The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced the formation of its INDIE Council for Independent Advertising Agencies, with Tanya Goyal of Everest Advertising appointed to lead the initiative. The council will focus on addressing business and creative challenges faced by independent agencies, particularly smaller firms competing with large global advertising networks.
Its agenda covers several areas, including regional representation, professional development, access to emerging technology and talent retention. The council intends to create platforms that bring regional perspectives into wider industry discussions, while encouraging collaboration between independent agency professionals and experts from fields such as filmmaking, technology, design and social sciences.
Mentorship is another priority, with plans for structured programmes that connect emerging independent creators with experienced industry professionals. The council also aims to improve access to artificial intelligence tools, marketing technology and advanced data analytics through subsidised training and enterprise licences, addressing cost barriers that can limit adoption among smaller agencies.
Talent development forms part of the wider agenda. The council will work towards competitive compensation benchmarks, mental health standards and greater professional recognition to make independent agencies more attractive to younger talent.
“The INDIE Council is designed to give small and medium agencies a voice and a platform to grow,” said Tanya Goyal.
The council’s first planned initiative is an AI Boot Camp scheduled for after Diwali. The programme will begin with the fundamentals of prompt engineering and help participants develop greater familiarity with emerging technologies.
Jaydeep Gandhi, vice president of AAAI, will head the AAAI Academy, which will plan and coordinate future learning and skilling initiatives in collaboration with the INDIE Council. Explaining the focus of the initial programme, Gandhi said, “We will start with basics in prompt engineering, and help build more fluent usage of emerging technologies,”
AAAI president Dr. Sandeep Goyal said the council would help strengthen support for independent agencies across the industry. “Independents are the backbone of our industry, and the INDIE Council is a vital step to ensure they have the support they need,” said Dr. Sandeep Goyal, President, AAAI. “With Tanya leading this effort and with Jaydeep Gandhi’s guidance, we are committed to building capability and creating opportunities for this critical segment.”
The formation of the INDIE Council puts the challenges facing independent agencies on a formal industry agenda. Its focus extends beyond visibility to practical concerns such as technology access, talent development, mentorship and regional representation. The proposed AI Boot Camp offers an initial step towards capability building, while the council’s longer-term relevance will depend on how effectively its wider commitments translate into support for smaller agencies.
