Beyond the Surrogate: Leveraging Brand Suitability to Build Alco Brands in India's New Regulatory Era

17th July, 2026 | Gurugram
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About

As India’s regulatory landscape evolves, alcohol beverage brands are being challenged to move beyond traditional surrogate advertising and adopt more meaningful, contextually relevant approaches to consumer engagement. This exclusive roundtable will bring together senior marketing and brand leaders to explore how brand suitability, contextual alignment, and responsible media strategies can help alco-bev brands build visibility, cultural relevance, and long-term brand equity while navigating increasing regulatory scrutiny and changing consumer expectations. Through candid discussions and shared industry insights, the session will examine the future of brand building in one of India’s most dynamic and closely regulated categories.

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Key Discussion Areas

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Moving beyond surrogate advertising to create authentic brand narratives
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Leveraging brand suitability and contextual alignment to drive relevance, trust, and measurable brand outcomes
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Building culturally resonant consumer connections in a highly regulated category
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Navigating evolving regulatory expectations while maintaining brand visibility
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Speakers

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Intekhab Aslam
Head of Marketing & Brands
Woodpecker Distilleries and Breweries Ltd.
Nikita Seetha
Nikita Seetha
Partner – Digital - Mudramax
OMD
 Mayank Khaneja
Mayank Khaneja
AVP
Publicis
 Jugal Nipa Udani
Jugal Nipa Udani
Brand Lead – Bourbons
Beam Suntory
 Rohit Srinivasan
Rohit Srinivasan
Vice President - Marketing
Loca Loka Tequila
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Proposed Agenda

5:00 pm – 5:05 pm
Welcome Address
Welcome & Introduction by Channel Factory

5:05 pm – 5:45 pm
Panel Discussion
10-12 Marketing Leaders + Channel Factory representative

5:45 pm – 5:55 pm
Q&A
By Panel Members

5:55 pm – 6:00 pm
Thank you note
By moderator

Networking
Dinner & Drinks