In her latest role as global head of Lightbox, the in-house ad agency of Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL), Swati Bhattacharya aims to foster transparency, collaboration, and emotional connection with consumers as a way to fuel business growth. 

In conversation with Manifest, for our October issue, Bhattacharya reflected on her two decades at JWT, her moves to Dentsu and FCB, and what excites her about this new chapter at GCPL.

She said, "Advertising used to be braver, with instinct playing a significant role. There was less fear and less jargon in agencies, and the atmosphere was more playful. While we have gained some great processes, the creative mojo has taken the biggest hit. It's become more of a Ranbhoomi (battlefield) than a Rangbhoomi (a playfield)."

Bhattacharya critiqued the portrayal of women in advertising, advocating for more female voices in creative leadership to reshape the industry's narrative. She remarked, "It’s a bit disheartening because there are far more women entering the industry at the entry-level and disappearing at the mid-level. The industry should be ashamed of how it treats its women. There should be more of us, especially considering that many of the consumers we speak to are women."

Bhattacharya also lamented the decline of spontaneous creativity, revealing how rigid structures have stifled the creative process, which once thrived on instinct and experimentation.

Read the full chat in the October issue of Manifest. Get your copy here. For subscription options click here.