Lessons in creativity and brand-building from Hyper Connect’s Kiran Khadke

Over the past two decades, the advertising industry has undergone a significant transformation. The rise of digital marketing challenged traditional approaches, and the emergence of performance marketing further redefined how brands connect with their audiences. Kiran Khadke’s career has evolved in parallel with these industry shifts.

Beginning in client servicing, Khadke moved through roles in strategy and planning for FMCG brands before transitioning to the creative side. Each shift, he notes, was driven not by a desire for hierarchical advancement, but by a deeper interest in understanding the fundamentals of brand building. These varied experiences offered him a comprehensive view of the limitations created by rigid divisions between mainline, digital, and performance marketing.

By the time he co-founded Hyper Connect in 2016, the concept of "integration" had already gained popularity. However, Khadke was determined to implement it meaningfully. His vision was to dismantle silos, unify strategy and creative functions, and deliver work that was not only visually compelling but also aligned with long-term business objectives.

Today, Khadke’s approach to brand building is grounded in clarity and cultural relevance rather than superficial gimmicks. He often encourages young professionals to begin with the basics, advising them to "pick up a pen and paper first." In an era dominated by digital tools, he believes that ideas must be given space to develop before execution.

In this conversation with Social Samosa, Khadke reflects on his journey from agency floors to co-founding Hyper Connect, discusses the importance of strategic storytelling, and shares his insights on the evolving landscape of branding in India.

Edited Excerpts: 

Kiran, you've spent over 15 years building brands across different categories and geographies before co-founding Hyper Connect. Looking back at your agency days, what was the pivotal moment that made you realise you wanted to start your own agency rather than continue climbing the traditional agency ladder?

This was in 2016, when I started my agency. By then, I had already worked with all kinds of agencies – big and small. What I saw was a very clear divide between mainline agencies, social media agencies, and performance marketing.

Mainline agencies were only focused on films and bigger projects, while social media agencies were offering creative services limited to digital media. We realised that the media landscape was going to change drastically, and it needed an integrated thought process. That provoked us to start this company.

It took us almost a year to get our first client because people only wanted to see us as a social media agency. We were very clear that we didn’t want that. Our first client was Kotak Mutual Fund. At that point, they were the 8th or 9th largest AMC. Today, they are the 4th largest, and we have been their agency since, doing everything from their largest TV campaign to their social media to their website.

With most of our clients today, we do everything for them—like Malabar Gold & Diamonds, where we handle social media for India and international markets as well as their ATL campaigns. That was the motivation: to create an integrated practice. The industry itself had a divide in talent—mainline people didn’t understand the medium, and digital people didn’t understand brand. We wanted to bridge that.

You describe yourself as a strategic storyteller. In an industry where everyone claims to be strategic, what does strategic storytelling actually mean to you, and how has your definition of it evolved over your 15+ year career?

 I started my career in servicing, then moved to planning—especially on FMCG brands—for four to five years, and then into creative. Fundamentally, I’m a planner at heart who got into storytelling.

As a company, we don’t work with too many clients, but wherever we work, we go deep into their business. Our work may not look like the fanciest in the industry, but it is deeply strategic.

For example, we launched a campaign for Limelight Diamonds. It was the first time a lab-grown diamond brand was taking on the natural diamond space in India. It wasn’t fancy, creative—it was simple, straightforward, and effective. The results have kept clients with us for years.

To me, strategic storytelling means working so closely with brands that you apply strategy consistently over time. That is what sets us apart.

Looking at campaigns you've led, there is a strong emphasis on cultural resonance. How do you balance creating work that feels authentically Indian versus work that can scale beyond geographic boundaries?

We never try to create global work. India itself is so big and complex that it’s a challenge on its own.

In my earlier stints, I worked with global brands like Fiat, Skoda, Renault, and Vodafone. Even there, when we used international celebrities like Kareena Kapoor, the focus was still on the Indian diaspora across the world.

With Hyper Connect, we go deep into cultural nuances. For example, with Malabar’s “Fair Price Promise” campaign, we didn’t just translate scripts. We recreated them in five languages with local actors and cultural nuances—right down to the way terms like “making charges” are spoken in different regions.

So far, our focus has been to create authentic campaigns for India. The day we have to make work with a global appeal, we’ll try to do justice.

Interactive and functional packaging is becoming huge in 2025 - QR codes, AR experiences, and reusable packaging that serves dual purposes. How are you advising clients to balance innovation with cost-effectiveness, especially for smaller challenger brands?

Innovation has to be strategic. We only recommend it if it helps tell a story in an interesting way and if the target audience is equipped to engage with it.

For example, in high-end jewellery, consumers are unlikely to scan AR codes. Even in automobiles, AR on phones often feels mediocre. Mass brands can experiment, but only if their TG will genuinely find it interesting.

On cost, many technologies are not very expensive today. We’ve implemented some with clients in cost-effective ways. But in our experience, traction is limited unless the brand is very youthful and the TG is into these things.

Digital-first branding means designs need to work across AR filters, social media formats, and interactive experiences. How has this shift changed your design process? Are you designing for screens first and then adapting for print, or vice versa?

Our process begins with defining a very pragmatic brand guideline. Most existing guidelines are designed by people from the print era, not suited for today’s UI/UX needs.

We start by carving out the brand’s core essence and defining its archetype. Then we simplify the brand book with essentials like colours and fonts. Our designers are trained to work across platforms, but not everyone is. That’s why the simplified guideline goes to all teams.

The real problem comes when guidelines made with an “exterior” (print-era) mindset are forced into UI/UX. Every brand today needs to reinvent its brand book to account for 3D objects, interactivity, and evolving formats.

AI tools have democratised certain aspects of creative work - anyone can generate logos, write copy, or create basic videos. This accessibility is fantastic for small businesses, but it's also commoditising creative services. How do you see this reshaping the value proposition of creative agencies?

Agencies or individuals doing functional, non-thinking work will face a challenge. But there is still no replacement for thinking.

Four years ago, everyone had access to Pinterest or Google Images, but not everyone could make a powerful mood board. It’s the same today with AI. The tools are available to everyone, but imagination and creativity make the difference.

In my office, senior creatives are the most involved with AI. They use MidJourney and other tools, but apply their imagination and experience to create phenomenal work.

So yes, AI reduces the need for rudimentary roles—like needing two copywriters instead of five—but it cannot replace original thinking.

You've witnessed the complete digital transformation of Indian consumers - from desktop to mobile to now voice and quick commerce. What shift in consumer behaviour surprised you the most, and how has it changed the way you approach brand building?

The biggest challenge today is abundance.

Earlier, there were only a handful of ads on TV—you remembered them. Today, there’s so much content that even great films on Netflix might never show up on your algorithm. Consumers are impatient and have too many choices.

This means content has a shorter shelf life. Brands are creating more and more to keep up. But at the same time, great work that makes people pause, think, or feel still has value. In fact, it is more valuable now.

Looking ahead, what's the one trend in Indian branding and design that everyone's talking about but you think is overrated? Conversely, what under-discussed trend do you believe will significantly impact the industry?

AR and VR are overrated. The experience depends on hardware, and most of the time it is mediocre. Until technology evolves further, it won’t live up to the hype.

Sustainability, on the other hand, is fundamental. But it is treated as a communication device rather than a cultural shift. Making sustainable bottles doesn’t matter if the business model itself isn’t sustainable.

Brands like Allbirds have re-engineered their processes—that’s real sustainability. In India too, we’re working with clients on process-driven sustainability. That will be very important going forward.

Lastly, as a juror for Social Samosa’s 30 under 30, what message would you like to give to young talent of the industry? Any pearls of wisdom that you would like to share from your experience?

The younger generation is smarter, faster, and clearer in life than we were. But the biggest risk is losing the ability to think originally.

With so much technology, people start looking outside for references instead of looking within. When I worked with Pushpinder, a senior creative, he once told my peers that I came up with ideas faster because I wasn’t Googling references—I was looking inside myself.

Today, people should not let AI paralyse their thinking. Use pen and paper. Write, sketch, think first. Even writing a good email is an art. Once you’ve cracked it, then use AI as a tool. Otherwise, you won’t even know if what the machine gave you is appropriate.

That’s my only advice: don’t lose your intuitive ability to think.