The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has officially announced the winners of the prestigious AAAI Young Lotus Contest 2025. The coveted title has been claimed by Pallavi Subudhi and Filoni Gudhka from BBH Mumbai, who will now go on to represent India at the esteemed Young Lotus Workshop and attend Adfest 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand.
A Launchpad for Future Creative Leaders
The Young Lotus Workshop is a dynamic three-day program designed to cultivate the next generation of creative talents from across Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East. The initiative provides participants with a rare opportunity to collaborate with top industry leaders, explore fresh perspectives, and hone their creative expertise on a global platform.
Celebrating Local Creativity with a Powerful Theme
The 2025 edition of the AAAI Young Lotus Contest centered around the theme ‘Support Local, Strengthen India.’ A distinguished jury panel, comprising industry veterans Chetan Kapoor (Saatchi Propagate), Kartikeya Tiwari (FCB Kinnect), and Zainab Haji (Grey), meticulously evaluated over 130 entries from across the country. Among the impressive submissions, Pallavi and Filoni’s entry stood out for its profound insight, originality, and compelling creative execution—perfectly embodying the essence of the theme.
With this achievement, the BBH India duo now steps onto an international stage, ready to showcase their talent, creativity, and strategic thinking at Adfest 2025, further solidifying India’s presence in the global advertising landscape.
Speaking on the initiative, AAAI’s spokesperson said, “The aim of this year’s theme, ‘Support Local, Strengthen India’, was to push young creatives to emphasize on the power of local insights in creating compelling narratives. The winning entry by Pallavi and Filoni was a perfect blend of creativity and strategic thinking, backed by insightful storytelling. Their work and impactful ideas set them apart. We look forward to seeing them shine on the global stage at the Young Lotus Workshop where in teams from 15 different countries will participate and later on take part in ADFEST 2025.”
“BBH takes its young talent seriously and it’s great to see the industry celebrate our young creative superstars. We couldn’t be happier for Pallavi and Filoni. They are true Black Sheep,” added Parikshit Bhattaccharya, CCO, BBH India.
“This win brings us one step closer to our goal of establishing ourselves in the creative industry. We are grateful to the BBH leadership team for providing this amazing opportunity as well as our mentors, without whom this couldn’t have been possible. We can’t wait to take this experience to the global stage at Young Lotus Workshop/Adfest 2025 and make most of this opportunity,” said Pallavi and Filoni in a joint statement.
This victory marks a significant milestone in the journey of India’s creative talent. With a strong lineup of entries, this year’s contest highlighted the evolving landscape of the industry.
Representing India at Young Lotus Workshop 2025, the winners will have the opportunity to engage with some of the brightest minds in the industry across Asia and push the boundaries of creative storytelling.
