Havas India has launched Shortcut Shobiz India, a new luxury and lifestyle experiential marketing agency created in partnership with Paris-headquartered agency Shortcut and Shobiz, Havas India’s existing experiential arm, the company announced this month, marking a fresh push into India’s booming luxury marketing segment.
The new agency will be led by Farah Lauren Khan, an experiential marketing and brand strategy leader with over 15 years of experience across luxury and lifestyle sectors. Based in Mumbai, Khan will serve as vice president of Shortcut Shobiz India and report to Sameer Tobaccowala, CEO of Shobiz. The launch marks Shortcut’s entry into the Indian market, following its recent expansion into Milan, and positions the agency to tap into India’s luxury market, valued at approximately $10-12.1 billion.
Why Is Havas Betting Big on India’s Luxury Experiential Market?
India’s luxury consumption has grown steadily as high-net-worth individuals and an expanding affluent middle class seek premium, curated experiences over mass-market advertising. Havas India’s decision to combine Shobiz’s local experiential expertise with Shortcut’s Parisian luxury credentials reflects a broader industry shift: global agency networks are increasingly localising high-end creative talent rather than parachuting in international teams for luxury campaigns in India. Positioned around the philosophy of “Experiences Designed with Artistic Intelligence,” Shortcut Shobiz India aims to blend French savoir-faire with Indian craftsmanship for brandhouses, institutions and organisations.
What Does This Mean for Brands and Marketers in India?
For luxury and lifestyle brands operating in India, the launch signals a maturing market for high-end experiential marketing, where campaigns are increasingly judged on production quality, storytelling and cultural nuance rather than reach alone. Marketers working with premium brand houses, hospitality groups and institutions can expect more agencies to follow Havas’ model of pairing global luxury expertise with local execution capability, raising the bar for experiential activations across weddings, product launches and brand events.
Industry Reaction and Expert Commentary
Industry observers note that the timing of the launch aligns with growing marketing budgets directed at India’s luxury and premium segments, as brands look beyond metro-only strategies toward broader affluent audiences in tier-2 cities. Farah Lauren Khan’s appointment is being viewed within the industry as a signal that experiential agencies are prioritising leaders with deep brand-strategy backgrounds, not just event-production expertise, as luxury marketing becomes more integrated with overall brand positioning.
What Happens Next?
Shortcut Shobiz India is expected to begin onboarding luxury and lifestyle clients through the remainder of 2026, with a focus on high-end brand experiences, institutional events and premium hospitality activations. Industry watchers will track whether the Havas-Shortcut-Shobiz combination becomes a template for other global agency networks looking to enter India’s luxury experiential space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads Shortcut Shobiz India?
Farah Lauren Khan leads Shortcut Shobiz India as vice president, reporting to Sameer Tobaccowala, CEO of Shobiz.
What is Shortcut Shobiz India’s focus area?
The agency focuses on luxury and lifestyle experiential marketing, combining French creative expertise from Paris-based Shortcut with Shobiz’s local experiential production capabilities in India.
Why did Havas launch a dedicated luxury agency in India?
Havas launched Shortcut Shobiz India to tap into India’s growing $10-12.1 billion luxury market, which is driving demand for premium, curated brand experiences.
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