Monsoon & Musings: India's ad brains ponder Goafest's future

Mint

26-05-2025

In the thick, humid air beneath Goa's monsoon clouds, where lanyards wilted and creative egos clashed in beachfront banter, India's advertising tribe came together once again. Marking its 20th edition and held at a brand-new venue, the country's most prominent advertising and media congregation served up its trademark cocktail of panels, parties, and the Abby Awards. But this time, the aftertaste wasn't just celebratory. Beneath the cheers and chilled beer, a sobering sentiment simmered: Is Goafest still the North Star of Indian advertising?
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'We must count our blessings," said Dheeraj Sinha, group chief executive officer (CEO)—India and South Asia, FCB, and a key organizer. 'We're back in Goa, the scale is bigger, participation is much higher than in Bombay... more agencies are winning... a lot of thought has gone into the programming."
Indeed, the numbers were up, a record 4,076 Abby entries were filed by 233 organizations. Attendance surpassed the previous year's Mumbai edition. There was a visibly wider spread of winners. Newer agencies and emerging voices were finding space. The intermittent rains added a romantic, reflective mood to the fest, with delegates lingering in open courtyards for deeper conversations. But not all was well in paradise.
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The celebrity sessions were packed, and the awards nights were electric. But the knowledge sessions, which were intended as the intellectual anchor of any serious industry event, struggled for footfall. 'You can't just inject people into rooms; you have to attract them in," Sinha conceded. 'There are questions around the show's format, the content, the awards... and our approach is to be extremely open."
The call for a bigger tent
Ashish Sehgal, chief growth officer—ad revenue at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, said, 'The industry has a unique opportunity to steer the coveted Goafest towards a more future-ready vision, positioning it as India's answer to Cannes. While the event continues to be a strong platform, there's room to enhance its value by going beyond sponsored narratives and include broader, skill-driven sessions centred around emerging media trends."
He pointed to the absence of upskilling opportunities for young talent. 'While some star presence helps draw crowds, real value lies in offering fresh learning and meaningful engagement. Masterclasses were a welcome step, and the Abbys continue to be the prestigious and credible highlight. However, more exposure and access are needed for younger talent to learn from seasoned professionals, showcasing new-age insights blended with the power of traditional media."
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There is also a fundamental question of access. 'Greater inclusion of mid-tier advertisers, regional agencies and emerging entrepreneurs is crucial and will only strengthen the platform. With collaboration across sectors, Goafest can continue to evolve into a true celebration of creativity, learning and innovation," he said
Beyond the awards-driven psychology
Shashi Sinha, executive chairman of IPG Mediabrands India, was just as direct. 'The business has moved completely, and maybe we haven't caught up. The people who run this — people like us — are still mainstream agency folks. We talk about data and tech, but we are not really integral to this event."
For him, the awards have become the centrepiece rather than the outcome. 'Plan a Goafest without the awards first," he challenged. 'Build it around learning, innovation, and industry evolution. That will change the entire psychology. There's nothing wrong with the awards per se. But if you build the festival around them, that's a problem. We need a high-quality, working festival that begins with the right priorities. Think of this as a festival for the industry. What is the main agenda? That's what needs clarity."
But the emotional heft of recognition cannot be dismissed. 'It still matters," said Paritosh Srivastava, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi India, BBH India and Saatchi Propagate. 'To that kid who picks up an award? It's a moment of recognition." Still, Srivastava isn't blind to the cracks. 'This year, we let delegates vote on session topics. We're also floating the idea of collecting feedback... the intent is there."
The real pivot, he argued, must be philosophical, shifting from a pure celebration to a platform that helps the industry evolve through panels that provoke and conversations that challenge.
Surfing the waves of change
That sentiment resonated with Shubhranshu Singh, chief marketing officer (CMO) at Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles. 'There are high waves of change: automation, AI and the decline of globalization. Brand builders need to learn surfing. Being an expert swimmer is becoming a basic requirement," he warned, adding that 'mistakes should be celebrated, too."
Abraham Thomas, CEO of Reliance Broadcast Network, a Goafest regular for over a decade, concurred. 'The panels need to move beyond casual chat. It's time to infuse structure, data, diverse perspectives, and fresher voices. Let's break the old boys' club and reimagine this for the next 20 years, not the last."
Even Manisha Kapoor, CEO of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), while acknowledging the value of formal sessions, emphasised the informal ones. 'Beyond the formal events, the informal conversations and reconnections are extremely valuable."
That, perhaps, is Goafest's enduring paradox. Its structured sessions might falter, but its unstructured moments, the impromptu brainstorms, poolside provocations, and chance reconnections, are where its pulse lies. But as Kapoor's insight suggests, in a modern festival, even serendipity must be designed for. Charm and legacy can only take it so far. Not in an industry fuelled by disruption. Not when younger creatives are asking harder questions. Not when brands are demanding proof, not praise.
Goafest 2025 had the weather, the winners, the whisky, and yes, the will to listen. What it now needs is the courage to reinvent. Because, as one executive murmured, raising a toast under the Goan drizzle, 'You can't call it the festival of creativity if the conversations have stopped being creative."