New York: As the final submission deadline for the ADC 105th Annual Awards approaches, three jury members from India have shared insights into emerging creative trends in the country and outlined what they will be looking for in this year’s entries.
The ADC Annual Awards are presented by The One Club for Creativity, the global non-profit organisation that supports and celebrates the creative community.
Moumita Pal, National Creative Director at Dentsu Creative, Gurugram, who is serving on the Fusion jury, pointed to a growing shift towards authenticity in Indian advertising.
Speaking about creative trends, she said, “Honest advertising is clearly on the rise across the country. And it’s not just a stylistic shift, it’s a strategic one. Today’s audiences are more media-savvy than ever. They can spot exaggeration, forced emotion, and over-polished brand promises almost instantly. In response, brands are moving toward insight-led, humour-driven storytelling that feels real, relatable, and refreshingly self-aware.”
On what she expects from entries this year, Pal added, “Bigger ideas. Ideas rooted in pure advertising. Less about technology, less driven by execution, and more about powerful, timeless thinking. Ideas that aren’t evaluated based on media impact, surround strategy, or TikTok acceptance but on the strength of the core concept itself.”
Kamal Kumaar Rao, Co-founder and Art Director at Pure Street Photography, Mumbai, and a member of the Photography jury, highlighted a growing global ambition within India’s creative ecosystem.
On current trends, he said, “In our local market right now, creativity is entering a new era of global ambition. What excites me most is that the industry here is no longer following global trends, it’s beginning to shape them. We’re seeing a new generation of work that is fearless, culturally intelligent, and driven by craft, with technology accelerating imagination rather than replacing it.”
Regarding what he hopes to see among submissions, Rao noted, “I’m most looking forward to work that feels fearless, original, and deeply human, ideas that go beyond execution and truly shift perspective. The ADC has always celebrated craft and concept at the highest level, and I’m excited to see ideas that challenge the way we think, feel, and communicate through creativity.”
Neha Tulsian, Executive Creative Director at NH1Design, Delhi, serving on the Packaging Design jury, described a broader cultural shift shaping Indian design.
On emerging trends, she said, “The most exciting thing happening in Indian design right now isn’t a style or a trend. It’s a shift in mindset.
For years, Indian brands looked outward for approval. Our products, aesthetics, even our idea of “premium” often came with a borrowed accent.
What we’re seeing now is a change in how culture is used. Folk patterns are no longer decorative. They’re being developed as design systems. Street typography is becoming brand language. Regional scripts are receiving the same care and craft once reserved only for Latin typefaces.
Brands are being designed for Indian realities from the ground up. Indian light. Indian spaces. Indian price points. Indian ways of living. Many are embedding themselves in subcultures, regional food movements, craft revivals, and hyperlocal pride.
Clients are asking for work that feels rooted rather than borrowed. Consumers want brands that recognise them, not global brands adapted for India. The resulting design language is more layered, more assured, and more expressive.
Indian design today is shaping a visual language where maximalism and minimalism, tradition and modernity, aren’t opposites. They coexist naturally in contemporary India.”
On what she will be looking for as a judge, Tulsian added, “As a jury member, I’m most looking forward to packaging that earns its place in life: bold on shelf, effortless to use, honest about its impact, and driven by an idea that stays with you after the product is gone. Design that speaks to both the heart and the business. Relevant in 2026, but timeless in spirit.”
The final deadline for entry to the ADC 105th Annual Awards is February 20, 2026. Finalists and winners will be announced in May during Creative Week 2026 in New York.
The One Club for Creativity — home to The One Show, the ADC Annual Awards, the Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) Awards, the ONE Asia Creative Awards, the Type Directors Club competition, ADC Young Guns, Young Ones Student Awards, Next Creative Leaders, ONE School, ONE Creator Lab, Where Are All The Black People conference and career fair, Portfolio Night and Creative Week — is the world’s foremost non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting creative excellence. Revenue generated from its global award entries is reinvested into initiatives that promote industry access, creative education, professional development and career advancement worldwide.
