Sania Mirza, Nawazuddin Siddiqui impart knowledge seminars alongside other industry stalwarts
Early Man Film Pvt. Ltd. bags Grand Prix for Reforest India – The Story of Kaveri
Prasoon Joshi felicitated for his outstanding contribution to media in India
After 3 days of seminars and conclaves by industry experts, crazy parties and evenings filled with delegates screaming their throats hoarse in support of colleagues during the ABBYs presentations Goafest 2018, India’s foremost advertising, media and marketing convention, came to a spectacular conclusion. Xxx was felicitated with the Special Abby, while the National Geographic Green Award went to xxx on Day 3 of Goafest 2018.
Day 3, which was the final day of the festival, saw exciting seminars by Facebook Creative APAC Director Rapha Vasconcellos who had young minds at the fest sitting up in rapt attention during the Keynote Session. Next up, was Samual Aksson, Art Director, Forsman & Bendenfors with a Knowledge Seminar on the three pillars that made his agency an award winning and successful organization – Responsibility, Trust and Courage. Facebook also conducted a workshop for young creatives at Goafest 2018 with Joao Carlos Pestore – Facebook’s Blueprint In-Person Training Team Lead of Asia Pacific.
However, what proved to be the key highlight of the first half of the day was an energetic Knowledge Seminar with none other than India’s pride on the Tennis court – Sania Mirza who stole the show and the hearts of the audience as she spoke about being a girl who plays sports and the disparity between genders in the world of sports. She also spoke about the importance of nurturing a sports culture across India. The second half of the day held as much promise and the first and began with two dynamic Knowledge Seminars by Rosie Yakob, Co-Founder of Genius Steals who spoke about breaking the myth of the Lone Genius and Amelia Conway, Director of Adolescent who focused on creating content for the youth by the youth.
The series of Knowledge Seminars continued with Wain Conway, the Chief Creative Officer of CJ K-Valley taking to the stage to discuss building brand personality. However, Goafest 2018 got everyone intrigued when the next speaker took to the stage to share his creative process – who was none other than one of the finest actors Bollywood has been blessed with in recent times – Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He was quizzed by veteran Bollywood and television artist Annu Kapoor. Needless to say, the session was as interesting as it was informative…oh and it was definitely Instagram worthy.
On the third and the final day of Goafest 2018, Abbys were handed out to deserving winners of Digital & Mobile, Digital Craft, National Geographic Green Award, Special Abby, Promotion/Activation, Radio Craft, Radio, Branded Content & Entertainment, Out of Home & Ambient Media, Still Content, Audio Visual Content and Integrated Abbys. On Day 3, The Social Street emerged at the top of its game with a total of 17 metals in the Creative Abbys. Branded Content and Entertainment Abbys saw Medulla WYP Network winning the most with 4 metals including 2 golds. Dentsu Webchutney took home 8 metals in the Digital and Mobile Abby category. But undoubtedly, the biggest applause of the evening went to none other than Early Man Film Pvt. Ltd. for their outstanding work in the category of Audio Visual Long Form for Reforest India – The Story of Kaveri.
Prasoon Joshi, who has been celebrated across India for his contribution to advertising, films and communications was felicitated with a special award at the Abbys on Day 3 of Goafest 2018. Recognizing his unparalleled contribution to the world of Indian media, the special award is a reaffirmation of the advertising fraternity’s confidence that he will take the power of creativity further and make it a part of the things that matter in a new and resurgent India.
Speaking about Goafest 2018, Nakul Chopra, President – Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) said, “When we started planning for Goafest 2018, our aim was to create a festival filled with knowledge, wisdom, entertainment, fun and which was also a great networking opportunity. The quality of the speakers, the valuable knowledge shared during the seminars, the networking opportunities across these last 3 days and presentation of Abbys that celebrate excellence in creativity is what make Goafest such a unique experience. Goafest is a confluence of creative minds who gather here year on year to connect, communicate and celebrate the amount of hard work that each one of them is putting in to make media, marketing and advertising industries successful. I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of Goafest 2018 for their unrelenting support. And many congratulations to all our winners. You all deserve every bit of all the recognition that has been bestowed upon you by the industry.”
Discussing the Abby Awards to be handed out at Goafest 2018, Vikram Sakhuja, President – The Advertising Club said, “Goafest is a phenomenon that is close to the hearts of the entire media & creative fraternity. Months of hard work by the AAAI and The Advertising Club teams, the Abbys Master Jury, and encouragement from all of you present here has perspired into yet another stellar festival this year. In this 50th year of Abby Awards, we made crucial changes and rationalized categories which just made the Abbys even more coveted. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and also thank the jury for their meticulous and fair evaluation that makes Abby Awards the numero uno recognition of creative mastery in India.”
Ashish Bhasin, Chairman of Goafest 2018 & Vice President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) said, “After witnessing the event over the last three days, I can proudly say we have achieved everything that we had set out to. Not only did we have best of the speakers coming forward to impart learnings to young ones, we also saw ideas being exchanged and people truly enjoying themselves. Over the last three days, Goa has seen some of the most creative minds in India together at one place – meeting, interacting, engaging and celebrating ABBY wins with each other. This is what the true spirit of Goafest is all about. Everyone who is going home with a metal from Goafest 2018 is truly deserving of victory and I congratulate each and every one of them for their incredible wins. It is definitely truly deserved.”
Speaking about the Abbys Awards, Ajay Kakar, Vice President of The Advertising Club and Chairman – Awards Governing Council said, “As we come to the conclusion of Day 3 of Goafest 2018, I would love to take this opportunity to thank the industry stalwarts and youngsters who helped us co-create Abby Awards 2018, courtesy their inputs. A very big thank you also to the industry for sending in entries and their wholehearted participation in the fest this year. I would also like to salute Prasoon Joshi for his contribution to the world of advertising, communications and films and for being a convergence point for mass India through his craft.”
With industry specific conclaves to expert seminars and ABBYs presentations, the Goafest ABBYs 2018 presented by the The Advertising Club and The AAA’ of I has once again set the benchmark high in celebrating excellence in creativity across media platforms and genres.