Goafest 2025 kicks off with record entries, new format, global energy

Goa: India’s largest advertising and media festival returns with a bold new vision and over 4,000 Abby entries, a Cannes Lions-inspired village format, and a powerful mix of business, creativity, and culture.

Goafest 2025 opens on Wednesday at Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon with its most expansive edition yet, promising an immersive three-day celebration of creativity, marketing, media, and future-facing ideas.

Organised by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club, this 18th edition reimagines the festival experience, embracing a new "Goafest Village" layout designed to inspire engagement, discovery, and collaboration, similar to the vibrant setup of the Cannes Lions.

Themed IGNITE___, the event spans May 21 to 23 and brings together the brightest names across advertising, media, technology, entertainment, and content creation under one sprawling beachfront venue.

The festival also plays host to the 56th Abby Awards, which has smashed records with 4,076 entries—2,678 in Creative and 1,398 in Media—from 233 organisations including agencies, digital firms, publishers, and broadcasters. A total of 1,756 campaigns have been shortlisted.

“This is probably one of the most packed and prestigious editions of the Abby Awards ever,” said Rana Barua, President, The Advertising Club and Group CEO, Havas India. “The industry is back with full force—from network giants to regional independents.”

Now in its fourth year of collaboration with The One Show, the Abby Awards 2025 continues its efforts to blend global benchmarks with local creative excellence.

The judging process saw participation from 401 jurors, including 25 jury chairs, with 35% female representation. International advertising leaders like Youri Guerassimov (Marcel Paris), Bjorn Stahl (Uncommon), and Francesco Poletti (Le Pub) are not only judging but will also lead special “jury chair sessions,” offering insight into trends and evaluation frameworks.

Ajay Kakar, Chairman of the Awards Governing Council, reaffirmed the Abbys' industry-first character, saying, “The numbers speak volumes. The enthusiasm shows the Abby Awards remain the gold standard in Indian advertising.”

The awards now span 47 categories (23 Creative and 24 Media), including new Media segments for Small Budget Big Impact, Sports Marketing, and Micro Marketing. Digital-first work and innovation in formats like AI, AR/VR, and podcasts are now formally recognised.

A festival beyond panels

Goafest 2025 marks a significant shift in its structure and scale. For the first time, the event will take place in a specially designed village-style setup at Taj Cidade de Goa, inspired by the experiential sprawl of Cannes Lions.

“This year, it’s all about meaningful experiences,” said Mohit Joshi, Co-chair of the Goafest Organising Committee and CEO, Havas Media Network India. “We’ve created an entire village where multiple experiences happen in parallel—AI, sports, wellness, panels, learning—all under one sky.”

Among the new additions is Advertising Plays, a sports and wellness initiative offering casual inter-agency competitions in table tennis, chess, carrom, darts, arm wrestling, and more. Morning yoga sessions and beach walkathons will add a holistic wellness layer to the programming.

Thought leadership and big names

Goafest 2025 boasts over 35 sessions, 20+ masterclasses, and more than 60 speakers across the three days. The line-up includes celebrated names like:

• Rishad Tobaccowala, Global Strategist & Author
• Youri Guerassimov, CEO, Marcel Paris
• Prasoon Joshi, Chairman, McCann
• Amarjit Singh Batra, MD, Spotify India
• Geetika Mehta, MD, Nivea India
• Vikram Mehra, MD, Saregama
• P.G. Aditiya, Chief Creative Officer, Talented
• Leaders from Tata Motors, Swiggy, HUL, Marico, DS Group, and more

Entertainment and celebrity guests will include Kareena Kapoor Khan, Gautam Gambhir, Luke Coutinho, and Mika Singh (who will headline a musical performance), alongside directors like Ram Madhvani and Vivek Anchalia, who’s set to launch India’s first AI-generated film.

Youth, mentorship, and future readiness

In a bid to bridge the gap between the classroom and the boardroom, the organisers are launching Goafresh—a new mentorship IP focused on upskilling and inspiring young talent. Students from MICA, Symbiosis, Miami Ad School, and Loyola College will participate in special sessions curated just for them.

Workshops by D&AD and masterclasses from professionals across Google, Meta, Earthday.org, Media Kart, and others aim to deliver practical knowledge and skill enhancement.

“As an industry body, our responsibility is to nurture new talent,” said Jaideep Gandhi, Chairman, Goafest Organising Committee. “This isn’t just about hiring; it’s about inspiring.”

Amazon MX Player is the title sponsor of Goafest 2025. Media Kart powers the Abby Awards. The event is backed by partners like LinkedIn, SET India, JioStar, Truecaller, Times Network, ShareChat, Dainik Jagran, Network18, Sakal Media, Rajasthan Patrika, and others.

All major industry bodies—including ASCI, IAA, IOAA, AFAA, MRSI, and WARC—will converge at the venue, with WARC set to launch a special India-focused report during the event.

Despite recent global caution in sponsorships, the festival has seen strong support. “There’s no ‘you’ or ‘me’ at Goafest—it’s us,” said Gandhi. “Every part of the media and marketing ecosystem is coming together.”