Goafest 2016 kicks off on 7 April on the Bambolim beach, and in the race for metals in the different categories of the Abby awards are 4,000 entries, a 25 per cent jump from last year.
Ajay Chandwani, member of the Awards Governing Council (AGC), said it was a record for the Abbys, which will again take place at Goafest, organised by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Ad Club Bombay.
Ramesh Narayan, chairman, AGC, noted that the entries have risen across all individual categories, with some entries from the new categories of Special Abbys (for Gender Sensitivity) and Young Abbys also chipping in. “I believe the Abbys are the Oscars for Indian advertising. I also believe it is the only award for, by and of the industry,” added Narayan.
On the return of McCann Erickson to the Abby competition after a brief hiatus, he said, “I am very, very happy that McCann is back. It is their award, it is the industry’s award.”
On changes this year, the AGC chairman explained that almost all valid suggestions received at a town hall of creatives convened by AAAI and Ad Club were implemented, adding that these were improvements to a smooth process that was evidenced last year.
It was also a year when all entries, barring those in three special categories, were uploaded online. There were over 250 judges.
Crediting the multi-member team handling different aspects of the festival, he said, “There has been a conscious effort to involve the advertiser community this time. You will find a quantum leap of high level advertisers.”
