Goafest 2025: Paritosh Srivastava Places India as Leader in AI, Data and New Storytelling Forms
India stands on the edge of an economic and cultural evolution. With its GDP currently around four trillion dollars and per capita income nearing 2000 dollars, the country is poised for rapid transformation. Paritosh Srivastava, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi India, BBH India and Saatchi Propagate, believes this change will deeply impact the advertising and communications industry.
“In the next six to eight years we are going to be an eight or even 10 trillion dollar economy,” he explains. “When that happens, every person on the street will have double the money in their hand.”
This rise in wealth will shift consumer behaviour and significantly expand the role of marketing. “GDP is growing at 6.5 percent which is the fastest in the world,” Srivastava continues. “We have one of the youngest populations globally and their money in hand is going to double in the next six or seven years. When that happens the industry that will be under maximum pressure to innovate and deliver will be communication and advertising.”
Currently, India’s advertising spend remains relatively small compared to the size of its economy. “The advertising expenditure today is a tiny percentage of GDP. It is much smaller than in the US or China. But that is going to change. As consumers grow richer and their expectations evolve this industry is going to see a different kind of boom.”
To meet that demand, Srivastava is guiding his group of agencies with a model built on collaboration, with each agency bringing a distinct identity. Saatchi Propagate drives digital storytelling, BBH carries its challenger DNA, Publicis focuses on media and performance, and Saatchi & Saatchi leads legacy brand transformation. At the core is a strategy function that brings multiple disciplines together.
“We have built a strategic backbone that spans brand, business, anthropology, behavioural science,” he explains. “Founders and clients today are not coming to us for an ad film. They are looking for growth. For business outcomes. That means we must combine emotion with performance, storytelling with ROI.”
This approach is already showing results. The HDFC Mutual Fund campaign SIP For Life reframed investment as an emotional act of care, connecting deeply with Indian families.
“We did not sell the product, we sold peace of mind. That is how you connect with real people,” says Srivastava.
The recent Škoda Kylaq campaign is another example. Combining cultural insight with performance marketing, it helped reposition a legacy auto brand for a younger audience.
“We knew that Škoda needed to feel both Indian and aspirational. That campaign did both and it drove sales. That is the expectation today.”
Central to all of this is the role of technology. Far from being a threat, Srivastava sees AI as a transformative force.
“AI isn’t the enemy of creativity, it's the electricity of our age,” he says. “It allows us to work faster, smarter and with more precision. It does not replace the creative process, it enhances it.”
He adds, “This year, more than ever, Goafest showed how the industry is adapting to the future with AI, data and new storytelling forms. It is a place where old school meets new school and where the focus is on growth and relevance.”
He believes India is uniquely positioned to lead in this space. With a hyper-digital population and unique cultural rhythms, the market demands a new kind of creative agility.
“India has its own memes, its own platforms, its own language of influence,” he says. “We are not copying Western behaviour. We are setting our own pace. That means brands must think and act with local intelligence and global ambition.”
Looking ahead, Srivastava is optimistic. As India’s top 40 cities undergo unprecedented growth, the opportunity for brands is clear.
“This is a once-in-a-generation shift,” he added. “The economy is expanding, the consumer is evolving and the tools are in place. What we need now is creative work that connects across culture, commerce and community.”
