As the stage gets set for Goafest 2025, India’s premier three-day advertising and marketing symposium, scheduled to kick off on May 21 at Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon, Goa, the organising committee has highlighted that this year’s edition promises a significantly elevated experience. With over 20 masterclasses across multiple stages, more than 60 speakers, 35+ sessions, and upwards of 2,000 registrations, the event is gearing up to offer a dynamic platform for learning, inspiration, and unwinding.
Scheduled to take place from May 21 to 23, Goafest 2025 is set to bring alive a never-seen-before concept of the ‘Goafest Village’ with multiple venues and experiences under one roof.
Designed to be fluid and adaptable, the 2025 theme ‘Ignite ______’ unlocks an array of critical conversations that spark change. Each session, panel, and keynote will explore different facets of the industry, Igniting through multiple themes that resonate with the evolving landscape of brands, creativity, and consumer engagement. Aligning with ‘Goafest Village’, attendees can expect diverse and immersive experiences that reflect the multifaceted nature of the industry, making Goafest 2025 more engaging than ever before.
One of this year’s most anticipated additions is the ‘Goafest Village’ – a concept that Mohit Joshi, Co-chair of the Goafest 2025 Organising Committee and Chief Executive Officer of Havas Media Network India, detailed for us, offering a glimpse into the immersive experiences it plans to bring to delegates.
“This year, the experience has been at the centre of everything we’ve planned, and we felt it was important to offer a truly unique atmosphere for everyone attending Goafest. That’s why we’ve chosen a new venue, Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon, Goa. The entire concept is inspired by a village-like setup, similar to Cannes, where different events unfold across various locations,” he said.
He added that a similar approach has been adopted for this year’s edition of Goafest, with diverse activities happening simultaneously across the venue. While the agenda features insightful knowledge seminars and some very heady sessions, the organisers are also focused on adding an element of fun to the mix. Given the beachside setting, they want people to stay active and engaged.
“We’ve also introduced ‘Advertising Plays’ – a set of activities that includes pickleball competitions, walkathons, and yoga by the bay. All of this comes together to create a well-rounded, holistic, and inclusive experience. While people come to Goafest to learn, they also come to connect, engage, and unwind, and we’re making sure they get to do it all,” Joshi said.
While offering a glimpse into what Goafest 2025 has in store, Jaideep Gandhi, Chairman of the Goafest 2025 Organising Committee and Founder of Another Idea, detailed the diverse agenda being curated for attendees, including thoughtfully designed sessions, insightful masterclasses, dynamic panel discussions, and a range of unique, engaging experiences to look forward to.
“When we began planning the content strategy for Goafest, our primary focus was to create something that truly resonated with delegates. Over the years, we’ve kept our ears to the ground, listening closely to what delegates want to hear and the new things they’re eager to learn. With that insight, we shaped a dynamic and diverse experience across multiple venues this year, ensuring a rich, parallel co-op of sessions happening simultaneously,” Gandhi said.
“Traditionally, we had one central ballroom and two master classrooms. This year, we’ve expanded significantly, we now have four master classrooms, a cinema hall, a ballroom, and even an Unconference segment. In total, the festival will feature over 60 speakers, over 35 sessions, and more than 20 masterclasses. Importantly, many of the speakers, around 25 to 30, are our own clients. We’ve learned that delegates value hearing directly from the clients we work with, and this insight has shaped a large part of our speaker lineup,” he added.
Furthermore, Gandhi mentioned that another key element is Goafest’s role as a central platform for industry bodies and associations to come together. Each year, there has been a growing participation from these organisations in terms of both content and knowledge-sharing. This includes WARC, D&AD, IAA, IOAA, and this year MRSI and Earth.org have also been onboarded.
“We’re also introducing a special sustainability initiative this year, a tree will be planted in the name of every delegate attending Goafest. Additionally, we’re hosting a dedicated masterclass on sustainability. Overall, the mix we’ve curated this year is quite unique,” he added.
Gandhi also spoke about some notable speakers and the participation of celebrities at Goafest 2025.
“On Day One, we have invited several notable speakers, including Rishad Tobaccowala. We’re also hosting many of our esteemed clients such as Amarjit Batra, Geetika Mehta, and Tejas Apte, among others. In terms of speaker sessions, we’ve structured the content to comprehensively cover all aspects of our industry. There will be dedicated sessions focused on media, creativity, and clients, with each featuring three to four speakers to ensure diverse perspectives,” he said.
“On the celebrity front, we have Kareena Kapoor joining us, along with emerging stars like Vijay Verma and Jaideep Ahlawat,” he added.
