Announcement
MMA (Marketing + Media Alliance) released the SMARTIES India 2026 shortlist from Mumbai, Maharashtra, highlighting a 28.8% year‑on‑year rise in participation and more than 100 new submitters joining the program.
Participation Growth
The expanded field covered 25 SMARTIES categories, with entry volumes increasing across 80% of comparable categories. Personalization submissions more than doubled, rising 107.7%; new product or service launch/re‑launch entries grew 70.3%; AI‑driven creative excellence entries rose 66.7%; short or long‑form video submissions increased 54.3%; and creator/influencer/celebrity marketing grew 53.8%.
Jury Composition and Quotes
The senior jury comprised 96.7% brand‑side executives representing consumer goods, financial services, healthcare, automotive, technology, real estate and travel. Members included leaders from Hindustan Unilever Limited, ITC, PepsiCo, Coca‑Cola, Tata companies, Nestlé, as well as founders and executives from newer growth‑oriented businesses such as Bombay Shirt Company, Yoga Bar, Moxie Beauty, NOTO and Lenexis Foodworks. Jury chair Rajneet Kohli, Executive Director Foods at Hindustan Unilever Limited, said the shortlist showcased work that used data and innovation with purpose, solved consumer problems and proved business impact. Jury chair Geetika Mehta, Managing Director of NIVEA India, added that the strongest work stayed true to consumer behaviour, cultural context and brand while delivering measurable impact.
Shift in Marketing Effectiveness
AI‑labelled categories now account for 16.1% of finalist listings, signalling AI’s material role in effectiveness conversations. Commerce, retail and conversion categories represent 13.8% of finalist listings, showing tighter links between brand building and transaction growth. Entries appearing across multiple categories constitute 42% of finalist listings, suggesting that top ideas are increasingly built to work across objectives and channels.
New Industry Awards
SMARTIES India 2026 adds four new honours: Juror’s Choice Award of the Year, National Advertiser of the Year, Local Brand of the Year and Specialist Agency of the Year. These awards recognise sustained effectiveness across organisations, specialist capabilities and brand leadership beyond single‑campaign performance.
Selection Process
The shortlist was generated through a multi‑stage review by senior leaders from brands, agencies, media, platforms and marketing technology. The Grand Jury then evaluated entries against strategy, execution, creative quality and business impact.
Upcoming Event
Shortlisted work will be examined at MMA SMARTIES Unplugged India 2026 on 9 October at Taj Lands' End, Mumbai, where jury leaders and practitioners will discuss strategic choices, execution and measurement. Winners will be announced at the SMARTIES India Gala later that evening.
About SMARTIES and MMA
SMARTIES is MMA’s global awards platform for modern marketing effectiveness, recognising work that combines innovation, creative strength and significant business impact. The program contributes to the MMA SMARTIES Business Impact Index and can gain wider industry recognition through WARC Media 100 and RECMA. MMA is a global, nonprofit alliance of chief marketing officers and senior marketing leaders, headquartered in New York City, operating in 16 countries with more than 825 corporate members and 62+ annual global conferences.