Awards
Big Bang Awards 2026 set for 9 February, bringing creatives to Bengaluru
BENGALURU: Bengaluru is set to turn up the creative volume as the 41st edition of the Big Bang Awards takes centre stage on 9 February 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton. Organised by the Advertising Club Bangalore, the awards remain one of India’s most respected celebrations of excellence across advertising, media, design, digital and marketing.
This year, the Big Bang Awards arrive with a fresh rhythm. For the first time, the event expands into a full-day industry experience. The afternoon will open with thoughtfully curated workshops, a Founders Circle fireside conversation and The Bang on Music, before rolling into the much-anticipated evening awards ceremony. The idea is simple and ambitious at once to spark learning, encourage honest conversations and bring the creative community closer together.
Now in its 41st year, the Big Bang Awards continue to reflect the changing face of creativity in India. With more than 130 categories, the awards honour standout work across print, broadcast, digital, mobile, experiential and emerging platforms, capturing the breadth and ambition of today’s communications landscape.
Laeeq Ali, President of the Advertising Club Bangalore, said the awards go beyond trophies and titles. They celebrate ideas that influence culture, drive business and help define where the industry is headed next.
Backing the 2026 edition is a strong line-up of partners from across the media and digital ecosystem. Gold Partners include Snapchat, Sony Network Pvt. Ltd., Truecaller and Times Group. Silver Partners are Mob Avenue, Deccan Herald and Team Pumpkin. Community and Media Partners such as afaqs, Adgully, MediaNews4U and Indian television dot com further strengthen the platform’s reach and relevance.
Together, they reinforce the Big Bang Awards’ standing as a meeting point for ideas, ambition and creative leadership. Even for those who do not live and breathe advertising, the message is clear. When creativity comes together at scale, it tends to make a rather big bang.
Awards
Ajay Kakar to chair jury for ad:tech Honours Awards 2026
Industry leaders join jury as nominations surge for marketing tech awards
NEW DELHI: The ad:tech Honours Awards 2026 are gearing up for a bigger second edition, with Ajay Kakar, head of corporate branding at Adani Group, set to chair the jury for India’s technology-focused marketing awards.
Organised in partnership with the International Advertising Association India Chapter, the awards celebrate the growing influence of technology in shaping modern advertising and marketing outcomes. This year’s edition has drawn a strong response from across the industry, signalling rising momentum around innovation in marketing technology.
The organisers say the nominations reflect a wide range of ideas and approaches, highlighting how brands and agencies are increasingly leaning on platforms, tools and data to sharpen their campaigns and connect with audiences more effectively.
Leading the evaluation process, Kakar will head a jury made up of senior leaders from across brands, agencies and technology platforms.
The jury panel includes Amaresh Godbole, CEO, digital technology business at Publicis Groupe; Bishwajeet S, head of marketing and PR at Volkswagen India; Carol Goyal, executive director at Rediffusion and CEO of Aesthetic Intelligence Lab; Kushal Sanghvi, director at Komerz; Lara Balsara, executive director at Madison World; Rana Barua, group CEO India, sea and North Asia; Deepak Oram, senior vice president growth marketing and martech; and Priyanka Khaneja Gandhi, head of marketing and creative solutions at Amazon Ads India.
The ad:tech Honours Awards aim to recognise not just creative campaigns but the smart use of technology that delivers measurable impact and business results. Categories this year reflect the rapidly evolving digital landscape, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, data-driven marketing, content ecosystems, automation, martech and adtech integration, and commerce-led marketing.
The winners will be announced on 17 March 2026 at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi during ad:tech New Delhi 2026. The event is expected to bring together leaders from brands, agencies, platforms, creators and technology partners for an evening celebrating the ideas and innovations shaping the future of marketing.iconductor industries.
