MAM
Publicis bags the ‘Best In Category’ award; JWT leads metal tally with 5 gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze
MUMBAI: There couldn’t have been a better closure to the three day long celebration of advertising genius than the final night of Abbys 2016 that unfolded amidst the hedonic mix of music, creativity and intoxication. While the abundance of alcohol kept everyone in elevated spirits, the winners of the night were seen enjoying a different level of high as they walked up the stage to receive their metals.
Continuing its winning streak, JWT once again snared the most number of metals, with five golds, 21 silver and 21 bronze that put it on the top spot with a metal tally of 47 metals. While the absence of a Grand Prix let down many, the newly introduced Best In Category award drew a lot of attention. It was Publicis Communication that bagged the Best In category award for its ground breaking work in ‘A Giant’s Story’ for Ambuja Cement, in the film craft category.
On the newly introduced award, Percept Limited director Ajay Chandwani shared “You can consider it as a recognition above the gold awards, but not equal to Grand Prix. To evaluate the best in gold in each category, the jury was given an option to either select a grand prix or a best in category. Usually grand prix is awarded to a piece of work that has made a path breaking and game changing effort in the category. There was no work that amounted to that this year.”
Apart from the Best In Category award, Publicis claimed four golds, four silver and four bronze metals, putting its total metal figure to 13. DDB Mudra also shone at the Abbys with four golds, four silver ad 15 bronze setting its total number of metals to 23. If one went by metal tally, Taproot Dentsu emerged as the clear second with 40 metals to its name – two gold, 19 silver and 19 bronze.
A total of 10 categories’ winners were revealed on the third day. The category wise break up of winners is as follows.
Ambient Media: Out of a total of fifteen metals, the jury gave away one gold, four silver and 10 bronze. JWT Mumbai bagged the one gold and bronze leading the category, followed by DDB Mudra with two silver and four bronze.
In Design, Alok Nanda and Company took home a gold, three silver and three bronze making it a category leader. Alok Nanda and Company was followed by Publicis Communications with one gold, two silver and one bronze metal. Out Of Box was closely behind with a gold, silver and a bronze; and McCann World Group India with a gold and silver. A total of four gold, 12 silver and 24 bronze were given away in the category.
Digital: As per the Goafest Organising Committee chairman Nakul Chopra Digital saw the most number of entries this year – a first in Goafest. There were a total of 614 entries, as compared to 548 last year. DDB Mudra took home gold and silver in the category making it the genre leader. R K Swamy BBDO brought home the second gold, followed by Experience Commerce taking home the final gold in the category. Taproot Dentsu also shone in the category with four silver awards.
Integrated: DDB Mudra and Publicis Communications each received a gold and bronze metals in the category. Star India too was recognized with a silver for its exceptional work for Mauka Mauka.
Out of Home: With a total of 15 silver and 21 bronze given away in this category, there were many intense contests for the top position. JWT scored five silver and five bronze followed by Ideas@work bagging two silver and four bronze. There were no golds awarded in this category.
Film Craft: Early Man Film bagged one gold, three silver and a bronze in the category followed by Flying Saucer pictures with a silver and gold.
Film Single: While Publicis Communications claimed the freshly introduced Best In Category award followed by a bronze, it was DDB Mudra that bagged the most number of metals with a gold, a silver and four bronzes.
Print Single: Dentsu Creative Impact got one gold and four bronze metals to its name followed by Contract Advertising with a gold and bronze. Taproot Dentsu dominated the genre with five bronze and three silvers to its name.
This year saw the Goafest Committee introducing two new categories or special Abbys as they are otherwise being called. They were the Young Abby and the Gender Sensitive Abby. “Since last year there has been a growing interest in introducing this award. For this category we accepted entries that were especially made to address gender issues, but were just another advertisement made for a brand that naturally took a gender sensitive approach. Hectic Content from Mumbai won the gold in this category for The Calling done for Anouk.
The Young Abby invited entries from creative and art director teams from agencies who were under the age of 30. The creatives were required to especially tailor campaigns on ‘Gender Violence’ in the medium of their choice which was then later judged by a special jury. Bodhisatwa Dasgupta and Nitesh Shah from JWT Gurgaon bagged the gold in this category along with the golden chance to ravel to Cannes for the Cannes Lion Awards this year.
Going by sheer numbers, 2016 proved to be a very exciting year for Goafest as well as the advertising fraternity with a total of 4460 entries submitted for the Abbys as compared to 3475 last year. In terms of metals awarded, the number went up from 359 in 2015 to 418 in 2016, with 245 bronze metals and 134 silver metals given away. The number of gold however went down from 71 last year to 38 this year.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
