5 Minutes with… Ruchita Zambre

With over 20 years of experience, creative head (West) and design director at TBWA\India, Ruchita Zambre has worked across a mix of mainline advertising, animation, and digital agencies including WYP Brand Solutions, WYP Wondrlab, Leo Burnett Mumbai, DDB Mudra, Tribal DDB, Law & Kenneth, Mullen Lowe and Kathaa Animation Studio.

In her current role, Ruchita leads across the Mumbai, Gurgaon and Bengaluru offices of TBWA on multiple brands such as Air India Express, Philips, JSW Paints, TATA AIG, Bandhan Mutual Fund, Hilton and more.

Outside of advertising, Ruchita loves to dance. A professional Bharatanatyam dancer, she has performed at various prestigious shows as well as won at national level dance competitions.

To get to know the multifaceted creative, LBB’s Sunna Coleman speaks with Ruchita on her early career lessons, most memorable projects and why the biggest challenge the industry currently faces is being unaware of the power of AI.
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LBB> You’ve had a long and impressive career in advertising but looking back, when did you realise that it was an industry you wanted to work in?

Ruchita> When I graduated in ‘Applied Arts’ from a reputed art school in Mumbai, I wanted to experiment with different genres rather than entering the ad agency world, unlike my peers. I was assisting a world-renowned artist for a few months, then straddled my way into an animation studio and Bollywood movies where I learned on the job. After a couple of years, it was just sheer FOMO that made me reconsider my decision.

I always begin a new journey by telling myself, “Let’s see what happens.” So, the decision to enter this industry was never for the long term; it was just to experiment and see if it was ‘fun’ enough to be in. That curiosity never stopped, and here I am.

LBB> In the early days of your career, were there any projects that particularly helped develop and fine-tune your creative eye?

Ruchita> As a young creative, I was lucky to be surrounded by creative geniuses and absorb as much as I could from them. They all had a nuanced eye to keep perfecting the work. At times, it used to be frustrating to work and re-work on the same pieces for days and months. But that’s how I realised I can get better at my craft. When I look back, I only feel good to have produced that piece of work.

LBB> How would you describe your approach to creativity, and to leadership more generally?

Ruchita> The famous Lee Clow quote, “Creativity thrives on a consistent diet of challenges and opportunities, which are often one and the same”, is literally the key to keeping myself thriving. Driving my team towards the same goal is my constant effort.

LBB> What’s the toughest part about being a creative head and design director? What’s the most rewarding?

Ruchita> The tough part is to do the managerial job as a creative individual. I have immense love for my craft, and that keeps me driven the most. So, what’s most rewarding is the fact that I get to do hands-on work with design, and at the same time, jam with my team and crack creative ideas for communication campaigns. To bring order to chaos is a stimulating process for me.

LBB> Which campaigns from your portfolio are you most proud of / are most memorable for you and why?

Ruchita> Air India Express: ‘The Inglish Dictionary’
‘The Inglish Dictionary’ is a cultural statement, a creative extension of the brand’s voice, and a mirror to how India truly expresses itself: freely, unapologetically, and in its own words. Creating this dictionary was the most joyous and fulfilling experience as a designer.

Johnnie Walker: ‘The Travelling Billboard’
Here, the idea was simple but gigantic. It was the first time in the world that we made the iconic striding man of the Johnnie Walker logo travel across the country, and then brought those experiences to people across media. The sheer size of the campaign in the toughest timeline to achieve was the biggest accomplishment.

Tanishq: ‘Ekatvam’
For Tanishq, one of India’s largest jewellery brands, we created an integrated campaign for Diwali launched in the year after the darkest year that humanity saw in recent times – the pandemic. So, the idea was about coming together (of generations, communities, art forms, etc.) and celebrating the festivities like never before.

LBB> Where do you go to find inspiration outside of advertising, and how do you infuse this inspiration into your work?

Ruchita> In general, the observation of life is where I draw inspiration from into advertising. Although dance and music are my most comfortable zones to be in, they keep me inspired. Since I am a professional Indian classical dancer and a Dance Movement Therapy practitioner, the natural inclination towards rhythm, movement, and balance is what organically flows into my work.

LBB> In your opinion, what are the main challenges that the industry is facing at the moment, and how can it work to tackle them?

Ruchita> The major challenge currently, according to me, is being unaware of the power of AI (or rather, living in fear because of lack of awareness). The key lies in ‘adapting’ smartly. This new landscape demands sharper thinking, cultural authenticity, and engaging content that earns attention in a fragmented media environment, whether in a one-second ad or a long-format digital video/film.

LBB> Looking ahead, what are your biggest hopes for the industry, for TBWA\India, and for the kind of work you’d like to create in the future?

Ruchita> The biggest hopes for the industry are centred on the rapid digital transformation, the potential of AI and data analytics, and the power of hyperlocal to create purpose-driven content to connect with a vast and diverse consumer base. And that’s exactly the kind of work I would like to create in the future, and I'm looking forward to TBWA\India as 'pirates' congregating with a mindset of fearless, creative, and disruptive thinking.