As the 56th edition of the Abby Awards powered by The One Show approaches, the spotlight turns to how the advertising industry continues to engage with one of its oldest benchmarks for creative recognition. Ahead of the awards at Goafest 2025, we spoke with key members of The Advertising Club: Dheeraj Sinha, President, The Advertising Club and CEO, McCann India, and Ajay Kakar, Chairperson, ABBY Awards 2026 about the evolving nature of the awards.
The committee says it has received a record number of entries, seen higher client participation, and placed a deliberate emphasis on diversity, with the ABBY Awards remaining anchored in their 57-year legacy.
Kakar noted that this reflects both scale and breadth across the industry ecosystem.
“When you look at nearly 300 participating agencies and clients and close to 4,000 entries, what it tells you is that this is not a closed or elite ecosystem. It is the long tail of Indian advertising and communications. There are large networks, independent agencies, and clients all participating together, which makes it truly representative.”
Sinha described the broader intent as stepping into a more active industry-shaping role at a time of transition.
“We have positioned the Advertising Club as a beacon for the industry. The industry is going through dramatic transformation in terms of structure, AI, and modern marketing. We want to be driving conversations that sit at the cusp of this change. That is what you will see reflected in how ABBY Awards 2026 has been shaped this year.”
He added that the awards are not being treated in isolation, but as part of a larger repositioning of the Ad Club itself, where relevance and evolution are central themes.
Kakar highlighted the idea of longevity and institutional relevance.
“A brand, especially an industry institution, has to withstand the test of time by being relevant, constant and ever evolving. The ABBYs have been around for 57 years, which in itself tells you that it is not just another awards show. It is an industry platform that has survived because it continues to reflect the industry it serves.”
New categories, structure shifts and credibility push
A key talking point this year is the introduction of new categories and structural changes aimed at aligning the ABBYs with current marketing realities.
These include additions across creative commerce, B2B communication, influencer-led social content, sustainability-led frameworks under SDGs, and innovation in media planning and AI-led applications.
Sinha said the changes were driven by consultation and co-creation with industry voices.
“We went into a co-creation exercise where we spoke to senior leaders across agencies and clients and asked what they expect from an awards platform today. What came back clearly was that the industry has changed faster than award structures have. So we had to update the categories to reflect modern marketing realities, whether that is commerce, AI, or sustainability-led communication.”
A major structural shift this year is the involvement of EY as an end-to-end process consultant for the awards, covering entry validation, jury processes and verification.
According to Sinha, this is aimed at reinforcing trust in the system.
“The idea is to ensure that the process is completely independent and robust. From entry validation to jury briefing to verification, everything is being handled by an independent body. As an industry body, our role is to facilitate the best practices and ensure the credibility of the awards is unquestionable.”
Kakar also highlighted the introduction of categories recognising independent agencies, alongside network and client-led awards.
“The industry is no longer just about large holding companies. We have introduced recognition for independent agencies because they are a critical part of the ecosystem. At the same time, we also have client of the year and network of the year categories, because the reality is that this is a co-created industry.”
Industry outlook
The emphasis this year is also on global benchmarking, with international jury chairs and increased alignment with global award frameworks.
This year’s ABBY Awards jury composition reflects a deliberate mix of global creative leadership, brand-side marketers, and cross-format specialists across categories.
The Social Content & Influencer Marketing jury will be chaired by Jessica Apellaniz, Chief Creative Officer at Wieden+Kennedy Mexico. The category is part of the ABBYs’ expanded focus on newer content ecosystems and has been developed in partnership with The One Club for Creativity and The One Show.
The Video Craft category will be led by Shashanka Chaturvedi, co-founder of Good Morning Films, while Sumona Sen, Senior Vice President – Network Marketing Strategy & Growth at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., has been appointed Jury Chair for the Broadcaster category.
In the Young Maverick ABBY category, which focuses on emerging creative talent, Pallavi Chakravarti, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Fundamental, will serve as Jury Chair.
On the strategic and brand-side jury representation, Josy Paul, Chairperson and Chief Creative Officer at BBDO India, will lead the Sustainable Development Goals category, while Minakshi Achan, Head of Brand at JioStar, will chair Branded Content and Entertainment.
Mayur Hola, Vice President – Brand at Swiggy, will oversee the Brand Experience and Activation category, bringing a marketer-led perspective to experiential formats.
On the film and broadcast side, Rajdeepak Das, Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Groupe South Asia and Chairman of Leo Burnett South Asia, will chair the AV Film (TV) category. Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner at Enormous, will lead AV Film (Digital & OTT), bringing long-form digital storytelling expertise to the jury table.
The Direct category will be chaired by Anupama Ramaswamy, Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer at Havas Creative India, who has also served on international juries including Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia and The One Show.
Sinha pointed out that Indian work is already competing internationally, and the ABBYs are increasingly part of that pipeline.
“A lot of work that has won at ABBYs has also gone on to win globally at Cannes Lions and other platforms. That tells you something about the quality of work being produced here. Our goal is to ensure that when work is judged at ABBYs, it is benchmarked against the best in the world.”
On expectations from ABBY Awards 2026, Kakar said the focus is not on outcomes, but on strengthening industry confidence.
“We want people in the industry to feel proud of the work being created here. If the ABBYs can reflect that pride and positivity, then we have done our job.”
As the Abby Awards gear up for their 57th edition, the evolving structure, broader participation, and focus on process integrity suggest an effort to stay aligned with the changing contours of the advertising industry. While legacy and scale remain part of the conversation, the inclusion of new voices, both on the jury and in the entry pool marks a shift toward greater representation.
