Goafest, the apex industry event that celebrates milestones in the Indian media and advertising industry, is gearing up for its 15th edition, which is to be held from May 5-7, 2022 at the Grand Hyatt, Goa, with Times Network as presenting sponsors. Personalities like Arvind Gupta of Digital India Foundation, Ali Fazal, P V Sindhu, Vikrant Massey, Rujuta Diwekar, and Anupam Kher are expected to be present at the festival that returns after 2019.
In a brief conversation with Anupriya Acharya, President, Advertising Agencies Association of India, and Jaideep Gandhi, Chairman, Goafest 2022 Organising Committee, we get you some more insights as the countdown to the festival begins:
Tell us about the larger theme for this edition of Goafest?
Jaideep Gandhi: Our media and advertising industry went through an unprecedented situation in the last two years, and now with Goafest coming back, there is a lot of excitement and anticipation in the industry. From having over 20 sponsors on board so far, who are helping us to co-create the festival and receiving numerous entries for the awards, everyone in the industry is excited. This year, we aim to capture the actual essence of running a festival after two difficult years, and therefore, the overall vibe is about happiness, about people coming together and about celebration. We are looking to reinvent in some parts, especially on the digital side, given the kind of acceleration it has gone through over the last two years. In terms of the presentation of our award work, we are going completely digital. In addition to this, we are also extending our media coverage to include podcasts from Goafest. We will also be unveiling the new AAAI logo at the festival.
What sort of inclusivity are you looking for in Goafest 2022 in terms of people’s participation, agencies, etc.?
Anupriya Acharya: This year, as we look at an increase in participation from agencies and people, we are looking at making the festival more mainstream. 15 years ago, Goafest happened at Cavelossim beach in South Goa and looked very different. Over the years, we’ve seen Goafest become grander and more inclusive. Participation in the fest has expanded from big networks to many more organisations. As the industry has evolved over the years, we have stronger content today. We also have higher participation from digital agencies, independent agencies, and new-age agencies.
How are the sessions being designed and who are the expected speakers?
Jaideep Gandhi: This year, we will have four to five master classes every day where all the learning of new trends with respect to our industry will happen with speakers coming from Meta, Snapchat, ShareChat, MX Player, and Google. In terms of sessions, we have curated a mix of speakers from different sectors, including politics, Bollywood, and sports. Going with the trend, we will also have OTT and influencer sessions. We have inspiration in the ballrooms, and we have knowledge in the workshops. We will also have speakers from the gaming space, health and wellness. This year, we are also introducing agency curated masterclasses. FCB and Publicis have planned a great learning opportunity for delegates, making it an interesting line-up. This is how we have divided the content and made the right balance.
AAAI is all set to get a new look after 75 years. Tell us a little more about the entries being received since there is an ongoing contest.
Anupriya Acharya: So far, we have received a good number of entries for the contest. We are extremely excited and eager to unveil the new AAAI logo at Goafest.
