AD Agencies
Thought Blurb Lulu Mall’s advertising partner
MUMBAI: The Lulu Group, headquartered in the UAE, is ranked third on the Forbes List of ‘Top 100 companies making an impact on the Arab World’. The group’s flagship mall in India, Lulu Mall in Kochi, has signed on Thought Blurb as their advertising partner to build the brand in sync with the global retail brand image.
Lulu Mall Kochi CEO Shibu Philips said that the group is initiating an assertive push into other cities in Kerala and expanding its footprint into various other Indian cities, and it’s imperative to have world class branding and communication design.
Philips said that an analysis of Thought Blurb’s past experience in environmental and space design, graphic design credentials and overall understanding of mall communication and promotion was an essential criterion in their decision. The 3-month pitch process saw The Lulu Group evaluating the presentations of several top-rung ad agencies from Kerala and other cities. The decision eventually hinged on strategy and domain knowledge of retail marketing.
Philips said, “Thought Blurb’s past work on Quick Service Restaurants, large retail chains and Malls showcased great acumen and promise. Their strategic thinking reflects a layered understanding of today’s retail customer, their fickle loyalties, and what buttons to press to keep them engaged.”
The Lulu Mall chain of hypermarkets and supermarkets is spread across 31 countries, including India. The company’s most recognizable presence is the Lulu Mall in Kochi, spread over 10,00,000 sq ft of space that can accommodate 100,000 people at a time. By introducing 56 brands to Kerala, the Lulu Mall has changed the way people shop in Kerala.
Thought Blurb CEO Vinod Kunj said, “We have sharpened our skills in this field for almost a decade and are raring to go with every resource we have at our call. Our design expertise has been awarded and recognised in every forum. Working on a mall chain is different from the norm. People need to stay engaged through programmed events and activations. Newer experiences for the consumers keep an in-demand mall from becoming a has-been. That would never happen on our watch. We are proud to be associated with the Lulu brand, and intend to ensure its dominance in the future.”
AD Agencies
The Advertising Club adds new categories to Creative Abby 2026
Awards expand global focus; entries open until 6 April
MUMBAI: The Advertising Club has unveiled a fresh set of categories for Creative Abby 2026, sharpening the awards’ global edge while keeping creativity firmly centre stage.
The updated entry form, reflecting all category refinements, is now live on the Club’s website. The awards continue their partnership with The One Club and The One Show. Entries close on April 6, 2026, and eligible work must have been released between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026. Winners will be announced at Goafest 2026.
This year, the Abby Awards Governing Council went a step further, inviting some of India’s most awarded creative leaders and global jury veterans to help reimagine the categories and judging process. The result is a sharper, more future facing framework.
Two new categories have been introduced:
Social content and influencer marketing
Recognising the fast expanding universe of digital creators, collaborations and community building.
Creative commerce, use of data and B2B
Celebrating innovation across online and offline commerce, payment solutions, data driven channels, creative B2B and immersive brand experiences.
Both categories are designed to reward craft and quality of impact, rather than pure effectiveness metrics.
In a bid to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, seven sub categories within the Digital vertical have been removed after being deemed redundant.
Three social good verticals, Green Abby, Red Abby and Diversity Equality and Inclusivity, have now been merged into a single category titled Sustainability and Inclusion, bringing purpose driven work under one cohesive umbrella.
The Mobile category has been discontinued, reflecting the reality that mobile is no longer a niche medium but embedded across digital formats. The new Social Content and Influencer Marketing vertical is expected to absorb much of this work.
Acknowledging the role of marketers in driving creative excellence, a new honour titled Client of the Year has been introduced. It will be awarded to the client whose brands accumulate the highest number of points.
There is also a key change in how Creative Agency of the Year is calculated. Previously determined by points across eight traditional categories such as Print, Film, OOH, Integrated, Audio and Digital, the award will now consider performance across 18 creative categories, excluding Video Craft and Young Maverick Abby. The shift broadens the competitive canvas and reflects the industry’s expanding definition of creativity.
The Advertising Club president and McCann India CEO Dheeraj Sinha said Goafest has long stood for collaboration and creative excellence. He noted that in its 57th year, the Abby Awards continue to raise the bar and bring together the brightest minds in the business.
Abby Awards 2026 chairperson Ajay Kakar, added that the categories had been co created with leading creative luminaries for the first time. He expressed gratitude to The One Club and The One Show for supporting the judging process over the past five years and thanked agencies and clients for their consistent participation.
With new categories, sharper criteria and a broader lens on creativity, Creative Abby 2026 signals that in advertising, evolution is not optional. It is the brief.
