AD Agencies
ICW wraps Portfolio Evening 2023 with 96 participants over two days
Mumbai: To provide women and non-binary creatives a platform for visibility in the Indian advertising and design industry, Indian Creative Women (ICW) partnered with DDB Mudra Group and D&AD for the fourth edition of Portfolio Evening, sponsored by McDonald’s. Held on 7 December (virtual) and 8 December (Mumbai) the event saw participation from 96 women and non-binary creatives from design, UI/UX, writing, animation and other diverse backgrounds. The panel comprised of 39 jurors from creative, media and digital agencies along with marketing leaders from the industry.
The in-person event kickstarted with an inspiring opening address from D&AD CEO Jo Jackson and Rahul Mathew, DDB Mudra Group CCO Rahul Mathew. Following this, participants started engaging in brief one-on-one sessions with multiple jurors over the course of two rounds showcasing the best of their work, receiving feedback and insights from the brilliant creative minds. Pallavi emerged as the winner at Portfolio Evening, Mumbai while Nidhi Shah won the virtual Portfolio Evening. They’ve both earned themselves a chance to an all-expense paid trip to the D&AD Festival in London in March 2024.
Student art director and winner of Portfolio Evening – Mumbai, Pallavi commented, “I heard about Indian Creative Women for the first time in the first month of ad school. And just the thought of a female and non-binary centric initiative was so exciting to me that I was ready to participate when the time was right. Fast forward to a year and here we are, and it feels absolutely surreal!
Just the fact that I got to share the space with so many fellow female and non-binary creatives for the evening was a huge privilege, to see them shine and share their work. The energy was contagious!
Many of the faces of Indian Creative Women are women that I admire and look up to, so just to have the opportunity to interact with them and share our stories was definitely an experience I’ll cherish forever. Hopefully, this push by Indian Creative Women will enable me as a female creative to help give a platform to other female and non-binary creatives in the future.”
Advertising student and winner of the virtual Portfolio Evening Nidhi Shah said, “As someone who has never been in front of industry leaders, this was already a surreal chance to present my work to them! But winning it as well? I’m still pinching myself if this is real! Thank you, Indian Creative Women, for organising this and for helping foster the creative women’s community!”
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.
