MxMIndia

Tag: Abby Awards

  • The news is as big as, say, an Aamir Khan returning to accept film awards. Yes, the Mullen Lowe Lintas Group is participating in the Creative Abby. 

    Lowe Lintas enters Abby Awards

    By Our Staff

     

    The news is as big as, say, an Aamir Khan returning to accept film awards. And it’s set to sizzle adland in the run-up to Goafest 2023, scheduled to be held from May 24 to 26. Yes, the Mullen Lowe Lintas Group is participating in the Creative Abby.

     

    Lowe Lintas, or the Mullen Lowe Lintas Group, is entering the Abby Awards or the Abby One Show, as they are called.

     

    The news is confirmed, and we couldn’t hold on from breaking it even as we’ve been watching the endless analyses of the Karnataka Assembly Elections.

     

    Lintas, as the agency has been known for eons, has stayed away from the Advertising Club awards for over two decades. Several attempts have been made through the years with the various captains the agency has had, but the response has been a ‘no’. It may be noted that the agency does participate in the Effie Awards, and has also been the top agency there (not always, but has been over years), and has gone to town about that accolade.

     

    So it’s not that the folks at Lowe hate awards or the Ad Club, it’s just that there has been an allergy towards creative awards. And even an overdoes of Allegra hasn’t worked.

     

    But things have changed at Lowe Lintas. There is a new A-team there, and the folks at the Advertising Club could get them to see reason.

     

    The number of entries may not be too many, but the news is already being welcomed by a cross-section of the advertising fraternity MxMIndia disturbed on a Saturday mid-morning.

     

    According to unconfirmed information we have, Ogilvy has continued to stay away from Abby but some others like Wunderman Thompson and McCann are back.

     

  • As Jury Chair for Integrated and Digital categories

    Nick Law & Wesley ter Haar join Abby jury

    By Our Staff

     

    Nick Law, Creative Chairperson at Accenture Song and Wesley ter Haar, Co-founder of Media.Monks, have joined as Jury Chair for Integrated and Digital categories, respectively, at the Abby One Show Awards 2023.

     

    Said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India and Chairman, the Abby Award Governing Council and Ajay Kakar, Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club & Co-chair, The Abby Award Governing Council: “The Abby One Show 2023 promises to be a world-standard award show, for South Asia. The One Show partnership brings the world’s best practices and processes to the Awards. However, we do believe that an award show is as good as the Jury that judges the work. This year we have the world’s best creative minds as the Jury Chair for each of our categories. Nick and Wesley have chosen to bring their perspective and experience to our awards. And soon you will hear the names of the other legends, too. Now the ball is in the court of our industry, to win recognition for the best work in South Asia, with this envious and illustrious Jurors who will gauge the work in the context of the world’s best.”

     

    The Abby Awards are scheduled to be held from May 24 to 26 at Goafest 2023. The last date for submission of entries is Saturday, April 8.

     

  • The Advertising Club gears up for 54th edition of ABBYs

    By Our Staff

     

    The Advertising Club revs up to announce the 54th edition of ABBYs, South Asia’s Gold standard, which has been recognizing creative excellence in advertising for over five decades. Held over three days, The ABBY Awards, are scheduled to take place on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of May during Goafest at Grand Hyatt, Bambolim, Goa.

     

    The preeminent awards for Creativity, Media, and Communication have once again partnered with The One Show, the award program, to upheave the global standards of judging, jury selection, and transparency to the already revered and celebrated ABBY Awards.

     

    With a promise to bring global recognition to outstanding achievements in creative advertising, the ABBYs make for a highly coveted award property. Undoubtedly, the biggest and the most prestigious ad award show in the country, wins at the ABBYs, over the years, have further gone on to win international recognitions at Cannes and One Show, setting new benchmarks on scale and innovation.

     

    With preparations in full momentum, The Advertising Club also announces the Awards Governing Committee for the 54th edition of ABBYs which includes:

    1. Partha Sinha, President Times of India Group and President of The Advertising Club

    2. Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India & Chairman, The ABBYs Award Governing Council

    3. Ajay Kakar, Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club & Co-chair, The ABBYs Award Governing Council

    4. Ajay Chandwani, Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club

    5. Shashi Sinha, CEO-India, IPG Mediabrands

    6. Malcolm Raphael, Senior Vice-President, The Times of India Group

    7. Prasanth Kumar, CEO, Group M South Asia

    8. Jaideep Gandhi, Founder, Another Idea

    9. Mohit Joshi, Managing Director,  Havas Media

    10. Anupriya Acharya, CEO South Asia, Publicis Groupe

    11. Sam Balsara, Chairman & Managing Director,  Madison Communications

    12. Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman & CEO,  FCB Ulka Advertising

     

    The list of international judges will be announced by The One Show after the process of selection of both Indian and international juries. The Abby Awards will represent the South Asia region that includes India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan and has been doing so since 2004.

     

    Providing in-depth recognition and increasing participation opportunity, the ABBY Awards has witnessed the introduction of new sub-categories in Digital Technology, Mobile, Design, and Audio Technology based on valuable feedback from the creative professionals of the industry in the annual town hall conducted by The Advertising Club.

     

    The Radio category has now evolved into the Audio category with the introduction of Content, the new sub-categories are in Use of Music, Sound Design, Script, Casting, Performance, Audio Technology, Voice Activation, Branded Content, Podcasts, and Content placement.

     

    Speaking on the initiative, Partha Sinha, President Times of India Group and President of The Advertising Club, said: “With ABBYs, we at The Advertising Club, owe it to the industry and colleagues to present an award show that is authentic, transparent, and of global standards. For 54 years, ABBYs have been pivotal in recognizing creativity and innovation in India’s communication industry. To elevate its presence on the global stage, we continue to augment its significance, and therefore associating with ‘The One Show’ once again provides the necessary impetus. We look forward to witnessing a lot of innovative work this year that will go on to live up to the repute of being the most coveted award property in South Asia.”

     

    Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India & Chairman, The ABBYs Award Governing Council, and Ajay Kakar, Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club & Co-chair, The ABBYs Award Governing Council added: “In addition to being a significant platform for young creative professionals in the industry to exhibit their ground-breaking work accomplished throughout the year, the ABBY Awards have consistently been the most anticipated event at Goafest. We look forward to seeing outstanding creative work being recognized and appreciated at ABBYs this year.”

     

    The Abby Awards will be a part of the Goafest 2023 and will mark the fourteenth Abby Awards at Goafest.

     

  • Also scheduled is the 54th edition of the Abby awards

    So what’s the hottest thing set to happen in Indian media? Goafest 2023, May 24-26.

    By Our Staff

     

    The images you see here give us the weather on May 24, 2023 in Goa and also what it has been in the past. Thirty-odd degrees is nothing. What we see in Mumbai and Delhi is worse. But look at the humidity: 74%. Numbers may not give a good indicator of things, but the fact is that Goa in May can be horribly hot. Or let’s be positive and say: fantastically hot. Except if there is an early onset of the rains, which is also not unlikely (note to Ramu kaka: please remind us to carry chhaata).

     

     

    All of it builds the excitement around the region’s biggest (and hottest) advertising festival: Goafest. Co-hosted by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Advertising Club, Goafest 2023 is scheduled to take place on May 24, 25 and 26 in Goa. At the Grand Hyatt in Bambolim. Also scheduled is the 54th edition of the Abby awards. In addition to the awards, there will be presentations and sessions by leading industry experts, plus 10 knowledge-sharing masterclasses.

     

    Announcing Goafest 2023, Prasanth Kumar, CEO, South Asia GroupM and President, Advertising Agencies Association of India: “Goafest has cemented its position as the most admirable creative festival in South Asia that truly brings together the best of creative and marketing professionals. Our goal is to offer our industry colleagues three power-packed days of learning, engagement, interactivity and curiosity. We are confident that this year’s edition will be the biggest and best yet, leaving each attendee with valuable learnings and benefiting the industry as a whole.”

     

    Added Jaideep Gandhi, Chairperson Goafest 2023: “Year after year, Goafest has evolved and innovated, making it the most relevant advertising festival in India. From knowledge-sharing sessions to exclusive speakers, we are certain of having guests from across the globe that will benefit the industry, especially younger professionals, this year as well. For the first time, various committees involving senior industry leaders have been formed thus making the event all-inclusive and broad-based for the entire advertising industry. We look forward to curating a festival that drives participation and empowers the fraternity thus positioning India as a sharper contender in the global advertising landscape.”

     

    Said Partha Sinha, President, The Times of India group and President of The Advertising Club: “We believe it is imperative that we celebrate the industry and Goafest enables us to do exactly this. The festival empowers the industry to push creative boundaries and think beyond existing possibilities. We look forward to another year of firsts at Goafest 2023 and encourage India’s creative economy to participate actively.”

     

    So, are we headed to Goa? Of course, we are. As always.

     

  • Here are the winners of the awards presented on Day 3 of Goafest 2022

    Abby Awards – Creative + Young/Green/Red Abby

     

     

    BRAND ACTIVATION & PROMOTION ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    AUDIO VISUAL TV / CINEMA ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    AUDIO VISUAL DIGITAL ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    YOUNG ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    VIDEO CRAFT ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    STILL PRINT ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    STILL DIGITAL ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    STILL CRAFT ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    RED ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    RADIO AND RADIO CRAFT ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    OUT OF HOME / AMBIENT MEDIA ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    INTEGRATED Awards – 2022

     

    GREEN ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION ABBY Awards – 2022

     

    BRANDED CONTENT & ENTERTAINMENT ABBY Awards – 2022

     

     

  • Here are the winners of the awards presented on Day 2 of Goafest 2022

    Abby Awards – Creative + Digital/PR/Direct++

     

     

     

    Direct ABBY Awards

     

    Digital ABBY Awards

     

    Digital craft ABBY Awards

     

    Design ABBY Awards

     

    Design craft ABBY Awards

     

    Broadcaster ABBY Awards

     

    Technology ABBY Awards

     

    PR ABBY Awards

     

    Mobile ABBY Awards

     

     

  • It was earlier scheduled for Apriil 7-9

    Goafest now on May 5-7

    By Our Staff

     

    The Goafest Organising Committee has announced a change in dates for Goafest 2022, postponing it from the April 7- 9 to May 5-7, 2022. This change will also facilitate extra time for ‘One Show’ which has collaborated with the Abby awards.

     

    On the rescheduling of dates, Goafest Chairman Jaideep Gandhi said: “Ad Club joining hands with ‘One Show’ will truly take the Abbys – India’s premier and longstanding tradition of creative excellence, to the world. However, keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic situation, we believe the celebration of this unique, game-changing partnership would be better experienced with the 15th edition of Goafest scheduled in May, 2022. After all, a celebration of creativity and innovation gets even better when the world around us is safer.”

     

    Speaking on the tie-up, Anupriya Acharya, President, Advertising Agencies Association of India added: “I would like to congratulate Ad Club for the tie-up with ‘One Show’. The One Show is one of the most reputed advertising shows globally and further adds to the significance and the excitement around the festival that is returning after two long, eventful years. And similarly, the 2022 edition of Goafest provides a perfect platform for the redefined Abbys. There is much for everyone to come together and share at the festival.”

     

  • Association to bring in global standards of judging, jury selection and transparency

    Ad Club joins hands with The One Show for Abby

    By Our Staff

     

    Abby, the awards presented by The Advertising Club, has joined hands with The One Show, the leading global awards program in advertising, design and digital marketing. Notes a communique: “The association creates a new gold standard in recognising and awarding the region’s best creativity by bringing global standards of judging, jury selection and transparency to the already revered and established Indian awards brand.

     

    Kevin Swanepoel
    Kevin Swanepoel

    Speaking on the association, Kevin Swanepoel, CEO of The One Club for Creativity, said: “As the world’s premier non-profit advertising and design awards programme, The One Show is delighted to be associated with the Abby Awards of the Ad Club. The One Show is committed to raising the bar on creative judging standards all over the world. With India already a rising new global creative powerhouse, the Abby Awards will further add shine to a very respected domestic creative program.”

     

    Partha Sinha
    Partha Sinha

    Added Partha Sinha, President, The Ad Club: “Abby’s has been India’s mainstay for 56 years when it comes to recognising creativity & innovation across the communication industry. We wanted to add more heft and give Abby’s a place on the global stage it so well deserves. The association with ‘The One Show’ will enhance our judging standards to match global best practices, help in selection of juries and raise levels of transparency in the entire awarding process.”

     

    The Abby Awards will represent the South Asia region that includes India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan and has been doing so since 2004.

     

    In keeping with contemporary trends today, the Abby will include categories such as Direct, Design, Digital, Mobile, Technology, Still Craft, Digital Craft, Radio Craft, Video Craft, Brand Activation & Promotion, Branded Content & Entertainment, PR, Broadcaster, Publisher making it a total communication award in the true sense of the word.

     

  • This comes in the face of the prevailing global and national Covid-19 crisis

    Goafest 2020 and Abby 2020 won’t happen this year

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club have announced that both Goafest and Abby Awards 2020 will be deferred for the year. This comes in the face of the prevailing global and national crisis.

     

    Notes a communique: “The Abby Awards saw some of the greatest works being submitted this year and inspite of a muted economic scenario and a global health pandemic the number of entries were at almost at par to that of last year. Such large participation numbers for the Abby awards are a testament to its covetous stature in the industry.”

     

     

  • Early Man Film ends Grand Prix drought & Prasoon Joshi felicitated for outstanding contribution to media

    Social Street stars at Abby Awards

     

    By A Special Correspondent

     

    It was a special Day 3 at Goafest 2018 with The Social Street emerging at the top of its game with a total of 17 metals in the Creative Abbys. The agency has bagged many metals across virtually all categories at the Abby Awards 2018. The agency’s captains – Pratap Bose and Mandeep Malhotra and the entire contingent wearing red turbans – had ensured they made a significant impact at the Awards for the second consecutive year. Last year, they were second to Taproot Dentsu in the awards tally. Branded Content and Entertainment Abbys saw Medulla WYP Network winning the most with four metals including two golds. DentsuWebchutney took home eight metals in the Digital and Mobile Abby category. But the biggest applause of the evening went to none other than Early Man Film Pvt. Ltd. for its outstanding work in the category of Audio Visual Long Form for Reforest India – The Story of Kaveri.

     

    Earlier McCann Worldgroup India CEO and Chairman, McCann Eriksson APAC Prasoon Joshiwas felicitated with a special award. Recognizing his unparalleled contribution to the world of Indian media, the special award is a reaffirmation of the advertising fraternity’s confidence that he will take the power of creativity further and make it a part of the things that matter in a new and resurgent India.

     

    On Day 2 of the Abby Awards, the Broadcaster, Public Relations, Still Craft, Video Craft, Design and Direct Abby were awards. The awards celebrate the best-in-class creative geniuses and works of stellar significance in creativity. While Sony Pictures Networks led the tally for the Broadcaster Abbys with six metals, it was ZEEL that took home the gold for the night. While Design Abbys showed favour to Open Strategy and Design with six metals including 1 gold; Pi Communications took home 4 metals where Direct Specialist Abbys were concerned. While a total of 13 golds were handed out to top honours in Public Relations amongst other metals, it was Value 360 Communications that ate into the pie with a total of 8 metals. Still Craft Abbys saw dominance by The Social Street who grabbed 4 metals including 2 gold. Early Man Film Pvt. Ltd., took home a whopping 16 metals in the Video Craft Specialist category which included 5 golds, 4 silvers and 7 bronzes!

     

    Speaking about Goafest 2018, Nakul Chopra, President – Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) said: “When we started planning for Goafest 2018, our aim was to create a festival filled with knowledge, wisdom, entertainment, fun and which was also a great networking opportunity. The quality of the speakers, the valuable knowledge shared during the seminars, the networking opportunities across the three days and presentation of Abbys that celebrate excellence in creativity is what make Goafest such a unique experience. Goafest is a confluence of creative minds who gather here year on year to connect, communicate and celebrate the amount of hard work that each one of them is putting in to make media, marketing and advertising industries successful. I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of Goafest 2018 for their unrelenting support. And many congratulations to all our winners. You all deserve every bit of all the recognition that has been bestowed upon you by the industry.”

     

    Discussing the Abby Awards to be handed out at Goafest 2018, VikramSakhuja, President – The Advertising Club said: “Goafest is a phenomenon that is close to the hearts of the entire media andcreative fraternity. Months of hard work by the AAAI and The Advertising Club teams, the Abbys Master Jury, and encouragement from all of you present here has perspired into yet another stellar festival this year. In this 50th year of Abby Awards, we made crucial changes and rationalized categories which just made the Abbys even more coveted. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and also thank the jury for their meticulous and fair evaluation that makes Abby Awards the numerouno recognition of creative mastery in India.”

     

    Added Ashish Bhasin, Chairman of Goafest 2018 & Vice President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI): “After witnessing the event over the three days, I can proudly say we have achieved everything that we had set out to. Not only did we have best of the speakers coming forward to impart learnings to young ones, we also saw ideas being exchanged and people truly enjoying themselves. Over the last three days, Goa has seen some of the most creative minds in India together at one place – meeting, interacting, engaging and celebrating ABBY wins with each other. This is what the true spirit of Goafest is all about. Everyone who is going home with a metal from Goafest 2018 is truly deserving of victory and I congratulate each and every one of them for their incredible wins. It is definitely truly deserved.”

     

    Said Ajay Kakar, Vice President of The Advertising Club and Chairman – Awards Governing Council:“I would love to take this opportunity to thank the industry stalwarts and youngsters who helped us co-create Abby Awards 2018, courtesy their inputs. A very big thank you also to the industry for sending in entries and their wholehearted participation in the fest this year. I would also like to salute Prasoon Joshi for his contribution to the world of advertising, communications and films and for being a convergence point for mass India through his craft.”

     

     

  • The all-new Abby Awards and why it needs a chance!

    Time to celebrate the all-new Abby

     

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    Pradyuman Maheshwari

    A few years back, on the sidelines of its internal Envies Awards, Piyush Pandey had told the media that he found that some members of his agency did not have any respect for the Abby Awards won by them and found the metals strewn all over. Not his exact words, but this is what he meant to say.

     

    For long, former Lowe Lintas has rubbished the Creative Abby and was the first amongst the big boys who stayed away from the Abby.

     

    Interestingly, both Ogilvy and Lowe are active participants of the Effies, though in the last edition, the MullenLowe Lintas group stayed away reportedly not because of any angst against the organisers. Bottomline: both agencies have nothing against the Advertising Club, but they don’t really much for the Creative Abby.

     

    Juniors in the agencies have often cribbed that they don’t have Creative Abby metal honours to sport on their CVs, but the attraction of international awards and participation in the Effies has been some consolation for the rank-and-file. Ogilvy of course has been participating and is an active supporter of the Kyoorius Creative Awards.

     

    To be fair to Ogilvy and Lowe, the Abby Awards (and the organisers) deserve some credit for letting the rep of the awards slip a few years back. It required the gentle aggression of Shashi Sinha to start the cleaning up, followed by Pratap Bose and later Ramesh Narayan to ensure that things were brought in order.

     

    But I am delighted to note that in the 2018 edition, the Ad Club and Goafest thinktank have taken some dramatic measures to cleanse the system.

     

    So the countless categories that were added to the list over the years have been dropped. This has resulted in a significant loss of revenue to the organisers, but it also ensures that the awards are rationalised.

     

    Ad Club this year persuaded Ajay Kakar to take charge of the Awards Governing Council. Kakar, who has spent the bulk of his working years on the agency side of the business but now CMO of the high-spending Aditya Birla Capital,has been a closer watcher of what has worked and what hasn’t for the Creative Abby. He has also been head of the Effie Awards as well as some international juries so is clued into the ways in which jury processes ought to happen.

     

    So this year, he unveiled a masterstroke in the form of the Masterjury where he called upon 15 creative hotshots to lead the judging process end-to-end. Including the initial sifting to the final judging. Also, the earlier pre-requisite that only representatives of agencies participating was done away with.

     

    I understand from the grapevine that not all were happy with the constitution of the jury. There were some who felt that there shouldn’t have been two biggies from one agency. And then there was a sentiment that the emphasis was on big name creative biggies. What about those who’ve been doing great work, winning awards, but belong to smaller agencies.

    And last and most importantly: there is no Piyush Pandey in the Masterjury. There’s no Sonal Dabral either… in fact there’s no one from Ogilvy. The official reason given is that Pandey and Dabral weren’t available, but there are some other theories doing the rounds. That Kakar wanted the Masterjury to be a ‘Jury of Equals’ with no chairperson or jury chair, and there was one view that Pandey should be given the honour, given that he is unarguably the most celebrated Indian creative adguru.

     

    Some seniors in the system told me that the awards process has Pandey’s blessings, and takes care of many of his peeves against the Abby. If he and others find it clean and well-run, they’ll be back next year.

     

    Let’s hope they do. I am all for multiple advertising awards. For instance, MxMIndia (and I) backed the Kyoorius awards very actively in the first few years. It’s not that I don’t back it now, but then Kyoorius is now established and doesn’t need any evangelising. Rajesh Kejriwal is an integral part of the A&M industry and he was even a member of the Abby Publishers’ jury. The exchange4media group also runs a score of advertising awards, and the participation in them underscores the fact that the industry finds them credible and has lapped them up. The Ad Clubs of Bengaluru, Kolkata and Delhi have their own awards, and they get a healthy set of entries too. There’s the Pepper Awards in Kochi. I don’t know if it’s still affiliated to the Kochi Ad Club or it’s an independent trust. There was some exchange of angst there, but I am told things were sorted out after the intervention of some local gods.

     

    Back to Abby Awards 2018. I am going to be there yet again from April 5 to 8 and will watch them closely. I will also of course listen to all the conversations before and after and during the awards ceremonies. The Ad Club and Goafest office bearers aren’t in it for the money. In fact, they spend a sizeable sum in carrying out the responsibilities. In many ways, it’s a thankless task.

     

    I think the industry owes it to itself to give the Abby Awards a good chance.

     

     

  • The awards will be held from April 5 to 8  at the The Grand Hyatt, Bambolim, North Goa

    Abby Awards shortlists announced

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Advertising Club has announced shortlists for the 2018 edition of the Abby Awards. The shortlists for the 2018 edition are now live on www.abbyshortlists.com and will be available for review on the website  for a period of seven days, ensuring complete transparency in the judging process, during which time specific feedback and comments are welcome.

     

    Speaking about the shortlists for the Abby Awards 2018, Ajay Kakar, Chairman of the Awards Governing Council said: “This year the Abby boasts of a Jury of Masters, each of who has been a gamechanger and innovator. The jury has deliberated and identified the shortlists. And these are now being put up in the public domain, by category. May the best of best win.”

     

    Presented by the Advertising Club and the Advertising Agencies Association of India, the  awards will take place as part of Goafest which is being held in Goa from April 5 to 8.