Today we’d like to introduce you to Akshara Sanketh.
Hi Akshara, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Bangalore, India, and spent a few years there before moving around — from the Philippines to Hong Kong, then Atlanta, and now New York. Growing up, I was always drawn to creative things in my own way. I loved dancing, music, and movies, but I never seriously considered pursuing a career in the arts. I’ve never actually taken an art class — at least not officially. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that something shifted. A friend of mine was applying to SCAD, and on a whim, I decided to do the same. I chose Advertising, not really knowing what to expect, but it clicked almost immediately. Thinking creatively just felt natural, and so it only made sense for this to be my path.
Now, I focus on crafting visual stories that connect across cultures and platforms. My creative perspective has been shaped by the different places I’ve lived and the people I’ve met along the way — all those experiences fuel the ideas and stories I bring to life. I love finding that balance between strategy and spontaneity, using what I notice in everyday life to create work that feels fresh, grounded, and easy for people to connect with.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never really a smooth road, and honestly, I don’t think it ever will be. Being in a creative field means constantly navigating subjectivity. One day people love what you do, the next day it feels like you’ve got it all wrong. That constant back-and-forth keeps me stuck in this loop of imposter syndrome. On top of that, not coming from an art background sometimes makes me feel like I’m already a few steps behind, like I’m trying to catch up to everyone else who seems to just belong here.
It’s this constant push and pull between loving what I do and questioning if I’m good enough to keep doing it. Every new project becomes a test. Yet, I think that’s also what makes being an artist so complex — you’re constantly reinventing yourself, learning to let go of that insecurity just enough to let your creativity speak a little louder.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a designer at McCann New York, where I get to help bring ideas to life through thoughtful design and storytelling. My work sits at the intersection of strategy and creativity — I focus on crafting visual identities and campaigns that feel human, emotionally resonant, and culturally relevant.
Because McCann works with such a wide range of global brands, I’ve had the chance to design across different mediums and audiences — from social campaigns and brand activations to large-scale global campaigns. I think my superpower lies in versatility and being a strategic/conceptual thinker. My ability to move seamlessly across vastly different industries, from alcohol to education to government initiatives, makes me an asset in the fast-paced and wide-ranging ecosystem of a global agency and the creative industry in general.
A project I’m most proud of is The Pen to Right History. The Pen to Right History is a campaign initiative in collaboration with The Last Prisoner Project (LPP), a national, nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform with the goal of releasing every last cannabis prisoner. We used design to amplify this initiative and translate this complex idea into compelling visual narratives. The campaign aided in 175,000 convictions pardoned, making it the largest state-level pardon in U.S. History.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
So, one of my favorite memories ever is when I performed Yakshagana for a school dance program. Yakshagana is a traditional dance-drama from Karnataka. It’s got everything—dance, music, acting, and storytelling. The costumes are bright and bold, and the makeup makes you look like you’ve stepped out of a mythological story. It’s honestly such a cool art form. I was both excited and terrified at the same time. I remember my costume being so heavy that I could barely move. To make it scarier, I was dancing with someone else who had an equally heavy outfit, and we had to stay perfectly in sync. I was so sure we were going to fall and take out the entire front row, but that would have been a fun story as well. But the moment the music started, all of that fear just disappeared. The music, the rhythm, the energy—it pulled me in completely. I stopped worrying about the costume, or the audience, or even making mistakes. It was just me, my partner, and the story we were bringing to life. That performance made me realize how much I love to entertain, to be creative, and to make people feel something through art. I also think this memory perfectly describes the kind of artist I am: bold, expressive, and immersed in the story.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aksharasanketh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aksharasanketh/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aksharasanketh/
Image Credits
McCann New York
Tae Suh
