Expecting the unexpected this Goafest
While Goafest 2013 has brought with it more than its fair share of controversies, adlanders throw light on what to expect at the festival this year

Goafest seems to be living up to its theme ‘Just what you unexpected’ to the hilt this year, starting with Ogilvy India’s decision to not participate, Bobby Pawar’s exit from JWT India due to the Ford fiasco, followed by Sajan Raj Kurup’s decision (Founder of Creativeland Asia) to step down from the Goafest 2013 Jury and the Awards Governing Council, as a protest against scam ads. Goafest 2013 is upon us with more than its fair share of controversies.
Ogilvy’s absence = other agencies’ gain?
“Having Ogilvy would mean the competition would be much healthier; Ogilvy is like the Sachin Tendulkar of the Indian advertising industry. Having said this, it does not mean that Ogilvy’s metals will be distributed amongst the rest of the agencies. Indian juries are a lot tougher than international juries and need fresh and new work constantly. But having agencies such as Ogilvy in the competition, makes it healthier for all players,” said Santosh Padhi, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder, Taproot India.
Ogilvy India has pulled out from Goafest for the first time; it has been one of the most awarded agencies till date. However, Ogilvy’s absence has not dampened any spirits.
“Advertising as a business has completely changed; one agency dominating all is long gone. One agency not participating does not make a difference because Creative Abbys is a celebration of creativity across all communication forms, not only traditional advertising. Traditional creative advertising agencies are only one sixth or one seventh of Goafest; in addition, there are digital, OOH, media, direct, and branded entertainment agencies as well. This is the age of collaboration and co-creation; have Olympics ever stopped due to absence of any player?,” opined KV Sridhar, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett India and Sub Continent, commenting on Ogilvy India’s absence from Goafest this year.
Who will rule the roost?
On international forum AdFest this year, Taproot India led the pack, followed by McCann Worldgroup India, Grey, and Leo Burnett. McCann Worldgroup India and Leo Burnett India brought home the metals at the 2013 ANDY Awards.
So will Goafest see a repeat of this pattern, with these agencies ruling the roost on the home front as well?
“These agencies will definitely be the ones to watch out for. Some of the other top 10 agencies could also work up a decent tally, if not in the top 3,” shared Arijit Ray, CEO, Dentsu Communications.
While Padhi of Taproot India said, “International and local juries have different criteria of judging altogether. The sensibilities of an international jury are completely different. Unless an idea has universal appeal, along with a local touch, insights and context, it may not get the kind of recognition it gets in one’s own country.”
What’s new?
While predicting the agency that will be awarded the maximum number of accolades at Goafest this year evokes mixed responses, the festival this year has expanded its umbrella of recognition by way of introduction of a Grand Prix for Media, along with nine other verticals from the previous year.
Branded Content and Entertainment is a new vertical that has been added this year to cover original content creation and integration by brands. Six sub categories have been added here to include integration of brand with entertainment content for television, cinema and the digital medium. Both, fictional and non-fictional programmes are covered.
“It is not only Leo Burnett, Mudra and McCann who are in the running; what is stopping a design or digital agency to win? Today what is not digital? This year traditional agencies because of experience and might may still win majority of metals, but in years to come we will see this change drastically,” commented Sridhar.
“All verticals such as Design, Promo and Direct need more confidence to compete in other forums, which they are quickly gaining. Hopefully, among the top ten agencies, we will have three or four non-traditional ones this year. New competition is in the form of new verticals, which is needed for healthy competition,” added Sridhar.
Will the uproar created by the scam ads change the way the industry functions or will the usage of scam ads continue once the fires of the furor created by the Ford – JWT controversy die down? “The JWT incident is a big enough reality-check for the industry to wake up to this deep rooted malaise. I view scam ads as a waste of time for the agency as well as the client,” said Arun Iyer, National Creative Director, Lowe Lintas and Partners. On the other hand, few adlanders remain optimistic, “The whole issue is blown out of proportion. Having said this, it is also important that we start recognising regular work. I am sure Ad Club is ticking all the right boxes before awarding any metals,” said Padhi.
Expected or unexpected, Goafest 2013 promises to be a celebration of communication across media, making way for the new and integrating the old with the new.
Goafest 2013 coverage on exchange4media is presented by Patrika group.
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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