Curativity co-founder Amer Jaleel took to LinkedIn to express concern over Wagh Bakri’s latest ad campaign, pointing out that elements from a pitch his agency presented appeared in the final advertisement—despite Curativity having no involvement in its production. The campaign, according to Jaleel, was executed by FCB Group.
The Pitch
As per Jaleel’s post, Curativity—a platform that connects independent creative talent with brands—was invited to pitch for Wagh Bakri by a former client who had recently joined the tea brand. During the pitch, Curativity presented several distinctive ideas they believed could set the brand apart.
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Creative Inputs in Question
Among the ideas pitched were:
- A tagline: “Aisi Chai Jo Zubaan Pe Reh Jaaye”
- A visual strategy that highlighted Tea Masters instead of the traditional tea gardens
Both of these elements were spotted in the final ad campaign released by Wagh Bakri, leading to Jaleel’s public post.
Curativity’s Response
Curativity claims to have reached out to Wagh Bakri’s senior management after noticing the similarities. However, they have not received any official communication regarding the outcome of the pitch. Jaleel remarked that such “coincidences” are already surfacing early in the company’s journey, raising questions about the experiences of long-standing industry veterans.
Conclusion
The incident has sparked a fresh conversation around creative ownership and pitch ethics in advertising. With overlapping ideas and no clear resolution yet, the Wagh Bakri campaign controversy continues to unfold. Both the brand and agencies involved are yet to issue official responses, but the situation highlights the complexities surrounding idea protection in competitive pitches.
