WAVES Create India Challenge: AAAI and MIB host Ad Spend Optimiser hackathon

New Delhi: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting are hosting the Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon as part of the WAVES Create India Challenge Season 1. 

The hackathon aims to bring together industry experts to use predictive analytics to revolutionise ad spend optimisation.

The event has so far garnered 35 registrations, including one international participant. 

The hackathon is part of the Broadcasting & Infotainment pillar of the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES). WAVES is a global event focused on showcasing the future of India’s entertainment industry.

The hackathon invites young advertising and marketing professionals to demonstrate their expertise in ad optimisation. Participants will use data science, machine learning, and statistical modeling to create solutions that help advertisers make data-driven decisions, maximise ROI, and achieve marketing goals.

The hackathon challenges participants to craft innovative ad strategies for TrimMaster, a direct-to-consumer brand specialising in male grooming products. Participants will develop strategies to help TrimMaster elevate its brand awareness from a score of 52 to 75. The budget of the campaign is set at Rs 2 crore. 

People can participate individually or in teams (max 3 members), with a mix of skills in data science, Machine Learning, statistics, software, marketing and advertising. The hackathon is open to professionals from advertising agencies (full service, media, digital) or marketing departments, with at least 1 year of experience. Participants are required to submit their solutions in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.

The winning top 3 individuals and teams will have the opportunity to present their solutions at the WAVES event and receive exciting prizes. AAAI will cover the registration costs for the top 3 to participate in Advertising Festivals/Conferences in India.

Earlier, WAVES and AAAI launched the ‘Make the World Wear Khadi’ challenge. 

Under this challenge, MIB has invited advertising professionals and freelancers to develop innovative campaigns that position Khadi as a global brand. The government has marked this challenge open for international participation as well. The main focus will be to make Khadi a popular fabric within the Indian markets and abroad.

The summit will take place from May 1-4, 2025, at the Jio World Convention Centre & Jio World Gardens in Mumbai.