MAM
Three India creatives join global jury for ADC Young Guns 24 awards
Mumbai-based creative leaders to judge international competition for emerging talent
New York: India has secured three seats on the global jury for the 24th edition of the ADC Young Guns, with Mumbai-based creative leaders selected to judge one of the advertising and design industry’s leading competitions for emerging talent.
The global Art Directors Club, part of The One Club for Creativity, announced that more than 100 creative professionals from around the world will evaluate this year’s entries.
Representing India on the jury are Pallavi Chakravarti, founder and chief creative officer at Fundamental; Sonam Gautam, head of creative at ULKA, a part of the BBDO Group; and Kopal Naithani, ad filmmaker at Superfly Films Pvt Ltd.
ADC Young Guns is the industry’s only global, cross-disciplinary, portfolio-based competition exclusively for creatives aged 30 and under. Open to professionals with at least two years of full-time or freelance experience, the programme allows entrants to submit a mix of professional and personal work.
The competition has opened entries for its 2026 edition, with the regular deadline set for 27 August and the final deadline on 24 September. Winners will be announced in January 2027, with the awards ceremony scheduled for 27 January in New York.
The competition typically attracts submissions from more than 45 countries, with over half of all entries coming from outside the United States, underscoring its growing international appeal.
In addition to receiving the iconic ADC Young Guns Cube trophy, winners gain a permanent profile on the Young Guns platform, a one-year membership of The One Club for Creativity, access to the Young Guns alumni network and career development opportunities through the programme’s partners.
Over the years, the competition has recognised several creatives who later became influential figures across film, design, advertising and fashion, including Oscar-winning directing duo Daniels, filmmaker Joseph Kosinski, designers Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh, and illustrator Christoph Niemann.
The branding for ADC Young Guns 24 and this year’s trophy was designed by Brooklyn-based illustrator Chantal Jahchan, a winner of last year’s Young Guns competition, continuing the programme’s tradition of spotlighting emerging creative talent.
