Mumbai: Havas Creative India, the creative agency of Havas India had a resounding run at ADFEST 2025, taking home four prestigious awards — including the highly coveted Grande. The agency’s bold and thought-provoking campaign, ‘Ink of Democracy’, for The Times of India won one Grande, one Gold and two Bronzes, reaffirming its creative excellence on a global stage.
The campaign was awarded:
- Grande in Creative Strategy Lotus – Contextual Insight
- Gold in Creative Strategy Lotus – Corporate Image & CSR
- Bronze in Press Lotus – Corporate Image & CSR
- Bronze in Direct Lotus – Print & Outdoor
‘Ink of Democracy’ harnessed the power of a single, striking visual – the front page of the Times of India was printed entirely in purple ink, representing the vast reserves of unused electoral ink from previous elections. This compelling metaphor underscored the lost potential of every unmarked finger and uncast vote, driving home the urgency of voter participation in India’s General Elections.
Conceived by Soham Ghosh, Group Copy Head, and Ravinder Kumar, Associate Creative Director at Havas Creative India, the campaign’s influence extended beyond awards — it was also the winning entry of The Times of India Group’s Power of Print Contest 2024, in partnership with the Election Commission of India. It stood out among 560+ entries for its powerful voter-mobilization message, ‘I Vote For Sure’.
The impact of the campaign was unprecedented, contributing to a record-breaking voter turnout:
- 642 million voters, the highest ever in Indian history
- 30 million more voters than previous elections
- 280% increase in brand mentions and engagement
Anupama Ramaswamy, Joint MD & Chief Creative Officer, Havas Creative India, said, “My young team, Soham and Ravinder, came up with a simple yet powerful idea. One look and I knew this was magic. Because the power of an idea is to drive a meaningful change. In this case, we made the most popular newspaper remind the citizens about their duty and help shape the future of our nation.”
With this win, Havas Creative India continues to push boundaries, of proving that creativity, when driven by purpose, has the power to transform society.