As AAAI completes 80 years of representing India’s advertising industry, Sam Balsara reflected on the organisation’s journey and the changes that helped shape today’s modern agency ecosystem.
One of the defining shifts highlighted was the move towards allowing agencies to independently manage media businesses – a decision that challenged traditional industry structures at the time but later became a turning point for agency evolution.
Over the years, AAAI continued adapting by expanding membership categories to include full-service agencies, creative agencies, media agencies and digital-first players, reflecting the changing nature of advertising.
From an industry once valued at just a few crores to today’s ₹1.3 lakh crore ecosystem, the conversation also highlighted how Indian brands increasingly embraced advertising as a key driver of growth and scale.
Looking ahead, the focus remains on creating a more inclusive and accessible industry encouraging participation from independent agencies, emerging players and businesses across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.