Goafest 2024: Relocating to Mumbai & Evolving Dynamics in India's Advertising Landscape

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Entertainment | April 16, 2024 | News

Goafest 2024 The Advertising Agencies Association of India

The 17th edition of Goafest, encompassing the esteemed ABBY awards, is scheduled to occur on May 30 and 31, 2024. India's premier advertising festival is poised to relocate from Goa to Mumbai due to the impending General Elections. Goafest 2024 is anticipated to transition from a three-day affair to a compressed two-day event, as per sources within the industry.

Co-hosted by The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club, Goafest 2024 in Mumbai is poised to be a two-day spectacle, showcasing the epitome of creativity, knowledge, and networking within the advertising, marketing, and media sectors. An official announcement from the organizers is anticipated shortly.

With an annual attendance of over 2000 industry professionals, Goafest organizers were expecting heightened participation, particularly from advertisers, this year. Given the concentration of top advertisers and agencies in the financial capital, Goafest 2024 may witness a substantial uptick in participation from both sectors. The festival serves as a platform for education, recognition, and celebration.

Historically, the festival has grappled with controversies surrounding fraudulent advertisements and judging procedures, leading to boycotts by prominent agencies like Ogilvy. There has been ongoing debate regarding relocating the Abby awards back to Mumbai.

After nine years, amidst a pandemic and numerous discussions regarding the event's quality and purpose, several top agencies that previously abstained returned for the 2023 edition. Additionally, the Abby awards forged a partnership with the globally renowned One Show, resulting in increased agency participation and a notable rise in delegate numbers and entries. The ABBY One Show Awards 2023 received a total of 2282 entries, compared to approximately 2000 in 2022, with 181 companies submitting entries for the Creative ABBY 2023.

The 2023 edition also saw a more robust presence of clients and brand leaders from organizations such as ITC, Colgate, Google, Swiggy, and HDFC Bank, among others. Organizers pledged to make the awards and festival more pertinent to a new generation of agencies, talent, and clients, which materialized in the success of the 2023 festival.