Foxglove Awards: Taproot wins the battle of the Davids

It is common knowledge that the big award ceremonies are dominated by the bigger agencies. And most of these bigger agencies are also the ones which have been around for quite a while. Thus, Foxglove decided to give the Goliaths of advertising a miss and, instead, present a chance to all the newer agencies to showcase their mettle.

With seven categories and more sub-categories, entries could be sent either for national or regional campaigns. For Regional Awards, local agencies/offices competed against each other for the top slot or highest honour within that city. Meanwhile, National Awards recognised budding agencies, which have created and curated the best pan-India campaigns.

In its first year itself, the awards saw close to 700 entries. Around 100 agencies from eight cities - Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Cochin, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru - sent in their best works to be judged by the eminent jury.

With 13 awards, Taproot ruled the night in the national awards segment. The agency walked away with five golds, five silvers and three bronze awards. Happy Creative Services bagged as many as six national awards (two gold, one silver and three bronze), while Interactive Avenues went home with two national awards in silver.

In the Ambient category, the two gold awards (sub-categories: Best Innovation and Non-traditional Outdoor) went to Taproot for The Times of India's 'Save the Farmers Live' hoarding. The silver in the same (sub-category: Traditional Billboards) went to Taproot again for Mumbai Mirror's 'Hated by Some' campaign. Meanwhile, the sole bronze in the regional segment went to Hyderabad's First Show Digital for 'Lot Store Master' in the Non-Traditional Indoor sub-category.

There were three bronze awards in the Brand Activation and Promotion category. While Taproot once again took a bronze in the Best Innovation sub-category for 'Save the Farmers Live' hoarding, Happy Creative Services picked up a bronze for Lee's 125 years event in the Exhibitions sub-category. In regional, Mumbai's Victor Tango Entertainment won a bronze for 'Classmate Spell Bee' in the Integrated Campaign led by Activation & Promotion sub-category.

In the Design category, four golds were given out at regional levels. While Bangalore's Happy Creative won gold in packaging for Atta Galatta, Mumbai's Sharpener won a gold in regional, and a silver in national, for 'The Cheese Collective', in the Stationery sub-category. Sharpener again won a Bronze in national and a silver in regional for Voxpop Clothing in the Direct Mail sub-category. Sharpener won another gold in regional and a silver in national for Burma Burma in the Corporate/ Brand Identity sub-category. A silver was picked up by Watercrab for ARG Group Branding (sub-category: Corporate/ Brand Identity) and one by Happy Creative for Autumn Winter 2014 Catalogue (sub-category: Books/Diaries). A bronze each went to First Show Digital for Bingotruck Identity Kit and Taproot India for 'Co-create the Future' in the Corporate/ Brand Identity sub-category.

For print, Taproot won a silver award in copy writing for Organ Donation and a bronze in Art Direction for Print Advertising for 'Hated by Some'. Mumbai's Madison BMB picked a bronze in the Illustration sub-category for Hypercity movies and music. Delhi's Vermillion Communication won a bronze for Berkowits Hair and Skin in Best Print ad sub-category.

There were no golds given in the Films category. However, Taproot won a silver award each for Boss (sub-category: Best Commercial Film) and Night Calling (sub-category: Best Commercial Campaign). Bangalore's Nicheminds picked up a silver in regional and a bronze in national for 'We live in a Blue Planet' (sub category: Animation). Happy Creative Services picked up a bronze in casting for 'The Big Billion Day', while in regional Mumbai's Tag Vinnatti picked up a bronze for Clean Slate Films Logo - Animation for the same sub-category.

Taproot took away three golds in the Direct Marketing category. The agency took the awards for 'Comedy Nights' (sub category: Direct Response - Print), 'Save the Farmers' (Direct Response - TV, Radio and Infomercial) and 'Save the Farmers Live Hoarding' (Best Innovation), respectively. The agency also took a silver for Organ Donation in the Direct Response (print) sub-category. Medulla Communications picked up a silver for 'The Fake Patients Project' in Direct Response Mobile sub-category. In Direct Response Digital sub-category, TLG India and Resultrix Media picked up bronze for Geo-location & Cross-Device Sequencing and Travel guru - Search form based ad-innovation, respectively. Happy Creative Services picked up a bronze for 'The Big Billion Day' (sub-category: Direct Response- TV, Radio and Infomercial). The only regional winner, Hyderabad's First Show Digital picked a bronze for 'One Tap to Heal-A-child' (sub-category: Direct Response Mobile).

Digital, by far, was the most popular with as many as 19 medals being given out to regional and national entries. Two golds went out to national winners - Happy Creative Services for 'The Weightless Project' (sub-category: Best Innovation) and 'India Wants to Know - Mr. Ponnapa' (sub-category: Brand Film Created for Internet / Video / YouTube). Four golds were won by regional winners as well. Interactive Avenues for '#PumaSillyPoint' (sub-category: Creative Use of Social Media) and '#TakeBackMondays' (sub-category: Web Banner Rich Media) won a silver in the nationals, and a gold in the regionals. Similarly, Social Wavelength's 'Blood Connection' (sub-category: Website/ Microsite) and Tonic Media's first ever live 'Musical Chair on Twitter' (sub-category: Best Innovation) won a gold in regional and silver in national. Social Wavelength's 'The Fundtastic Cup' (sub-category: Best Innovation category) and FoxyMoron's 'Cling On To Football' (sub-category: Online Integrated Campaign) picked up a bronze in national and a silver in regional.

Digital L&K | Saatchi & Saatchi's 'Half Stories - The Journey of Doing Right' (sub-category: Brand Film Created for Internet / Video / YouTube), Interactive Avenues' 'Roobaroo - #MicromaxUniteAnthem' (sub-category: Brand Film Created for Internet / Video / YouTube) and Tonic Media's eBay India's '9th Birthday Party' (sub-category: Website/ Microsite) won regional bronze awards.

The winners were selected by a jury panel, which included Abhijit Avasthi, Agnello Dias, Ashish Bhasin, Josy Paul, KS Chakravarthy, Kunal Jeswani, KV Sridhar, Prasoon Joshi, Sanjay Mehta and Sonal Dabral.