The Agency That Never Sold Out, Turns 40!
From a basement office in Delhi to one of India's largest independent advertising networks, Crayons celebrates four decades of growth while charting its AI-powered future.
The Crayons Network, one of India's largest fully independent and integrated advertising agencies, has completed four decades of operations, marking a journey defined by entrepreneurial independence, integrated capabilities, and sustained business growth. As it enters its fifth decade, the agency is sharpening its focus on AI, technology-led solutions, and next-generation integrated marketing to strengthen its offerings for brands.
Founded by Kunal Lalani in July 1986 from a basement office in New Delhi, Crayons began at a time when India's advertising industry was largely concentrated in Mumbai and multinational agency networks dominated the landscape. Choosing to remain independent while building from Delhi was considered unconventional. Four decades later, the agency has emerged as one of the country's leading independent advertising and marketing communications networks.
Crayons' early breakthrough came with its campaign for Baba Zafrani Zarda. When television advertising for the category was not permitted, the agency adopted an unconventional media strategy by taking the campaign to cinema halls and VHS platforms. The campaign, featuring Bollywood actor Vinod Khanna, achieved exceptional brand recall and reinforced the agency's belief that strong ideas can succeed irrespective of the medium.
Over the years, Crayons expanded its footprint beyond traditional advertising hubs, opening offices in Chandigarh, Jaipur, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chennai and Kolkata, before establishing its international presence in Dubai to serve the GCC market.
As the communications landscape evolved, the agency diversified into specialist businesses across media, digital, out-of-home advertising and events through Melon Media, Ultraviolet Digital, Amber OOH and Jade Events, creating an integrated marketing ecosystem under one independent network.
Today, Crayons partners with leading brands including Air India, Tata Group, ITC, Kajaria, Fortis Healthcare, APL Apollo and The Leela Hotels, while also working with financial institutions, healthcare organisations, public sector clients and more than ten state governments. Tourism has remained one of the agency's strongest practice areas, with campaigns for Kerala Tourism, the first global digital campaign for Incredible India, and several other state tourism boards.
A significant milestone in the company's growth journey came in May 2023, when Crayons was listed on the NSE SME platform. The IPO was oversubscribed 147 times, enabling the agency to access capital markets while continuing to operate as an independent business.
Commenting on the milestone, Kunal Lalani, Founder, Chairman & Managing Director, The Crayons Network, said:
“Forty years is a long time to be told you're doing it wrong. We started in Delhi when Mumbai was where advertising lived. We stayed independent when independence was not considered scalable. Every time we were told there was one way to build an agency, we chose another. Looking back, I'm proud we never needed to become something else to survive. Looking ahead, we're investing in technology, AI and new capabilities—not to change who we are, but to strengthen what we have always believed in. Forty years feels less like a finish line and more like the start of another exciting chapter.”
Speaking about the agency's technology roadmap, Ashraye Lalani, Director – Growth & Technology, The Crayons Network, said:
“Every decade has brought a new disruption to our industry—from television to the internet, social media and mobile. AI is the next transformation, but we believe its real value lies in amplifying human creativity rather than replacing it. We're building an agency where strategy is sharper, execution is faster and creativity has more room to flourish because technology is working alongside people.”
The milestone was commemorated through a leadership summit in New Delhi, bringing together branch heads and business leaders from across the network to discuss the agency's future growth strategy. The sessions focused on accelerating investments in AI, technology, integrated communications and new-age marketing capabilities to support clients in an increasingly digital-first environment.