AD Agencies
Goafest: Of Then and Now
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Goafest: Of Then and Now Leo Burnett chairman and CEO, India sub-continent and Goafest Committee chairman By ARVIND SHARMA  |
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(11 february 2012)
I was fortunate enough to be the Chairman of the Goafest Committee in the founding year- 2006. We envisioned it as a platform for celebrating Indian advertising creativity and for the Indian advertising talent- young and not so young- to rub shoulders with the best in the world, exchange ideas, grow and become the best in the world.
We wanted to make the festival accessible to youngsters and to that end we put together a special package for under-30’s. We were immensely pleased on the launch day of Goafest when we found that more than 800 delegates had chosen to travel and attend the festival. There were people who had already registered and many more who had just turned up at the venue to register and be a part of the event.
Over the last six years, the quality of the event has been improving each year from the event organisation point of view. 2008 was a significant year. Ad Club Bombay came on board and Abbies at Goafest became the definitive awards of the industry. Last year, International Advertising Association used Goafest as a platform for launching the Olive Crown Awards. Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) used it to reach out to the industry to spread its self-regulation message wider. In that sense Goafest has evolved into an industry event, finding relevance amongst every person who is involved in advertising.
Learning is a continuous process. There were occassions when Goafest was criticised for the way it ran the vital Award shows. And there were others where delegates expressed a desire for better speakers and seminars. What is important, though, is that we learnt quickly and made the next year better. And that we succeeded in staying true to the original vision of Goafest – celebrating advertising creativity and providing a platform for the advertising industry to get together and exchange ideas about our creative business.
Goafest 2011 was by far the biggest and most successful year yet with nearly 3000 delegates, 80 sessions and discussions held over a period of five days. The Conclave saw participation of over 250 senior marketing and advertising practitioners from across the country. On the awards front, there was tremendous participation from over 140 organisations with over 4000 entries.
This year while staying true to the Goafest vision, we plan to focus on ‘The Magic of Ideas’. What we do in our business is really magical. It takes serious investments, meticulous planning and complex operations for clients to put out their products and services to consumers. Sometimes consumers embrace them and sometimes they ignore them. Often the difference is in the power of ideas they use to connect with the consumers. Some ideas succeed magically. They can come from anywhere. It is important to recognise them, embrace them and celebrate them.
This year Goafest has opened its doors to all its South Asian neighbours including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. The response that we have received has been extremely enthusiastic and it presents a great opportunity for the entire South Asian marketing and advertising fraternity to exchange ideas, perspectives and experiences for our greater collective progress.
Another exciting aspect is the strong client participation that we are expecting this year. It is our strong belief that for clients to pick the best creative solutions for their marketing challenges, they have to be deeply engaged with the phenomena called creativity. We believe that Goafest 2012 will provide a great platform for the advertising and marketing fraternity to come together. The Goafest Committee is also looking forward to young client delegates in large numbers by offering a special package for under-30 marketers.
Goafest has also taken a conscious step to acknowledge what’s over the horizon. And all of us know what is over the horizon- a far more diverse media environment. The rate at which new media are catching up with the traditional ones poses interesting new challenges. This year we will be awarding nine Grand Prix. There will be Grand Prix for Out-of-home & Ambient, Design, Interactive Digital, Direct and Media. These are in addition to TV &Film, Radio and Integrated Advertising. We believe that this step of extending the Grand Prix to wider number of categories will encourage many more specialist agencies to come forward with their work.
The theme for the Conclave this year is ‘Ideas for impacting the full circle’. The ultimate objective of this conclave will be to help gear up the industry for opportunities that lie ahead. We are expecting participation of global leaders from marketing as well as the major communication groups.
I look forward to seeing you there on April 20th and 21st at the Zuri White Sands. Goa here we come!
AD Agencies
Goafest 2026 set for 20–22 May in Goa
South Asia’s marquee advertising festival returns with ABBY Awards powered by One Show and promises bigger conversations on creativity and innovation
GOA: The advertising industry’s annual pilgrimage is locked in. The 19th edition of Goafest will take place in Goa from 20 to 22 May 2026, bringing together the biggest names in advertising, media and marketing for three days of ideas, networking and celebration.
Announced jointly by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC), the festival will once again host the ABBY Awards powered by One Show 2026 — widely regarded as the region’s most coveted creative honours — recognising outstanding work across advertising and media.
Launched in 2006, Goafest has evolved into the industry’s marquee gathering, drawing more than 2,000 professionals each year. Beyond the awards, the event has become a forum for big debates, future-facing ideas and the occasional industry soul-searching.
Srinivasan K Swamy, president of the Advertising Agencies Association of India, said the festival remains a crucible for industry thought and collaboration. “Goafest has always been a melting pot of ideas, creativity and camaraderie. We aim to spark new conversations, fresh perspectives and fuel the future of advertising and marketing. It is an occasion for the industry to come together, celebrate excellence and engage in meaningful conversations about the future of our craft.”
Dheeraj Sinha, president of The Advertising Club, underlined the legacy of the ABBY Awards, now in their 57th year. “Goafest has always been synonymous with creativity, collaboration and industry excellence. The ABBY Awards powered by One Club continue to push boundaries and set new creative benchmarks year after year. In its 57th year, the awards continue to raise the bar, and this year’s edition will be even more inspiring, bringing together the brightest minds in the industry.”
For organisers, the festival has grown beyond a calendar event. Jaideep Gandhi, vice president of AAAI and chairman of the Goafest 2026 organising committee and founder of Another Idea, said the property has become a legacy for the industry. “In its 19th year, Goafest is no longer just an event — it is a legacy we are privileged to carry forward. It is a unifying force that brings together the various industry associations across advertising and marketing under one roof. I am deeply grateful to the stalwarts who envisioned this remarkable property, and it is heartening that some of them continue to be actively involved in its journey.”
The organisers promise that the upcoming edition will dial things up a notch. Mohit Joshi, co-chair of the Goafest 2026 organising committee and chief executive officer of Havas Media India, said the festival is gearing up for a bigger, more immersive format. “Over the past 18 editions, Goafest has evolved into a premier platform that celebrates creativity, innovation and the dynamic transformation of our industry. This year Goafest will be more impactful than ever. It will introduce new formats, immersive engagements and high-calibre discussions that have never been done before.”
“With a larger scale, an inspiring line-up of speakers and a focus on cutting-edge ideas,” Joshi added, “Goafest 2026 is set to redefine the way our industry comes together to learn, collaborate and celebrate.”
Co-hosted by the Advertising Agencies Association of India and The Advertising Club, the festival continues to position itself as South Asia’s premier advertising gathering — where ideas collide, creativity gets crowned and the industry takes a long, hard look at where it is headed next.
