MxMIndia

Tag: Srinivasan Swamy

  • The event compares very favourably with Ad Asia in Jaipur & New Delhi, says Pradeep Guha, who was involved in both these mega events

    IAA Silver Jubilee Summit in Kochi announces speaker line-up

    By A Correspondent

     

    The IAA Silver Summit at Kochi is now bigger and even more impressive.

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    IAA India Chapter President, Srinivasan Swamy says “To accommodate the fantastic line-up of international and Indian speakers we are now beginning the Summit on 3rd evening itself. We are overwhelmed by the response received from some great speakers. We are now set to have the most impressive event of its kind in several years.”

     

    The confirmed speakers, segmented by broad topics are based on what’s really important to marketing advertising and media professionals:

     

    -Creativity and how you can design your own future?

    Cindy Gallop the famous Founder and former Chair of BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty) one of the most creative Agencies in the world. She Chaired the Cannes Glass Jury this year. And if it’s just creativity, there is Rob Sherlock Worldwide Executive Director Asatsu-DK as well.

     

    –Social Media?

    Simon Kemp a Scotsman from Singapore, a renowned expert in bringing brands and consumers together using Social Media, an author, a DJ, an expert in whisky…a very interesting person. And to top up this segment there is Shailesh Rao of Twitter (VP Asia Pacific, Latin America and Emerging Markets).

     

    –Brands?

    Fernando Ortiz-Ehmann a strategist from Madrid who played a major role in launching the global brand Desigual. To add desi flavor there is Sanjiv Puri(President FMCG ITC) on Creating a world class Global Brand from India. And to tell you how to craft brands in a connected world, Rahul Welde (VP-Media, Unilever, for Asia, Africa, Middle East, Turkey and Russia).

     

    –Digital?

    Michel de Rijk CEO Asia Pacific, Xaxis will tell you all about Programmatic and its role in the digital world. Never heard of it? Don’t worry, here’s your chance to know all about it. And to comfort you that the more things change, the more they remain the same there is Jeffery Cole, Founder, Center for the Digital Future USA.

     

    -Funding?

    AbhayPande, Managing Director, Sequoia Capital on where future investments will go.

     

    -Local brands?

    Sam Balsara will extract the recipe for success from Darshan Patel (first Paras, now Vini). No gas in this statement.

     

    -Mobile?

    The future in the palm of your hand. There is, from London, Ralph Simon acknowledged as one of the founders of the mobile entertainment and content industry.

     

    –Bestselling authors?

    Paul X McCarthy author of The Age of Online Gravity, with his take on freakonomics. You’ll figure out why economics behaves the way it does.

     

    –India of the Future?

    Amitabh Kant, Principal Secretary Govt. of India (God’s Own Country and Incredible India) now in charge of the PM’s “Make in India” initiative delivers a keynote address.

     

    –Icons?

    Sachin Tendulkar, the advertising icon for the last 25 years in conversation with Prasoon Joshi.

     

    - Classic Disruption?

    Arnab Goswami talks about why he disrupts the TV news industry.

     

    –Officialdom?

    Official gravitas to an event like this is provided by the Chief Minister of Kerala, State Industries Minister and the State Tourism Minister.

     

    –Spirituality?

    One of India’s best known mystics and spiritual gurus Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev(coming down straight from his annual trip to Mount Kailash).

     

    –Entertainment?

    Top class entertainers.Music and dance.Traditional and modern and even folk. A smorgasbord of native Kerala cuisine.

     

    Pradeep Guha, Summit Chairman said “this event will provide a great opportunity to learn, network and catch up with the who’s who of the marketing advertising and media industry.”

     

  • Under the overall theme of "What's Coming Next" of IAA Global, this Summit will have a sub theme of '"Crossroads: Where Change is shaping the Future Today"

    IAA to celebrate Silver Jubilee in Kochi with 2-day Summit

    By A Correspondent

     

    The International Advertising Association (India Chapter) will celebrate its Silver Jubilee with a two day Summit at the Le Meridian Convention Center Kochi on the 4th and the 5th September 2015. Under the overall theme of “What’s Coming Next” of IAA Global, this Summit will have a sub theme of ‘”Crossroads: Where Change is shaping the Future Today”.

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    “We are pulling out all the stops”,said IAA India Chapter President Srinivasan Swamy “to ensure this is the event of the year. FarisAbouahmad, Chairman and World President of IAA World Board is flying down to be with us. There will be top international and national speakers and great entertainment. The content will appeal to senior and middle-management professionals across marketing, advertising and media. We are making special arrangements to accommodate academia as well because we want them to benefit from the great content on offer. We will be announcing a comprehensive list of speakers and topics very shortly”.

     

    Pradeep Guha

    Pradeep Guha, Area Director, IAA Asia Pacific and Chairman of the Summit adds “The India Chapter has been performing quite remarkably and I am very pleased that the Silver Jubilee is being celebrated with a mix of knowledge and entertainment of the highest order. I believe this is one event that cannot be missed by anyone in the communications industry. I would urge my friends in the industry to join us in Kochi on 4th and 5th September.”

     

  • The IAA Inspire Awards were created to celebrate IAA members who have achieved leadership excellence and contributed their vision, ideas, efforts and services

    Srinivasan Swamy & Ramesh Narayan declared IAA Champions

    By A Correspondent

     

    The International Advertising Association has announced its 2015 IAA Inspire Awards winners and will be making presentations at the inaugural 2015 IAA Awards Gala Dinner, following the Leadership Forum on May 18th at the InterContinental Hotel, Park Lane, London.

     

    The IAA Inspire Awards were created to celebrate IAA members who have achieved leadership excellence and contributed their vision, ideas, efforts and services to the advancement of the International Advertising Association; contributed their professional expertise and inspired the marketing communications industry locally, regionally and globally; and pays tribute to the lifetime achievements and services of leaders in the IAA and their contributions to the global marketing communications industry.

     

    The two champions who have been recognized from India and will be honored in London are Srinivasan Swamy, Chairman, R K SWAMY BBDO and President, India Chapter IAA, and Ramesh Narayan, an industry veteran and Hall of Fame awardee at the IAA Leadership Award in 2014.

     

    Heather Leembruggen, Chairman of the IAA Inspire Awards commented: “This year the IAA is proud to initiate the IAA Inspire Awards to salute the leadership and vision of our members and their achievements on the world stage. Our global footprint in over 40 countries worldwide gives IAA members the scope and scale to make a significant contribution towards stimulating, enhancing and building the marketing communications industry worldwide.”

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    Srinivasan Swamy said, “These awards are a validation of the active and meaningful role the India Chapter of the IAA has been playing as the leading industry association of its kind in the country. Ramesh and I will accept these awards on behalf of the entire team at the India Chapter”.

     

  • The Corporate Social Crusader award is conferred on a Corporate which has excelled in any form of CSR activity in the last calendar year

    IAA extends entry deadline for Corporate Social Crusader Award

    By A Correspondent

     

    The last date for receiving entries for the International Advertising Association (IAA) Corporate Social Crusader Award has been extended to February 28th 2015.

     

    The Corporate Social Crusader award is conferred on a Corporate which has excelled in any form of CSR activity in the last calendar year. The CSR could be in any area of the Corporate’s choice and is judged on the basis of its scale, relevance, and impact.

     

    Srinivasan Swamy, President, IAA India Chapter & Vice President – Development, IAA Asia Pacific said, “We introduced the IAA Corporate Social Crusader Award as a part of our prestigious Olive Crown Awards last year. The response was amazing. Over 53 large corporates sent in their entries. The award was ultimately shared by Hindustan Unilever and Mathrubhumi Group of newspapers.”

     

    Neeraj Roy, Chairman, Olive Crown Awards Committee, IAA India Chapter, added, “Last’s years award ceremony was special. We had Amitabh Bachchan and Maneka Gandhi with us along with the entire communications industry. This award is for a company that takes a justifiable pride in its CSR activity over the last year. It includes any CSR activity from improving life skills to recycling to healthcare and education and of course the environment.”

     

    The Olive Crown Awards are run as a cause and there is no entry fee.

     

  • The Call for Entries has been good but many agencies have requested an extension of the deadline

    Entry deadline for Olive Crown Awards extended to Feb 15th

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neeraj Roy

    The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) has announced deadline extension of the Olive Crown Awards that salute excellence in communicating sustainability.

     

    Neeraj Roy, Chairman, Olive Crown Awards Committee said, “The response to the Call for Entries has been good but many agencies have requested an extension of the deadline, and so we have extended the last date to receive entries to February 15th 2015.”

     

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    IAA President Srinivasan Swamy said, “The Olive Crown awards are our contribution to Planet Earth. They are run as a cause and we do not charge any entry fee. The awards ceremony is also an exclusive “invite-only” show. Last year Sri Amitabh Bachchan was the Chief Guest and Smt Maneka Gandhi received the Green Crusader Award. Further, Hindustan Unilever and Mathrubhumi Group of Newspapers shared the Corporate Social Crusader Award and McCann World Group bagged the Agency of the year award.”

     

  • The Knowledge Seminar will be held on 9th October, 2014, at Taj Lands End, Mumbai

    IAA to host ‘Let’s get real’ seminar in Mumbai

    By A Correspondent

     

    The International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter has announced its next event on marketing of real estate titled ‘Let’s Get Real’.

     

    The event assembles decision makers from real estate, advertising and media with the objective of ‘reshaping the future of communication of the Indian real estate industry’. It will focus on the causes responsible for the stagnating real estate industry and will provide possible solutions through appropriate marketing and communication strategies.

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    Newly re-elected President of the IAA, Srinivasan Swamy said, “Such industry-specific seminars are unique and are receiving a lot of interest not just in Mumbai but also in smaller cities. We plan to roll out such seminars covering real estate and retail to Tier-II cities this year”.

     

    Jaideep Gandhi, Honorary Treasurer of IAA India and the Chairman of Real Estate Seminar said, “The seminar on real estate marketing has really caught the imagination of real estate developers and they have embraced this seeing its usefulness in their businesses. The one in Mumbai last year as well the one in Nashik earlier this year were both well attended. The expectation from this year’s seminar in Mumbai is huge. We have a complete buy-in both from the real estate industry and the communication industry and we hope not to disappoint them”.

     

    The speaker line-up comprises Lulu Raghavan, Managing Director, Landor Associates, Adrian Terron, Vice President, Global Communications & Marketing, Nielsen India, Josy Paul, Chairman and CCO, BBDO India, Rabe Iyer, Managing Partner, Motivator, Nitin Bawankule, Director, e-com and classified, Google India, Advitiya Sharma, Co-founder, Housing.com, Ashutosh Gupta, Director, Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn.

     

  • He already serves on the IAA Global Board as Vice President – Development, IAA Asia Pacific

    Srinivasan Swamy re-elected President of IAA in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    Srinivasan Swamy, Chairman of R K Swamy Hansa Group was elected President of IAA for the third consecutive term at the Annual General Body Meeting. He already serves on the IAA Global Board as Vice President – Development, IAA Asia Pacific.

     

    Neeraj Roy of Hungama, Monica Tata of HBO and Jaideep Gandhi of Jaya Advertising were also re-elected Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer respectively the year for 2014-15.

     

    The other members elected into the Managing Committee were – Abhishek Karnani of The Free Press Journal, Vishakha Singh of Aurora Comms, Manish Advani of Mahindra SSG, Janak Sarda of Deshdoot, CVL Srinivas of Group M, Avinash Pandey of ABP News, M. V. Shreyams Kumar of Mathrubhumi, Partho Dasgupta of BARC, Bhaskar Das of Zee Media and Rajesh Kejriwal of Kyoorius.

     

    In addition, the following would serve in the Committee as invited members for the year 2014-15: Pradeep Guha, Pheroza Bilimoria, Sam Balsara, Kaushik Roy, Raj Nayak, Ramesh Narayan, M G Parameswaran, Neville Taraporewalla, Gayatri Yadav, Anita Nayyar, Pradeep Dwivedi, Anand Sankeshwar, Sunil Lulla and Punitha Arumugam. “A few more have been invited and their names will be announced after they accept our invitation”, said Srinivasan Swamy.

     

    In his outgoing President’s address, Srinivasan Swamy said that the year that went by was an active one, where 32 events were organised by IAA India. Some of these included two IAA Debates, four IAA Conversations, five IAA Mentorship Webinars, six Knowledge Seminars, three IAA Young Turks Forum events and other marquee events like the IAA Olive Crown Awards and the IAA Leadership Awards. There were a few other special ones like the IAA Retrospect & Prospects events in Gurgaon and Mumbai and the IAA Mentorship Programme. The year was off to a terrific start on 30th September 2013 with the IAA Platinum Jubilee Global Marketing Summit where the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate and CM of Gujarat the Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi delivering his valedictory address on his vision of Brand India.

     

    IAA India will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee year in 2014-15. “We have identified at least 20 different platforms to peg our events for the coming year. We have a very good committee and I wouldn’t be surprised if we have more than 52 events during the year”, said Srinivasan Swamy. Commented Pradeep Guha, Area Director, IAA Asia Pacific, “IAA India is already seen as the most active industry body in India as well as in the IAA world. With the plans that are made for 2014-15, I have no doubt that this will be the best year ever and would set a new benchmark”.

     

  • Srinivasan Swamy, RV Rajan and Sridharan Narayan on Chennai's highs and lows and how it can regain lost glory

    Chennai@375: How the metrop can Rise and Shine in advertising

     

    Srinivasan Swamy: Chennai deserves a loyal set of advertisers!

     

    Srinivasan Swamy

    By Srinivasan Swamy

     

    “Chennai is not a market for ‘creatives’. The action has moved to Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi”

    “All big brands have moved out of Chennai”

    “Chennai is still an outgrown village”

    “Chennaiites are traditionalists”

     

    The dumbing down of the Chennai advertising market is discussed perhaps in all forums – in workshops, in seminars and in the media and internet. But is Chennai really a doggone market? Perhaps Chennai does not offer many opportunities for high adrenaline creative activity these days. But is it the advertiser’s fault or that of the agencies? I will blame it on the advertisers really!

     

    Let’s go back 60 years of the 375 years of the city. There was very little of the advertising industry that was present when J Walter Thompson set its shop in 1955. This was its first venture in the South. JWT then helped build competency by developing art directors, illustrators, scraperboardartists, block-makers as well as printers- the ecosystem that was essential to run the advertising agency business. TI Cycles, Amrutanjan, Madras Motor Insurance and Parry’s Confectionery were perhaps the only notable business then. And capital goods businesses like Ashok Leyland, Massey Ferguson, MRF and Simpson. Even the TVS-promoted manufacturing units came up only in the early 1960s, thanks to TT Krishnamachari, the then Union Minster who encouraged industrial development in the Madras State (which included Tamil Nadu, Coastal Andhra, Rayalseema, the Malabar region, South Canara and Udipi Districts etc.). Some PSUs like the Integral Coach Factory and Neyveli Lignite were in existence then, and many factories like BHEL, Madras Fertilizers and Madras Refineries came up in the ’60s.

     

     

    Chennai@375: The East and West Shall Meet in the South

     

    Chennai@175: Madras to Chennai – Evolution of media in the last 150 years

     

    With the spate of liberalization, from mid-1990s, Chennai evolved as the Automotive Capital of India with Hyundai, Ford, Renault, Nissan, BMW and Daimler setting up shops one after the other. Consumer products companies like Ponds India was set up in the 60s while Cavinkare came about in the early 1980s, followed by Henkel and Kaleesuwari (Gold winner) from the mid-1990s.

     

    Chennai is on the top of the charts as far as the retail industry and its advertising is concerned.  The groundwork of the concept of the mall and organized retail was laid down in Chennai in the eighties much before it became what it is today. Spencer Plaza and Alsa Mall were the first malls to arrive in the country. Today, any national marketer cannot ignore the business territory of T Nagar. Textile retail brands Nalli, Kumaran, Chennai Silks, Pothy’s, RMKV as do jewelers like GRT, Khazana, Vummidis, Prince et al have been in the vanguard of very clever and innovative marketing to tell the rest of the country how they have captured the imagination of the Chennai and its consumers. Saravana Stores is the first of its kind very successful discount retailer in the world.

     

    Simultaneous to this development, the film industry in Chennai produced more films than even Bollywood. And produced more hits that got re-shot as Hindi films. Many TV commercial producers like Jayendra, Rajiv Menon and Bharat Bala were not just making a mark in Chennai but across India for their high quality productions.

     

    Chennai was also the first regional market to storm the satellite channels. In fact Sun TV was the first private satellite channel to establish uplinking facilities from India, which even Zee and Sony had not done.

     

    Yes, so much was going in favour of Chennai. Advertising was also booming till about two decades ago and from thereon one major advertiser after the other started shifting its base for a variety of reasons. Initially it was not for lack of talent, but for being closer to the larger markets like in automobiles. But over time, Chennai lost its sheen to Bangalore in South and of course to Mumbai, which always was considered the mecca of Indian advertising. Not that Bangalore is doing any better today, but it does have perhaps a few companies like Titan, ITC and UB Group who spend handsomely compared to Chennai-based advertisers. Today many advertisers from Chennai have moved out – Ponds India merged with HUL, Hyundai and Ford went to Delhi/Gurgaon, Henkel got bought and moved to Bangalore and Cavincare shifted out to Mumbai.

     

    It is really the story of the ‘chicken or the egg first’ story. Talent follows work. When work moves out, can talent stay behind? Advertisers deserted Chennai for unsubstantiated reasons. Doesn’t Chennai deserve better!

     

    Srinivasan Swamy is Chairman, R K Swamy Hansa Group

     

  • IAA (India) Seminar on 'Real Estate in a Digitized World' held at the Nashik Engineering Cluster

    Digital the way forward for Realtors, urge experts

    By a correspondent

     

    Google India’s Shashi Tripathi, Head of New Business Sales, and leading marketing services major GroupM’s Trishul Bhumkar, Head of the West Region, Motivator, spoke at the knowledge seminar with the theme ‘Real Estate in a Digitized World’ organized by the International Advertising Association (India Chapter) at the Nashik Engineering Cluster, Nashik, recently.

     

    The seminar was sponsored by ‘Deshdoot’, the leading Marathi daily in North Maharashtra and the Nashik wing of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI).

     

    Ramesh Narayan, veteran advertising professional and IAA India managing committee member delivered the inaugural speech. He stressed the importance of digital media in today’s global market and explained IAA’s focus not just on “good” initiatives but also on bringing quality programs to smaller cities across India. He thanked Janak Sarda, Managing Editor of the Deshdoot Group of Newspapers, and Jayesh Thakker, the president of Nashik CREDAI, for facilitating the seminar.

     

    In his address, Bhumkar explained the work profile of ‘GroupM’ in India and its contribution in Indian market today. While making the realtors aware of the power of advertising, Bhumkar brought it to their notice that sale of the product, consideration of the product by customers, and awareness about it among customers are the three factors which play a key role in growth of any business. Digital media is the only media in which all three can be achieved simultaneously, he said.

     

    He added that among urban population of 34 crore in India, 14 crore people use the internet today not only through computers, but also via mobile phones today. With this backdrop, real estate developers should make their property advertisements digitized to reach maximum number of customers, he said.

     

    Reflecting Bhumkar’s sentiments, Tripathi evaluated the overall possible outputs that real estate developers can achieve in the next few years if they follow this path of the ‘Digitized World.’ He noted that the real estate market in India would double by 2017.

     

    Digital media is the most cost-effective media and its striking USP is that the benefits are easily and clearly measurable, he reiterated. He revealed that there are more than 235 million users of internet in India today. This figure can rise upto 350 million by the next year. And these are mostly English knowing users.

     

    With Indian languages gaining ground on the internet, there will lead to an explosion in the internet population. Thus, internet can be considered as the best medium to reach the maximum number of people today.

     

    Srinivasan Swamy

    Speaking on the success of the Seminar, Srinivasan Swamy, President IAA India Chapter & Vice-President, Development Asia/Pacific said: “We are overwhelmed with the response we received with the Seminar in Nashik and hope to organize many more such efforts beyond the metros in the months ahead.”

     

  • IAA India Chapter hosts Nihal Kaviratne, CBE & Chairman ICI Akzo Nobel at the inaugural IAA Young Turks Forum

    Nihal Kaviratne shares simple home truths at IAA event

    By A Correspondent

     

    “All I can share in this event is the simple home truth which I have learned from my past experience,” said Nihal Kaviratne, CBE, Chairman, Akzo Nobel India while speaking on ‘Asia – Who’s Consuming’ at the inaugural IAA Young Turks Forum conducted by the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter. The bi-monthly series will enable young executives to interact and learn from industry leaders.

     

    The event, held last week saw Kaviratne analysing consumption trends in Asia and then taking questions from a packed hall at the Nehru Centre, Mumbai. Dinesh Pillai, CEO, Mahindra Special Services Group, moderated the interaction. HBO South Asia was the Presenting Partner of the IAA Young Turks Forum.

     

    Kaviratne was cited in the Queen’s 2004 New Year Honours list in the UK and was awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to UK business interests and for sustainable development inIndonesia. In January 2004, he moved from being Chairman of Unilever Indonesia to a regional role in the Unilever Asia Business Group based in Singapore as Senior Vice President – Development & Environmental Affairs. In January 2005, he assumed additional responsibility as Chairman of Unilever’s US$2.5 billion Home & Oral Care business in Asia. Today, Kaviratne is Director of DBS Group & Bank, Star Hub, Singapore Airport Terminal Services Limited (SATS), Wildlife Reserves Singapore and Glaxo Smith Kline Pharmaceuticals Limited. He is a member of the Governing Board of Bombay Mothers & Children Welfare Society.

     

    Welcoming Kaviratne and the audience of young professionals, Srinivasan Swamy, President, IAA India Chapter & VP-Development, IAA Asia Pacific, said that the Young Turks Forum has been a long-felt need of the IAA India Chapter. “We are delighted to have had someone of the stature of Nihal Kaviratne who with wide-ranging global experience to share his mantra for business and success.”

     

    “Given our strong connect with young audiences, HBO is delighted to be associated with this thought exchange platform for youth leaders,” said Monica Tata, Managing Director HBO South Asia, Presenting Partner of the IAA Young Turks Forum.

     

    Manish Advani, Head – Marketing and Public Relations, Mahindra Special Services Group, who is Chair of the IAA Young Turks Forum series added, “The response to the IAA Young Turks Forum is an indicator that such efforts are the need of the hour for young professionals. We are looking forward to have an equally enriching Young Turks Forum event in two months.”

     

    The event also saw Pheroza Bilimoria, former Honorary Secretary of IAA Global as well as past president of IAA India Chapter being honoured by IAA Global with IAA Honorary Life Membership by Srinivasan Swamy.

     

  • Even the winners won't feel the joy of winning as half of the industry is not going to be there, says Piyush Pandey

    Top agencies like O&M, Lowe, McCann, Creativeland to skip Creative Abbys

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta

     

    The seventh edition of India’s advertising festival, Goafest, will be happening minus some big names. Seven of the country’s top advertising agencies – Lowe Lintas, Ogilvy & Mather, Creativeland Asia, McCann Worldgroup, BBDO, Grey and Leo Burnett will not be participating in 2014.

     

    Entries to the festival this year are down 50 percent – last year Goafest had received 4,800 entries across creative and media, but this year it has received around 2,500 so far. That’s despite the introduction of two new categories Promo-Activation and PR, and opening up the awards to entries from broadcasters and publishers.

     

    Srinivasan Swamy

    “I expected the numbers to be down this year,” says Srinivasan Swamy, chairman, Goafest 2014 and chairman & MD of RK Swamy BBDO. “But I believe 2,500 is also a good number to have. I agree that agencies like O&M and Leo Burnett send large number of entries and their absence would bring the numbers down. But we are not badly off,” he adds.

     

    While some of the non-participating agencies have decided to send delegates to the festival, a senior Goafest committee member confirms that this year the number of delegates will be also down by at least 50per cent. While Swamy maintains, “Let’s celebrate people who are participating,” Piyush Pandey, executive chairman, Ogilvy & Mather says, “Even the winners won’t feel the joy of winning as half of the industry is not going to be there.”

     

    Piyush Pandey

    One factor that has played a role in the low participation rate is the timing of the festival. Says a source on the Goafest committee, “Agencies usually got at least two months between Goafest and Cannes Lions to work on their budgets, to decide which entries to send and to decide the team that would represent the agency. But this year since the festival is happening in the last week of May there is hardly any time for agencies to plan.”

     

    All this has only resulted in more flak for the Abbys, the country’s oldest advertising awards which was integrated into Goafest a few years ago. “I think the Abbys was running beautifully till they combined it with Goafest,”says MrPandey. He says that the principle on which the award show was merged with festival was that Ad Club would run the awards and AAAI (Advertising Agencies Association of India) would organise the festival. “But it got muddled somewhere down the line,”he says.

     

    K V Sridhar

    KV Sridhar, the outgoing chief creative officer India subcontinent at Leo Burnett, agrees, saying, “While the festival may have become bigger, there is no doubt that Abbys has lost its credibility.” Mr Pandey in turn believes that Goafest should have taken a break for a year, restructured and reorganised itself and then returned with a bang in 2015. The deadline for entries has been extended to April 28 from April 25, so there doesn’t seem to be much chance that participation will ramp up. But Swamy says that the Goafest committee will be meeting with heads of the non-participating agencies immediately after the festival, to discuss and address their concerns and clear the way for next year’s event.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • 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.