This PR Life is a new series by PRovoke Media where we profile people in and around communications as an industry and find out more about what they do and what makes them tick. Today, we are chatting with Nayantara Dutta, head of research at Clean Creatives. 

Dutta joined Clean Creatives in 2023 as a research director and was recently promoted to head of research. She is also currently a freelance journalist and spent three years at McCann Worldgroup as a senior brand content manager. 

PRovoke Media: In a nutshell, how would you describe your role in comms to someone who has no idea what it entails?


Nayantara Dutta: I am the head of research at Clean Creatives and I like to think of myself as a digital spy. I spend my days on a scavenger hunt through the Internet, looking for proof of as many contracts I can find between ad agencies and fossil fuel companies. I manage a research team which publishes an annual report called the F-List to share these contracts and help people understand which agencies continue to work with polluters.

Last year, we found 590 ad and PR agencies with 1010 fossil fuel contracts in 2023-2024, which shows that our industry urgently needs to change. In Asia, fossil fuel advertising tends to go largely unchecked, even though we are the most climate-vulnerable region, so it’s especially important to raise awareness here.

Everyone who works in communications has the power to influence people through the clients and campaigns that we work on. At Clean Creatives, we ask people and agencies to sign a pledge to decline all future work with the fossil fuel industry. Our world is becoming inhabitable because of fossil fuel companies, and we cannot afford to stay silent.

PM: Is there anything about your role that your colleagues don’t get?


ND: Our data can be its own language, so I help my team to read and interpret it. It’s very important to us that everything we publish is accurate, so I spend a lot of time fact checking everything. I think my team would underestimate how much time it takes to find and fact check new information on the Internet. It can be very draining, but you will always hear me cheer out loud when I find something juicy.

PM: What is the highlight of your job that always puts a smile on your face?

ND: I love helping creatives and meeting people who are a part of this movement. We have an amazing community where everyone is generous with their time and committed to making a difference. I get very excited when I meet other researchers as our work is very niche, so it’s special to meet someone who actually understands and appreciates what you do. I also feel very moved whenever someone tells me they have read or used one of my reports!

One highlight was when the activist group Extinction Rebellion printed out copies of the F-List to distribute at protests. It felt incredible to know that my research was literally in people’s hands and being used to educate people.

PO: Which country do you work in and what is it like working there?


ND: I live in Mumbai, India which is full of dreamers and doers. Even though I work remotely, there are a lot of other freelancers in my city and we run into each other all the time, often while working at the same cafes, which makes me feel like I’m back in college. I love the people here, who are so warm and friendly, even though it is very difficult to live in such a big and crowded city.

PM: What’s the first thing you do when you step into the office to kickstart your day?

ND: I make my morning coffee or matcha, try to close as many tabs as possible in my browser, and play some good music. I spend most of my time in Excel, so a great playlist is a must and helps me get into a flow state. If I’m working from home, I end up dancing or singing while doing my research. It definitely makes data entry much more fun.

PM: What are three must-have items in your work bag that you can't live without?

ND: Snacks, my Loop earplugs, and a huge water bottle. I always have fruit and a protein bar in my bag and an empty container for leftovers.

PM: What’s your go-to office lunch that never fails to brighten your day?

ND: I have the same lunch every day, which never gets boring because I love it so much. It’s ragi chilla, savory Indian vegetable pancakes, with tomato chutney. I also sneak a scoop of protein powder in there.

PM: What is it about comms that draws you in and keeps you passionate?


ND: I think our industry reflects life in the most beautiful way. It gives people hope and creates pathways for art and new ideas to reach people.

PM: If you weren’t in comms, what would you be doing?

ND: I would open a sustainable repair studio where people can stop by, have a coffee, and use upcycled materials to repurpose and mend their clothes, bags, and jewelry. We’d have corners with fabric scraps, iron-on patches, and in-house tailors to help people upcycle and design their own clothes. I love thrifting and sustainable fashion and think that we can change people’s lives by teaching them how to sew and repair jewelry. It gives me so much joy to turn clothes I never wear into something I love, instead of donating or throwing them away.

I would also love to open a strength training gym for women which teaches its members about women’s health and nutrition, from pelvic floor exercises to seed cycling, which most of us never learned in school.

PM:  What’s the first thing you do to unwind when you clock off for the day?


ND: I go on a sunset walk. I’ve been walking 10,000 steps a day for two years now, and it’s my favorite part of the day. It helps me take some space for myself and gather my thoughts after a busy day.