AD Agencies
Goafest day two blends bold ideas, brand battles and billboard truths under the Goan sun
MUMBAI: The second day at Goafest 2025 closed on a power-packed note, stitching together the evolving face of leadership, storytelling, advertising, and digital strategy with candid charm and calculated insight.
The post-lunch energy got a creative jolt with the session ‘WTF is Creative Leadership Now?’, where industry veterans Bobby Pawar, Sonal Dabral, Senthil Kumar and Lulu Raghavan broke down the evolving role of the CCO. “If you’re not in an agency where the CCO is central, you’re in the wrong one”, Bobby declared, dubbing the creative head the “instigator-in-chief”. Lulu called for reinstating the CCO as the creative spine, not a spreadsheet slave. Sonal framed the role as a bridge between brand vision and talent culture. Rohit Ohri summed it up: “The CCO today isn’t the loudest in the room but the one who builds safe, collaborative spaces”.
Next, Amazon MX Player’s Karan Bedi spotlighted the streaming surge. With over 1.4 billion downloads and 250 million active users, MX is doubling down on drama, romance, and reality content across Amazon platforms. “Streaming video ads are outperforming other formats in brand recall”, Bedi noted, predicting digital video advertising will eclipse TV within a year. He laid out a full-funnel strategy integrating shopping signals, micro-dramas and show-based storytelling to help brands find their tribe.
The attention then shifted outdoors in the IOAA-backed panel ‘The Last Unskippable Medium’. Times OOH’s Shekhar Narayanaswami noted, “You can’t swipe past a billboard”. Ajay Kakar called for killing the ‘digital vs non-digital’ binary. Promita Saha urged brands to go beyond metros, tapping cultural hotspots like melas. Sandeep Bommireddi argued that digital is a horizontal layer across all media. Dipankar Sanyal closed with a reminder: “OOH isn’t guesswork anymore. It’s data-backed, measurable and fiercely effective”.
In a lighter yet no-nonsense fireside chat titled ‘Why So Serious?’, Gautam Gambhir disarmed the crowd with brutal honesty. “10,000 runs don’t matter. Match-winning moments define you”, he said. Speaking on leadership and legacy, Gambhir urged youth to make peace with mistakes: “If you take a decision with the right intent, it’s okay to be wrong”. His message: play for the common man, not the broadcaster.
The storytelling baton passed to ‘Rewriting the Rules of Storytelling’ featuring Suniel Shetty and Deepak Dhar. Shetty spoke of action, discipline and emotional arcs. “Fitness isn’t just muscles, it’s sustainable health”, he said, describing Hunter Season 2 as more heart than hammer. Dhar unpacked Rise and Fall as a metaphorical hustle between privilege and grit. “Great content is built on process and passion”, he said.
The day wound down with Wine & Cheese hosted by Amazon MX Player, followed by a musical showdown at ‘Advertising Rocks’, giving agency folks their moment to rock the mic. Delegates gathered for a breezy sundowner powered by Truecaller & Big Live before the night turned up with Abby Awards 2025. Set India, Sony Sab and Sharechat handed out honours in digital, design, PR, mobile, and broadcaster categories.
Masterclasses by Shahad Anand (MediaKart), Sana Shaikh (Flipkart), Nick Eagleton (D&AD), and Senthil Kumar (VML) provided hands-on insights into next-gen ads, innovation pipelines, storytelling craft, and split-second narratives.
As Goa’s salty breeze cooled the creative heat, day two proved that in a world of scrolls and skips, stories, strategy and serendipity still rule the game.
Stay tuned as Goafest 2025 enters its final day. For the day three agenda, visit: https://www.goafest.com/goafest2025/event-schedule.php
AD Agencies
Gaëtan du Peloux of Marcel named jury chair for Abby Awards 2026
French creative leader to head Still Print category at Goafest this May
MUMBAI: Gaëtan du Peloux, co-president and chief creative officer at Marcel, has been appointed jury chair for the Still Print category at the Abby Awards 2026, powered by The One Club | The One Show.
Born in Paris and the eldest of seven siblings, du Peloux began his career as a copywriter at CLM/BBDO in 2003. Over the years, he has become one of the most celebrated French creatives of his generation, with over 400 awards to his name, including multiple Cannes Lions Grand Prix, D&AD Black Pencils and One Show best of show accolades.
At Marcel, the creative hot shop of Publicis Groupe, du Peloux and his creative partner, Youri Guerassimov, have produced landmark campaigns for national and international brands. Notable work includes “The Inglorious Fruits & Vegetables” for Intermarché, “The Black Supermarket” for Carrefour, “HackMarket” for Back Market, and “WoMen’s Football” for Orange.
Du Peloux also serves as president of the French Art Director’s Club and has participated in numerous creative festivals worldwide, including D&AD, Cannes Lions, One Show, Clio, LIA, Eurobest, Andy, NY Festival and French ADC. Outside work, he is a husband and father of three.
The Abby Awards 2026 Powered by The One Club | The One Show will take place during Goafest 2026 from 20 to 22 May in Goa, where du Peloux will lead the judging of the Still Print category.
