Awards
Gail blows away competition with ‘Hawa Badlo’, wins big at afaqs! Marketers Excellence Awards
MUMBAI: When the air gets murky, Gail (India) Ltd knows how to clear the smog – not just from the skies but also in the marketing world. The public sector gas major bagged the ‘Best Content Marketing Campaign – Content’ award at the afaqs! Marketers Excellence Awards 2025 for its evocative and socially charged ‘Hawa Badlo’ campaign.
The award ceremony, held on 14 June at The Westin, Goregaon in Mumbai, spotlighted the country’s most impactful marketing initiatives. Gail’s victory comes hot on the heels of another recognition: its ‘Hawa Badlo: Reconnect To Roots’ campaign was recently honoured at vIDEA 2025 – The Video Media Awards & Summit in Gurgaon.
The ‘Hawa Badlo’ campaign, a long-running initiative from Gail, goes beyond a puff of publicity. It urges citizens to swap passive concern for active participation in tackling air pollution. Its latest chapter, ‘Reconnect To Roots’, spins a nostalgic yarn that reintroduces age-old Indian sustainability practices as contemporary environmental solutions.
Whether it’s yoga, upcycling, or the art of composting, the campaign nudges Indians to rediscover their eco-conscious DNA. The campaign invites people to explore organic living, waste minimisation, and support for local economies — not through fear or guilt, but cultural pride and grounded wisdom.
“Hawa Badlo: Reconnect To Roots is an impactful reminder of India’s rich culture and ecological heritage…” the campaign proclaims, with an emphasis on reviving practices that have been buried under urban chaos and modern habits.
One of its central themes is yoga — not the Instagrammed version with headstands and hashtags, but its original form as a union of self and nature. “Rooted in the Sanskrit word meaning ‘to unite’,” the campaign notes, yoga symbolises a philosophy of balance, harmony, and environmental oneness.
With back-to-back wins, Gail seems to be leading a breath of fresh air in both the environmental and advertising space. The ‘Hawa Badlo’ campaign has not only inspired conversations but continues to build momentum by weaving purpose into content, and culture into calls for change.
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.
