Goafest 2017: Taproot Dentsu, The Social Street shine at the Abbys

After 3 days of seminars and conclaves by industry experts, parties and the frenzy over the Abbys, Goafest 2017, India’s foremost advertising, media and marketing convention, came to a spectacular conclusion on April 8. This year, a total of 421 metals were awarded, which included 57 Golds, 158 Silvers and 206 Bronzes. 

Taproot Dentsu, which was placed second in the metals tally with 40 wins in 2016, this year leads the metals tally with 41 wins, which includes 9 Golds, 20 Silvers and 12 Bronzes. The agency has secured the maximum Gold metals. 

The Social Street follows close behind with 40 wins, which includes 4 Golds, 9 Silvers and 27 Bronzes. 

J Walter Thompson, which led the metals tally last year, is placed third in 2017, securing 36 wins. The agency’s haul includes 6 Golds, 14 Silvers and 16 Bronzes.

Ashish Bhasin, Chairman & CEO South Asia Dentsu Aegis Network, Chairman Posterscope and MKTG Asia Pacific - ‎Aegis Group plc, remarked, “It’s a great feeling, it’s a journey we started a couple of years ago. One of our agencies, Taproot Dentsu, was always winning awards, but rest of Dentsu was not really known for its creative abilities. A couple of years ago we said that we are going to start focusing on it. Last year was brilliant, where we become one of the leading creative agencies and this year it is so heartening, because not one but many of our agencies have won so many awards and it is great to see that as a group we have emerged No. 1 by far. I think this is very encouraging, particularly for our young creative guys and I hope we keep building upon this.” 

Commenting on the strong show put up by Taproot Dentsu, Santosh Padhi, Chief Creative Officer & Co-founder, Taproot Dentsu, said, “To be fair, we are No.1 and over the last seven years we have been in the top 2 or at times we have been in top 3 and this is the first time that we have topped the table with 9 Golds. I think it is really a proud moment for all of us. Thanks to our Delhi office – they have also contributed to this tally and we are really excited and hope we can sustain this position, because it’s easy to win for a year but it’s difficult to be consistent and the way we have been consistent for the last 7-8 years, being among the top two or three, we would like to retain this No.1 position for at least three years.” 

Senthil Kumar, CCO, JWT India, remarked, “After three years at the top and a hattrick of National Agency of the Year wins across 2014, 2015 and 2016, this year we are No. 3 on the overall metals.” At the same time, he said, “I am proud of the work and the categories we won. The Golds came in Mobile, Branded Content, Integrated Campaign, Direct, Radio and OOH categories. The highlight was the Facebook Thumbstopper Award, which won the Grand Prix in the mobile category, for #spiritofbengaluru. Most importantly, our big wins were for our biggest clients like Pepsi, Godrej, Apollo Tyres, The Hindu and the launch of Nestaway.” 

The eventful Day 3 came to an end with the presentation of Abbys for Digital, Mobile, Out of Home, Ambient Media, Design, Print, Film Craft, Integrated Advertising, Special Awards (Gender Sensitive), Young Abby and Film.

Digital (Total 27 metals) 

No Golds were awarded in Digital. Dentsu Webchutney, JWT and Sideways Consulting secured 3 Bronze metals each. 

The Social Street and Happy Mcgarrybowen won 1 Silver and 1 Bronze each. Bombay Design Centre and River Advertising walked away with 2 Bronze metals each. 

Mindshare, Blink Digital India, Kinetic India, and Isobar India won a Silver each, while Scarecrow Communications, Big I Tuna, Urban Ladder, Utopeia Communicationz, Foolish and Taproot Dentsu took home a Bronze each. 

Mobile (Total 14 metals) 

Two Golds were awarded in Mobile, which were bagged by JWT and Taproot Dentsu. JWT also bagged 2 Silver metals. 

Dentsu Webchutney took home 2 Silvers and 1 Bronze. Hungama Digital and Madison Media secured a Silver and a Bronze each. Meanwhile, Star India, BC Web Wise and Mindshare Fulcrum won a Bronze metal each. 

Film Craft (Total 27 metals) 

Early Man Film, Breathless Films, and Absolute Productions took home a Gold each. Leading Film Craft’s metals tally was Early Man Film, which scored 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze metals in all. 

Absolute Productions won 1 Gold and 2 Silvers, while Breathless Films bagged 1 Gold and 3 Bronzes. 

Goodmorning’s metals tally included 2 Silvers and 1 Bronze. Red Ice Productions won 1 Silver and 1 Bronze, while Storytellers.in won 3 Bronze metals. JWT bagged a Silver. 

Taproot Dentsu took home 2 Bronzes, while Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi, Flying Saucer Pictures, Little Red Car Films, and Ransom Film won a Bronze each. 

Film Single (Total 15 metals) 

Taproot Dentsu won the only Gold awarded in Film Single. The agency also bagged a Silver. Medulla Communications secured 2 Silver metals. Rishtey Cineplex took home 1 Silver and 2 Bronzes. 

JWT and Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi bagged 1 Silver and 1 Bronze each. Happy Mcgarrybowen took home a Silver. 

Scarecrow, Onads Communications, and Cheil India scored a Bronze each. 

Print Single (Total 16 metals) 

No Golds were awarded in Print Single. The Social Street, Taproot Dentsu, JWT, Scarecrow, Out of the Box, and Famous Innovations were among the Silver winners. 

The Social Street’s metals tally included 2 Silvers and 2 Bronzes, while Taproot Dentsu bagged 2 Silvers. JWT won a Silver and a Bronze. Scarecrow, Out of the Box, Famous Innovations took home a Silver each. 

Dentsu Impact, ideas@work, and FCB Interface were among the Bronze winners. 

Design (Total 42 metals) 

Open Strategy & Design dominated Design with 11 metals – 4 Golds, 4 Silvers and 3 Bronzes. The other Gold winners in this category were Viral Pandya (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze) and Famous Innovations (1 Gold, 1 Silver). 

The Social Street took home 6 Bronze metals, while Autumn Winter bagged 1 Silver and 4 Bronzes. Umbrella Design won 2 Silvers and 1 Bronze, while JWT won a Silver and a Bronze. Alok Nanda & Company took home a Silver. 

Garage, Medulla, Y Studio, Hyphen (ANC), Enormous, Dentsu Impact, and Kinetic India were the Bronze winners. 

Ambient (Total 13 metals) 

Taproot Dentsu and Kinetic India walked away with a Gold each in Ambient. The Social Street and Famous Innovations’ haul included 2 Silvers each. 

Scarecrow and FCB Interface won a Silver and a Bronze each. Milestone Brandcom bagged 2 Bronzes, while Scarecrow & ideas@work won 1 Bronze. 

Integrated (Total 8 metals) 

JWT bagged 1 Gold and 1 Silver in Integrated, while Star India took home a Gold. Taproot Dentsu and Famous Innovations secured a Silver each. 

The Social Street, Happy Mcgarrybowen, and Medulla Communications won a Bronze each. 

Out of Home (Total 27 metals) 

Out of Home saw 4 Golds being awarded. The Social Street led the category with 2 Gold and 5 Bronze metals. JWT followed with 1 Gold, 2 Silvers and 3 Bronzes. Medulla Communications secured a Gold. 

Taproot Dentsu took home 1 Silver and 2 Bronzes. Dentsu Impact, ideas@work, and Out of the Box won a Silver and a Bronze each. Autumn Winter bagged 1 Silver. 

Scarecrow, Madison BMB, and Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi won a Bronze each.