Goafest 2017 a platform for learning, exchange of ideas and fun, says chairman Ashish Bhasin

It’s time for the advertising, media and marketing professionals to start prepping for Goafest 2017, which is now in its 12th year. With a record number of entries, the three-day event (from April 6-8) will see an awards night on each of the days, as well as knowledge seminars, leadership seminars and industry conclaves.

Ashish Bhasin, Chairman of Goafest, shares what to look out for this year.

Can you tell us what is new in this year’s edition of the Goafest?
Goafest continues to be the apex industry festival that celebrates and acknowledges the success stories in the industry. The three days are marked by learning, exchange of ideas and pure play fun and networking. This year, we have ensured that the festival scales greater highs in terms of engagement and interactivity.

An interesting addition has been the introduction of the Masterclass, which will see the world-famous Yonathan Dominitiz of Mindscapes conducting two classes. The first will be on innovation and the other on creativity. The classes will have limited seating and on a first-come first-served basis.

Also, for the first time ever, we have an award dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating advertisers. The Champions of Excellence Awards will recognise and honour up to six champion advertisers. With this, we have all the people playing an instrumental role in bringing alive the magic we call advertising, assembled and recognised in one place.

Also, it is time to give back to society for all the love and respect given to the advertising and media industry. Thus, we have addressed and brought to the forefront the issue of gender sensitivity through a national search for a multi-media campaign that will aim to mitigate violence against women. The entries will be judged by an elite jury and the winning entry will be produced as a multimedia campaign and released on April 7.

There are also several top-class entertainment acts, sundowners by the sea side with local and national bands, and a lot more bringing in the flavour of Goa into the event. With a range of new initiatives, Goafest 2017 is poised to be a more inclusive and absorbing experience.

How has the response to the festival been this year?

The festival has established itself as one of the top advertising and media events in the country. This year has seen a record number of entries, with more than 150 agencies and companies participating. The process of curation has been enriching and truly inclusive, with the highest number of volunteers involved from across 69 different agencies and companies. I am grateful for the help and response from the entire industry, which shows that when we come together, we can move mountains. The response is indicative of Goafest emerging as one of the largest advertising festivals in the Asia Pacific region.

What is the speaker line-up?

We have ensured a stellar speaker lineup that extends beyond advertising and will bring perspective on a range of subjects and issues. Some of the speakers include the Phogat sisters, author Laura Ries, Sanjay Dutt, Andy Blood from Facebook, Miss Malini, Eric Cruz of AKQA, top global futurologists and several other thought leaders.

We are now moving towards digital India. Will we see its impact on Goafest?

Our industry, in many ways, is the harbinger of change. Hence, it’s important for us to stay ahead of the curve and lead by example. We started getting future-ready in the last edition itself, with the Goafest interactive app, online submission of ABBY awards, etc. This year will see the festival upping the ante. We have already witnessed the start to it with the entry process for the ABBYs going digital. There is an entire social media thrust planned, which will ensure that the festival continues to drive conversations and dialogue. The speaker lineup also has increased participation and representation from the digital space.