‘₹60,000 then, ₹60,000 now’: Dubai-based man who left Mumbai in 2004 says copywriter salary barely budged | Today’s news
A LinkedIn post by a Dubai-based advertising executive has struck a chord with professionals across the creative industry after he expressed concern over stagnant salaries for copywriters in India despite rising inflation and increasing workloads.
Reflecting on his early career in Mumbai, Shantesh S Row, chief creative officer of Slant Advertising in Dubai, UAE, questioned whether compensation in the advertising sector was keeping pace with changing economic realities.
“The amount of salary is almost the same number”
In a LinkedIn post, Mr. Row recalled the earnings ₹60,000 per month before tax when he worked in Mumbai over two decades ago.
“My last drawn monthly salary in Mumbai (December 2004 before I moved to Dubai) was ₹60 thousand before tax. Back then I was a Copy Supervisor with about 6/7 years of creative experience,” he wrote.
When comparing that figure to current salaries in the industry, he says, little has changed.
“22 years have passed and even today the salary level for a copywriter in Mumbai with similar experience is almost the same.”
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He added: “So either advertising paid off wonderfully two decades ago, or there is something fabulously wrong now.”
Check out the post here:
Inflation has shifted, wages haven’t?
Mr Row also highlighted the impact of inflation over the past two decades.
“To highlight this further, between 2004 and 2026, cumulative inflation in India rose by around 200% to 220%. This means that a standard basket of goods and services ₹100 in 2004 requires around ₹300 to ₹320 in 2026 to maintain exactly the same purchasing power (and that’s being very conservative with the numbers.)
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The gap between the rising cost of living and stagnant salaries may be contributing to the talent retention problem in the advertising industry, he said.
“It pretty much illustrates why we’re unable to attract and/or retain the best creative talent in advertising. Compensation at most levels just hasn’t kept up. The only increase, frankly, is the amount of work the typical copywriter has to handle on a daily basis.”
“The Real Elephant in the Room”
The advertising veteran argued that creative professionals are often attracted by recognition and awards, while less attention is paid to compensation.
“Everyone has been sold blue elephants and the lure of awards. The real elephant in the room for creatives is the lack of rewards.”
“That’s the inconvenient truth.
His comments resonated with many professionals who shared similar concerns about pay, workloads and the wider economics of the creative industries.
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The Internet Responds
The post provoked a number of reactions on the Internet.
One user wrote: “This is a tough read. It also highlights why many people (including myself) who love to write are hesitant to pursue copywriting as a long-term career. I’m interested to see how others in the industry are adapting.”
Another commented on video job salaries, writing: “Starting salary for video jobs has always been very low. And hasn’t moved much over the years. I’m subscribed to Glassdoor’s video editor job updates and the salaries are ridiculous! Between 15,000 and 30,000 a month. Most of them are near the lower end. So little pay for a lot of work.”
Others pointed to structural problems in the industry.
“The only change I hope to see is for creatives to become business owners and solve the problem at the root cause. Fair earning, fair pay and giving their team a piece of the pie,” wrote one user.
Another suggested agency economics may be at the heart of the problem, saying: “Absolutely the elephant in the room.”
The user added that agencies may not charge clients enough, which in turn affects salaries and talent retention.
A fifth commenter linked the problem to changing client expectations and increasing pressure on agencies.
“I’m thinking… There must be something fundamentally wrong with the ecosystem…”
The user also claimed that many agencies are facing shrinking margins, increasing scope creep and clients unwilling to increase advances despite inflation and increasing workloads.
