He understands Bharat like nobody else: Marketing leaders cheer for Prasoon Joshi

The Indian advertising and creative community gathered in Mumbai to pay tribute to one of its most influential and enduring voices—Prasoon Joshi. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) honoured Joshi with the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 on December 19, recognising a career that has left an indelible imprint on Indian brand storytelling, popular culture and creative leadership.

Widely regarded as the industry’s creative conscience, Joshi’s journey spans decades of iconic advertising, poetry and lyricism that seamlessly blended commercial insight with emotional depth. The honour drew heartfelt appreciation and warm wishes from leaders across advertising, media, marketing and allied creative industries, many of whom credit his work for shaping how brands speak to India. The evening marked not just a celebration of professional milestones, but a collective expression of gratitude, respect and affection for a body of work that continues to inspire generations of creative talent.

Sameer Suneja, CEO, Perfetti Van Melle, shared fond memories of his association with Joshi. “The amount of fun we've had together, the amount of campaigns we've created, the brands we've built, the friendships we've created, absolutely incredible. He is a legend, a legacy, poet, scriptwriter, songwriter, but above all, an absolutely incredible friend. I still remember how you took my father to a Kailash Kher concert because that was his favourite singer… something that my father still so fondly remembers still today.”

Mohit Malhotra, CEO, Dabur India Ltd, described Joshi as someone who understands Bharat like nobody else. “You took so many Dabur brands to magical heights. You are mitti se juda hua poet, lyricist who understands Bharat like nobody else,” said Malhotra.

Added Sunil Suresh, Group CMO, Air India, “You carry the wisdom of your roots into the most sophisticated boardrooms. You don't separate the poet from the strategist. It teaches us that to build global brands, we must first understand the human parts. You have spent a lifetime teaching us that magic happens when we have courage to make that leap into the unknown.”

Kanika Kalra, Marketing Director, Reckitt Health, South Asia, shared, “As the world has changed attention, sir has always pushed us to chase emotion and actually make sure that we connect. I remember that I wrote a brief, but he actually answered the brief with a poem, which led to the Unbox Zindagi campaign. The thought stayed with us so long and the words have now got embedded into culture.”

Hemant Malik, Executive Director, ITC Limited, credited Joshi as a foundational partner in building the business and brand.

“Foods (ITC) was the original startup from Bangalore. We had no brand, we had no businesses, and we were deciding where to go. And Prasoon, you were one of the first people to partner with us. And what a partnership it has been! And I'm sure you would be very proud to know that today Aashirvaad is India's number one atta brand, a number one staples brand, is almost Rs 10,000 crores in consumer spend,” he shared.

Shripad Nadkarni, Founder of Uprio and former CMO of Coca-Cola India, highlighted Joshi’s rare blend of creative instinct and consumer insight, pointing to the iconic Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola campaign as a defining example.

“He melds creativity with a deep understanding of consumers and brands, and the results are always spectacular. One of the examples of that was the Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola campaign with Aamir as the Nepali Sherpa. It was just without any brief whatsoever, it was just that he kept on thinking about the brand all the time,” he mentioned.

Remembering an incident, Nadkarni said, “We were at my place for a dinner to celebrate Coke's success, and Prasoon narrated what I consider his finest poem ever, which was Babul Jiya Mora Ghabrai… At the end of the poem, I remember Aamir Khan was there and said, for this poem alone, you deserve the Padma Shri.”

T Krishnakumar, Director, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, outlined how Joshi has set new benchmarks in advertising.

“From the iconic Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola to the thought-provoking national campaigns rooted in emotion and purpose, he has set new benchmarks that have deeply impacted the Indian consumer.” Krishnakumar said.

Gaurav Jain, EVP and Regional Director at Reckitt, talked about how Joshi has shaped the way we feel and think. “Some people entertain us, some inform us. And there are a rare few who shape the way we feel, think and care,” Jain said.