By Our Staff
Goafest 2022 started on high energy. Singer Sukhbir electrified the auditiorium to kick off the 15th edition which happened after a two-year Covid pandemic-led hiatus. The festival started with the lighting of the lamp and the unveiling of AAAI’s new logo. The underlying theme being of celebrating The SuperPower Within.
AAAI’s new logo has been created created by Tempest Advertising’s art director, Lohidasu. The agency’s design was chosen amidst 200 entries. The logo effectively brought the past, the present and the future of both AAAI and advertising in unison. The official unveiling of the redesigned logo at the Goafest, was done by Rohit Ohri, Chairman and CEO of FCB Ulka and film star, Yami Gautam.
Further, the Industry Conclave presented by ABP Group marked the beginning of the festival with the first session of the day, witnessing actress Yami Gautam in a one-on-one conversation with Rana Barua, Chairman, Abby Awards Governing Council 2022 and Vice President of The Ad This was followed by a keynote by Vineeta Singh, Co-founder and CEO, SUGAR Cosmetics & Shark, Shark Tank India, who highlighted the importance of building a brand with quality products and content before focusing on advertising. She also emphasized the power of empowering a team, which mirrors the ethos of Sugar, passionately stating, “Empower them and let them go rule the world!”
The next session saw Ankush Sachdeva, Co-Founder & CEO, Sharechat & Moj, in conversation with Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO Madison Media & OOH at Madison World. Following this was a session in partnership with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), where Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary (CA), Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Food Distribution spoke with Piyush Pandey, Chairman of Global Creative Ogilvy Worldwide & Executive Chairman, Ogilvy India discussing the importance of consumer protection and its responsibility that we have as professionals. The session was moderated by Subhash Kamath, Chairman, ASCI & CEO, BBH, India. Singh ended the session on an impotant note: “If we don’t look after the interest of the consumer, who will?”
After that Kiran Bedi, Former Lt Governor Puducherry and one of India’s best known retired IPS offices, highlighted the importance of leadership, emphasising: “Leadership is internal – you start with yourself; if you can’t lead yourself, you can’t lead people.”
This year, for the first time ever, after over 50 years of being solo, the Advertising Club collaborated with The One Show.
Speaking about Goafest 2022, Anupriya Acharya, President, Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) said, “It’s been a tough two years, and it’s great to be back on-ground not only in terms of organising the festival but also where achievements are concerned. We are thrilled to have everyone back, bonding and celebrating this festival.”
Added Jaideep Gandhi, Chairman, Goafest 2022 Organising Committee: “Goafest has undoubtedly grown into one of the most prestigious conventions in South Asia, bringing together some of the most talented and brightest creative geniuses from all walks of life to celebrate the ad-land spirit. We are looking to keep the overall exuberance of this year’s festival about enjoyment, about people coming together to celebrate and connect. As a result, we will be able to understand the true essence of organizing a festival after experiencing two major setbacks in the past. The Goafest festival gives young talent the chance to interact and learn from some of the industry’s stalwarts. These people have played a crucial role in paving the way for them, making the event worthwhile. In addition to these benefits, it serves as a place where young people can engage and network cohesively with the entire media and advertising fraternity.”
Discussing the ABBY Awards at Goafest 2022, Partha Sinha, President, The Advertising Club said, “2022 is definitely a landmark year because of the collaboration of the Abby Awards with The One Show, and this is a game-changing proposition. It gives a platform to a plethora of agencies, enabling it to become more global. We owe it to the industry to bring something of global standing especially when we are one large world.”
Speaking about the Abbys Awards, Rana Barua, Chairman, Abby Awards Governing Council 2022 & Vice President of The Ad Club said, “A staggering number of participants has been witnessed, surpassing all previous records. In addition to agencies that have participated since our inception, we have also seen those returning every year. Overall, the numbers are higher this month since we had to package everything together in one month. This year and henceforth, Goafest will be considerably bigger and more extravagant.”
