Independent, Agile, Worldwide: How Team Pumpkin is upending the traditional agency structure

With its motto of "creative first, digital always," Team Pumpkin has made a name for itself in a field where performance and creativity frequently collide. Ranjeet Kumar founded the independent agency, which has expanded from its Indian origins to a global footprint while striking a balance between quantifiable business impact and storytelling. The founder and CEO of Team Pumpkin, Ranjeet Kumar, talks with Adgully about the agency's unusual name, its growth into Canada, and how independence continues to support its culture, adaptability, and future goals.Since pumpkins are a global sign of joy, celebration, and coziness—emotions we wish to instill in the brands we represent—we chose the moniker Team Pumpkin. However, like humans, pumpkins are incredibly adaptable and may be placed anywhere. As an organization, we were aware that we needed a name that was not just emotionally charged but also strategically distinct, memorable, and full of significance. In addition to appealing to our sense of fun and being instantly identifiable, pumpkin allows us to represent our creative energy, human-first philosophy, and nimble approach to business demands.

The thing that shocked us the most when we first started was that brands were either working with digital-only companies where creativity was viewed as a secondary result or with traditional agencies that were attempting to "adapt" to the shift to digital. Digital campaigns that were very creative but performed poorly were clearly separated from those that were very successful but lacked imagination.We saw a need for an agency that treats digital as the platform for big ideas, brand-building, and storytelling—one that doesn't have to choose between the two worlds. That's how we arrived at our 'creative first, digital always' concept.Being a stand-alone organization is our biggest strength. We make decisions swiftly, are nimble, and move quickly. In order to enable our talent break away from systems and produce ideas that are based on the Indian context yet implemented to international standards, we encourage them to think freely but to collaborate closely. The freedom and responsibility that follow offer the opportunity to produce work that is both globally competitive and culturally meaningful.