' ₹60,000 then, ₹60,000 now': Dubai man who left Mumbai in 2004 says copywriter pay barely moved

A LinkedIn post by a Dubai-based advertising executive has struck a chord with professionals across the creative industry after he raised concerns about stagnant salaries for copywriters in India despite rising inflation and increasing workloads.

Shantesh S Row, Chief Creative Officer at Slant Advertising in Dubai, UAE, reflected on his early career in Mumbai and questioned whether compensation in the advertising sector has kept pace with changing economic realities.

'The Salary Level Is Almost The Same Number'

In a post on LinkedIn, Mr Row recalled earning ₹60,000 a month before taxes when he worked in Mumbai more than two decades ago.

"My last drawn monthly salary in Mumbai (in December 2004, before I shifted to Dubai) was ₹60k before tax. I was a Copy Supervisor then, with around 6/7 years of experience in creative," he wrote.

Comparing that figure with current salaries in the industry, he said little appears to have changed.

“22 years have passed, and even today the salary level for a copywriter in Mumbai, with similar experience, is almost the same number.”

He added, "So, either advertising was paying fabulously two decades ago, or something is fabulously wrong at present."

Check out the post here:

Inflation Has Moved, Salaries Haven't?

Mr Row also highlighted the impact of inflation over the past two decades.

“To underline this further, between 2004 and 2026, cumulative inflation in India has increased by approximately 200% to 220%. This means that a standard basket of goods and services costing ₹100 in 2004 requires around ₹300 to ₹320 in 2026 to maintain the exact same purchasing power (and this is being ultra conservative with the numbers.)”

According to him, the gap between rising living costs and stagnant salaries may be contributing to a talent retention problem within the advertising industry.

"Pretty much illustrates why we aren't able to attract and/or retain the best creative talent in advertising. The remuneration at most levels just hasn't kept pace. The only increase, honestly, is the amount of work a typical copywriter has to handle on a daily basis."

'The Real Elephant In The Room'

The advertising veteran argued that creative professionals are often drawn by recognition and awards, while compensation receives less attention.

"Everyone's been sold blue elephants and the lure of awards. The real elephant in the room for creatives is the lack of rewards."

"That is the uncomfortable truth."

His comments resonated with many professionals who shared similar concerns about compensation, workloads and the broader economics of the creative industry.

Internet Reacts

The post triggered an array of reactions online.

One user wrote, "This is a tough read. It also highlights why many people(including me) who love writing hesitate to pursue copywriting as a long-term career. Curious to hear how others in the industry are adapting."

Another commented on salaries in video-related jobs, writing, "Starting pay in video related work was always very low. And they haven't moved much over the years. I am subscribed to updates from Glassdoor for video editor job postings and the salaries are ridiculous! Within a range of 15K-30K per month. Most are closer to the lower band. So little pay for a lot of grunt work churning out reels."

Others pointed to structural issues within the industry.

"The only change I hope to see is creatives becoming business owners and fixing the problem at the root cause. Equitable earning, fair pay and giving their team a piece of the pie," one user wrote.

Another suggested that agency economics may be at the heart of the issue, saying, "Absolutely the elephant in the room."

The user added that agencies may not be charging clients enough, which in turn affects salaries and talent retention.

A fifth commenter linked the issue to changing client expectations and growing pressure on agencies.

"Pondering... There surely is something fundamentally wrong with the ecosystem..."

The user also claimed that many agencies face shrinking margins, increasing scope creep and clients who are unwilling to raise retainers despite inflation and rising workloads.