AD Agencies
Happy Unicorn scoops silver and bronze at Good Ads Matter Awards 2026
The Chennai creative house proves that South-first storytelling is not a niche — it is a competitive edge
CHENNAI: Happy Unicorn Creative Communication has walked away from the Good Ads Matter Awards 2026 with a silver and a bronze, both in the writing in advertising category, cementing its reputation as one of South India’s sharpest creative forces.
The silver went to the CP Plus Smart AI CCTV Solutions campaign featuring Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi. The bronze was awarded to the Peps Vivah Mattress campaign, co-written with Renuka Jayapal, brand director at Peps Industries. Both films were directed by Avinaash Hariharan, co-founder and director of Happy Unicorn, and written by Arabbhi Athreya, the company’s producer. Good Ads Matter is one of India’s fastest-growing independent advertising awards platforms, judging work solely on creative merit, with no regard for language or geography.
For a Chennai-based production house that has spent over two decades insisting that regional storytelling deserves to be taken seriously, the recognition feels like vindication.
Athreya put it plainly. “We believe that language is not a costume you put on a story,” she said. “Language is the story.”
Hariharan was equally direct about what separates authentic regional advertising from the kind that merely masquerades as it. “Regional advertising, at its best, is the most honest form of communication there is. You cannot fake the details. Our South Indian audiences know instantly when something has been made for them versus something made at them.”
Jayapal, speaking on the bronze-winning Peps campaign, echoed the same philosophy from the client’s side. “At Peps, we don’t believe that one-size-fits-all, including when it comes to communication. Our stories are rooted in local authenticity and cultural relevance.”
Happy Unicorn has produced more than 900 commercials and nine original web series across major OTT platforms over its two-decade run. Its model, deep regional insight, culturally specific storytelling, no shortcuts, is increasingly looking less like a niche proposition and more like the direction the entire industry is heading.
Two awards in one night. The rest of Indian advertising might want to start paying attention.
