In conversation with Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India & Chairman, Awards Governing Council of The ABBYs 2022
Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India & Chairman, Awards Governing Council of The ABBYs 2022, sheds light on what’s new in this year’s ABBYs and the collaboration with The One Show.
Agency Reporter- How does the participation of agencies and publishers in the ABBYs further nourish their growth in the industry?
When we were brainstorming for The ABBYs, we recognized that we needed to reimagine its purpose especially because it was not just making a comeback after two years but also keeping in mind that our industry has undergone a tough time on the back of the pandemic. Hence, The ABBYs needed a fillip in its stature and a stronger vision that would inspire the industry in a new light. Our collaboration with the much-coveted The One Show has helped us to enhance the overall awards experience by bringing in a global lens of judging, international juries, and unparalleled transparency to the entire process. This fuelled the spirit and ambition of the ad world even further. We look forward to celebrating the resilience, agility, innovation, and leadership that helped the industry stay afloat, and most importantly, the work that happened despite the challenges the pandemic caused.
AR- The pandemic has significantly resulted in the workforce adopting innovative ways of working. What new themes and categories have been introduced in this year’s Abbys?
In 2022, we introduced several new categories in the ABBYs that reflect the current industry trends. The workaround of the new trends will inspire the young leaders and creators and I am confident that it will be an enriching experience for everyone. The new categories include DE&I in Creative and Innovative Use of Ecommerce and Innovative Use of Gaming in Media.
AR- In what ways has the pandemic impacted the participation of the industry this year?
We didn’t see any impact on the number of entries.
AR- Can you share some insights about the number of entries received this year? Did you observe any key changes wrt participation from small and mid-sized agencies?
While I can’t share the exact number of entries, I can confirm that the number of entries in 2022 has surpassed that of 2018 and 2019. It’s a validation of the hard work we put in to scale up The ABBYs.
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