Jurymen wake up to keep the Abby sanctity intact

Stage is set for the Media Abby Awards tonight. There have been no leaks here, as had been in the case of Creative Abbys, yet again. Adland may not worry about things such as these and the Festival, like the proverbial show, is going on. Some questions are being raised about the open judging process that was introduced three years ago. When in two of the three years, the award winners list was leaked, the question is whether a process like this makes sense for the Abby. Many, however, have stated categorically that leaks have little to do with the system and more with the people, who take this responsibility of awarding excellence in advertising.

Shashi Sinha, Chairman, Media Abby and CEO, Lodestar Universal

Open judging or the show of hands has happened in both the Media Abbys and Creative Abbys. However, the open judging process was introduced only in the last three years. But personally, I feel we should get off with the show of hands judging process and stick to the closed judging process, which, according to me, is more confidential and secured.

Piyush Pandey, NCD and Executive Chairman, Ogilvy India

Open Judging is an excellent judging process. An open judging is done through discussions amongst the other jury members and then decided on a winner. This is an international format of judging and I solemnly believe that the format of open judging is not responsible for the Abbys leak. The two who are involved is the leak are the person who spoke about the winners and the publication who published the winners, they are to be blamed and the not the formats. The confidentiality is to be kept on the basis of enthusiasm, anticipation and sheer joy of winning and the ones who kill that fun should be pulled out for such an act.

Ajay Chandwani, Chairman, Abby Awards and Director, Percept Group

The open judging process involves taking a democratic decision, and that is required. It is important for the jury chairmen and the jury members to be more mature and take their responsibility seriously.

R Gowthaman, Leader, Mindshare, South Asia

At the end of the day, the final winners are privy only to the Jury Chairmen and to members of the jury – they have to take their job seriously. I am very proud about the fact that when we concluded the judging of the Media Abby, we did not speak about it even to each other after that. Changing a format really wouldn’t help. A jury member must remember that they hold an office, and it must be respected.

KV Sridhar (Pops), NCD, Leo Burnett India

No, definitely not! The winners are based on two aspects, that is, quality and confidentiality. Open judging process helps the jury to decide on the quality of work that can be shortlisted. The process is more comfortable and has a sense of transparency, compared to close judging. On the leaking of the winners, I believe that there has been a high media pressure. Some three years ago, advertising was not given so much of importance, whereas today, an advertising festival like GoaFest has been given so much importance that the report gets published on the front page of a well known business paper.

Bipin Pandit, General Manager, Ad Club

My personal preference would be a secretive and closed judging process. But my only message is that it is high time Indian advertising fraternity stood up and decides not to imitate the international formats or processes, but in return lend Indian formats at an international level. Giving an example on this, the international Effies committee has been so impressed with the Indian Effies case study presentation conducted by Ad Club that they have decided to replicate the format at international levels and have also decided that Ad Club would now conduct the global round one of Effie judging.