The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced the formation of its INDIE Council for Independent Advertising Agencies, appointing Tanya Goyal of Everest Advertising to lead the initiative. The council will focus on improving access to artificial intelligence, marketing technology, talent development and industry collaboration for independent advertising agencies.
Announced on October 29, the council aims to address business and creative challenges faced by smaller agencies, particularly in comparison with larger global advertising networks. Its mandate includes strengthening regional representation, developing mentorship programmes and making emerging technologies more accessible.
One of the council's priorities will be to facilitate subsidised training and access to enterprise licences for AI tools, MarTech platforms and advanced data analytics solutions. These technologies can involve significant costs for smaller agencies, making adoption and workforce training important considerations.
The council will begin its activities with an AI Boot Camp scheduled after Diwali. The programme will introduce participants to the fundamentals of prompt engineering and provide training on the practical use of emerging technologies in advertising workflows.
Jaydeep Gandhi, Vice-President of AAAI, will head the AAAI Academy, which will coordinate learning and skilling initiatives in collaboration with the INDIE Council.
"We will start with basics in prompt engineering, and help build more fluent usage of emerging technologies," Gandhi said.
Beyond technology adoption, the council plans to create platforms for advertising professionals operating outside major metropolitan markets. The initiative is intended to encourage greater participation from regional agencies and incorporate local market perspectives into broader industry discussions.
Another focus area will be cross-disciplinary collaboration. The council plans to facilitate interactions between independent advertising professionals and specialists from filmmaking, technology, design and social sciences to support knowledge sharing and creative development.
Structured mentorship programmes will also form part of the initiative, connecting emerging advertising professionals with experienced industry leaders.
The council will additionally examine talent-related challenges, including competitive compensation, mental health standards and professional recognition, as part of efforts to attract younger professionals to independent agencies.
"The INDIE Council is designed to give small and medium agencies a voice and a platform to grow," said Tanya Goyal.
Dr Sandeep Goyal, President of AAAI, said the initiative was intended to strengthen support for independent agencies and create opportunities for capability development.
The announcement follows AAAI's recent introduction of its 2026-27 Board, which includes representation from independent agencies, regional advertising businesses and established agency networks.
While the council has outlined its priorities, further details regarding programme participation, training subsidies and access to technology licences have not yet been announced.
The INDIE Council will work alongside the AAAI Academy to develop training and collaboration opportunities for independent agencies across India's advertising industry.
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