Published on: May 21, 2026
It was a commanding performance from WPP Media, which claimed the Network Agency of the Year title with 442 points and 37 metals — the largest haul in the category. The network’s medal count included 10 Gold, 9 Silver, and 7 Bronze.
Omnicom Media came in second with 20 metals and 11 points — picking up 1 Gold, 10 Silver, and 8 Bronze. Tribes Communications Pvt. Ltd. rounded out the top three with 11 metals and 66 points, including 1 Grand Prix, 1 Gold, 5 Silver, and 4 Bronze awards.
EssenceMediacom topped the Media Agency of the Year standings with 88 points and 15 metals — 4 Gold, 8 Silver, and 3 Bronze — the strongest overall score in the category.
Wavemaker India finished second on 76 points with 11 metals. Its 7 Gold wins were the highest in the category, complemented by 2 Silver and 2 Bronze. Mindshare India followed on 66 points with 10 metals — 6 Gold, 1 Silver, and 3 Bronze.
The Coca-Cola Company claimed Client of the Year honours, finishing on 48 points with 8 metals — 1 Gold, 3 Silver, and 2 Bronze — across multiple media categories.
Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd. came in second with 36 points and 5 metals, which included 1 Grand Prix and 4 Silver awards. Birla Opus Paints secured third place with 30 points and 4 metals — 2 Gold, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze — reflecting growing momentum from home and décor brands at this year’s awards.
Jagran Prakashan Ltd. took the Publisher of the Year title with 46 points and 8 medals — 3 Gold, 2 Silver, and 3 Merit awards.
The Hindu Group finished second with 42 points and 4 metals, comprising 1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 1 Merit. ABP Pvt. Ltd. and Hindustan Media Ventures both ended on 34 points, though with different metal combinations — ABP with 1 Gold and 1 Silver, and Hindustan Media Ventures with 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, and 2 Merit awards.
The standout moment of the night belonged to Tribes Communications Pvt. Ltd., which won the Media Grand Prix at the ABBY Awards Powered by One Show for The Barefoot Journey — a campaign it created for Kansai Nerolac Paints, entered in the Micro Marketing sub-category.
The win carries added weight: Tribes Communications becomes the first independent network to win the Media Grand Prix at the ABBY Awards — a first in the award’s history.
The Barefoot Journey was the only campaign to receive the Media Grand Prix across all categories this year. The work was recognised for grounding its media approach in cultural storytelling — a reminder that scale alone doesn’t win; relevance does.
For Tribes Communications, this Grand Prix — combined with its strong showing in the Network Agency rankings — marks a significant moment for independent agencies in India’s media landscape.
The ABBY Awards are presented annually at Goafest and are powered by One Show. They recognise excellence across advertising, media, and publishing in India.
Read more: Reset for Growth: Inside the High-Octane Kickoff of Goafest 2026
