Three Indian creative leaders join jury for 2026 ONE Asia Creative Awards

SHANGHAI: India is set to have a strong voice at this year’s ONE Asia Creative Awards, with three of the country’s leading creative professionals joining the prestigious jury that will evaluate the best advertising, design and marketing work from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Representing India on the 2026 jury are Leo national creative director Sonal Chhajerh, Elephant Design co-founder and director Ashwini Deshpande, and Enormous Brands managing partner Ashish Khazanchi.

Organised by The One Club for Creativity, the annual awards celebrate excellence in creativity across advertising, branding, design, digital communications and marketing. This year’s jury brings together senior agency leaders, brand marketers, filmmakers and emerging creative voices from across the Asia-Pacific region, reflecting the awards’ continued emphasis on diverse perspectives.

Continuing its tradition of rotating the judging venue across the region, the 2026 edition will move to Kuala Lumpur after previous editions in Seoul, Manila and Shanghai. Judging is scheduled to take place from October 17 to 19 at The Majestic hotel, with production company DirectorsThinkTank serving as the exclusive judging sponsor. A student masterclass in partnership with Level Up will follow on October 20.

Entries for the competition are currently open, with the regular deadline set for July 17, followed by an extended deadline on August 28 and a final submission deadline on September 18. Finalists are expected to be announced later this year, while winners will be revealed in November. Winning work will also contribute to the annual Campaign Brief Asia Rankings, the ONE Asia Creative Rankings and The One Club’s Global Creative Rankings.

This year’s awards introduce several new categories that reflect the changing nature of the creative industry. A new Creator Content discipline acknowledges the growing role of creators and creator-led platforms in brand storytelling. The Luxury, Fashion and Lifestyle category has been added to recognise creative work from premium consumer brands, while Production & Craft consolidates several existing craft-focused disciplines into a single category. The Creative Use of Artificial Intelligence discipline has also been expanded to better reflect AI’s growing influence on creative workflows and campaigns.

Complementing the awards is the 2026 campaign titled “Where Taste Matters”, created by Muma Malaysia. The campaign argues that while artificial intelligence has made content creation more accessible than ever, genuine human judgement, instinct and creative taste remain the qualities that distinguish memorable work from the ordinary.

Commenting on this year’s jury, The One Club for Creativity APAC regional director Tay Guan Hin said the panel brings together senior leaders behind some of the region’s most recognised work, alongside brand marketers and emerging creative talent with fresh perspectives. He added that despite their diverse backgrounds, agencies and cultures, every juror is united by the same high standard of creative taste.

The inclusion of three accomplished Indian creatives underlines the country’s growing influence in the regional creative economy. As advertising, design and technology continue to evolve, their participation ensures that India’s perspective will help shape which ideas, campaigns and innovations stand out on one of Asia-Pacific’s most respected creative stages.