Komal Nathani and Rauf Shaikh were finalists in the PR category at this year’s inaugural Cairns Hatchlings Awards, presented by Yahoo! The experience taught them how to trust their decisions, execute with clarity and expand their creative and strategic thinking.
Nathani is senior group head of copy at VML India and Shaikh is senior art director, associate creative head at The Glitch–the India-based creative agency joined forces with global experience agency VMLY&R back in 2020, becoming part of the global network.
The duo responded to a creative brief–the subject matter anything but simple–from Women on a Mission (WOAM), an all-female non-profit that combines extreme expeditions with powerful storytelling to raise funds and awareness for women who’ve survived violence, conflict, and abuse.
Entries for Cairns Hatchlings, presented by Yahoo, are open now!
“The inspiration for our idea came from the talented women silenced by war – those whose dreams never got a chance to breathe. Women who could have been world-class athletes, fearless journalists, or visionary entrepreneurs, but whose voices were lost in conflict. We wanted to give them that recognition — to make their unseen stories visible,” Nathani said.
Nathani and Shaikh’s vision was a stark reminder of how creative work can help shine a light on forgotten stories and important social issues.
Forbes has never done a faceless cover — and that’s exactly where their idea began. They wanted to break that convention to make a powerful point. That’s how Forbes ‘Invisible Covers’ was born — a special edition dedicated to women who could have changed the world, if only the world had given them the chance. Each faceless cover — of a sports star, an activist, an entrepreneur — became a symbol of all the dreams that war silenced and the powerful stories that still deserve to be seen.
It was the duo’s first time participating in an international advertising competition, and their biggest challenge was cracking their best idea in just 20 hours.
“We had so many observations, insights and disruptive executions in mind — narrowing it all down to one powerful insight and idea was tough. But that process really pushed us to think deeper and sharper. The adrenaline rush kept us going, and we loved how it helped us refine our thinking to create something more relatable, meaningful, strategic and community driven,” Shaikh said.
Entries for Cairns Hatchlings, presented by Yahoo, are open now!
Working under pressure in the competition pushed them to think faster and make decisions with clarity, trusting their gut–frankly, because they didn’t have the time not to!
“Our process became simple — whatever comes to mind in the first two hours, discuss it, jot it down, and then revisit it to refine and strengthen the idea. Working under that kind of pressure helped us go beyond surface-level thinking. It trained us to focus on the real problem, structure our thoughts better, and arrive at a precise, insight-led solution,” Nathani said.
While that time pressure can feel overwhelming, it can also lead to insights that might not have come otherwise. The duo created an incredible piece of work built on meaningful creative insights, and importantly, they were proud of the product.
“We’re proud of our idea — it was very close to the winning one in terms of thinking and relevance. If anything, our packaging and strategic presentation could have been sharper. Seeing the winning idea helped us appreciate how even a small shift in articulation can make a big difference. It was humbling and motivating to realize that great ideas are often separated by the smallest of details,” Shaikh said.
Both Shaikh and Nathani were left changed by the experience, with plenty to take with them on their career journeys.
“Getting shortlisted by an international jury was a huge confidence boost — especially since we were among the few teams selected from India. The experience taught us how to approach a brief more strategically, how to find clarity in our thinking, and how to package an idea so it not only stands out creatively but also fulfills the brief’s objectives. It really shaped how we’ll approach problem-solving and idea development in the future,” Nathani said.
“Our message to all young creatives is if you love solving problems creatively and thrive under tight deadlines, Hatchlings is for you,” Shaikh added.
Hatchlings isn’t just a competition; it’s a creative community. “A place to meet like-minded people from around the world who’ll inspire you to think bigger, believe in your ideas, and celebrate your creativity. It’s one of those experiences that remind you why you fell in love with advertising in the first place,” Nathani said.
Entries for Cairns Hatchlings, presented by Yahoo, are open now!
