Recorded at Cannes Lions 2026, We.Communications Asia-Pacific president Nitin Mantri discusses how brands such as Adidas and ITC have built genuine community participation rather than advertising-driven attention, and why measuring community value means tracking behaviour change and outcomes rather than campaign activity.

He also addresses why startups in India are especially crisis-prone, the uneven influence of the CCO role relative to other markets, and the pressure on comms fees despite rising demand for senior counsel. The conversation closes with a regional view across India, China, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia, and the geopolitical headwinds facing Brand India.