As the ABBY Awards at Goafest 2026 spotlight the industry’s most impactful creative work, leading agencies across India are showcasing the ideas and campaigns that earned them a place among this year’s contenders. From film, digital and design to outdoor, branded content and experiential marketing, the shortlisted entries reflect how agencies are blending creativity, culture, technology and storytelling to shape conversations and drive brand impact. As the race to the Creative ABBYs intensifies, IMPACT speaks to some of the industry’s leading creative agencies and minds behind the work, uncovering the insights, craft and thinking that brought these standout campaigns to life.
Parikshit Bhattaccharya
Chief Creative Officer, BBH India & Propagate India
“We’re excited about a body of work that reflects BBH India’s focus on turning cultural insight and emotion into participative experiences. Campaigns like CaratLane’s ‘7 Songs of Love’, Škoda Octavia RS ‘Mind Drive’ and HDFC ERGO’s ‘PlayAble’ have been entered across categories including Brand Experience & Activation, Digital Craft and Social & Influencer Marketing. What ties them together is a strong human truth, whether through music, immersive automotive experiences or accessibility-led technology, all aimed at creating deeper participation, relevance and stronger consumer connection.”
Kartik Smetacek
Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi India
“There are two key campaigns Saatchi & Saatchi India is betting on this year—Hero MotoCorp’s ‘Prayers For Safety’ and Renault Kiger Gaming OOH. While the campaigns have been entered across multiple categories, we believe they stand a strong chance in OOH and Direct. Both campaigns push the boundaries of the outdoor medium to connect with consumers in unique ways. ‘Prayers For Safety’ reimagines Tibetan prayer flags as innovative first-aid kits for bikers in Ladakh, while Renault’s Gaming OOH transforms digital billboards into gaming venues through a unique mobile-led innovation.”
Aalap Desai
CCO and Co-Founder, tgthr
“It feels rewarding to have such a diverse mix of work ready for judging. One entry empowers the creator economy by addressing a real-world need, while another tackles a business challenge through cinematic storytelling. Our final two entries engage with culture from opposite ends—one through a humorous gaming lens and the other through deep empathy. I hope the jury appreciates these varied approaches as much as we at tgthr enjoyed bringing them to life.”
Kalpesh Patankar
Group Chief Creative Officer, VML India
“The Kolhapuri campaign for Kalapuri has been nominated in four Design categories at the ABBY Awards this year. The campaign was born from a simple yet profound belief—that true appreciation for Kolhapuri craft begins with understanding its roots. At VML India, human-first storytelling sits at the heart of everything we do, and we believe the most enduring work is built around people and their lived experiences. The book was meticulously handcrafted as a 1,000-year cultural record—an authentic, tactile piece of history that invites the world to understand the hands and heritage behind the craft.”
Aarti Srinivasan
CCO, Curativity
“The inspiration behind our Axis Bank ‘MotherTongueslish’ entry came from something most of us have experienced—feeling conscious about our accents. The moment we connected accents to one’s mother tongue, the idea clicked both culturally and emotionally. What made the campaign stand out was the way it treated accents with affection rather than correction. People didn’t just watch it as an ad; they saw themselves, their friends and their families in it, making the story feel deeply personal and relatable.”
Prasad Patil
Founder, Drink Water Design
“With the ‘Tree to Treat’ campaign, we didn’t want to create just another brand campaign—we wanted to create brand love, because that’s what stays with consumers long after the ad is over. What made the campaign powerful was the honesty and uniqueness of Naturals itself—a product and philosophy that deserved something truly special. So, we celebrated the tree as the true origin of every scoop. Through restraint, minimalism and cinematic craft, we turned a simple product journey into an immersive story designed to stay with consumers long after the film ends.”
Compiled by Isha Khatu
