India shines at Cairns Crocodiles 2026 with campaign and creative wins

MUMBAI: India’s creative industry delivered a winning performance at the 2026 Cairns Crocodiles Awards, proving that when it comes to big ideas, the country is snapping at the heels of the world’s best.

Held in Australia as part of the wider Cairns Crocodiles festival of creativity, presented by Pinterest, the event celebrated excellence in advertising, media, marketing and creative communications across the Asia-Pacific region. Indian agencies and young creatives emerged among the standout winners, earning recognition for both impactful campaigns and fresh thinking.

Leading the charge was Mumbai-based agency Schbang and its client Britannia Industries, which won the South Asia Regional Campaign of the Year award for India Called It Prashant, Not Croissant. Inspired by a viral online trend where Indian consumers humorously renamed the croissant “Prashant”, the campaign turned a social media moment into a nationwide cultural conversation.

Commenting on the strength of Indian creativity, Cairns Crocodiles co-founder David Hovenden said India continues to produce some of the most exciting creative work in the world. He praised the market’s bold ideas, cultural sharpness and instinctive storytelling, noting that the quality of talent coming from the country continues to impress judges year after year.

India’s success extended beyond agency awards to the Cairns Hatchlings competition, presented by Yahoo, which brings together 50 emerging creatives from across the Asia-Pacific region for an intense live challenge.

This year’s brief was set by United Nations Foundation chief marketing officer David Ohana, who challenged participants to rethink the subscription economy in ways that could contribute to human survival. Teams had just 24 hours to develop and pitch their ideas before a live audience.

Among the winners were VML India senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar, who took top honours with The Sounds of Humanity. The concept centred on a universal Spotify track created through contributions from people around the world, using music as a tool to foster human connection.

India also secured a win in the Digital category through Schbang’s Priyanka Pradeep Gohil and Aman Ganesh Aragona. Their campaign, The Humanity Subscription, proposed redirecting unused AI subscription fees into automatic donations for OCHA’s Reunite for Humanity fund, blending technology with social impact.

Reflecting on the event, Hovenden said Indian marketers, agencies and creatives consistently bring fresh perspectives, confidence and work that sparks conversation, adding that this year’s participants once again lived up to that reputation.

The strong showing at Cairns Crocodiles 2026 highlights India’s growing influence on the global creative stage, with both established agencies and emerging talent demonstrating that world-class ideas can come from anywhere, but increasingly, they are coming from India.