Collaboration is our superpower: YAAP’s Atul Hegde on ind agencies outpacing networks

Independent digital agencies, not global networks, will drive the next decade of advertising growth and their biggest strength lies in collaboration. That was the central message from Atul Hegde, founder of YAAP, who delivered a stirring keynote at e4m’s Independent Digital Agency Connect (IDAC) 2025.

“Collaboration is our superpower,” Hegde declared, drawing loud applause from a hall packed with agency founders and brand leaders. “WPP cannot collaborate tomorrow with Dentsu or Publicis, they just can’t. But we can.”

Citing YAAP’s recent partnership with Gozoop, he said collaboration between independents allows them to scale without losing agility. “Imagine two independent agencies, one great at tech, another strong at influencer marketing — coming together for a brand. It’s a win-win,” he added.

Hegde believes the next big opportunity for Indian independents lies beyond home turf. “It’s much easier today for Indian agencies to expand overseas — whether it’s Africa, the Middle East, or Southeast Asia. The new definition of ‘global’ isn’t London or New York. It’s MENA, markets that are exploding and are 5–7 years behind India digitally. That’s an $8–10 billion opportunity.”

Agility, Not Legacy, Wins the Pitch

The YAAP founder didn’t mince words on why independents are stealing the march on network agencies. “Clients no longer care who your ‘baap’ is,” he said with a laugh. “Earlier, every network agency pitch began with ‘mera baap kaun hai’, showing global lineage. But today, brands don’t care where you come from. They ask: What have you done? Do you have category knowledge? Have you innovated?”

In a fast-evolving ecosystem shaped by AI, creator marketing, and new content formats, Hegde said speed and adaptability define success. “The power of an entrepreneur is the power to change course, that’s what independent agencies do best.”

The pandemic years, he noted, marked a turning point. “Influencer marketing came out of the blue during COVID. Before that, none of us had heard of it. And today, it’s a ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 crore category built in just five years, entirely driven by independent agencies before the big boys even realised what was happening.”

“Consumers are smart, they know when a post is paid for. Authenticity is everything. That’s why brands now want to work with independent agencies who understand local culture and can tell authentic stories,” he said.

From Digital Pennies to Ad Dominance

Hegde opened his address with a sharp reality check. “We talk about a ₹1 lakh crore ad market, but this must be the only category in India still dominated by foreign players, I’m talking about 90% plus market share.”

He pointed out that the digital arms of global giants like WPP and Publicis were built on the foundations of Indian independent firms. “Every large network has built its digital muscle on the back of Indian entrepreneurs who took the risk of forming digital agencies when it wasn’t even fashionable,” he said.

Recalling his own journey, Hegde added, “When I started, people told me I was leaving offline dollars for digital pennies. But it took us 20 years to make digital the No. 1 spending category in India. Today, 50 to 52% of ad spends are digital, that’s the victory of independent entrepreneurship.”

Closing on an optimistic note, Hegde quoted Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma: “You just can’t keep an entrepreneur down.”

“As brands seek agility, authenticity, and experimentation, that entrepreneurial mindset will define success,” Hegde said. “Collaboration is our superpower, agility is our advantage, and authenticity is our currency. The next decade of digital belongs to independent agencies.”