JWT India dominates at Goafest's Abby awards

The awards, which took place at the third Goafest, saw the coming together of the Ad Club of Bombay and the Advertising Agencies Association of India to host one single award for the entire industry.

JWT India’s strong performance, from an agency which has had mixed results creatively in recent years, came from two particular campaigns: Nike’s ‘Traffic’ and The Times of India’s ‘Lead India’.

“It’s only since the last two years that we have changed the way we look at our creative work and have actively improved it,” said Colvyn Harris, CEO, JWT India, “ It is a pleasure to see the strategy working both with the clients and our peers.”

While most of the creative big guns competed against each other, McCann Erickson kept away, apparently to see how the newly merged awards pan out in their debut year.

Lowe India also stayed away, as it has been doing for some years. Said chairman of Lowe India R. Balakrishnan (Balki): “We do not believe in awards. We would continue to do good work for our clients, irrespective of what awards we win.”

The merger of the two award shows also meant that the Creative Agency of the Year award, previously dominated by Ogilvy & Mather, was abandoned. The WPP agency surprised many observers by not winning a single Grand Prix, even if it did bring home the most metal: five golds, 14 silvers and 39 bronzes.

JWT India ECD Agnello Dias, who chaired the integrated advertising jury, pointed out that the standard of print, poster and ambient entries this year was particularly high, but bemoaned the lack of quality in other categories.

“Film was a notch lower than great because we're still unidimensional in our major-intrigue-with-grand-twist-of-humour at the end approach,” said Dias. “Digital and radio continue to disappoint.”