JioStar Entertainment releases the latest episode of the collective — A deep dive on building enduring brands through television

JioStar Entertainment has released the latest episode of The Collective, its thought leadership platform bringing together influential voices shaping India’s advertising and entertainment ecosystem. The new episode places television at the centre of brand-building conversations, affirming its role as the most powerful medium for creating brands that endure. The discussion also underscored television’s role across the marketing funnel, and how it continues to influence consideration, search, and purchase - while anchoring long-term brand equity. 

Moderated by journalist and producer Anuradha Sengupta, the episode features four of India’s most globally recognised creative leaders in a candid discussion on television as a powerful medium in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Rooted in decades of creative legacy and strategic leadership, the conversation highlights how television continues to deliver unmatched scale, trust, memorability, and full-funnel impact for brands with national ambition. 

The episode features KV Sridhar (Pops), Global Chief Creative Officer - Nihilent Limited & HyperCollective; Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer - DDB Mudra Group; PG Aditya, Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer - Talented; and Josy Paul, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer - BBDO India.

Scale versus speed: Building brands beyond early momentum

Opening the discussion with a provocative question on whether brands can truly claim to invest in brand building without television, the panel drew a clear distinction between short-term growth and long-term brand value, iterating that television remains critical to creating aspiration and desirability at scale.

KV Sridhar spoke about television’s ability to speak to large, non-transactional audiences enables brands to move from early traction to sustained profitability.

Echoing this, Rahul Mathew highlighted television’s unmatched efficiency for brands seeking national reach. “If you want to reach India, it’s still the most efficient medium to make sure your brand is able to talk to so many people,” he said.

The discussion also underscored television’s role across the marketing funnel, and how it continues to influence consideration, search, and purchase - while anchoring long-term brand equity. 

Emotion, memory, and the power of collective viewing

Beyond reach, the panel repeatedly returned to television’s emotional and cultural strength. Live and shared viewing moments, they noted, create a scale of collective experience that few other media can replicate.

“That emotion, that reality - tells me that a brand can be built with those few moments on TV,” said Josy Paul, reflecting on how shared vulnerability and real-time storytelling drive instant connection.

Highlighting television’s ability to embed brands in popular memory, Rahul Mathew observed, “Till date, I’ve never seen anyone sing a performance ad back to me. But there are people who will still sing jingles from our past.” 

When ideas reach millions simultaneously, they become shared reference points - central to how brands earn emotional equity and cultural relevance.

The spark that drives the ecosystem

The conversation further explored how advertising on television works. Television, the speakers agreed, often provides the emotional opening that subsequent platforms build upon.

“TV is the spark. It allows you to get more people to be part of that spark,” said Josy Paul, outlining how strong television ideas can ignite conversations that extend across digital, on-ground activations, and action-oriented platforms.

As consumer journeys evolve, the medium continues to shape the idea as much as the idea shapes the medium.

Television as a statement medium

Another key discussion point was television’s role as a signal of brand maturity. According to PG Aditya, appearing on TV is more than a media choice - it is a declaration of intent.

“If a startup wants to say, ‘I am going on TV,’ they are proud of the fact that they are now on TV,” he said, describing television as a “statement medium” that marks a brand’s transition to its next phase of growth.

This logic, the panel agreed, applies equally to established brands. When companies want to express big emotion, think beyond narrow targeting, and connect with people at scale, television remains the natural choice.

Trust, safety, and credibility at scale

In an environment crowded with misinformation and fragmented content, television’s credibility emerged as a significant advantage. Its regulatory frameworks and brand-safe context continue to inspire greater consumer trust.

“Something about TV makes me want to believe. There’s greater credibility,” said Josy Paul.

Reinforcing this, Pops noted, “Even if the product has to get some kind of authority, if you advertise on television, you don’t mind buying it on the internet.”

Summing up the sentiment, Paul drew a sharp contrast: “Television offers relationships. Digital offers situationships.”

The Collective continues as an ongoing JioStar Entertainment initiative that brings together influential voices to shape perspectives, decode trends, and reimagine the role of advertising in entertainment. By anchoring industry conversations in insight and experience, the platform reinforces television’s enduring role as the foundation for brands seeking scale, meaning, and long-term impact.