In its 7th edition, the e4m Media Ace Awards duly recognised notable media personalities for their contribution to the advertising industry. Among the winners were two special awards, handed to two iconic advertising veterans. The first one is Sam Balsara, Chairman of Madison World, who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for the exceptional work he has done for the benefit of the media and advertising industry.
The second one was Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Mediabrands India who received the Network Head of the Year award. This award is given to the Head (CEO or COO) of a parent network who has contributed critically towards delivering premium service, stimulating the growth of the organization and enhancing the industry at large.
Launched in 2015, the awards are significant in showcasing the all-important role media agencies play in helping clients implement and manage marketing strategies to achieve their business goals, and how they are transforming themselves to adapt to the changing media landscape, consumer behaviour and technological innovations. The awards categories have gone through upgradations, and have diversified over the years, which is reflective of the evolution of media agencies and the roles they play today. Driven by Digital transformations, media agencies have gone through a paradigm shift in recent years, while continuing to make an impact for brands and clients across industries.
Among other key winners of the night were Navin Khemka, CEO, South Asia, EssenceMediacom, who took home the ‘Media Agency Head of The Year’ title; Harshil Karia, Founder, Schbang, was named ‘Digital Marketing Agency Head of The Year’; and Vinita Jain, Director, Prachar Communications, who bagged the ‘Independent Agency Lead of The Year’.
Some of the media agencies that won big include GroupM, who took home the ‘Network of The Year’ title. Wavemaker was adjudged ‘Media Agency of the Year’, while EssenceMediacom and Mindshare were runners-up in this category. On the other hand, Pivotroots - A Havas Company bagged the ‘Network Digital Marketing Agency of The Year’, and FCB Kinnect and Wavemaker were the runners-up. Madison OOH bagged the ‘Out of Home Agency of The Year’ honour while Laqshya Media Group was the runner-up for the same.
The ‘Influencer Marketing Agency of The Year’ was given to OML; the Goat Agency and One Digital were the runners-up under this category. Meanwhile, Mindshare bagged the ‘Content Marketing Agency of The Year’ title; Havas Play and Supari Studios were the runners-up.
The ‘Health and Wellness Marketing Agency of The Year’ was awarded to Brandcare, while Pentacle and Mindwave Media were the runners-up. Xaxis was named the ‘Programmatic Advertising Agency of The Year’ with Lemma as the runner-up. GroupM ESP won the ‘Sports & Entertainment Agency of The Year’ title, and Havas Play was the runner-up. The ‘Experiential Agency of The Year’ was awarded to Shobiz Havas, while Madison Turnt and George P. Johnson were the runners-up in this category.
Trupti Mali of Interactive Avenues was awarded the ‘Client Lead of The Year.’ Danish Khan of Starcom and Priya Chauhan of Interactive Avenues were the runners-up. The ‘Rising Star of the Year’ title was won by GroupM’s Sonam Upadhyay with Chirag Chandiramani of Starcom and Interactive Avenues’ Sheetal Seth were the runners-up. The winners were selected by a revered jury across three categories – Agencies, Specialist Agencies, and People. This year, the Jury was chaired by Amit Jain, Chairman, L’Oréal India. The awards were handed out in recognition of exceptional work done during the period April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.
There are very few people who hold the ability to inspire multiple generations to the same degree, Sam Balsara is one such person. The Founder and Chairman of Madison World continues to play a pivotal role not just in his organization, but also in the advertising ecosystem.
Balsara launched Madison in March 1988 and has made a significant dent in the advertising ecosystem.
A graduate of St. Joseph’s College, Bengaluru, he went on to finish his MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai. He began his professional career with the Sarabhais followed by Cadbury, before joining advertising at Contract and Mudra. Thereafter, the Madison journey began.
Balsara is known as a visionary whose infectious enthusiasm and energy make him stand out among leaders. His value-based principles of honesty, integrity and professionalism have led to Madison being a diversified communication group with 25 units across 11 specialized functions of Advertising, Media Planning and Buying, Business Analytics, Digital, Out-Of-Home, PR, Rural, Retail, Entertainment, Events, Activations and Sports. Madison World employs over 1300 communication professionals across offices in India.
When Madison first launched in March 1988, the first two accounts were Godrej and Nelco, and today, many years later, Madison World boasts gross billing of about Rs 4,000 cr. Madison World also scooped up the Cinthol Lime account within the first year, and Balsara played a key role in its successful launch.
Balsara who is in no mood to retire, said during his acceptance speech at the e4m Media Ace Awards 2023, “When I moved from my marketing role in Cadbury to advertising, I read somewhere that some advertising great from Manhattan said, ‘advertising is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.’ I think after 50 years of working life, I tend to agree with him. On top of that, you get paid for it. So, why would I want to retire?”
Under Balsara, the group’s vision is to be the best Communications Agency by using insights, experience, expertise, creativity, environmental knowledge, and business sense to increase clients’ profits in a sustainable way.
A beacon of the industry, Balsara is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. He was awarded the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award in the year 2009 and was featured in the list of 50 most powerful people in Indian Marketing, Advertising and Media Business by Pitch magazine.
Sam Balsara also held important positions outside of Madison throughout his career. He was the President of the Advertising Club Bombay (1989-1992); Chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (2000-1); President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (2002-4); Chairman of AAAI (Advertising Agencies Association of India) Awards; and serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India. He is also on the board of Bluestar Limited.
In 2012, Shashi Sinha was appointed the CEO of IPG Mediabrands India, and just a year later, he managed to consolidate the operations of the company’s various agencies, making best use of the existing talent and putting Digital at the core of the business. Sinha won three big clients, Reckitt Benckiser, Samsung, and Sony, taking the company’s market share to 21%.
Sinha, an industry veteran, is an engineer from IIT Kanpur and received his Management degree from IIM Bangalore in 1981. His inspiring journey in advertising is a narrative of leadership, innovation, and resilience. In a leadership role for 25 years, he progressed from being the head of FCB Ulka to the CEO of all media units under IPG Mediabrands in 2013. As CEO, he orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, transforming IPG Mediabrands into one of the most respectable entities. Notably, he is credited for setting up Lodestar in the 1990s, India’s first specialised media planning and buying outfit.
At IPG Sinha heads the second-largest Media Agency Group in the country, overseeing Lodestar UM, Initiative Media, Interactive Avenues, Rapport, Orion, and Magna Global. The group collectively manages approximately 20% of India’s media spend. Sinha leads a proficient team, providing strategic solutions to a diverse portfolio of over 100 blue-chip clients, including Samsung, Amazon, Amul, ITC, and Johnson & Johnson.
Beyond corporate milestones, Sinha’s commitment to industry bodies and social causes is laudable. His achievements reflect not just professional excellence but a deep-seated passion for shaping the advertising landscape and contributing meaningfully to societal progress.
During his acceptance speech for the Network Head of the Year award at the e4m Media Ace Awards, Sinha received thunderous applause when he said, “The industry matters more for me than my company IPG Mediabrands. If the industry grows, we grow along with that.”
His commitment to the industry has made him one of the most sought-after leaders today. So much so that Sinha was appointed as the Chairman of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) in 2022. Sinha has played a key role in the formation of BARC. Additionally, he serves as a board member of the Advertising Association of India, and the Meta India Client Council. He has also played a key role in the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI).
