertising and marketing awards. In particular, her campaign for Netmeds, #SilenceCancerNotItsFight, clinched a Gold award in the Red Abby’s category. Balani has also been named Social Samosa Superwoman in 2023.
Speaking about her new role, Balani said, “Any creative individual dreams of a place that believes in standing out from the crowd. And I found just that at BBH! Their work has always set a benchmark in the industry, and I am excited to be a part of Parixit and Himanshu’s team that truly believes in the Zag philosophy. My goal is to create fun and memorable work for brands that surpass mediums and truly become a part of today’s culture. And of course, have fun while doing it!”
