When Culture Meets Commerce: India’s Rising CX Opportunity
Visit any business or cultural event in India today, and you’ll sense one clear message. That, creativity now shapes every customer experience. This week, New Delhi is playing host to the third Creative Economy Forum (CEF). This is a joint effort between government ministries, creative founders, and industry icons. The ambition was bold: unite India’s best creative and business minds. To lay the foundation for “Creative Bharat,” a national movement. Where culture and innovation together fuel economic growth.
At the bustling IGNCA venue, CX professionals and creative leaders are gathered. To rethink how arts, storytelling, film, design, and digital innovation directly shape the way India’s businesses engage customers and employees. The energy is infectious. And a real-world challenge echoes through every hallway. Creative industries must now set the blueprint for memorable, meaningful experience journeys. Journeys hat build trust, drive growth, and export ‘Bharat values’ to the world.
Why the Creative Economy Matters Now
If you’ve struggled to break through customer expectations in hyper-competitive markets, the answer might be hiding within India’s creative sector. In the words of Supriya Suri, Founder of CEF and a leading film director, “The forum was founded on the pillars of policy, business, and creativity. This year, we continue to strengthen those connections.” It’s not just about art for art’s sake—it’s about building scalable businesses powered by human imagination and cultural authenticity.
Actor-producer Harman Baweja gives voice to the entrepreneurial journey, noting, “The journey of creative entrepreneurs today mirrors that of startups—we’re seeing creators build intellectual properties with real commercial value.” For CX and EX strategists, this is a compelling lesson. Growing brands and experiences in India must harness the creativity. It is embedded in every community, language, and practice. And thus, urning local stories into scalable business assets.
Policy and Partnership: Foundations for CX Innovation
The 2025 CEF forum stands out for its high-level backing from key ministries—Culture, Information & Broadcasting, Tourism, and Electronics & IT. Government support here is not abstract; it’s a practical amplifier for creative entrepreneurship. Discussions focused on how smart policy can spark new business models, protect creative IP, and open investment in emerging experience sectors—from design and animation to digital media and pop culture merchandise.
Avarna Jain, Chairperson of RPSG Group, highlights this potential: “India’s creative economy is a force multiplier for innovation, cultural diplomacy, and job creation. Platforms like CEF enable meaningful dialogues that drive both recognition and investment into the creative industries.”
For CX leaders, this means rethinking partnerships. Companies need to collaborate across sectors—bringing together creative founders, policymakers, investors, and technology players—so new experience journeys grow from diverse, authentic roots.
Spotlight on Leaders: What Drives Experience Excellence
Each CEF session illuminated key CX and EX challenges. From economic advisors and authors to TV editors and pop culture pioneers, the speaker list itself was a model of interdisciplinary thinking:
- Sanjeev Sanyal (Economic Advisory Council to the PM) unpacked how creative capital and financial policy intersect for businesses poised for IPO.
- Rajat Sharma (India TV) detailed the trust-building journey behind India’s iconic non-fiction IP, reminding CX professionals that transparency and reputation are everything.
- Fashion designer Rina Dhaka, along with animation leaders Charuvi Agrawal and Rajiv Chilaka, brought to life the nuances of creative product design—with detailed attention to how storytelling and merchandising move from the studio to retail shelves.
“Creators today are building IPs with real commercial value. It’s not just about creativity—it’s about the business of creativity,” said Harman Baweja.
These leaders aren’t just discussing theory. Their business journeys offer powerful insights for CX strategists looking to blend culture and commerce in meaningful, profitable ways.
Marquee Dialogues: Actionable Ideas from CEF 2025
A walk through this year’s agenda reveals practical solutions for the biggest CX and EX hurdles:
- The Road to IPO for Creative Businesses: Harman Baweja discussed financing, scaling, and branding for creators. Especially who want both influence and sustainability.
- Building Trust in Creative Bharat: Hon’ble Justice Tej Karia emphasized the connection between rights, reputation, and recognition. Especially showing why fair IP practices underpin great experiences.
- Pop Culture Merch and Labubu Dolls: Entrepreneurs and designers explored how grassroots fandom can fuel powerful product strategies. Thus, leveraging digital storytelling for new merchandise categories.
- Cinema Theatre Economics: Discussions around moviegoing remind CX experts that physical experiences still matter. Location, ambience, and technology upgrades are key to re-enchanting audiences.
Each session tackled not just creative or commercial questions, but the essential link. That how cultural resonance, product innovation, and ethical practices build customer trust and long-term engagement.
CX Innovation Through AI and Technology
Technology’s role was front and center at CEF 2025, with a special focus on the AI Impact Summit. From generative AI in design to smart CX analytics, digital tools are helping creative companies scale rapidly. Indian startups and legacy brands alike showcased new ways. Like, how to personalize experiences, automate workflows, and forge deeper connections with both customers and creators.
As Sanjay Nigam, Founder of Fashion Entrepreneur Fund, explained, “Investing in India’s design future takes more than capital—it demands vision, data, and a clear understanding of what makes Indian creativity unique.” The embrace of AI, machine learning, and real-time analytics is less about replacing human touchpoints. And more about augmenting the natural strengths of India’s creative workforce.
What CX Leaders Can Learn: Practical Takeaways
The CEF 2025 event brings home three urgent lessons for Indian CX and EX professionals:
1. Embed Local Creativity into Every Experience Journey
Don’t just localize content—co-create experiences alongside local artists, storytellers, and cultural practitioners. Think beyond marketing. Bring authentic Indian design, language, and values directly into product development and service delivery.
2. Build Trust with Transparent, Inclusive Practices
Modern customer and employee experience demands transparency. Protect creative IP, recognize contributors, and champion fair reward systems. Reputation is earned, not claimed.
3. Harness AI Carefully to Scale and Personalize
Leverage AI tools to automate routine tasks, but keep the human at the heart of every interaction. Use data insights to personalize journeys without losing cultural nuance or empathy.
Expert Voices: Why Creative Economy is CX’s Future
Amish Tripathi, bestselling author and broadcaster, sums it up: “The power of creativity is not just in ideas—it’s in their execution, in the ability to connect people and build bridges.” Dr. Anurag Batra, Editor-in-Chief at Businessworld, adds, “India is now a global creative powerhouse. Our challenge is to turn potential into real-world impact—measured not in awards but in the experiences we deliver every day.”
The Way Forward: Building Creative Bharat Through CX
If Indian businesses want to win both hearts and markets in 2025 and beyond, they must move beyond transactional approaches. The future is conversational: it listens before it acts, welcomes cross-sector partnerships, and brings together tradition, technology, and talent. The world is watching ‘Creative Bharat’—and the measured growth of its creative economy is a powerful signal that cultural experience is the next stage of customer and employee experience evolution.
Actionable Recommendations for CX/EX Leaders:
- Map creativity into every business strategy. Partner with creative professionals for product, content, and experience design.
- Support policy efforts that recognize and protect creative contributions—collaborate with government and industry groups.
- Adopt technology selectively, using AI to deepen, not dilute, the cultural impact and empathy of your customer journeys.
- Regularly audit customer and employee feedback to ensure your experiences reflect India’s diverse creative strengths.
- Foster a work environment where creative experimentation is seen not as a risk but as a growth imperative.
As India crafts its future in the global creative economy, the real opportunity for CX and EX leaders is to weave culture and commerce into every touchpoint—turning ordinary interactions into extraordinary journeys.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams—especially when those dreams build Creative Bharat.”
— Supriya Suri, Founder, Creative Economy Forum
Ready to shape the future of CX? Let India’s creative economy inspire your next transformation.
