A spotlight on advertising folks who've also stepped in front of the camera

In the world of advertising, where models, TV stars, athletes, and Bollywood icons usually take centre stage, it's interesting to witness the on-screen appearances of advertising professionals. In 2022, we noticed CEOs and Founders like Vineeta Singh, Ghazal Alagh, and Peyush Bansal took the spotlight by featuring in their own ads. However, a number of advertising trailblazers have been embracing the camera as well.

One of the most recent examples is Navin Talreja, co-founder of The Womb, who starred in a Britannia Bourn Bourn ad. Talreja also made an appearance in the latest Fogg commercial, where the iconic 'Fogg Chal Raha Hai' tagline was revisited – both campaigns were also crafted by The Womb.

Talreja has an active passion for acting that he pursues along with The Womb. He has also been featured in ads for brands like Kamasutra, State Bank of India, Bridgestone, Anti Piracy for Percept Pictures and Kelvinator. He has also been actively pursuing theatre and will soon be seen in the upcoming Amazon Prime series, Bambai Meri Jaan.

Bodh Deb Sr.VP-Integration and Growth at AumtumnGrey has shared screen space with Dulquer Salman for American Tourister. He also made an appearance in an ad for Aditya Birla Capital.

Sumanto Chattopadhyay, the former chairman and CCO of 82.5 Communications, is not only a veteran advertising genius but also a talented actor and model. Chattopadhyay's recent endeavour includes a commercial for Otto Water heaters by Havells.

He's also known for his alter ego, 'The English Nut,' where he creates educational content related to the English language. He has also made appearances in movies like "Piku." Chattopadhyay is not only an award-winning copywriter but was nominated for the Best Actor award at the Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema in France, Germany, and the UK.

Varun Duggirala, the former co-founder and content chief of The Glitch, has transitioned into a content creator, podcaster, and entrepreneur. This evolution has seen him promote brands like Andamenlife.

Sambit Mohanty, creative head at McCann Worldgroup, has also made appearances in recent campaigns for Andamenlife. Mohanty was also featured in the famous 'Main Crazy Hu' campaign by Coca-Cola.

Dhruv Mookerji, the creative director at Ogilvy, recently appeared in an ad for 'Cadbury Chocobakes'. He has also made a brief appearance in an ICICI Bank commercial alongside Shah Rukh Khan.

Ryan Reynolds, the Hollywood actor and co-founder of the film production company and digital marketing agency Maximum Effort, stands out for his unique approach. He stars exclusively in ads for businesses he's affiliated with, like Aviation Gin and Mint Mobile, in which he holds substantial stakes.

In addition to these, we have also seen advertising stalwarts like Piyush Pandey and Prasoon Joshi lending their voices to memorable campaigns such as 'Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai' for Asian Paints and 'Bade Kaam Ki Cheez' for Big Babool.