Mumbai: The debate between large and small agencies is often overrated, as great work ultimately depends on people rather than agency size. Legacy agencies and independent setups operate with different pressures, where larger networks often follow global processes while independent agencies build distinct creative cultures.
These were some points made during a session on the third day of Goafest 2026 called ‘Scale vs Soul: Creativity in the Age of Agency Consolidation’, powered by CNN News18. The conversation featured Ashish Chakravarty, Managing Partner & CCO, Garage Worldwide; Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner, Enormous; Senthil Kumar, Storyteller & Film Director; and Tarun Bhagat, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo. The session was moderated by Delshad Irani, Storyboard, Network18 Group.
Chakravarty highlighted the changing dynamics between agency models and modern marketing expectations. “Legacy agencies and independent setups operate with different pressures, where larger networks often follow global processes while independent agencies build distinct creative cultures. CMOs today are more aware and proactive, increasingly asking for disruptive, culturally relevant work that drives fame, visibility, and cultural impact, making communication not just operational but a core driver of conversation and culture”.
Highlighting the tension between scale and creativity in the industry, Khazanchi said, “Independent agencies are not the only ones creating impactful work—large networks also produce strong campaigns. But sustaining scale often shifts focus towards numbers, efficiency, and targets, where Excel-driven pressures can dilute creative freedom. While the industry is becoming more performance-oriented, brands and CMOs still want work that makes them famous, enters culture, and sometimes requires the courage to say ‘no’ to preserve creative integrity.”
Talking about the role of strong brand-led thinking in creativity, Kumar noted that brand ideas build brands while creative ideas come from creative souls, and strong creativity must amplify a central brand idea through persistence and belief. AI he noted is a tool that can improve execution efficiency and reduce production costs, but it lacks emotional depth. He pointed out that it cannot replace human storytelling, which he explained remains defined by characters, individuality, and emotional resonance.
Emphasising the point, highlighting a growing industry reality, Tarun Bhagat, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo, said, “The debate between large and small agencies is often overrated, as great work ultimately depends on people rather than agency size. Consumers remember impactful campaigns, not structures, while brands continue to seek long-term growth, consistency, and legacy alongside faster, culturally relevant ideas. CMOs are increasingly open to bold thinking, but what ultimately matters is delivering emotionally impactful work that strengthens the brand over time.”
