Prasoon Joshi AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 announced by Indian ad body

Prasoon Joshi will receive the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2025, a recognition that cements his position as one of the most influential voices in Indian advertising and popular culture. The Advertising Agencies Association of India has chosen the celebrated advertising leader and poet lyricist for what is widely regarded as the highest individual honour in the Indian ad industry.

With close to three decades in advertising, Joshi has consistently created work that connects commerce with culture. His campaigns, lyrics and screenwriting have shaped how brands speak to people, how stories are told on screen and how creativity from India is viewed on the global stage.

Why the Prasoon Joshi AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 is significant

The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award was instituted in 1988 to honour professionals whose body of work has left a lasting imprint on the industry. It is not just a recognition of fame or awards, but of leadership, ethics, mentorship and contribution to the growth of advertising in India.

By naming Prasoon Joshi as the 2025 recipient, the industry is acknowledging a career that spans iconic brand campaigns, pathbreaking film writing and a deep engagement with social issues. As CEO and CCO of McCann Worldgroup India and Chairman for the APAC region, he has helped build brands while also championing emotionally rich, culturally rooted storytelling.

What makes his creative approach stand out

Joshi is known for blending sharp insight with emotion and cultural nuance. Whether writing for brands, films or public service messages, he often taps into everyday language, local idioms and shared memories. This ability to mirror the inner voice of the audience has made his work feel both personal and universal.

It is this balance of commercial impact and artistic integrity that the AAAI is choosing to celebrate.

A rare mix of advertising leader and acclaimed poet

Beyond his role in advertising, Prasoon Joshi is a respected lyricist and screenwriter. His work in cinema has fetched several national and international honours, including the Padma Shri, which he received at a relatively young age for his contribution to arts and literature.

This multidisciplinary presence has allowed him to influence culture across multiple platforms. Songs and lines he has written often move into everyday conversation, showing how deeply his work resonates with audiences.

How do industry leaders view this recognition

Srinivasan K Swamy, President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India, described Joshi as one of the most inspiring creative minds of our times. He highlighted Joshi’s ability to infuse insight, emotion and cultural context into storytelling that has elevated Indian advertising on the global stage, while also enriching society’s creative conscience.

Jaydeep Gandhi, Chairman of the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award Committee, called Joshi’s journey a masterclass in the power of ideas and integrity. He noted the rare balance in Joshi’s career between commercial success for brands and deep artistic sensitivity, and shared that the committee members were unanimous in their decision.

Criteria behind the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award

The AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for veterans with at least twenty five years in advertising and a record that goes beyond individual campaigns. Typical criteria include

• Proven leadership across teams, clients and organisations

• Strong ethical standards and industry reputation

• Contribution to the growth and professionalisation of the advertising business

• Innovation and impact within the companies they have helped to build

• Involvement in socially meaningful initiatives and communication

Some of the earlier recipients of this honour include Subhas Ghosal, Alyque Padamsee, Mike Khanna, R K Swamy, Piyush Pandey, Sam Balsara, Prem Mehta, Srinivasan Swamy, Ramesh Narayan, Roda Mehta, Ram Sehgal, Madhukar Kamath, Arvind Sharma, Colvyn Harris, Shashi Sinha and Vikram Sakhuja among others.

When will Prasoon Joshi be honoured

The Advertising Agencies Association of India will formally present the award to Prasoon Joshi at a special ceremony in the coming weeks. The event is expected to bring together industry leaders, creatives, marketers and long time collaborators to celebrate his work and influence.

With the Prasoon Joshi AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2025, the Indian advertising fraternity is saluting a career that has combined insight, empathy and cultural depth with sustained leadership. The honour recognises not only his role in building brands and businesses, but also his contribution to shaping the creative conscience of a generation of professionals and audiences in India and beyond.

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