OAA

Santosh Padhi returns as Jury Chair for OOH Advertising Awards 2026

One of India’s most awarded creative leaders and the founder of INTO Creative, Santosh ‘Paddy’ Padhi will lead the jury process for the landmark 20th edition of the OOH Advertising Awards.

Published

June 19, 2026

M4G Bureau

The OOH Advertising Awards (OAA) 2026 has announced Santosh ‘Paddy’ Padhi, Chief Creative Officer and Founder of INTO Creative, as the Jury Chair for its 20th edition.

Widely regarded as one of India’s most influential creative minds, Padhi brings over two decades of experience in building iconic campaigns and shaping some of the country’s most celebrated brands. His appointment comes at a time when the OOH industry is witnessing a renewed focus on creativity, innovation, technology and consumer engagement.

Padhi recently launched INTO Creative, an independent agency established with the vision of addressing what he describes as a growing creative vacuum in the industry. Prior to this, he co-founded Taproot India in 2009, a creative powerhouse that produced several landmark campaigns including Pepsi’s “Change the Game”, Airtel’s “Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hai”, Amazon India’s launch campaign, Mumbai Mirror’s “Hated by Some” and Adidas’ acclaimed “Odds” campaign.

A recipient of more than 500 national and international awards, Padhi is also among India’s most decorated advertising professionals, having won over two dozen Cannes Lions. He holds the distinction of being the first Indian to win a Cyber Lion at Cannes Lions in 2008. His campaigns for Conqueror Papers, Times of India and Adidas continue to be recognised among the most awarded creative works from India.

Beyond his work as a creative leader, Padhi has played a significant role in the global advertising ecosystem as a jury member and jury chair across prestigious award platforms including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, D&AD, New York Festivals, London International Awards, Dubai Lynx, Adfest Pattaya, Spikes Asia and AdStar.

As Jury Chair, Padhi will oversee the evaluation process for OAA 2026, bringing his extensive creative expertise and global perspective to identify and celebrate the most impactful out-of-home campaigns from across the industry.

The winners of OAA 2026 will be announced at the awards ceremony on the evening of July 25, 2026, following the conclusion of the OOH Advertising Convention (OAC), which will be held on July 24–25, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt, Goa.