Storyboard18 at Cannes Lions: 'Subbu' of MullenLowe Lintas on leadership, legacy, and ethnic culture

Storyboard18’s editor Delshad Irani spoke to S. Subramanyeswar, aka Subbu, Group CEO, MullenLowe Lintas Group & Chief Strategy Officer - APAC, MullenLowe Global about leading Lintas, thought leadership and culture at Cannes Lions 2023. Talking about leading Lintas in a new and different world, Subbu says,“ I have taken charge of an agency whose legacy is intimidating. I look at Lintas as an institution, not just an advertising agency. Brand Lintas has cultural authority beyond brand authority.” For Subbu, who identifies as a strategist, everything is a brand. According to him, the audience of Lintas including employees, clients, and the larger populace is interested in the conversation that Lintas initiates. Addressing his agenda for the agency, Subbu revealed that Lintas has initiated a big study in the country in collaboration with Quantum Consumer Solutions.

“We are trying to understand every single culture from a historical context,” he says, and adds, “There is a rise of ethnic pride in the country. People are global, national, local, and ultra-local. We can look at culture and potentially come up with solutions which can form deep connections with the micro- and sub-culture.’’

Recently, LoweLintas bagged four prestigious awards for its work on Bayer Saridon's AI-powered IVR hotline, Aarampur. Subbu believes that Lintas as a company is prepared for the new world through its digital and technological capabilities. Hiring from big tech companies like Meta is one of the initiatives that Lintas is taking to gear up for the AI-enabled world.

Watch out for the full conversation on CNBC-TV18.

(Compiled by Indrani Bose)