CIDCA 2025: The Jury Has Spoken (Once), and They're Gearing Up for Round Two

What began in 2010 as the Campaign India Digital Media Awards and evolved into CIDCA in 2013 has, over the years, become a true barometer of digital excellence, a celebration of work where creativity meets purpose and technology drives measurable impact.

Through its journey, CIDCA has mirrored the evolution of India's digital landscape. From the early days of display and search to the mobile-first era, from the rise of influencers and e-commerce to the frontiers of performance marketing and AI-led creativity, the awards have continuously evolved to reflect the new frontiers of digital possibility. In 2025, CIDCA once again expands its canvas, embracing emerging disciplines such as privacy-safe data use, gaming-led brand engagement, social commerce, sustainable digital production, and the fast-growing quick commerce ecosystem.

Now, as the first jury round of CIDCA 2025 concludes, that enduring spirit of reinvention is matched only by the quality of the work itself. The competition this year is fierce, the thinking sharper, and the craft more daring than ever. With the final jury round scheduled for 7 November, anticipation builds to see which campaigns will rise above the rest and claim their place among India's digital elite.

The Minds Behind the Judgement

Our Grand Jury brings together some of the brightest strategists, creatives, and marketers in the business. They've seen every kind of brief, battled every kind of KPI, and yet, they still light up at the sight of a great idea well executed.

Hemant Arora - Vice President, Global Ad Sales Business, Truecaller

Tarun Jha - Head of Marketing, JSW Steel

Suketu Gohel - Executive Creative Director & Head of Art, Schbang

Swati Bansal - Head - Digital Marketing, Henkel

Anita Khandelwal - Director, IPG Mediabrands

Rishikar Krishna - VP Corporate Marketing & Brand, Aditya Birla Group

Raghavendra Katte - Assistant Vice President, Jyoti Laboratories Ltd. India

Naresh Gupta - CSO, Managing Partner, Bang in the Middle

Partha Sinha - Senior Advisor, Consumer Practice, McKinsey & Co.

Gaurav Sharma - Media and Marketing (Europe), Strategy & Transformation, PepsiCo

Shreyasi Srinivas - Sr. Social Media Specialist, Prudential plc

Each of them brings a unique lens to the table. From brand-building to storytelling, from analytics to artistry. Together, they form a panel that knows when a campaign is just making noise and when it's truly making a difference.

Meet our Jury Members

What Comes Next

With the first shortlist now locked, round two will determine which entries rise above the rest. Expect heated debates, spirited defences and the occasional friendly disagreement, because that's what happens when passionate professionals care deeply about good work.

The winners of CIDCA 2025 will be revealed later this month, but for now, the spotlight is firmly on our jury as they prepare for the final deliberations. As they say in the digital world, "engagement is everything." And at CIDCA, engagement isn't just measured in clicks; it's measured in creativity, craft, and conviction.

Stay tuned. The best of Indian digital marketing is about to take centre stage.