Goafest Day Two: Panels Explore Inclusive Marketing, Leo Burnett Dominates Digital ABBY Awards
On another striking day in Mumbai, day two of Goafest 2024 continued its mission to inspire and connect the cream of Indian and South Asian creative talent.
As the crowd began to fill the lakeside venue, the day began with a session presented by Sri Adhikari Brothers Networks, IAA, and UNICEF, exploring gender-sensitive marketing.
Moderated by Kranti Gada, the panel included Chandni Shah, Darshana Shah, Kailashnath Adhikari, Rajdeepak Das, and Ram Madhvani. The free ranging conversation tackled gender biases in marketing and media, advocating for inclusive and conscious representation of women.
Chandni Shah discussed the impact of education and media portrayals on women's leadership roles, while Ram Madhvani highlighted the Bechdel test's importance in evaluating gender representation.
Rajdeepak Das emphasised the rise in female education rates, and Kailashnath Adhikari addressed the economic impact of gender inequality. Importantly. the panel provided strategies for brands to authentically engage with diverse audiences, promoting inclusivity and positive change.
Later, Pulkit Trivedi, managing director of Snap Inc. India, discussed Snapchat's success with Gen Z, highlighting its unique features and its safe, creative space for young users. He noted that 75% of Snapchat's user base in India belongs to this demographic.
In a session presented by Sports18 and JioCinema, media agency leaders Ajay Gupte, Anita Kotwani, Tanmay Mohanty, and Vaishali Verma discussed evolving expectations for media client leaders, centering the discussion on the universal challenges faced by leaders.
Vaishali Verma emphasised tailoring client leaders' skills to specific business needs, while Anita Kotwani highlighted the importance of commitment to client profitability. Ajay Gupte discussed the need for adaptability and a client-centric approach, questioning the efficacy of a single point of contact.
"Trust or Bust: Thriving in the Digital World," presented by Malayala Manorama with ASCI, featured a panel including Amit Doshi, Falguni Vasavada, Paras Sharma, and Sharan Hegde, moderated by Manisha Kapoor. They discussed the importance of trust in the digital landscape, highlighting the reciprocal nature of trust between brands and consumers and emphasised the role of financial content creators in building financial awareness and maintaining trust.
Riddhika Sand hosted a masterclass on WhatsApp Business, emphasising its capabilities in enhancing customer engagement and increasing advertising ROI, explaining how agencies can leverage WhatsApp Business to transform digital experiences and drive conversions.
In a seminar presented by Rajasthan Patrika, Indian film icon Zeenat Aman discussed her transition from the silver screen to social media, moderated by RJ Anmol. She shared insights on maintaining authenticity and engaging with audiences in the digital age, emphasising the importance of honesty and sharing genuine stories to resonate with modern audiences.
A panel presented by News 18 Network, featuring industry experts Chandan Mukherjee, Shubhranshu Singh, Sukhleen Aneja, Sandeep Karwa, and Zairus Master, moderated by Delshad Irani, discussed blending traditional and new-age marketing strategies for brand success. Zairus Master emphasised balancing short-term and long-term goals for business growth, while Chandan Mukherjee highlighted the importance of integrating traditional and modern approaches.
Sukhleen Aneja stressed the need for adaptability and humility in marketing strategies.
Towards the end of the day, Ujaya Shakya presented on Nepal's market potential, highlighting its vibrant culture and rising middle-income bracket, emphasising the importance of targeting the youth for brand success and shared success stories of Nepali brands like Arna beer and Goldstar shoes.
In the afternoon’s masterclasses, Lisa Evans and Paul Drake discussed nurturing new talent and fostering creative excellence and Sports18 and JioCinema discussed the rising Indian awareness of the Olympics.
The evening’s ABBY Awards were dominated by Leo Burnett India.
Rajdeepak Das CCO Publicis Groupe South Asia and chairman Leo Burnett South Asia said it was amazing to see success across multiple categories “at the vanguard of transforming business and creativity.”
"The best thing about our win is that we are not winning in one category, but across multiple categories ranging from direct to tech to mobile to digital, and it really shows the depth and variety of work Leo Burnett creates,” Rajdeepak said.
“We are designed to solve human problems for the biggest brands keeping culture at the centre of our efforts."
Leo Burnett won 39 awards, four of them Gold, and was named Transformation Specialist Agency of the Year.
