Santosh Padhi starts new chapter with the launch of ad agency ‘Into Creative’

Santosh Padhi, also known as Paddy, has launched 'Into Creative', an independent advertising agency focused on reviving bold, boundary-pushing creativity in the industry.

Padhi, who co-founded Taproot in 2009 before its acquisition by Dentsu, will serve as the agency’s Chief Creative Officer and Chairman. He is joined by Ayesha Ghosh, formerly of Wieden+Kennedy India, as CEO and Co-founder, along with five other founding partners, Yogesh Rijhwani (Creative Lead), Tania Dey (Strategy & Digital), Namrata Gosavi (Design & Digital), and Gargi Vegiraju (Business Lead). The team has previously worked together on major brands, including Jio 5G, Hero Vida EV, Hero Cycles, Jindal Steel, Jockey, and Zoya.

Padhi emphasised that the agency’s mission is to reignite creativity in an industry increasingly focused on formulas rather than fearless ideas.

The agency’s services will be structured under:

• INTO Brands
• INTO Insights
• INTO Ideas
• INTO Design
• INTO Tech
• INTO Digital
• INTO Content
• INTO Collabs

The six co-founders share a long history of collaboration. They previously worked together at Wieden+Kennedy India, which ceased its advertising operations in the country in December 2024. Some also collaborated at Taproot, where Padhi first made his mark as a creative leader. Their approach is rooted in debate, diverse perspectives, and deep collaboration, with a commitment to working alongside thinkers, makers, creators, and coders to push ideas further.

Santosh Padhi (Paddy), Chief Creative Officer & Chairman, said, "I would have easily retired on an island, but the calling from adland is loud and clear. This industry has given me everything, and it is time for me to give back."

"Our focus will be on doing brave, fearless, creative brand work. Indian brands and platforms have grown in number, but creativity hasn’t. Oddly enough, brands are being built on creativity. Somewhere, the passion of creative agencies to push boundaries has been lost. In a world where anything is now creatively possible, we are here to fill this vacuum."

Ayesha Ghosh, CEO, added, "More experiments happen when independent. And experiments often fail, but every now and then, they give birth to a gloriously unexpected, triumphant discovery. We’re here for that."

"We see ourselves as multipliers. When one collaborates with high creative integrity, respecting every platform, that's when true magnification of ideas happens."

The agency will officially launch in Mumbai on March 30, 2025, coinciding with Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, festivals that mark new beginnings in various parts of India. The leadership team confirmed that discussions with multiple brands are underway, with formal client announcements expected in the coming weeks.