MxMIndia

Tag: Goafest

  • Having attended all editions of Goafest held thus far, Sanjeev Kotnala, founder and Head Catalyst, P1P2Solutions (and until recently head of branding and marketing of the Dainik Bhaskar group) offers suggestions on how Goafest can be resurrected and achieve what it was intended when it was set up a decade back

    Sanjeev Kotnala: 20 things Goafest must do to be in the reckoning

    Sanjeev Kotnala

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Goafest 2015 will happen at Goa – that’s as much certainty you have about India’s premier advertising-marketing event.  Basking in the glory of a successful Goafest 2014, it’s natural for not to look at the issues and problems with it and try addressing them in Jan 2015.

     

    As an industry that claims to be at the forefront of designing marketing and advertising solutions for client , we would have once again failed. Trust me, the debate if it would / should / could been a Festival / Celebration / populist /  Boycott / Barat / knowledge platform / scam will never be finished. It’s been a mix of all of them and will remain so.

     

    There are more problems than solutions at Goafest.  And the Kyoorius Awards night at NSCI has upped the benchmark raising new set of questions. But, Congratulations is due to the team that made Goafest 2014 possible.  The 2/3 day pass was definitely a relevant innovation. Getting the I&B Minister immediately after the election was a coup. ‘AIB’ and  ‘AAP developers’ a masterstroke. Publisher and Broadcast Abby a positive stroke towards wider inclusion. But these cosmetic victories does not provide the answer indstry and the young brigade been seeking.

     

    Complicated and well-documented issues like Egos / Sponsorship / Permissions / International Speakers / Scams / Formats / Awards have been slowly eroding its percieved value of the fest. I fondly remember the euphuria when the first fest happened and again when AAAI and Advertisng Club came together to create one single award. After so many years, it remains an iffy. Come to think of even if spoken in humour, the Goafest signature seems to be ‘Beer & Rain Dance’.

     

    It starts with the basic. Today we know the dates for Cannes. Spikes, MediaAsia  and  AdAsia. But for Goafest, please, wait for the new president to take over in Feb 2015. Can Ad Club and AAAI not agree to give the Goafest President/Chairman a three-year tenure. And are we still so underfunded that we cannot have a full-time-paid -secretariat working on the event. Before we single out Goafest, let’s be clear: this is true about all the industry events. The large acclaimed advertising-marketing bodies have not been able to create signature events with fixed schedules.

     

    I have attended all editions of Goafest. I personally found new ways to enjoy the differentiated offering every year.  But most of them got nothing to do with the fest itself. The problems facing Goafest are well-known and mostly been stated in macro terms. More so and may be the same set ot people been trying to fight to on too many fronts. But truly seaking, the solutions are also with them.

     

    Today, the time is just right with 10-11 months to go for Goafest 2015 for them to prioritise their problems to attack. The problems are so inter-leveraged that solution to P1P2 ( Priority 1 and 2) are bound to set series of domino crashing.

     

    If you look at the Goafest – the problems are Participation / Boycotts / Bad publicity / not enough publicity/ Entries / Jury / Awards / lack of excitement / April-May / Fee and many more.

     

    Sincerely, I believe that given the scope, time, experience and mutual respect, the solutions should not be really tough for an industry that has solved many complicated brand positioning and execution problem. The personal belief remains that Goafest is a deat of celebrating great communication and should be cosnidered the flagsip event of the industry in India. But then beliefs do not count for anything till the issues remain.

     

    1. DATES / TIMING :

    Easier said than done. Can we just adapt 1st Thursday of April start date?

    Why can’t the Goafest committee be in place now?

     

    2. FEE : 

    Oh, they have started moving northward but are somewhat manageable. Or we need to find innovative ways. What about a refund that is based on the number of knowledge seminars you actually attended.
    The amount of activation- fun and energy creating stalls and activity centres have been decreasing with the years. Trust these add to the whole space and the kick of attending Goafest

     

    3. SPONSORSHIP:

    Unlike international festivals we don’t see any agency or marketer non-media sponsors. Depending on media like Discovery, Goggle, Hindu, HT, Colors, Star, Dainik Bhaskar is going to be suicidal in the long run.

     

    4. SPONSOR EXPERIENCE:

    One of the biggest issue. What is being done n the experience and promise part of the deal. Currently with the sponsor matrix of ROI and ROE not being answered we have to chase sponsors. If this is taken care of the sponsors would be willing to do a long-term deal.

     

    5. OUTSOURCING. Or is it unthinkable?

    I am also aware that a body of people did made a case of outsourcing the event with acceptable financial and on the terms that Ad Club and AAAI would have wanted. I am sure that may take it to another level.And if you do look within the industry many such consotiums willing to bite the bullet exist.

     

    6. INDUSTRY UNITY:

    Toughest of all. Divided we stand and united is the image we would want to project. Every year the issues get voiced nearer the event. They need then to be tackled with the back to the wall. Mostly full of illogical, irrational at times seemingly ego-centric personal agenda-led crap creating volcanic fires tending to polarise the industry. it definitely does is to give the event a bad name and dampens individual interest.

     

    7. AWARDS AND JURY:

    Time to re-categories and re-look at the number of  awards and create a group for the 3 nights that remains consistent. The clubbing of awards are also by the categories / media / entrants and interest. Deep dive and understand the root cause beyond the apparent stated reasons and solve the participation issue.

     

    8. KNOWLEDGE PRESENTATIONS :

    For every delegate and participating company there has to be something of interest and relevance.  This year I was surprised at many under powered presentation. I thought they should have been booed not clapped. One clear case was the presentation that aimed at enlightening developing Indian advertising industry with  last year social media Cannes winners. I presume that delegates at Goafest mostly likely would have have seen / heard / read about last year Cannes winners. That is ancient for a dynamic subject  like social media. The claps were just an echo of ‘Athethi Devo Bhav’ syndrome.

     

    9. Who is the P1TG ( Priorty 1 Target Group) : 

    The young professionals or the industry influencers or just the industry from metro centers. The bigger agencies or upcoming talents. Personally I have never seen a more diffused campaign than the  Goafest 2014 campaign.

     

    10. TAKING IT BEYOND MUMBAI:

    Would be nice to know what has been the % of delegates that came from places other than Mumbai. I am surprised that as an Industry body we have hardly made any successful efforts to rope in the Unmetro industry centres.

     

    11. MARKETER DELEGATES :

    How have we failed to engage them. What can be done to get them in ?

     

    12. REPLACEMENT DELEGATES:

    Where will they come from?  Have we mined the data to see how the delegate composition and participation details. More and more people I met kept threatening not to come next year. Normally they would come for 2 more cycles from the period they start thinking in this way before Goafest drops out of their radar. If replacement delegates are going to come from Unmetro Markets- what we doing to tap them.

     

    13. WHAT ARE WE :

    Are we about INDIAN LEARNING AND RELEVANCE OR A GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM OR ARE WE ABOUT ADVENTURE AND NETWORKING?

     

    14. INCONSISTENCY.

    Oh that’s our signature. Otherwise, how could we have treated winners differently across the three nights with three different formats. You can’t be so casual that category and the brand names are referred as ‘this’ and ‘that’.  You can’t in one night honour bronze winner on stage and next night decide not to give the bronze winners in other categries the celebratory walk.

     

    15. EMPTY HALLS:

    I would like to beleve that it was the function of the size of hall and not the content or the beer and networking. I know you can not force people to attend.  Can / should we really give a cannes trip to lucky-dip winner with delegate badge scanned in more than 80% sessions. Ensure we fill the front rows frst before openning slots fro perpetual backbenchers.

     

    16. SIMPLE OVERSIGHTS OR WHAT :

    What about having the winning category plate on the trophy.  What happened to the young professional contest designed and executed  at the fest. Where is THINK PRINT – you would definitely find sponsor and get huge participation for it and it would definietly be a winner. Or even a campaign designed at the fest for a national problem / CSR or an NGO.

     

    17. LEARNING ORGANISATION:

    Are we analysing and learning from other successful international formats and events. Or we have pledged to remain the knee jerk tactical – ‘let’s get over with the fest this year’ attitude.

     

    18. LACK OF BUZZ.

    There is enough happening at Mumbai before the fest. But what do we do during the fest that would ensure that the buzz continues.who miss out feel really bad. Maybe it’s time that Goafest hired a PR agency. Trust me, it’s a Goafest for the advertising- marketing crowd of Mumbai with dismal participation from even Delhi, Bangalore, Kiolkatta, Hyderabad etc

     

    19. RESTRICTIVE SCHEDULE.

    Without parallel sessions you are too cramped for choices

     

    20. TRANSPORTATION:

    Can we get dedicated flights and trains (at least 1st class and II AC Bogies)  off from main delegate contributory centres !  What a talk that could be. The bus shuttles at GOA working on time and with a wider route-map.

    There definietly be many more hot urgent critical issues to be addressed. But one thing is sure that that theGoafest team definitely needs to prioritise its problems and attacked P1P2 (Priority 1 and 2) to make Goafest a benchmark in itself.

     

    Sanjeev Kotnala is Head Catalyst, P1P2Solutions.

     

  • While the number for the creative and digital awards is 988 at Kyoorius, the flagship design awards will see around 700 entries, if last year's tally is an indicator

    Kyoorius boasts of 988 entries, Goafest curiously still mum on numbers

    By A Correspondent

     

    The D&AD-backed Kyoorius Advertising and Digital Awards have received 988 entries across 14 categories from a variety of agencies, studios and clients. At the time of writing, the Goafest committee and the Advertising Club in particular have not revealed the number of entries received or announced the names of the jury heads. Despite various attempts by MxMIndia over the last week, the apex adfest has curiously not revealed the number of entries officially. The aggregate number of entries given to MxMIndia by Goafest committee members was 2700.

     

    According to a report in Business Standard today, the “approximate” number of entries received by the Advertising Club for Creative and Digital are 2000 and an additional 619 are for the Media Abby. The total number of entries received is “estimated to be about 2700”.  On the other hand, while the number for creative and digital is 988 at Kyoorius, the flagship design awards will see around 700 entries, if last year’s tally is an indicator. The last date for receiving entries for design is June 5.

     

    Meanwhile at Kyoorius, Ogilvy (O&M), OgilvyOne, Grey Worldwide, Creativeland Asia, Alok Nanda & Company, Bates, BBDO, BBH, Contract Advertising, DDB Mudra, GroupM, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, DigitasLBi, DraftFCB Ulka, Happy Creative Services, Hungama Digital Services, Indigo Consulting, Isobar, Linen Lintas, Publicis, RK Swamy BBDO, SapientNitro, Scarecrow, TBWA and Webchutney are amongst nearly 200 entrants nationwide. According to information received although JWT may not have officially participated, over a dozen entries listing JWT as the client have been entered in the Awards by production houses.

     

    Several clients such as Zee, HBO, Hindustan Times, ixigo.com, Merck Serono India, HP, Mynta.com, Piramal, Times Television Network, Times City and Viacom18 have also sent in entries directly. Participation has come from over 20 location in India including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Baroda, Bhopal, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi & NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune, according to a communiqué.

     

    It may be noted that last week, MxMIndia reported that Leo Burnett India has also entered the Awards. While the information was true at the time of writing, our sources say that the agency withdrew the entries after our report appeared. Leo Burnett also issued a formal statement asserting that it is not entering any awards show this year.

     

    “Our entire process is entirely transparent,” said Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder and CEO, Kyoorius.

    “This holds good for the number of entries received as well as the way each entry was validated. All jury members gather on ground in Mumbai to review, discuss and elect the best of the best over an intensive three-day session. The entire process over the first two days is open to the public, the fraternity and the media.” The third day of judging where the final winners will be discussed will however not be open, Mr Kejriwal informed.

     

    According to the communiqué issued, Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder and Creative Chairman, CreativeLand Asia will also join the Kyoorius creative jury. Mr Raj Kurup joins jury foreman Neil Dawson of Dawson Pickering alongside Sonal Dabral of DDB Mudra, Abhijit Avasthi of O&M, Carlos Anuncibay of Saatchi & Saatchi, Graham Kelly of Isobar, Senthil Kumar of JWT and Woon Siew Hoh of Hakuhodo.

     

  • The leading creative agency has sent entries for the D&AD-backed Kyoorius Awards staying away from the Creative Abby to be held at Goafest

    Ogilvy to participate in Kyoorius Awards. Leo Burnett entries in too

    By A Correspondent

     

    Okay, it’s official. Ogilvy is participating in an Indian creative advertising awards event this year.  This was confirmed to MxMIndia by Abhijit Avasthi, National Creative Director, Ogilvy via the agency spokesperson.

     

    It may be recalled that Ogilvy had chosen to not participate in the Creative Abby last year (2013) and this is the second successive year when the agency – which has traditionally dominated the awards tally – has stayed away.

     

    According to a Kyoorius official, Leo Burnett, which was rumoured to be staying away from all awards this year, has sent in entries.

     

    Although the entries closed yesterday (May 5), given some requests from a few agencies, a few entries will be accepted till early tomorrow morning (May 7).

     

    Meanwhile, the entries for the Abby at Goafest have also closed and according to numbers that Goafest organising committee members have informally told us, the aggregate number of entries for all the Abby РCreative, Media, Digital, Broadcast, PR and others Рis in the region of 2700. An Advertising Club officebearer told MxMIndia that a communiqu̩ will be issued on the numbers.

     

  • Goafest unveils first list of speakers

    By a correspondent

     

    The Goafest Organizing Committee has released the first list of speakers for Goafest 2014 Knowledge Seminars. Unlike in the previous years where the focus was principally on international speakers, this year the Knowledge Seminars will have a good mix of international speakers, inspirational speakers, spiritual speakers and speakers on innovative aspects.

     

    The outcome is the result of a survey among the last three years’ Goafest delegates. “Based on the findings of this survey, we have put together a very special list of speakers for Goafest delegates to listen to and interact with,” said Arvind Sharma, President of Advertising Agencies Association of India.

     

    For the Knowledge Seminars, the initial set of names include Preethi Mariappan- Executive Creative Director at Razorfish, Germany; Melanie Varley- Chief Strategy Officer, Global at MEC; Norm Johnson- Chief Digital Officer at Mindshare; Alicia Souza- illustration designer/artist/ e-commerce entrepreneur; Shravan Kumaran and Sanjay Kumaran, the youngest app developers in India and a group known as AIB(All India Bakchod), Devdutt Pattanaik, Mythologist, Author, Leadership, DK Hema & Hema Hari, Founders, BharathGyan.

     

    Srinivasan Swamy

    “We are delighted that we have been able to get some very inspiring speakers on a cross section of subjects which delegates are normally not exposed to,” said Goafest Committee Chairman, Srinivasan Swamy.

     

  • Breaking News: In a late night meeting, the Ogilvy India chief was convinced that Abby entry karne may hi samajhdaari hai!

    Ogilvy to participate in Abby @ Goafest!

    By A Special Conespondent

    Mumbai, April 1, 2014: In a meeting that ended late last night concluding in a firm handshake, it is learnt that Ogilvy has decided to participate in the Creative Abby to be held in the 2014 edition of Goafest.

     

    MxMIndia learns that it took Srinivasan K Swamy a couple of months of persuasion to get the Ogilvy bossman to change his mind.

     

    How the agreement happened – Convincing the subconscious:

    Mr Swamy, who is also President of the International Advertising Association’s India Chapter, had recently interacted with Piyush Pandey on the Creative Abby. This was at an event where Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev was in conversation with Mr Pandey.

    A few days later Mr Swamy met with Mr Pandey at the airport where, the creative guru evinced interest in a suggestion that Ogilvy creative talent must meditate and how that can assist in helping the creative juices flow thicker, faster and fresher.

    Mr Swamy suggested on Swami Sathyabhooti from Chennai who is very good in corporate meditation. He gave the Swami a background of the Goafest Abby issue and how Ogilvy’s participation was in “national interest”.

    An invitation to Ogilvy was organised and a special meditation session was arranged a fortnight back at the Westin Hotel. Representatives of the Ogilvy offices in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Singapore were also invited.

    At the session, the Swami asked just one question, as a conversation-opener:

    What is it that makes you happy?

    The rep from Sri Lanka said:  “A Happy Client, especially when our advertising has worked for him or her.”

    A senior rep from Singapore said: “When my wife and daughter like the ads I write.”

    A creative director from Mumbai said: “Awards for our work.”

    Swami Sathyabhooti got the response he wanted and asked the group what are the kind of awards they feel happy about. “Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show internationally and Abby in India, but we don’t participate in it”

    SS: “You don’t participate in an Indian award?”

    O:  “Yes Guruji, we have issues, there are problems which we have highlighted but haven’t got resolved”

    SS: “Young men and women, I don’t know your industry. But don’t you have a problem with your roads? Or Mumbai traffic? Or find the petrol rates very high even though they will fall a bit from April 1?

    O: Yes

    SS: But you still travel on Mumbai roads, right? Despite all the problems?

    O: Thank you for your advice

    On the group’s return, Mr Piyush Pandey asked everyone about their experience and they then discussed the Abby issue and decided to send in a token of 51 entries. According to a representative of Swami Sathyabhooti this conespondent spoke with, what was done was to elicit an answer to a problem from the people directly and then send a message to the subconscious.

     

     

    Bigger, second try:

    The second try made was even bigger and happened thanks to Mr Swamy’s IAA conference where the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was felicitated and presented an honorary membership. Recently Amitabh Bachchan was also felicitated similarly at the Olive Crown Awards.

    To achieve his objective, Mr Swamy made a trip to Ahmedabad for a meeting with Mr Modi at the Sabarmati Ashram.

    As it happened, Mr Modi was busy with electioneering but his aide Hasmukhbhai Desai was going to be seeing (and clearing) the newest campaign on Gujarat which would be out days before the state and urban Indian goes out to vote.

    At the Ashram, Mr Desai was present with Messrs Pandey and Bachchan. The aide liked the work, and then in his inimitable style asked a question: “Is baar humko AB milega na?”

    Mr Pandey laughed and said “Of courseji, Desaibhai. Amitabhji will definitely come again. He really likes Gujarat and the campaign.”

    Mr Desai: “Nahin, nahin. Main inki baat nahin kar raha hoon. I am talking of your AB, arre those Abby Awards. Our Gujarat campaign must win that award. We should try at least. If nothing else, the jury members will be motivated to travel to Gujarat. Plus the PM sir, I mean CM sir will be happy too.”

    Mr Bachchan quipped: “Zaroor, we must win the Abby awards. I have also been a Chief Guest in fact at an Abby event, at first I thought those awards are named after me.”

    After an hour, Mr Pandey spoke to Abhijit Avasthi and Rajiv Rao on a conference call, and explained what happened and said that for Mr Modi’s sake, Ogilvy may need to participate in the Abby.

    Someone even suggested that the campaign can be in the running for an award by getting the film’s producers to send in the entry or even the client, to which Mr Pandey said he wouldn’t like to take any half-measures that could upset Mr Modi, or his office.

     

    Sensing success from the twin efforts, Mr Swamy convened a late evening meeting on Monday, March 31. The meeting went on till the wee hours and finally a settlement was hammered out. Ogilvy will send in the token entries, and will also be present, but only the younger talent. The meeting was held at Elco Pani Puri Center at Bandra. Apparently both Messrs Pandey and Swamy are very fond of Pani Puri.

     

     

     

    At the time of writing the story, it wasn’t known if Mr Swamy was able to convince Mr Pandey on sending more entries. But we have some more information on the issue, for which click here.

     

  • If there's one person from the AAAI who can organise a worthwhile Goafest, it's Sundar Swamy. The IAA is supremely active thanks to his leadership and I find him exceedingly keen on doing things and he knows the art of getting things done.

    Mediaah!: Why Goafest hasn’t lost the plot and deserves one more chance

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    I write this more in response to Anant Rangaswami’s article on Firstbiz and his Facebook posts. What I like about Anant’s writing is his definite views on issues, many of which I agree with.

     

    But on Goafest, he’s been unduly harsh. His point on Facebook: Goafest has lost the plot. It’s press release offered a programme with just time slots and no mention of speakers and topics.

     

    I received the communique too, and chose to not carry a report on it because it didn’t say anything at all. It was an advance intimation of the programme, but could have been held back for a few days with some names.

     

    I also agree with Anant that Goafest in the summer is a nightmare (my descriptor, not his). Since I sweat a lot, I can say that it’s terrible even in the aircon. So, even though the event is indoors, the walk or buggy ride to your rooms could see you drenched in sweat. Your eyes could be burning all day and even the world’s best coolants wouldn’t work.

     

    Last year’s Goafest could best be described as forgettable. It had loads of negatives. The Creative Abby was a disaster (albeit for a fault that wasn’t of the organising committee). First a controversy about the Ford Figo scam ads saw the exits of some high profile staff at JWT and Ford, then the Tata Chemicals scam ads that were eventually pulled out of the competition and later the controversy around scam ads and plagiarism.

     

    Somewhere along this was the decision by Ogilvy to not participate in the Abby. Ogilvy had huge misgivings about the awards, and Ad Club prez Shashi Sinha tried his damnedest to get them back. But Messrs Piyush Pandey & Co didn’t budge.

     

    When Pratap Bose took charge as Ad Club president last year, he resolved to ensure a buy-in from all towards the Creative Abby. That doesn’t seem to have happened thus far.

     

    To add to the confusion, the AAAI delayed the Goafest announcement and later found the elections as reason to postpone the dates. Then came the news that Nakul Chopra had opted out of the Goafest chair position.

     

    Finally Srinivasan K Swamy, better known in the frat as Sundar, took charge. I’ve interacted with Sundar a fair deal in the recent past, especially as head of the International Advertising Association India Chapter of which he is the head. I believe if there’s one person from the AAAI who can pull it off, it’s him. The IAA is supremely active thanks to Sundar’s leadership. I find him exceedingly keen on doing things and he knows the art of getting things done.

     

    I am not sure how Goafest 2014 will be. I have heard people say that some regular sponsors have declined to be associated this year. But Sundar is confident of a turnaround and I think he ought to be given a chance.

     

    Yes, I do think Rajesh Kejriwal’s Kyoorius Awards with the coveted D&AD partnership, has stolen the thunder from the Abby, but there’s space for multiple awards. We’ve seen how other disciplines – radio, digital, outdoor and PR, for instance – have multiple awards and they are all doing well. So ditto with creative.

     

    I have heard some angry comments amongst industry elders about Anant’s Firstbiz piece and I was told that some pressure may be exerted on Network18 via the media agencies asking him to refrain from writing nasties against Goafest. I hope that doesn’t happen, that wouldn’t be right.

     

    Sadly, Anant’s views are echoed by many in the industry. Before Sundar’s name was announced, even I wasn’t sure whether there was any point in conducting this year’s edition.

     

    Sundar & Co have an uphill task ahead of them. But I think they need to be given a chance.

     

    The industry deserves a good, celebratory Goafest. The format, the timing and the awards are a problem. Perhaps the organising committee and AAAI need some younger blood taking the lead on Goafest. Perhaps it may be a good idea to get a professional body to conduct the show – Kyoorius, e4m, Campaign/Haymarket… whosoever.

     

    I know what I am going to do: have MxM support Goafest until before the event happens. The coverage of the conference (and the awards and the fun element) will then take over. And on that, we’ll be brutally honest about how it is.

     

  • But if ad agencies were to win the awards as it happens at some events, the purpose of the awards would be defeated and the PR industry would have, in fact, suffered a setback, cautions Jaideep Shergill, CEO, India, MSLGroup

    Jaideep Shergill | A PR award at Goafest: About time!

    Jaideep Shergill

    By Jaideep Shergill

     

    My first reaction on hearing that Goafest has introduced a public relations (PR) Abby was that it was an overdue, but welcome development. PR has never been mentioned in the same breath as advertising despite rising evidence from around the globe that unidirectional communication is in decline. Meaningful engagement on multiple platforms is the way ahead, and it’s the PR industry that has been providing it.

     

    The Abby is a logical step in the evolution of Goafest. The event needs to go from being advertising-dominated to a well-rounded event that represents every discipline of marketing communications. This will raise not just the interest in it but, more importantly, its credibility.

     

    The fact is the Indian PR industry needs such a high-profile platform. While we have regional and global PR awards, we don’t have any comparable ones in India. Goafest is India’s biggest communications event and the PR industry needs to make a mark there.

     

    I have one fear, though. In similar events elsewhere, we have seen ad agencies entering for the PR awards – and winning. Strange as it may sound, it’s rare for a PR award to go to a PR agency!

     

    If that happens at Goafest, too, then the purpose of the awards would be defeated and the PR industry would have, in fact, suffered a setback. Of course, the onus is squarely on PR agencies to make sure this doesn’t happen. We need to deliver strategic value and then aggressively market our successes.

     

    As with every step forward, it’s up to us.

     

    Jaideep Shergill is CEO, India, MSLGroup

     

  • Promo-Activation, PR, Broadcaster & Publisher Abby introduced at three-day Goafest 2014

    Goafest to be held from May 29-31. Abbys expanded

    By A Correspondent

     

    L to R: Arvind Sharma, Srinivasan Swamy and Pratap Bose

    Okay, so the Goafest 2014 is being held in the same hotel where a certain editor alleged raped a junior colleague in November last year.

     

    We don’t know whether CC TV cameras have been installed in the elevators, but the hotel may well be mulling extra security and ‘watch’ men or women around the expansive land of what’s an excellent property.

     

    Uff, let’s not scare the Hyatt folks. The advertising fraternity comprises sober, decent people. And even if they aren’t all sober after a few drinks, they won’t do what Mr T is supposed to have done.

     

    Jokes apart, Goafest 2014 will be held from May 29 to 31 at the Grand Hyatt hotel at Bambolim in North Goa.

     

    “This year we aim to dial up the excitement by expanding the festival”,said Srinivasan Swamy, Chairman, Goafest 2014. “While strengthening the initiatives undertaken in the previous years, Goafest 2014 will be a three-day event with the Knowledge Seminars being held on all three days. The Advertising Conclave, which was ‘Only By Invitation’ so far and was held on the day before Goafest will now be on Day Two and will be open to all delegates. The Conclave aims to create more engagement between advertisers, agencies and the rest of the media industry. We will continue to have leading advertisers talk on issues that have a strong bearing on the industry. And as for the three days at Goafest, none of the fun elements will be missing for which Goafest is known! It will only get enhanced.”

     

    The rain dance did you mean, Sir?

     

    With the fest now turning into a three-day event, there will be two options of delegate passes. A two-day delegate pass priced at Rs 14,000 will allow the delegates to attend any two consecutive days of their choice. A three-day pass priced at Rs 18,000 will allow delegates to attend the festival for all three days. Under-30 delegates will continue to enjoy a special discount of 50% on these rates.

     

    Pratap Bose, President of The Advertising Club and Chairman of The Awards Governing Council (AGC) said, “The Abbys will be augmented with new categories this year. We will include Promo-Activation and PR. The Branded Content category,which was added last year,will be expanded. And most excitingly, we are adding Broadcaster and Publisher Abbys at Goafest. These will recognize outstanding advertising and communication ideas for promoting broadcast and print properties. Broadcaster and publishers will be entitled to send in entries for these categories.” Mr Bose shed more light on this by stating that, “These changes are being made with the aim of honoring the great work that is being done by all media professionals.”

     

    Continuing with the changes that were inducted in 2012 – there will be a Grand Prix for Film, Print, Radio, Outdoor, Design, Interactive Digital, Direct, Media and Integrated.

     

    Award shows for various verticals will be held on the following evenings:

    May 29: Publisher Abbys. Media Abbys

    May 30: Design Abbys. Direct Abbys. Promo-Activation Abbys. PR Abbys. Outdoor Abbys. Print Craft Abbys. Branded Content Abbys. Broadcaster Abbys.

    May 31: Interactive Digital Abbys. Radio Abbys. Print Abbys. TV Abbys. Integrated Abbys

     

    There will also be significant changes in the judging process. There will be a window of a clear 10 days before the final judging round. During this window, shortlisted entries will be available for the entire industry to review. However, the Abbys once awarded will stay awarded. So no superjury tamasha like last year. Participation in the Abbys will continue to be open to all who want to participate. Membership of the AAAI or The Advertising Club is not required. The award entry fee will be Rs 6500 per entry for general entries and Rs 9500 for integrated entries.

     

    Marketing Wizards, the initiative under which young client delegates can avail of the special under 30 delegate fees as well free accommodation will continue this year.So will the special ‘Rest of South Asia’ awards.

     

    “Goafest is recognized as a platform for celebration of communication excellence and as a platform for exchange of ideas across the advertising, marketing and media fraternity,” said Arvind Sharma, founding Chairman of Goafest and current President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI). He added, “Last year’s Conclave where leading advertisers shared their candid points of view with the industry was seen as a super success. This year’s changes in the festival format – including a client-led Conclave open to all and introduction of Broadcaster and Publisher Abbys – make it a true industry-wide platform.”

     

    We are sure the beer and booze will also be flowing in enough measure.

     

  • Many in the advertising and media business are hopeful that Goafest 2013 will be successful with go-getter Srinivasan ‘Sundar’ Swamy as chairman of the organising committee

    Adland bullish on Goafest 2014 with Sundar Swamy incharge

    By A Correspondent

     

    We all know of the mess that Goafest, the annual adfest of India’s advertising and marketing services industry, has been in. The Advertising Agencies Association of India delayed the announcement of the date for reasons best known to it. And there were reservations from many of the top ad agencies on their participation in the Creative Abby.

     

    Already the reputation of Goafest had taken a beating last year with charges of plagiarism and scam advertising impacting the credibility of what’s decidedly the mainstay of the event: the Creative Abby. “Ogilvy not participating in the Abby is like Brazil pulling out from the World Cup Soccer or China from the Olympics,” said one organiser and ad honcho on anonymity.

     

    The last straw in the mess on Goafest was the stepping aside of Nakul Chopra as chairman of the Goafest Organising Committee earlier this week. The many delays in the dates meant that Mr Chopra would have to stay back from work for too long, and that’s something he could ill-afford.

     

    But the appointment of Srinivasan Swamy, better known in the business as Sundar Swamy, is said to be a masterstroke. Said the organiser-cum-honcho we spoke to earlier: “There are few people in the business who you can never say no to. Sundar is one of them.”

     

    A member of the India chapter of International Association of Advertisers cites Mr Swamy’s can-do attitude and a gentle mix of delegation-and-monitoring as the reason why IAA has superactive in the last two years. “There was no brief for the IAA to do what he has done. But Sundar achieved what Ad Club, AAAI and several other clubs and associations ought to be doing.”

     

    Yet, said the honcho, it’s interesting that Mr Swamy has taken on the responsibility when it’s indeed a tall order given that the odds stacked against it.

     

    Mr Swamy’s statement that the 2014 edition will be bigger and brighter may be looked at by many with a “let’s wait and watch”, but the balls have started rolling. The hotel has been tentatively booked, the dates are nearly sealed, and by shifting the proceedings indoors, there is hope that the heat generated around is more by the proceedings than the weather.

     

  • The three-day annual adfest will be held indoors in Goa in the last week o f May 2014

    Srinivasan Swamy to head “bigger, better” Goafest 2014, to be held indoors in Goa in end-May

    By A Correspondent

     

    There’s reason to cheer for India’s adfrat. Goafest 2014 has not been put off, and the Creative and Media Abby will be held as part of the fest. RK Swamy Hansa group Chairman and Managing Director Srinivasan K Swamy, better known as Sundar Swamy, is the new Chairman of the Organising Committee.

     

    Confirming the news to MxMIndia, Mr Swamy said that the Goafest this year will be bigger and brighter than ever before. We have expanded the awards and will have three evenings of awards. “The entire programme will be indoors so there is no reason to despair about the heat,” he added.

     

    Mr Swamy, who is also President, IAA India Chapter & VP-Development, IAA Asia Pacific. In fact, the IAA has had a hyperactive two years, since Mr Swamy took over.

     

    He has been associated with Goafest for some years as incharge of the industry conclave. According to information we have received, the dates will in all probability be around the last week of May and the event will be held indoors as against the beaches of Goa.

     

    As reported by MxMIndia yesterday (Feb 12),  Nakul Chopra had declined to be Chairman of the Goafest Organising Committee. While some may have felt that it was a setback, according to a senior agency captain, the appointment of Mr Swamy is sure to energise Goafest 2014.

     

  • The delays in holding Goafest meant much time away from the high pressure work as CEO – South Asia of Publicis Worlwide

    Goafest blues continue. Nakul Chopra steps down as chairman, org committee

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nakul Chopra

    The Goafest Organising Committee appears to have suffered another blow with the confirmation of the news that Chairman of the Organizing Committee Nakul Chopra has stepped aside from the position earlier this week.

     

    Confirming the news to MxMIndia, Mr Chopra said the festival is still sometime away and his primary work of leading Publicis Worldwide in the region is taking a fair amount of time, it was tough for him to reconcile both.

     

    Although Mr Chopra was unwilling to comment on the dates, as per information received by MxMIndia, it’s likely to that Goafest dates may get pushed to end-May to avoid a clash with the elections. “They should have ideally happened in the first week of April, but since they didn’t, the only option is to have it at the end of May. The next window is in October, when people get busy with the festival activity.”

     

    At the time of writing it was still not known who will replace Mr Chopra, though there are naysayers that his decision is indicative of the growing disinterest in Goafest. “The total silence will only benefit the alternative D&AD-Kyoorius initiative.”

     

  • The decision on the date has been delayed by fear of a clash with dates of the general elections

    It’s mid-Feb and no Goafest/Abby dates yet!

    By A Correspondent

     

    Arvind Sharma

    It’s the second week of February and no date has been announced for the 2014 edition Goafest , pointing to issues that the committee is facing on the dates. When MxMIndia called AAAI President Arvind Sharma late last month, he said he would announce them last week.

     

    When MxMIndia asked an officebearer about the date, he replied in the same vein: The dates will be announced soon.

     

    The reason for the delay is that the organizers want to avoid a clash with the general elections. But that an agency told us is not tenable as a reason because this is not the first time the elections have clashed with Goafest. “Do it in the last week of March or first week of April, and there will be no clash,” he said. “The question is do we have enough quality participants at the Creative Abby. And do we have enough sponsors coming in for the festival and the Industry Conclave.”

     

    What MxMIndia  has been told is that despite the absence of some of the top agencies, the event will be held.  One of the dates mooted is April 28, but that too could clash with the polls, is the worry.

     

    As has been reported, the London-based international not-for-profit D&AD has announced its intent to bring its awards with Kyoorius, a not-for-profit body which would conduct an annual design fest in Goa. TheKyoorius Awards are scheduled to be held around June 2014 in Mumbai, and the entries will be accepted with effect from March 20.