ICW's 4th Portfolio Evening collaborates with DDB Mudra, D&AD, and McDonald’s

To provide women and non-binary creatives a platform for visibility in the Indian advertising and design industry, Indian Creative Women (ICW) has partnered with DDB Mudra Group and D&AD for the fourth edition of Portfolio Evening, sponsored by McDonald's. 

The event aims to create a diverse creative leadership pipeline in the country and will provide an exclusive opportunity for applicants to have their portfolios reviewed by a panel of senior creative talent from the industry. Two winners will earn an all-expense paid trip to the D&AD Festival in London.

Call for portfolios is now open with the virtual event scheduled for Thursday, 7 December 2023 and the in-person event is slotted for Friday, 8 December 2023 at the Omnicom House, Mumbai. Application deadline is Monday, 4 December 2023. 

Some of the eminent jurors for this year include Swati Bhattacharya, CCO FCB India, Harshad Rajadhyaksha, CCO, Ogilvy India, Tista Sen, CCO and CEO, Ladyfinger, PG Aditya, CCO Talented, Huei Yin Wong, Senior Art Director, Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne, Palak Kapadia, Sr. Creative, Amazon, New York.

With limited seats on a first-come-first-serve basis, the event is open to all creatives with an average experience of 0-6 years, including students and freelancers. Applicants who have taken a career break are also encouraged to apply. 

Sakshi Choudhary, founder, Indian Creative Women shared her thoughts, "Despite the growing focus on DEI in the industry, there’s still not much action on ground. Indian Creative Women is committed to making the Indian ad & design industry more diverse through actionable solutions. Portfolio Evening, supported by D&AD, our local long- standing partner DDB Mudra Group, and sponsored by McDonald's, serves as a key initiative to nurture a pipeline of strong female talent. It’s time our industry accepted the influence women bring to consumers, brands and the business of creativity."

Speaking on the sponsorship, Rajeev Ranjan, managing director, McDonald’s India (N&E) said, "As a proud advocate of creativity and diversity at workplace, I am immensely thrilled to witness the transformative journey that Indian Creative Women (ICW) is forging in the advertising and design landscape. At McDonald's India, we value the pivotal role women play in improving the quality of business outcomes not only by bringing in diverse perspectives and brilliantly executing unconventional breakthrough ideas but also by leveraging and shaping consumer trends and narratives.  Women today represent a significant economic force. The success of our communities in many ways depend on the success of our women associates. The ICW Portfolio Evening is a testament to the brilliance and untapped potential of female creatives across India. We are honored to support ICW in celebrating and elevating the voices of women who are the architects of tomorrow's most compelling stories and campaigns.”

Arvind R.P., CMO, McDonald’s India (W&S) said "At McDonald's India, we actively foster an inclusive environment, where diversity is embraced as an advantage. The power of diversity and inclusion is especially vital when it comes to fuelling creativity and innovation. In light of this, we are committed to supporting initiatives like ICW that are working to create a more inclusive and equitable advertising industry. This is a unique opportunity for talented women to learn from and make a difference in the creative industry, and we are happy to be a part of this initiative."

Rahul Mathew, chief creative officer, DDB Mudra Group, shared his thoughts “We’re excited to partner ICW for yet another edition of Portfolio Evening. This is an important initiative to help the industry move forward. And to have D&AD and McDonald’s join us in this journey makes this edition of the Portfolio Evening, bigger than ever.”