Ashish Khazanchi, Anisha Iyer, Sabyasachi Mitter named Chairpersons for MADDYS 2026

Advertising Club Madras has announced the opening of submissions for the 44th edition of MADDYS 2026 from 2^nd March 2026, with the final entry deadline set for 20th April 2026. Early bird submissions close on 18th March 2026.

Entries are accepted at https://maddys2026.adclubmadras.com.

To qualify for this year’s MADDYS, work must have been first released between 1st April 2025 and 31st March 2026.

Like last year, MADDYS will reward work in six groups – Creative MADDYS, Design & Print Craft MADDYS, Film & Audio Craft MADDYS, Regional Pride (Tamil) MADDYS, Digital MADDYS and Media MADDYS.

Each of them will have a separate jury and jury chairperson/s.

• Ashish Khazanchi, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Enormous Brands, will be Jury Chairperson, Creative MADDYS
• Anisha Iyer, CEO, OMD India, will guide the Media MADDYS as Jury Chairperson
• Chairing the Digital MADDYS will be Sabyasachi Mitter, Founder & MD, ibs Fulcro Consulting

Further jury announcements are expected in the coming weeks.

Keeping it Simple – and Contemporary

With over four decades of legacy, MADDYS continues to recognise breakthrough work across disciplines. The 2026 edition carries the theme KISS – Keep It Simple Silly, a powerful reminder that in an increasingly cluttered world, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Surej Salim, President, Advertising Club Madras, said, “MADDYS has always brought together the best work, from independent boutiques to large networks, where ideas win purely on merit. That credibility defines this platform. We’re excited to see strong national and international participation once again and showcase the finest work in Chennai during the gala night in July.”

Kavitha Srinivasan, Secretary, Advertising Club Madras, added, “We are thrilled to announce that MADDYS 2026 is set to uphold the highest standards of excellence, with a carefully refined category structure and a robust evaluation process ensuring fairness and credibility. Led by an exceptional line-up of Jury Chairs, esteemed industry leaders who will steer the judging process with expertise and insight, we're all set for an outstanding edition!”

To ensure that the awards remain contemporary, categories for 2026 have been refreshed with input from industry leaders by the Adclub’s Executive Committee, aided by Honorary Jury Convenor and Process Auditor Gokul Krishnamoorthy. The Digital MADDYS category in particular has seen an overhaul benchmark against the best globally.

The awards are open to entrants from across India and abroad. Except for Regional Pride MADDYS, which is exclusive to Tamil advertising, all the other categories are language-agnostic.