Schbang Comes Full Circle as the afaqs! Foxglove 2026 Presenting Partner, Supporting Tomorrow's Independent Agencies

Schbang has been announced as the Presenting Partner for the Foxglove Awards 2026, a partnership that brings the agency full circle to the platform that celebrates the kind of independent creative spirit it was built on.

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For an agency now serving over 350+ clients, partnering with an awards program dedicated to agencies aged 0–12 years might seem unexpected. But for Schbang, the decision is deeply personal. The agency was once exactly where many of these entrants are today, navigating the challenges of building something meaningful from the ground up.

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"11 years ago, we started with a big dream and no playbook. A dream to take an independent Indian agency to the world.," said Harshil Karia, CEO of Schbang. "Foxglove celebrates the energy and ambition that built Schbang. As Presenting Partner, we're here to champion that same spirit and to demonstrate what's possible when agencies grow together instead of apart."

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As Schbang has grown, the agency has taken a different path from the industry norm. Rather than scaling through acquisitions, Schbang established the Schbang Network, a collaborative platform where six independent agencies across Mumbai, Bangalore, Thane, and Raipur access larger opportunities while preserving their operational independence.

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The distinction is fundamental. Partner agencies retain ownership, brand identity, and creative autonomy. What the network provides is business access: over 150 active client mandates, participation in integrated pitches, and the operational infrastructure necessary to scale without compromising what makes each agency distinct.

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It's a model designed around enablement rather than control, collaboration rather than consolidation.

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The Schbang Network comprises agencies with complementary capabilities: ButterWorks brings full-service creative expertise, Spek Digital manages performance marketing, ArtMeTech specializes in creative technology, Futurise develops brand identity and design systems, Django Digital leads creator-driven campaigns, and 88GB handles digital transformation and Malai Digital gets the creativity in line.

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Each agency operates independently. When complex briefs require multiple disciplines, they collaborate. The structure enables the kind of integrated work that individual agencies would struggle to deliver alone, while ensuring each partner maintains its creative voice and client relationships.

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Recent work demonstrates the model's effectiveness. Schbang has executed global campaigns for Pride Amsterdam, developed brand identity for Davos, and created international brand toolkits that prove agencies can build from India for the world, not just the domestic market.

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Supporting the Next Generation

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The partnership reflects a clear perspective: the health of India's advertising industry should be measured by how many strong independent agencies thrive, not by which individual players dominate. Schbang's role as Presenting Partner acknowledges their own journey through these formative years while creating tangible support for the agencies navigating that path today.

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For an agency that started with the same creative conviction and independent spirit that Foxglove celebrates, this partnership represents both recognition and responsibility. Recognition of how far the ecosystem has come, and responsibility to ensure the next generation has the platforms and opportunities to grow on their own terms.

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