Rise of Founder-Led Brand Storytelling: Shantanu Deshpande joins Grand Jury of Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

As brands increasingly blur the lines between commerce, culture and conversation, creativity is no longer confined to advertising alone. It lives in product launches, social feeds, founder narratives and communities built over time. Reflecting that shift, Shantanu Deshpande, co-founder of Bombay Shaving Company, joins the Grand Jury of the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity, a platform recognising excellence in modern advertising and brand storytelling.

The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity were conceived to mirror the realities of today’s creative economy, where storytelling is shaped by platforms, participation and pace. The awards span categories including brand film and storytelling, integrated campaigns, digital and social innovation, purpose-driven creativity, design and visual craft, creative effectiveness and emerging formats such as AI, gaming and creator collaborations. Together, they aim to capture how ideas are conceived, distributed and experienced in contemporary India.

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The jury brings together leaders who’ve shaped brands, culture and economic thinking in India. The panel includes Amitabh Kant, the force behind Incredible India and one of the country’s most respected reformers; Praveen Someshwar, CEO of Diageo India; Prasoon Joshi, Chairman of Omnicom Advertising India; strategists and commentators Suhel Seth and Santosh Desai; Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director of Perfetti Van Melle India; Anil Viswanathan of Mondelez Europe; Shantanu Deshpande, co-founder of Bombay Shaving Company; and Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund.

Creativity Beyond Campaigns

The timing of the awards reflects a broader shift in how creativity is understood. Brands today are expected to build relationships, not just awareness. They speak directly to consumers through digital channels, often led by founders who double as storytellers and brand ambassadors. In this environment, creativity is measured as much by authenticity and engagement as by polish or scale.

Entries for the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity are reviewed across criteria that include originality, cultural resonance, storytelling depth, platform relevance, craft, innovation and, where applicable, measurable impact. The aim is to reward work that understands its audience and context, rather than relying on formula.

Apply here: Enter The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

A Founder’s View of Modern Branding

Deshpande’s career embodies this evolution. As co-founder of Bombay Shaving Company, he has helped build a direct-to-consumer brand in a crowded personal-care market by combining sharp insight, distinctive tone and digital-first communication. The company’s growth has been closely tied to content, community engagement and a willingness to experiment with formats that speak directly to consumers.

Beyond the business, Deshpande has emerged as a prominent voice on entrepreneurship, marketing and culture, often sharing unfiltered perspectives on brand building, leadership and the realities of scaling consumer businesses in India. His visibility has highlighted a larger trend: founders are no longer behind the scenes, but active participants in shaping brand meaning.

That perspective is increasingly relevant to evaluating creativity today. Many of the most resonant ideas now originate outside traditional agency structures, driven by startups, creators and in-house teams that move quickly and test relentlessly.

Apply here: Enter The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

Judging Creativity in a Startup Era

The inclusion of founder-leaders like Deshpande on the grand jury signals an acknowledgment of how creativity is produced and consumed today. It reflects a belief that great work can emerge from anywhere, and that effectiveness often depends on understanding consumer behaviour as deeply as creative craft.

As agencies, brands and creators prepare to submit work released in 2025, the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity are positioning themselves as a benchmark attuned to these shifts. With voices that span policy, corporate leadership, cultural commentary and entrepreneurship, the jury is designed to recognise creativity that is relevant, resilient and rooted in real consumer insight.

In that context, Deshpande’s presence adds a lens shaped by building brands in public—where ideas are tested instantly, feedback is immediate and creativity must earn its place every day.

Apply here: Enter The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity