A Creative Moment with...Naresh Subhash, creative director at Made Brave

In the second of our new podcast series, Creative Moment's Tom Hall talks to Made Brave's creative director, Naresh Subhash.

Naresh's creative career began when he was just five years old watching the infamous BA ad, The Face, on TV with his grandmother in Singapore. Captivated by it, he was inspired to begin his journey in film where he discovered art, storytelling, design and craft. Now, in his role as creative director, he talks us through the brands he works with, what he loves about his job and why diversity is still at the epicentre of his work.

Welcome to the Creative Moment podcast—a Creative Moment with Naresh Subhash.

00:01:06 Naresh and Tom discuss the unusual appeal of Velux

“When you dig deeper into what a window represents in a home, you start thinking about why we need windows at all. Why do we need skylights in our spaces? It taps into something fundamental in us—the desire to improve ourselves and our surroundings. A window transforms a space, especially a roof window, which can dramatically change how a room feels. It gives a sense of space and depth."

00:08:45 Naresh discusses his inspirations

“Personally, I draw a lot of inspiration from art and film, especially from the 1960s onwards. I also love looking at ads from around the world—Thai ads, Indian ads—because there are so many different ways to tell stories globally. Humans are natural storytellers. Advertising is just a modern way of leaving our mark, like cave paintings for our time.”

00:12:18 Naresh delves into his past

“My grandmother also loved that ad, and whenever it came on, she would call me into the living room to watch it. It was the most beautiful piece of communication I had ever seen at that time. There was something tribal and emotionally stirring about it, and I think that’s what really got me into advertising. My grandmother didn’t even speak English, but she studied the alphabet just to help me learn. Going into advertising felt like an homage to my grandparents because of all the opportunities they gave me to explore the world. That "Face" ad shaped how I see the world, and I want to recreate that same magic for others.”

00:17:34 Naresh on the importance of diversity

“Earlier advertising often put people in rigid boxes—housewife, businessman, etc. But now, people are multifaceted. No one is just one thing anymore. That gives us so many more stories to tell.”

00:30:26 Naresh draws parallels between religion and creative

“I like how Buddhism shows that brands can be like religion; it's the biggest brand. I once did a talk about how the New Testament was the best rebranding religion has ever had. You had a God that was all about fire and brimstone, and then they created a God that is merciful."