MUMBAI: On the second day of Goafest 2025 in a session titled ‘Beyond Pink and Blue – Gender Conscious Creativity in the Dynamic Landscape’, presented by Knowledge Partner – IAA, industry leaders called for deeper inclusivity and bold shifts in storytelling. The panel featured Darshana Shah, CMO of Aditya Birla Capital Ltd; Rubeena Singh, Managing Director India at Neil Patel Digital; and P.G. Aditiya, Co-Founder and CCO of Talented. It was moderated by Megha Tata, Strategic Advisor and Independent Director.
Tata opened by noting the long-standing role of advertising in shaping gender norms—and the urgent need to unshape them. Darshana Shah highlighted that gender bias starts early and is baked into systems—right from school colors to financial decision-making. She urged brands to go beyond tokenism, push for inclusive leadership, and widen representation across age, body type, and identity.
Singh meanwhile pointed to Gen Z’s fluidity on gender as a cue for change, while noting that senior media decision-makers often resist progressive ideas. She stressed the need to think gender-neutral now to reshape tomorrow. Aditiya emphasised tackling unconscious bias and urged industry leaders to act from belief, not just business goals. ‘Don’t just fix the old,’ he said, ‘build new stories with inclusion at the core.’
The session closed with a call for introspection, representation, and industry-wide accountability.
Goafest 2025, in collaboration with Earthday.org, also hosted a symbolic Tree Plantation Ceremony. The initiative underscored the industry’s commitment to sustainability and was graced by leaders including Sam Balsara, Ramesh Narayan, Sundar Swamy, Shashi Sinha, Anupriya Acharya, Rana Barua, Colvyn Harris, Nagesh Alai and Raj Nayak.
