Braving rush hour traffic on a weekday evening, a crowd of more than 300 digital media experts made a dash for the Hard Rock Café in Mumbai. The occasion was the eighth edition of the Campaign India Digital Crest Awards.
As the evening progressed, Gold metals and a solitary Grand Prix were handed out in a very selective manner. But more than the number of metals handed out, the event was about setting golden standards in digital advertising. As one member of the jury remarked, a major percentage of entries was oriented towards results, which according to her was the right way to go for this medium.
At the awards ceremony, digital media once again proved that it is the big leveler. Smaller-sized agencies gave the large ones a run for their money and both walked taller at the end of the evening. The evening was also witness to an amazing display of camaraderie and showed that digital agencies truly exhibit a "nayi soch". This was apparent when two agencies Mindshare and Sparkt came up on stage together to receive the gold for their client Star Plus' Nayi Soch campaign.
To keep the spirits high on a weekday evening, the team at Hard Rock Café put forth a special performance of its team dancing to the tune of Y.M.C.A., a performance that’s usually reserved for weekend patrons of the café. The audience soon joined the chorus and matched the Hard Rock Team step-to-step.
At the end, everyone left with their spirits high and with the assurance that the display of digital talent that evening proved that the future of the digital medium was in good, solid, hands.