MAM
Star India’s ‘Mauka Mauka’ and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Jashn shine at Abbys 2016
MUMBAI: Star India was one of the few broadcasters to emerge with glory at the 11th edition of Goafest 2016 with 20 metals to its name. Its biggest success story was the extremely popular campaign ‘Mauka Mauka’ that the channel had done in-house for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. The catchy jingle not only became a nationally trending conversation piece, but also won the network gold in the Broadcaster category at the Abbys. Apart from the gold, the promotion also won three silvers in media and creative Abby.
Star India’s flagship show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon also claimed a bronze for making the best TV Fiction Promo for its rebooted mini-series version on Hotstar – Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Jashn. The promo was successful in sparking nostalgia as well as creating a superb buzz around the popular show, as also inviting TV fans of the show to turn to their OTT platform Hotstar to enjoy the webseries.
The channel’s promotion for its ongoing prime time show Siya Ke Ram was also felicitated with a silver medal in the media field. Siya Ke Ram – Dhanush Yatra bagged the silver for best use of Special Events & Stunts/Live Advertising.
The network bagged a total of six silvers including three in media, two in broadcaster and one in creative categories with Mauka Mauka winning three silvers for best use of digital as a medium; best use of Social Media and for Integrated Advertising. Siya Ke Raam – Dhanush Yatra of Star Plus won asilver for best use of Special Events & Stunts / Live Advertising (Media); Star Movies Select HD’s Select Sundays Nostalgia and the Book Adaptations campaigns winning a silver each for best Movie Promo by a TV Channel (Broadcaster).
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
