Know who won what at ABBY Awards 2026

MUMBAI: Goafest’s trophy shelves were busy on day one and WPP Media made sure it left with the heaviest haul. The opening day of the ABBY Awards 2026 turned into a celebration of media strategy, sharp storytelling and execution that travelled seamlessly across screens, platforms and audiences. From data-led campaigns to culturally tuned brand narratives, the winners reflected how modern advertising is increasingly blending creativity with measurable impact.

Leading the charge was EssenceMediacom, which clinched Media Agency of the Year with 88 points and 14 metals, edging past Wavemaker India and Mindshare India in one of the festival’s most closely watched categories.

The agency’s winning streak was powered by campaigns such as “When Toofan Hit the Streets”, “India’s Transaction Story” and “Harley-Davidson: Riding Into The Spotlight” — work that balanced scale with cultural relevance.

Wavemaker India followed closely with 76 points and 11 metals, while Mindshare India secured third place with 66 points and 10 wins, underlining WPP Media’s wider dominance across the awards table.

And the momentum did not stop there.

WPP Media also walked away with the Network Agency of the Year title, racking up 242 points and 37 metals across categories. Omnicom Media Network secured second place with 108 points, while Tribes Communication rounded off the top three with 66 points.

The victories reflected a broader shift visible across this year’s ABBYs, where campaigns are no longer judged solely on visibility, but on how effectively they merge creativity, media intelligence and audience participation.

Commenting on the double win, WPP Media South Asia president for client solutions Navin Khemka said, the recognition reflected the consistency of work being delivered across brands and clients, adding that the awards validated the quality of ideas emerging from the agency ecosystem.

Brands, too, had their moment under the spotlight.

A newly introduced category, Client of the Year, honoured advertisers whose brands collectively secured the highest points tally. The Coca-Cola Company emerged on top with 46 points and eight metals.

Coca-Cola India IMX Head for Southwest Asia Shantanu Gangane described the win as a proud moment for the company and acknowledged the contribution of agency partner EssenceMediacom and internal teams behind the campaigns.

Kansai Nerolac Paints followed in second place with 36 points and five metals, while Birla Opus Paints completed the top three.

The publisher categories also delivered strong competition, with Jagran Prakashan Ltd winning Publisher of the Year after securing eight metals.

The media house picked up gold wins in categories including Best Marketing of a Printed Newspaper/Edition and Best Promotion of a CSR or Cause-Related Marketing Initiative in traditional or online spaces.

Dainik Jagran general manager for strategy and brand development Rahul Wanchoo said the recognition validated the company’s efforts over the past year, adding that strong execution now matters as much as strong ideas in today’s media environment.

The Hindu Group secured second place in the publisher rankings with four wins, while ABP Pvt. Ltd. finished third with two metals.

Hosted as part of Goafest 2026, the ABBY Awards continue to serve as one of Indian advertising’s biggest scorecards, where creativity, commerce and culture compete for the loudest applause.