A metallurgist by formal training, Abhijit Avasthi is the Founder and CEO of Sideways. His career in India’s advertising and creative industries spans over two decades. He was with Ogilvy from 1999 to 2014, the last 6 years as the National Creative Director. At Ogilvy, he shaped some of India’s most iconic brands, including Cadbury, Fevicol, Asian Paints, Perfetti, Bajaj Pulsar, Star TV and Google.
In 2015, Avasthi launched Sideways, a creative problem-solving company. Sideways is a curious mix of a consulting firm, an advertising agency, a design house, a technology solutions co, and a product design studio.
It has been conceived based on Abhijit’s belief that in today’s complex environment, solutions to problems lie at the intersection of disciplines and cannot be solved in silos. For this reason his 70 strong team includes technologists, engineers, industrial designers, management consultants, design researchers besides the usual bunch of brand planners, writers and art folks.
To date Sideways has worked with over a 100 clients such as Pidilite, Sleepwell, Google, P&G, Nykaa, Meesho, Borosil, Suhana Masala, Axis Bank, Ahmedabad University, among others.
Some of Abhijit's notable works include Fevicol - Bus, Fevicol - Moochwali, Center Shock - Barber shop, Google Search - Reunion, 5 Star - Ramesh & Suresh Shop, Mentos - Classroom, Center Fruit - Tabla, and Google - #PledgeToVote with Mr. Shyam Negi to name a few.
Besides advertising campaigns, Sideways partners businesses in areas such as solving complex business solutions, experience design of digital products, reimagining service journeys, new product development and innovations. Sideways also creates its own IPs through Sideways Play, a division that designs and sells innovative games and toys.
Abhijit takes pride in his large family of 35 first cousins and his extensive travels, having visited 24 out of 28 Indian states. These personal experiences have informed his creativity and deep understanding of India’s diverse culture.
With nearly a decade at Sideways, Abhijit Avasthi has carved a unique path in the industry, proving that a multidisciplinary approach is needed to create impactful, sustainable solutions for businesses.
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LinkedIn: Abhijit Avasthi