After 17 long years, the time is finally here when South Asia’s largest advertising and media festival- Goafest, organized by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club, is happening in the Advertising and Marketing Capital of India, i.e.- Mumbai.
Until last year, all the editions of the three-day festival were taking place in Bambolim (Goa) and hence the name Goafest just felt right to many for it allowed one to take a break from the hustle-bustle of the agency-client or platform-brand life and come together to celebrate the creative excellence of advertising life.
However, there are still a multitude of people who believe that irrespective of the festival’s venue, it is the celebration of creative excellence which tops anything and everything.
With this year’s theme being ‘The Age of Adaptability’, the Goafest 2024 is all set to kickstart today and go on for the next two days at The Westin Mumbai, Powai Lake, as the organizing committee of the ad fest had to change the venue from its usual spot in Goa to Mumbai this year owing to the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
Being a part of the organising committee of the Goafest 2024, Prasanth Kumar (aka PK) who serves as the President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India and CEO of GroupM South Asia, commented on the change in venue from Goa to Mumbai and stated that keeping true and in the spirit of this year’s theme- ‘The Age of Adaptability’, the organising committee has given a break and decided to conduct Goafest in Mumbai this time around due to the LS Polls 2024 and return the festival to its usual location- Goa, next year.
Highlighting the impact of venue change on the number of registrations for the three-day event, he stated, “When we had a look at the numbers of registrations we’d received for Goafest 2024 so far, we found out that the number of registrations has been quite encouraging, with the three-day event crossing the four digit mark already and the numbers are still growing. Last year, we had close to about 1,600 registrations for the festival and we’re hopeful that this year’s edition surpasses the same.”
In fact, now that the festival is happening in Mumbai itself, he mentioned that the committee is expecting a greater number of last minute on-desk registrations also happening for the Goafest 2024.
Furthermore, he also said, “It is happening for the first time that apart from AAAI and The Ad Club, all of the industry bodies such as IAA, ISA, AFA, ASCI, IAMAI, INS, ABC, IBDF, IOAA, etc. are participating in the three-day event making it our industry’s largest event in the country at the moment.”
Sharing his views on the 55th edition of The ABBY Awards, Ajay Kakar, Chairperson of Awards Governing Council, ABBY Awards 2024 powered by One Show, and Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club, also emphasised that The Abby Awards 2024 Powered By One Show has seen an all time high of receiving 3,506 entries from 273 companies which includes media agencies, creative agencies, publishers, broadcasters, content companies, design companies, PR companies, video craft companies, NGOs, branded content companies and corporates amongst others. Last year, the total entries for the awards show summed up to 3301.
Sharing the breakout of the total entries received this year, he mentioned that while the entries from creative companies went up from 2282 in 2023 to 2248 this year, the entries from media agencies surged to 1258 this year, as against 1019 last year.
With this, he also pointed out that the participation for The ABBY Awards 2024 Powered by One Show from media agencies went up from 63 to 73 on a YoY basis, followed by creative companies which increased from 181 in 2023 to 198 this year.
Throwing light on to the agencies which have returned to the 55th edition of the awards which celebrates creative excellence- The ABBY Awards 2024 Powered by One Show, Kakar pointed out that one of the agencies that has stayed away from creative awards for a very long period now- Lowe Lintas, along with the newly rechristened WPP agency- VML, McCann Worldgroup India, DDB Mudra and Famous Innovations are all back and participating in The ABBY Awards 2024 powered by One Show.
Keeping all of this in context, Marketing Mind spoke to various industry members of the Indian advertising, marketing and media fraternity on their expectations from the Goafest and here’s what they told us:
- Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, Advertising Standards Council of India
“We look forward to Goafest to unveil important conversations on issues dominating the industry. It’s a time to reflect and prepare ourselves for the future. While Goa is always a crowd favorite, having an event in Mumbai would allow for greater participation from the industry. So, I don’t feel there is any adverse impact at all because of the change of venue.”
- Adityan Kayalakal, Head- Marketing and Founding Team Member, Veera
“Since the Goafest this year is happening in Powai, there will be a lot of people who will be questioning whether the three-day festival is really happening in Mumbai! And as charming as the location will be, the beach will be missed, as will shack hopping across the various beaches across the years- Cavelossim, Majorda, etc. or going to Martin’s for a meal. But over and above, all of this was the people you went to Goafest with. They are really what made the event super special for every single person attending. It’s like a company picnic on steroids with the huge parties, the healthy competitive spirit and the general atmosphere.
What I always loved about the event was the ability to see so much great work all in one place. And unlike most websites, it was work done by people you probably knew who worked across town sitting in a seat similar to yours, with similar deadlines. So it really gave you that chance to set new benchmarks. I can’t think of a better reason to attend the event. It’s a fantastic way of getting fired up and really turning up the knob on your own work. Being on the other side now I’m also taking it as a chance to see how much talent has evolved. Some of the sessions sound interesting, but I’m more interested in what people have to say off the stage than on stage about the industry, the economy, the patterns they are seeing and so much more.
I’m also looking forward to seeing a lot of my former bosses, colleagues and partners, who will be attending in various capacities. It will be odd to do this in Mumbai- in full pants instead of shorts and Hawaiian shirts. I can’t say for sure how many people will be there, but this is a chance to see a different side of GoaFest and an opportunity to find out how much of a draw the ‘Goa’ part was.”
- Niraj Ruparel, Emerging Tech Lead, WPP and GroupM India and Jury Chair- Technology Category
“I couldn’t be more excited about the move to Mumbai! This city, with its unending dynamism and energy, is sure to elevate participation from our industry and community, especially for the locals. I’m looking forward to a vibrant experience filled with the unique buzz that only Mumbai can bring. This shift promises not just a change of scenery, but a whole new level of engagement and enthusiasm.
Judging the technology entries this year has been an exhilarating experience. The ingenuity in leveraging AI was truly astounding, especially in campaigns that focused on using AI for social good. These projects didn’t just showcase cutting-edge technology; they highlighted the incredible power of collaboration across multiple platforms and partners. It was inspiring to see such innovative and purposeful work. To all the shortlisted campaigns, I wish you the very best of luck. Let’s celebrate the brilliance that makes India proud!”
- Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network and Jury Chair- Broadcaster category
“In an industry that is constantly evolving, creativity is the compass. It guides them through new technologies, changing audience behaviors, and the dynamic interplay between traditional and digital media. This year’s Goafest promises to highlight how creativity is not just a tool for distinction but a crucial element in navigating and thriving in this ever-shifting environment. I hope to see innovative ideas that push the boundaries of what we can achieve. Beyond celebrating excellence, I am particularly excited about the emphasis on the transformative power of creativity.
In fact, hosting Goafest in Mumbai offers a fresh and dynamic perspective which is why the experience would undoubtedly be a different experience, but the essence of the awards will remain unchanged.
Whether in Goa or Mumbai, Goafest is all about high energy, inspiration, and recognizing outstanding achievements in our industry. I am confident that we will all feel the same excitement and passion, and that this year’s event will continue to inspire and celebrate the best in the industry.”
- Chandni Shah, COO, FCB Kinnect and Jury Chair- Mobile Category
“While evaluating the Mobile category, I sought campaigns that harnessed mobile technology in innovative ways. PepsiCo’s Lay’s Smartfarm emerged as a standout favorite, addressing real challenges for farmers, a goal all our campaigns strive to achieve. Another compelling example is ‘Blame It On Flipkart’, which brilliantly uses the messaging feature to offer a last-minute gifting solution for Valentine’s Day. If you forget a gift, Flipkart not only facilitates a last-minute purchase but also sends a clever message to your valentine, taking the blame for the late delivery. Absolutely brilliant.”
- Raj Kamble, Founder and CCO, Famous Innovations and Jury Chair- Out of Home and Ambient Category
“While the venue of Goafest 2024 has shifted from Goa to Mumbai, I do believe in the fact that the location should not be the identity for any festival and even if it were the Cannes Festival changing its name to London, hypothetically, what would change is only the pricing of the entries and not the essence of the festival which lies in the quality of judges and the conduction of the function. But I think it’s good that it is happening in Mumbai since this is a very hot time of the year, and we don’t have to go to Goa to attend it which makes things a bit easier. However, the only downside that I can foresee is the number of attendees as our fraternity members would be working during the day and attending the festival in all likelihood.
That being said, the organisers of the Goafest 2024– AAAI and The Advertising Club comprises all the big people in the industry who work and give the best times of their life to this three-day event for the industry for free unlike any other award shows who look at events from a business POV. And it’s a pity that advertising is the only industry which requires its own people to pay money to win an award and when everybody’s winning an award nobody’s winning an award, so my dream as a Jury Chair for The Abby Awards 2024 Powered by One Show is that one day Goa festival should stop charging entry fees as nobody should pay money to win an award. Also, since all the agencies have begun participating in the awards except Ogilvy, my other dream is to see Ogilvy participate and make The Abbys India’s biggest advertising award show for its a non-profitable and non-individual owned award show.
As a Jury Chair, a lot of work including ToI’s #UnplasticIndia along with Leo Burnett’s campaigns for Spotify really stood out to me. But the one bad thing that happens when one is in the jury for award shows is that people spend a lot of money on making a fancy case just to sell the ad itself and the jurors have a tendency to fall for them. It is the saddest part of any award show when an applicant cannot enter into a category without a video case study. But I think judges should look at the core idea and not fall for the big idea as every medium is different and not all campaigns deserve to win in all categories. People should look at media agnostic a vote when they’re a part of the jury for any award show.
The reason why Famous Innovations has returned to The Abby Awards 2024 is that I genuinely believe in our industry, excellent creative work and awards along with the fact that people who work in our offices should know how good they are. We’re participating because of recognition and gratification as that gives us all the more courage to do better work and because an independent agency like us can only have its identity as an excellent creative work doer and this is the platform to show how good we are and get more work.
Rest, I do hope that unlike today when the organizing committees- AAAI and The Advertising Club, both have a lot of senior media people, the coming editions of the ad festival which celebrates creative excellence will have more new faces and creative people because at the end of the day it should be the ad club and not the media club who takes care of such an award.”
- Aalap Desai, CCO and Co-Founder, tgthr
“We’ve grown up with Goafest and its wins. While being in Goa was wonderful, the recognition and the award are what actually matter. That’s still there, and that’s what I’m looking forward to. For me, the acknowledgment of our work matters, not the location where it’s given. Would it be more fun in Goa? Yes. Does it make it less important? No. I’m just expecting to know and clap for good work and enjoy an event as a part of the industry.”
- Sarvesh Raikar, Regional Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas
“Abby is an award that is dear to the industry. The fact that it is happening will always be more important than where it is happening. Of course more people, especially more youngsters, can attend and be inspired. It may no longer be the break and the getaway that you look forward to, but it is still very much the glory you seek for your work.”
