Abbies panel to relook at 'disgraced' ads, study complaints

The jury will comprise the chairmen of all 11 verticals; to meet next week to look into 18-19 complaints

In a significant development, the Awards Governing Council (AGC) of the Goafest has decided to set up a super-jury that will look into all complaints and issues related to the Creative Abbies, announced on April 6.

The jury will comprise the chairmen of all the 11 verticals under the Abbies. It will include Prasoon Joshi, president, South Asia, McCann Worldgroup, also chairperson of the integrated jury; Sonal Dabral, chairman & chief creative officer, DDB Mudra, also chairperson of the outdoor jury; Agnello Dias, co-founder & chief creative officer, Taproot, also head of the print jury; and Senthil Kumar, national creative director, JWT, also chairperson of the film jury.

The jury will meet the next week to look into the 18-19 complaints. The 11 jurors will also have a relook at the ads by BBDO and DDB Mudra, withdrawn last week following a jury vote.

The ads were copied from campaigns by global agencies. BBDO lost two golds and a silver for DHL campaign, because it resembled ads by Ogilvy & Mather, Singapore for furnitire removalist Allied Pickfords.

DDB Mudra lost a silver for its print ad for Electrolux Washing Machines. It was a copy an ad by Young & Rubicam, Sao Paulo, Brazil for LG Washing Machines.

Leo Burnett chose to voluntarity withdraw two radio spots for Tata Salt Lite following a debate at the AGC that the ads were not legitimately released and were, hence, scam ads.

Shashi Shinha, chairperson, AGC, said the verdict of the super jury will be final and the body will abide by the jury's decision. "A vote of the members of the super jury will be conducted to arrive at a decision. This will be monitored by KPMG," he said.

Barring film and integrated, complaints have been received for Abby-winning ads in almost all other categories, Sinha said. "This is unprecendented. We had never received complaints after the Goafest. But now those will have to be addressed," he said.

Of the 4,300 pieces of work entered this year, there were 442 winners across 73 organisations. The top-three winners were Leo Burnett, McCann World Group and JWT.