Media Vantage: A CX Visionary’s Playbook
In the dynamic and ever-evolving world of brand storytelling and talent representation, few names resonate as powerfully as Aahuti Mistry. As the Founder of Media Vantage, Aahuti has built not just an agency but a movement—where creativity meets commerce, and narrative takes center stage. With a Master’s in Global Media & Communication from Coventry University, UK, and a pulse on both Western efficiency and Indian authenticity, Aahuti’s journey began with a cultural dissonance that soon turned into an entrepreneurial insight.
A Boutique Venture
What started as a boutique venture to bridge talent and storytelling has today emerged as one of India’s most respected names in influencer campaigns, branded content IPs, and celebrity-brand alignment. From emotional moments like the Daawat Eid special to high-performance campaigns like Skoda Kushaq and OnePlus, Aahuti and her team have redefined customer engagement—infusing meaning, emotion, and purpose into every partnership.
In this exclusive conversation with CX Quest, Aahuti shares her insights on what it takes to stay authentic in a saturated digital world, how customer experience is central to creator success, and why the future of branding lies in empathy-powered innovation.
The Founding Story
Q1. Your journey from Coventry to creating Media Vantage is inspiring. What was the cultural and professional tipping point that made you launch your own agency?
AM: When I worked in England (although for a short time), being my first job and work culture, it set some standards of conditioning. When I came back, the very first reality show job I took up was absolutely opposite. I almost felt misfit and wanted to be a game changer in some way. To lead one has to have that freedom + empowerment. That thought got me to start my own – to be able to have the freedom and fresh thought process than follow / justify a borrowed idea.
DNA of Media Vantage
Q2. How did your background in affiliate marketing and content direction shape the DNA of Media Vantage?
AM: When I had moved back from London after working in Digital Marketing extensively, I knew I belonged to working with Artists and Films back home where I grew up breathing our cinema. To gain experience and exposure I joined as assistant creative director for a prime-time reality show. During that short stint is when I realised the gap in the Artist’s narrative of themselves.
That is how Media Vantage was born, to strategise narratives for Artists voice on their socials. Working closely with artists for the first few months I knew my calling and strength was being instrumental in their career path. Not just shaping their voices but adding value to their career graph. That is what we kept building. Being that strong voice on behalf of the Artists and paving way to opportunities / collaborations that are extension of their persona, and then challenging their creative limits to be a finer version of themselves. While many work at the intersection of creativity, talent, and strategy – only a few understand the gap in the industry’s approach. This became the founding vision of Media Vantage; to treat artists as collaborators, & to build authentic career choices and paths.
Brand, Talent & CX
Q3. You mention creators are collaborators, not commodities. How does this philosophy shape the CX you deliver to both talent and brands?
AM: When you collaborate, you give room to grow and co-create. That’s the fundamental of being an artist manager. A brand today wishes to associate with an artist not just for what they are perceived as in the market, but for what they also stand for, and who they are. The persona we build for them, be it the screen roles, or the brand collaborations; they are equally invested in making it big. It’s a collective mission to bring out what’s best, every time and with every piece of work – because no ad film is big, and no movie is too small for the artists. They add value with their voice, their face, their charm and their uniqueness, that’s why you don’t treat them as commodities.
Talent Management
Q4. What do you believe are the key elements of a successful CX in talent management today?
AM: The key to unlocking a talent’s growth lies in deeply understanding their skillset, mindset, strengths — and equally, their areas for improvement. This clarity allows us to align them with projects that not only elevate their craft but also help them take on new challenges and reshape how they’re perceived in the market.
But none of this is possible without clear, honest communication. We strongly believe that setting the tone from day one — aligning on expectations, vision, and even the smallest details — builds the foundation for trust, longevity, and meaningful growth – for them & for us.
Q5. How do you maintain balance between commercial goals and emotional storytelling?
AM: The key to an artist’s satisfaction lies in finding work that fuels their hunger for new challenges. Which is why our goal is to always support that vision — not just creatively, but with the right economics and long-term stability. This sprouts from our ability to a 360-degree support system for the talents, and not being just another management agency.
We don’t believe in turning talent into prototypes. Instead, we double down on their strengths and help build a stronger, more authentic public perception. Every artist is unique — our role is to help that individuality thrive, not dilute it. We encourage them to be part of the strategy, not just the execution.
Campaigns That Mattered
Q6. The Jagjit Singh tribute IP has become iconic. How did that idea take shape, and what did you learn from it in terms of audience experience?
AM: It was developed on a night of an after party to an after party with 2 heads – commerce meeting creative discussion, and then finding its collaboration with Skoda and TIPS. We went ahead to conceptualize, and put together a series that reimagined 12 of Jagjit Singh’s classics with celebrated artists like Sonu Nigam, Talat Aziz, Hariharan, Shaan and more. The IP struck a chord with takers – both brand and label; and garnered accolades for both the brand and the agency.
This wasn’t just a campaign—it was a cultural moment. And it marked Media Vantage’s evolution into a strategic partner for content-led IPs and branded entertainment.
High-impact
Q7. What went behind high-impact projects like Skoda Kushaq and the OnePlus Bangalore store that made them resonate with audiences?
AM: When we did the TIPS Rewind with Skoda, we had cemented our strength in building unique experiences. The same became the motto for the Skoda Kushaq launch campaign – right from curating the artists who would lead the story, to scripting the journey of the campaign. Choose What Really Matters, was the core messaging for it, and we curated everything around choices. From Celebrities who would put up stories with the AR filter of the car, to having the users choose the next destination in the influencer’s day out with the car. In a cluttered SUV Market, it was very important to align the brand with the right faces too. That’s how we built the snackable content with Shruti Hassan, Guru Randava, Darshan Ravall & Shikhar Dhawan.
We pushed the scale & boundaries on the OnePlus Store Launch by pooling in the relevant creators and influencer / celebrities online, and bringing them on board to drive user engagement. Getting over hundred Nano Influencers to build their avatars, which would go live on the store’s screen – was challenging but worth it. The campaign was one of a kind to support the largest store launch of the brand. That’s how we like to build our solutions; always customized to cater to the vision of the brand.
Personalization at Scale
Q8. How do you approach personalization at scale, especially when managing A-list talent across platforms?
AM: Let me break it down to answer this:
1. Content today is layered – like one size doesn’t fit all, so does content.
2. There are two aspects to look at with respect to A-List Talent. a) They pull the crowd, create the buzz and make the right noise for the brand to leverage. b) It’s also the characters associated with them through the roles they play – which has also become a form of content for brands to leverage. Which is why we as talent custodians believe in getting them into roles that suit them, challenge them & nurtures them to be a better version of themselves.
3. Personalisation is but a choice – and we keep coming back to it because we believe that a qualitative approach is always better in the long run. We strive to do it because it brings out the best & authentic versions of the artists, no matter the scale. We give them the safe space to be themselves, so they can grow into a better version that suits the roles they take up, and even the brand they work with.
In today’s world of automation & AI – human touch is critical or may be even luxury more than ever.
Tech & The Future
Q9. AI and automation are transforming marketing. How is Media Vantage leveraging these technologies without losing the ‘human’ touch?
AM: No AI tool can ever truly understand the vastness and versatility of an artist. No AI tool can replace them either. But then, they are just ‘tools’ – it’s how we use them to our advantage gives us the strategic edge. For us, technology is a means to be more agile and insightful — but our storytelling remains soul-first, not software-first. These tools allow us to streamline repetitive processes, decode audience insights faster, and personalize campaigns at scale. But creativity, intuition, and cultural relevance still need a human pulse. While we keep using AI tools, we might even build our own someday down the line to build efficient synergies between the trio – artists, brands & custodians.
Q10. What role do data and insight play in curating influencer-brand fit and campaign design?
AM: Data is the foundation of any meaningful influencer-brand partnership today. While aesthetics and follower count were once the norm, what now truly matters is audience quality, engagement behavior, and alignment of values.
Insights allow us to move beyond vanity metrics. They help decode who the influencer is really talking to, how their audience interacts with them, and why their content works. We look at data not just as numbers — but as narratives that inform tone, timing, and targeting.
Whether it’s mapping psychographics, understanding content resonance, or measuring post-campaign sentiment, data ensures we’re not just creating noise — we’re creating impact.
Leadership & Legacy
Q11. What does meaningful growth look like to you? How do you define success beyond scale?
AM: It’s not about getting more talents, resources, or brand collaborations – it’s about getting the right ones, and making the most out of them. Success is defined not by the noise your brand creates in the market, it’s defined by the virtue of collective growth.
Q12. What is one legacy you hope Media Vantage leaves behind in the content ecosystem?
AM: Create a boutique ecosystem where everyone thrives – freedom empowering responsibilities. Making custodians push the Artist to be a better version of themselves and challenge them with time. To create content as per the opportunity with the belief of making it impactful.
Closing
As our conversation with Aahuti Mistry draws to a close, one thing becomes crystal clear—authenticity isn’t a buzzword at Media Vantage; it’s a belief system. Her ability to see both the granular and the grand—the art and the algorithm—is what sets her apart in a crowded digital landscape. Aahuti has not only championed talent but also nurtured stories that transcend screens and touch lives.
In a world where attention is currency, Aahuti Mistry reminds us that emotion is still the most valuable capital. Whether it’s reimagining Ghazals with contemporary icons or crafting influencer journeys that convert audiences into advocates, Media Vantage is setting new CX standards—one narrative at a time.
As she eyes the future with optimism, AI augmentation, and global expansion, Aahuti remains grounded in her core ethos: build with empathy, lead with intuition, and deliver with excellence.
