Creativity That Clicks

The Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show at the Goafest 2024 celebrated the creme de la creme of India's advertising and creative excellence. With a total of 424 metals, the six Grand Prix awards winners stood as the brightest beacons of innovation, artistry and impact.

Creativity That Clicks

In the fiercely competitive telecom sector, Airtel's campaign, ‘Airtel 5G Plus Ultimate Fans: Look Maa! I am on TV’, conceptualised by EssenceMediacom, earned them the Grand Prix this year. The campaign struck a chord by showcasing the power of 5G technology to bring fans closer to their idols. It allowed Airtel users to become a part of live cricket matches, with their faces appearing on the giant screens – a dream come true for millions. 

FCB Group India's campaign for Stir–Design Magazine challenged societal norms and biases surrounding hair. Through a series of powerful visuals and narratives, 'Untangling the Politics of Hair' sheds light on the deep-rooted discrimination faced by individuals based on their hairstyles. The Grand Prix-winning work showcases the agency's ability to craft campaigns that flash important conversations and drive meaningful change.

FCB Group India's triumph continued with HDFC Bank’s ‘Lulumelon Eoss’ campaign putting another Grand Prix into their kitty. The campaign highlighted the bank's innovative spirit and commitment to customer convenience. Leveraging the power of AI, the campaign introduced a virtual assistant that could understand and respond to complex queries in multiple languages, adding to the banking experience. 

Famous Innovations’ ‘Blockbuster Excuses’ campaign for the Mumbai Police was a masterclass in using outdoor advertising for public service. The campaign repurposed the excuses commonly used by traffic offenders, transforming them into a powerful public service message that resonated deeply with audiences across the city. The innovative approach garnered both attention and appreciation, earning the agency the Grand Prix.

In the realm of audio-visual storytelling, Leo Burnett India’s campaign for Spotify India, ‘Feel the music with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’ captivated audiences with its emotional depth and creative flair. By showcasing the music composers’ journey and their ability to evoke emotions through their craft, the campaign struck a chord with music lovers nationwide. Leo Burnett India's execution attained them the Grand Prix.

Maitri Advertising Works’ Grand Prix-winning campaign for Netflix, ‘Sex Education Shakeela's Driving School’ was an interesting campaign to look forward to. By blending the worlds of the popular Netflix series ‘Sex Education’ and the Indian film ‘Shakeela’, the campaign captured the essence of both universes, captivating audiences with wit and cultural relevance.

 Excellence Personified

While the Grand Prix winners basked in the limelight, the Abby Awards 2024 also celebrated the agencies that had consistently pushed the boundaries of excellence throughout the year. 

Leo Burnett India emerged as the Creative Agency of the Year. They were also recognised as the Brand Activation and Promotion Specialist Agency of the Year; Branded Content and Entertainment Specialist Agency of the Year; Technology Specialist Agency of the Year; Mobile Specialist Agency of the Year; Direct Specialist Agency of the Year and Digital Specialist Agency of the Year.

Wavemaker India earned the title of Media Agency of the Year, while FCB Group India secured the Design Specialist Agency of the Year and Public Relations Specialist Agency of the Year.

In the specialised fields, Havas Worldwide India was named the Health Specialist Agency of The Year, Good Morning Films claimed the Video Craft Specialist Agency of The Year title, Zee Entertainment Enterprises emerged as the Broadcaster of the Year and ABP was honoured as the Publisher of the Year.

Reema Bhaduri

BW Reporters The author is the Editorial Lead at BW Businessworld. Majorly writes on marketing, advertising, experiential marketing and retail. She closely looks upon the vertical of BW Marketing World and BW Retail World.