Social Samosa presents the sixth edition of the Best Social Media Brands Awards, SAMMIE 2024. At its heart, SAMMIE celebrates the success of Human Brands that have driven the growth of the social media ecosystem, honoring the influential brands setting the pace on social media.
For those unfamiliar, BSMB includes 23 Main Categories, 30 Special Categories, and 6 Individual Categories. Brand marketers can nominate themselves for the Individual Category, while brands across various sectors can submit nominations for the awards. Here’s all you need to know about the Jury Chairs for SAMMIE Best Social Media Brands this year.
Jury Chair (Creative)
Josy Paul, Chairman at BBDO India
Starting BBDO India from the backseat of his car in 2008, Josy Paul was named 'Creative Agency Head of The Year' by the Indian Advertising Association (IAA) in 2016. Ranked among the most influential people in Indian advertising, Paul won the inaugural Glass Lion Grand Prix at Cannes in 2015 for Whisper's 'Touch The Pickle'.
Along with his team, he also secured Cannes Lion Gold awards in 2015, 2016, and 2017 for Ariel's 'Share The Load', which was recognized as the world's most effective campaign by WARC in 2017 and 2018. Prior to starting BBDO India, he served as the National Creative Director at JWT India for a brief period in 2007, and before that, he was the Chairman and Chief Creative Officer at RMG David.
Jury Chair (Media)
Amin Lakhani, CEO at Mindshare South Asia
With over 20 years of experience at Mindshare and GroupM, Lakhani has held diverse roles, including Chief Operating Officer for Mindshare South Asia, where he implemented best practices and strengthened key client relationships. Earlier, as the leader of Mindshare Fulcrum South Asia, he successfully integrated Unilever's digital business in India, leading his team to achieve a coveted Grand Prix win at Cannes.
His extensive cross-functional expertise spans media, marketing, product management, and leading large teams, working closely with clients such as Pepsi, GSK, ICICI, Castrol, HSBC, BYJU’s, Muthoot, Kellogg’s, among others. Active in industry bodies like BARC and AAA, Lakhani continues to play a significant role in shaping the media and advertising landscape.
Jury Chair (Digital)
Amardeep Singh, Co-Founder and CEO at Interactive Avenues
With over two decades in the digital industry, Amardeep Singh, has co-founded Interactive Avenues, the digital arm of IPG Mediabrands India. Having successfully managed some of the most challenging global and Indian brands from diverse verticals like Automobiles, BFSI, CPG, E-Commerce, Publishing and Technology, he has been the driving force in developing Interactive Avenues.
As the Co-Founder, Singh played an important role in rulling out the company's comprehensive range of cutting-edge digital services including E- Commerce, Creative, Content, Social & Influencer Marketing, ORM, SEO, Tech Development, Data Strategy, Onboarding & Management, Full Funnel Analytics, and Media Strategy, Planning, Buying & Execution across Display, Search, Social, Programmatic & Retail Media.