MAM
Ad Club adds new categories for Creative Abbys 2016; calls for entries
MUMBAI: The Goa Fest Creative Abbys by the Advertising Club, which recognise the best in advertising and marketing, has added two new categories namely Special Abby (Gender Sensitive) and Young Abby.
Additionally, in the Print Craft, Computer Generated Imagery as a sub-category will be introduced, whereas in the Design vertical, new sub-categories of Typography Design and Best Integrated Design with two or more sub-categories will be introduced.
The Advertising Club has called for entries for the Creative Abbys 2016 and the last date for entries is 23 February, 2016. Campaigns released between 1 January, 2015 to 15 February, 2016 will be adjudged by a jury. The entry forms for the awards can be downloaded on the Ad Club website starting 9 February.
Awards Governing Council chairman Ramesh Narayan said, “This year’s Abby Awards will have three very significant improvements. Firstly to make the awards more in line with global practices, entries for almost all categories can be uploaded online. Secondly, to reinforce the idea that ‘what’s good, is good for the industry,’ there will be a special category for Gender Sensitive Advertising. Thirdly, to bring youth and the future onto centre-stage there will be a special Abby for entries received from copy and art teams under the age of 35 on the theme of how communication can help mitigate gender violence.”
“These are all issues, which came up in our interaction with the creative fraternity and the media, and I am pleased to say we are responding with alacrity to industry and societal needs. The young winners of this new category would not only get an Abby but also be sent for the Cannes Lions festival this June, all expenses paid. This would give them a great exposure to international professionals and work,” he added.
Goa Fest chairman Nakul Chopra said, “I welcome these new developments. They are a part of our ongoing effort to keep evolving and improving. The online uploading of entries will pose a technological and financial challenge but we have decided that it is important enough to implement immediately.”
Seconding Chopra’s point, Advertising Club president and Colors CEO Raj Nayak added, “To remain the gold standard of awards in India, we decided that technology, sensitive thinking and the future all needs to be addressed. I had said earlier that we could expect a lot this year, and it is beginning to show. The pre-eminent awards show in the country should show the way in every area.”
“I am very happy that what was publicly requested on an AAAI platform (an award for gender sensitive advertising) just last year, is becoming a reality. We need to be in sync with what is being sought for. The award for young creatives is the industry’s way of nurturing young talent,” added AAAI president Dr. Ambi Parameswaran.
The awards need to be uploaded online on the site on the site www.abbyawardsentries.com.
MAM
Kate Rouch steps down as OpenAI Chief Marketing Officer
Marketing leader prioritises health after late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
MUMBAI: When the toughest battle moves from the boardroom to the personal front, even the sharpest minds know it’s time to step back and focus on winning the most important fight of all. Kate Rouch, chief marketing officer at OpenAI, has announced she is stepping down from her role to focus on recovery following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer.
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Rouch revealed she was diagnosed around a year and a half ago, shortly after taking on the CMO position. Despite undergoing intensive treatment, she continued to lead the company’s marketing function through what she described as one of the most challenging periods of her career.
She explained that while she remained deeply committed to her role and team, she had reached a point where prioritising her health and recovery had become essential. Rouch called the decision difficult, noting it required acknowledging personal limits and shifting priorities. She reflected that the experience had reshaped her understanding of courage not always about pushing harder, but sometimes about stepping back to focus on long-term wellbeing, family and sustainability.
Rouch expressed gratitude to her team and colleagues for their support. She mentioned that Gary will step in to help lead the function and recruit a successor. She plans to support the transition and remains open to returning in a different capacity in the future, depending on her health.
Prior to joining OpenAI, Rouch served as the first chief marketing officer at Coinbase and spent over a decade at Meta, where she was vice president and global head of brand and product marketing.
She also thanked well-wishers for their messages and shared that stories from fellow survivors had a meaningful impact during her treatment journey.
In the high-stakes world of tech marketing, Kate Rouch has always been known for her strategic brilliance. Now, she is showing a different kind of strength, one that reminds us that even the most driven leaders sometimes need to pause, heal, and come back stronger when the time is right. Wishing her a full and steady recovery.
