Mumbai: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced that celebrated advertising leader, poet-lyricist, and creative visionary Prasoon Joshi will be honoured with the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award for 2025.
Instituted in 1988, the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest recognition granted by the Indian advertising industry. It acknowledges individuals who have significantly shaped the profession and inspired creative excellence across generations.
Joshi, CEO and CCO of McCann Worldgroup India and Chairman, Asia Pacific, has been one of the most influential voices in Indian advertising for nearly three decades. Known for work rooted in deep cultural understanding, emotional resonance, and creative integrity, he has played a defining role in elevating Indian storytelling on the global stage. His parallel contributions to Indian cinema—as a lyricist and screenwriter—have earned him national and international acclaim, including the Padma Shri.
Speaking on the announcement, Srinivasan K Swamy, President, AAAI, said, “Prasoon Joshi stands tall as one of the most inspiring creative minds of our times. His ability to blend insight, emotion, and cultural context into powerful storytelling has made a difference to Indian advertising at the global stage. The AAAI is happy to honour a professional whose work has not only elevated brands but also enriched society’s creative conscience.”
Jaydeep Gandhi, Chairman of the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award Committee, added, “Prasoon Joshi’s journey is a masterclass in the power of ideas and integrity in creativity. His work reflects a rare balance of commercial success and artistic sensitivity. The Committee members were unanimous in their choice to recognise Prasoon with this honour.”
The award will be presented at a special ceremony hosted by AAAI in the coming weeks.
The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award honours individuals with at least 25 years in advertising leadership and notable contributions to industry development, ethical practice, creativity, and social impact. Past recipients include iconic figures such as Piyush Pandey, Sam Balsara, Alyque Padamsee, Ramesh Narayan, Roda Mehta, Madhukar Kamath, Shashi Sinha, Vikram Sakhuja, and others.
Founded in 1945, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) is the industry’s apex body, dedicated to strengthening professional standards, safeguarding member interests, and driving industry-wide collaboration.
