The Advertising Club’s Abby One Show, which will be hosted at AAAI and Ad Club’s Goafest 2023 slated for 24 to 26 May, has received a rousing welcome from entrants in the second year of Abby’s association with The One Club’s One Show awards.
The total number of entries is up to 3,301 this year from 3.021 last year, informed organisers, in an e-mailed interaction with Medianews4u.com.
More importantly, several agencies that had stayed away from the Abbys in recent years, and MullenLowe Lintas Group, that had steered clear of all creative awards, have entered this year.
Asked about the agencies making a comeback, Ajay Kakar, Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club & Co-chair, Abby Award Governing Council, said, “MullenLowe Lintas Group, McCann, Wunderman Thompson etc. have returned. They choose to enter the Abby One Show because winning here will be a great stepping stone to winning at other international forums.”
There are 181 entrants to Creative Abbys up from 142 in 2022; from 54 entrants, Media Abby has attracted 63 entrants this year. Media Abby entries are up marginally to 1,019 from 1,014 last year while the corresponding figures for Creative Abby are 2,282 and 2,007. Organisers also introduced a ‘Young Maverick’ award this year.
Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India & Chairman, Abby Award Governing Council, said, “We built brand-new categories this year and also reshaped certain categories. We have rejigged the categories too with the addition of sharper categories based on the current times and a category dedicated to youngsters, called the ‘Young Maverick’. This award is to recognise and reward the work of people under 30 years of age.”
Partha Sinha, President, Times of India Group and President, The Advertising Club, noted, “The award’s stature has changed dramatically. Today, whatever wins at Abbys wins at Cannes; we saw an example last year. The same trend will follow this year too.”
On how the One Show partnership has helped attract participants, he added, “Last year was our first year with The One Show and we learned a lot from this big step. The association has already proven beneficial and going forward, this will only continue to multiply. Our standards have automatically become global and their credibility and process continue to remain impeccable because they have been doing this for years now. As a result, we have a platform, The Abby One Show, which is neither owned by a select few, nor contains any bias, nor provides privilege to anyone.”
