Goafest2024 concluded on a glittering note of awards that celebrated excellence with Leo Burnett being crowned the Creative Agency of the Year for the third year in a row.
On Day 3 of the Abby One Show Awards, the agency picked up 24 metals in the ‘Creative’ category that included one grand prix, four gold, 11 silver, and eight bronze.
The agency that was present in huge strength at the event literally took over the stage, whistling, singing and chanting Burnett with unrestrained glee, much to the amusement of the audience.
VML India with a total of 20 metals, which included two gold, three silver and 15 bronze came second in the Creative Abbys. In third place was FCB Group India which picked up two gold, three silver and eight bronze.
Leo Burnett also bagged the Brand Activation and Promotion Specialist Agency of the Year; and Branded Content and Entertainment Specialist Agency of the Year.
Digitas was placed second in the Branded Content and Entertainment Abbys with one silver and one bronze while Mitch India Services and Schbang shared the third spot with a gold apiece.
White Rivers Media won a gold for its touching film ‘Daughters of Piplantri’ for Astral Foundation. The film that wove dual messaging of promoting girl child and planting trees also won gold in the Green Award category.
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Video Craft
Good Morning Films was crowned Video Craft Specialist of the Year, bagging eight metals – two gold, two silver and four bronze. Vanilla Films was a close second with a total seven metals – two silver and five bronze.
In third place was Chrome Pictures with six metals – two silver and four bronze.
Audio Category
Eggfirst Advertising dominated the audio category with three gold for Hari Darshan campaign ‘Couple’. The agency also got four merits in this category.
Leo Burnett India got a gold for Oreo India’s ‘Say It With Oreo’ campaign. Cheil India too bagged a gold for Samsung Galaxy A’s ‘The Noisiest Spots’ campaign.
- Also read: The Seven Principles of Creativity
Health Abbys
A new vertical -- Health -- was added to the Abbys this year with sub-categories such as OTC Oral Medicines, OTC Products and Nutraceuticals. Havas Worldwide India was declared the Health Specialist Agency of the Year, with two silver and one bronze. Mullen Lowe Lintas stood second with one silver and one bronze.
L&K Saatchi & Saatchi and McCann Worldgroup India were tied for the third spot with both agencies bagging one gold metal each.
Reflecting on the awards, Ajay Kakar, Chairperson of Awards Governing Council, Abby Awards 2024 said an interesting thing this year was that non-specialists were winning the specialist category, showing how creativity is getting democratised.
He also said 20 per cent of the entries (which numbered over 3500) were for new age categories, showing how wide advertising work has become.