ASIA-PACIFIC – APRIL 2011 – Goafest 2011, the sixth edition of India’s largest advertising festival and awards, was held last April 5 to 9 at Zuri White Sands Resort in Varca, South Goa.
The festival, themed “Ideas Are All Around Us, Can You Spot One?”, included a “Creativity with Conscience” exhibit where 100 young creative people, under the age of 30, made 10 installation artworks around the venue. Goafest delegates voted for their favorite pieces..
On April 7, delegates gathered for the “Advertising Conclave!” led by BBDO Chairman and MD Srinivasan K. Swamy with the topic “Preparing The Profession For The New Decade”. The conclave covered issues regarding advertising practices and strived to addressed these problems.
The much-awaited Abby Awards were handed out with the Media Awards on April 8 and the Creative Awards on the following day.
Mudra Communication bagged the most number of metals – 37 metals, which includes two Golds, 13 Silvers and 22 Bronzes. The Golds won by the agency for its campaign “Rubik’s Washing Machine” for Electrolux Machine in the Printcraft category , under Print Advertising and Below The Line.
Ogilvy & Mather’s integrated entry “IMC” for Cadbury Dairy Milk gave the agency the sole Grand Prix for the year. In addition, Ogilvy & Mather also bagged five Golds, eight Silvers and 16 Bronzes.
Leo Burnett India went home with nine Bronzes, eight Silvers and three Golds in Radio for the brands Saathi, Bajaj Exhaust Fans and HP Racer 4. Two Golds were given out to McCann Erickson for work for Videocon Zeus and Happydent Waves, both under the category of OOH & Ambient. Moreover, the agency won three Silvers and eleven Bronzes.
Contract Advertising India garnered a total of 14 metals, which includes 11 Bronzes and three Silvers for two of their Cadbury Celebration ads under Integrated and Radio categories and for Del Monte Sauces in the Printcraft category.
Aside from the usual Abby awards, Goafest 2011 also embraced the Festival of Media, Montreux, who hosted the categories “Best Communication Strategy” and “Best Contribution To A Campaign By A Media Owner”. Two of Mediacom’s ads – Gold for Volkswagen Polo and Silver for Skoda Yeti – also won Best Communication Strategy and will represent India in the Festival of Media 2011. There were no awards given for Best Contribution To A Campaign By A Media Owner.
The festival also hosted the first Olive Crown Awards for responsible communication, which was dominated by Dentsu, which was named the Green Agency of the Year
Goafest 2011 was organized by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) together with the Advertising Club Bombay (ACB).
