A Dubai-based advertising executive highlighted that copywriters in Mumbai with 6-7 years of experience earn roughly the same salary today as they did in 2004, sparking debate on salary stagnation in India's creative sector. Shantesh S Row, Chief Creative Officer at Slant Advertising, shared this observation in a LinkedIn post on June 22, 2026, noting that pay has barely moved despite inflation and increased workloads, according to livemint.com.
Row, who left Mumbai for Dubai in 2004, recalled earning around ₹60,000 per month as a copywriter then. He pointed out that many copywriters with similar experience today still earn close to that amount, despite the cost of living and job demands rising significantly over the past two decades. His post resonated widely on social media, prompting discussions about wage growth and compensation fairness in India's advertising industry, livemint.com reported.
The issue underscores broader challenges in India's creative job market, where salary increments have not kept pace with inflation. This stagnation contrasts with other sectors that have seen more dynamic wage growth. The advertising and copywriting fields, crucial for brand communication and marketing, face pressure as talent retention becomes difficult without competitive pay. The discussion follows similar concerns raised in other creative professions about compensation trends, per livemint.com.
The LinkedIn post by Shantesh S Row on June 22, 2026, has drawn significant attention within India's advertising community, highlighting the need for industry stakeholders to reassess salary structures amid evolving economic conditions, according to livemint.com.