JWT, Taproot Dentsu dominate awards show

Creative Abbys for eight categories were declared on the second day of the Goafest. JWT, Contract and Taproot Dentsu emerged winners with 17 metals each. Gold-wise, JWT had the edge, with three awards, followed by Taproot with one. Contract got none.

Dentsu Creative Impact, which walked away with 14 metals on the second day, also bagged a gold as part of the first set of Creative Abbys declared on Friday.

The eight categories declared on Friday were radio, radio craft, print craft, public relations, direct, brand activation, branded content, and broadcaster. Abbys for print, outdoor, television, integrated and digital categories will be declared on Saturday. In terms of number of entries, Creative Abbys had 3,288 entries this year, up from last year’s 2,666. Media Abbys, declared on the first day, had 1,014 entries compared with last year’s 674.

Ironically, no Grand Prix was declared on Friday or Thursday, pointing to stringent judging standards, said Ajay Chandwani, member of the Awards Governing Council, a core unit set up to monitor the Abbys. “The bar has been raised, which is why there are fewer golds and no Grand Prix so far,” Chandwani said.

Last year, there was one Grand Prix in direct marketing.

JWT's gold winning entries this year were for Godrej's Dual Video Door Phone, Hindustan Unilever's Lux and Airtel. Taproot bagged its gold for Times of India, while Dentsu Creative Impact bagged gold for Max Healthcare.