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legend of
Sonal Dabral is one of the most awarded creatives in Asia. His extensive list of honors includes: * **Cannes Lions:** Multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze Lions across his tenure at Ogilvy (India, Malaysia, Singapore) and DDB Mudra. * **D&AD:** Multiple Yellow and Wood Pencils. * **One Show:** Multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze Pencils. * **Spikes Asia:** Numerous Grand Prix and Gold awards; led Ogilvy Singapore to Agency of the Year. * **AdFest:** Led his agencies to AdFest Agency of the Year multiple times. * **Clio Awards:** Multiple Gold and Silver statues. * **Industry Honors:** Frequently named among Campaign Asia’s top creative leaders; recognized as one of the top 10 Creative Directors in the world by the Big Won Report during his Singapore tenure. * **Jury Leadership:** Has served as Jury President and judge at almost every major global award show, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, LIA, and Spikes Asia.
"The heart of the idea must beat with human truth."
Born in India, Sonal Dabral studied Visual Communication at India's premier design school, the National Institute of Design (NID). This foundational training gave him an unparalleled eye for aesthetic rigor and visual storytelling. He began his career in advertising at Lintas India before moving to Ogilvy Mumbai. During the 1990s, he partnered closely with Piyush Pandey, and together they revolutionized Indian advertising by breaking away from Westernized tropes to celebrate authentic Indian culture, creating iconic campaigns for brands like Fevicol and Cadbury.
Vice Chairman & Group CCO
2017-2020
Chairman & Chief Creative Officer
2011-2017
Chairman & Regional ECD
2007-2011
Chairman & Executive Creative Director
2004-2007
Executive Creative Director
1999-2004
Creative Director
1991-1999
Art Director
1989-1991
How Sonal Dabrai the Indian advertising legend approaches creative challenges
Dabral’s creative philosophy is anchored in the belief that "great advertising is just great storytelling." He approaches challenges by digging for a visceral, emotional hook—often utilizing humor, nostalgia, or poignant drama. Guided by his NID background, he treats art direction not as a secondary layer, but as the core language of the idea itself. He believes in mining local cultural truths and executing them with global aesthetic standards, ensuring the work connects locally but is admired globally.
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