Q] How did the agency come into being and why was it named Talented?
When Gautam Reghunath and PG Aditiya founded Talented, they didn’t want to build just another ad agency; they wanted to reimagine the agency experience for both talent and clients. Their vision centered on four core needs of creative professionals: diverse opportunities, fair pay, recognition, and work-life balance. To fulfill these, they introduced Employee Ownership, giving 22% ESOPs across levels to make Talented truly employee-owned. They adopted a Maker-Manager philosophy, prioritizing creators over managers, and built a culture of Generous Credit, where press releases carry multiple bylines helping 8–10 team members every year make their media debut. Most importantly, they champion an Anti-Burnout culture with the motto: Do great work, get great sleep. Asking “How did you sleep last night?” is a genuine check-in here. And true to their philosophy, the agency isn’t named after its founders, but after what really powers the industry, Talent.
Q] Do you believe this is a strong moment for young, independent agencies? Are brands more open to working with independent agencies now?
Absolutely! Around the world, independent agencies are setting new benchmarks in creativity. Many brands today are comfortable working on a project basis rather than committing to long-term retainers. This model keeps the work fresh; we approach every brief with renewed rigor, leaving no room for complacency. Indie agencies also have the freedom to experiment with structure. We believe that once the core idea is cracked, the right subject-matter experts should be brought in because not everything can or should be executed entirely in-house. This openness to collaboration is what gives independents a distinctive edge.
Q] What distinct advantages do young agencies have over larger network agencies?
We’re agile. We can make decisions in real-time without layers of bureaucracy. Our handbook is a living document; we revisit and revise it constantly as we grow. That flexibility is harder for large networks.
Q] What are the biggest challenges you face when competing with large network agencies?
Surprisingly, we don’t feel any challenges while competing with network agencies. From day one, Talented has been seen in the same breadth as Ogilvy, FCB, and other major players. We’ve built legacies with FMCG brands, worked with Silicon Valley clients like Google, and helped startups define their marketing vision. Today’s CMOs are brave and forward-thinking. They care less about whether an agency is indie or network, and more about the value it brings. Our philosophy is simple: best idea wins.
