Goafest 2010: The Freshest shall win

'Survival of the Freshest' is the theme for this year at Goafest, to be held from April 8-10; Colvyn Harris remains the chairman of the festival

As it enters its fifth year, Goafest is clearly looking at refreshing itself, and evidence of this can be found in this year's festival theme - 'Survival of the Freshest'. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club Bombay (ACB) have announced that the advertising and communications festival will be held at Utorda Beach, South Goa, over three days - April 8-10.

Colvyn Harris, chief executive officer, JWT India, and president, AAAI, continues as the chairman of the festival. "We are trying to make the festival bigger, better and fresher," he says. "The endeavour has always been to recognise great work and that shall continue."

Harris adds that the festival's theme has been set in the context of fast-evolving technological trends, where advertisers are being challenged to use clutter-breaking ideas and media. Those who have risen successfully to the challenge and worked towards greater brand building will be rewarded.

Apart from Harris, the festival committee includes Bhaskar Das, president, ACB, Sam Balsara, chairperson and managing director, Madison Communications, Suman Srivastava, chief executive officer, Euro RSCG India, Shashi Sinha, chief executive officer, Lodestar Universal Media and Ajay Chandwani, non-executive director, Percept.

Balsara will chair the Industry Leadership Conclave. Srivastava, Sinha and Chandwani are the co-chairmen of The Knowledge and Learning Seminar, The Media Abby Awards and The Creative Abby Awards, respectively.

The festival will commence with the Industry Leadership Conclave. This year's session - titled '2010: Time to Grow' - will have speakers discussing strategies on the development of brands. Some of the speakers at this year's conclave include George Michaelides, leader, invention, Mindshare Worldwide, Richard Pinder, chief operating officer, Publicis Worldwide and Nick Bailey, creative director, AKQA.

In a press statement on the conclave's theme, Balsara says, "After growing at nearly 20% year-on-year for five years, the advertising market dipped in 2009 by as much as 10%. It is time to grow now, and make up for lost time with sharp strategies and plans to develop brands, markets, creativity, media, markets and research".

The following two days will focus on the Knowledge and Learning Seminars, the Media Abby Awards (on April 9) and Creative Abby Awards (on April 10).

Newer sub-categories have been added to the various categories this year, particularly digital.

"Most changes are the result of observing the latest trends in international festivals like Cannes, One Show etc," explains Chandwani.

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