Originator of the term ‘Abby’ decides to step away from the awards show

V Shantakumar, CEO and managing director, Saatchi & Saatchi, has finally washed his hands off the Abby’s once and for all. Shantakumar, aka Shanta, who has been associated with the Advertising Club's flagship awards show since 1993, has informed agencyfaqs! that Saatchi & Saatchi will no longer take part at the Abby's from now onwards. His reasons stem from various incidents over the past 4-5 years.

Shanta says that it was he who originally coined the term 'Abby' for the awards show (way back in 1993), which was previously known as the Advertising Club of Bombay Awards for Advertising Excellence. He has even served as an executive committee member on the Abby's from 1992-94.

For the 1994 awards ceremony, actor Amitabh Bachchan was invited as the chief guest. “With the Big B at the helm, we even thought of nicknaming the awards as ‘AB Baby’,” jokes Shanta.

On a more serious note, Shanta admits he has a sentimental attachment with the Abby’s. “It is a great brand which has stood the test of time,” Shanta says. “But over the past few years, I have had to review my opinion on the awards ceremony and its judging process.”

In Saatchi’s own experience, at several instances, its entries were missing from the main list with no apparent explanations forthcoming. “I have also witnessed instances of entries from some agencies being entered in the wrong category, and jury members pushing their own agency’s pieces of work which had no business winning,” adds Shanta. He also claims to have witnessed instances of the judging procedure being ‘hijacked’ by groups of influential people. “Sometimes, the ‘suits’ judge the show, instead of eminent creative directors,” he says.

The main cause of Shanta’s angst is the ‘partiality’ and ‘rigidness’ of the awards show. “I thought things would improve over time, but I have seen none of it so far,” Shanta explains, adding: “What never ceases to amaze me is how some Ad Club executives keep claiming to have rectified or corrected the procedures and added more robustness and transparency. However, these statements only prove to me that the Club is acknowledging the lacunae that have existed in the first place.”

Shantakumar's parting comment: “The Abby’s have been like my own child, and it’s disappointing to see your child grow up into someone you never thought he should be.”

© 2007 agencyfaqs!