The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC) have announced the much-anticipated return of Goafest to its iconic home in Goa for its 18th edition. Scheduled from May 21 to 23, Goafest 2025 will take place at the Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon, Goa. This year’s festival welcomes Amazon MX Player as the ‘Title Sponsor’.
For the first time ever, Goafest 2025 will introduce the ‘Goafest Village,’ a never-seen-before concept that brings multiple venues and experiences under one roof. Designed to be fluid and adaptable, this edition’s theme, ‘Ignite ______,’ will open the floor to critical conversations that inspire change. The festival will explore various industry facets, igniting discussions around brands, creativity, and consumer engagement.
Goafest has long been South Asia’s premier event for the advertising, media, and marketing industries, celebrating creativity, innovation, and excellence. With a renewed focus on collaboration and transformation, the 2025 edition aims to be more engaging than ever, offering an unparalleled platform for industry leaders, visionaries, and young talent.
A key highlight of the festival will be the prestigious ABBY Awards Powered by One Show 2025, honoring outstanding achievements across advertising and media. Drawing over 2,000 industry professionals annually, Goafest 2025 promises an immersive and dynamic experience, reinforcing its position as the region’s leading creative festival.
Prasanth Kumar, President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India and CEO of GroupM, South Asia, said, “Goafest has always stood as a beacon of creativity, innovation, and connection. After last year’s momentous edition in Mumbai, we are thrilled to return to the vibrant shores of Goa, the birthplace of its illustrious legacy. Centered around this year’s theme, ‘Ignite _____,’ the festival aspires to kindle groundbreaking conversations, ignite visionary perspectives, and illuminate the path forward for advertising and marketing. This edition introduces the Goafest Village—a bold, immersive concept designed as a nexus for collaboration, networking, and the free exchange of ideas. It promises to redefine how the industry comes together to celebrate brilliance and spark meaningful dialogues about the future of our craft. With Amazon MX Player as our Title Sponsor, we anticipate an extraordinary 2025 edition that will truly elevate the festival’s legacy.”
Rana Barua, President of The Advertising Club and Group CEO of Havas India, South East and North Asia, said, “Taking Goafest back to Goa is a celebration in itself. The festival has always been synonymous with creativity, collaboration, and industry excellence. With ‘Ignite_____’ as our theme, we are setting the stage for ideas that push the boundaries of creativity. The ABBY Awards Powered by One Show continue to push boundaries, setting new creative benchmarks year after year. The ABBY Awards Powered by One Show continue to raise the bar, and this year’s edition will be even more inspiring, bringing together the brightest minds in the industry.”
Jaideep Gandhi, Chairman of the Goafest 2025 Organising Committee and Founder, Another Idea, said, “Year on year, Goafest has set new industry benchmarks, gaining prominence beyond South Asia. This year, we introduce Goafest Village, new initiatives and avenues for attendees to connect, engage, learn, and evolve. Staying true to our theme ‘Ignite _____,’ we aim to foster collaboration and elevate India’s creative and marketing ecosystem globally, with Sam Balsara, Sundar Swamy, and Shashi Sinha as the torchbearers, guiding us, inspiring us, and pushing us to make Goafest bigger and better. We look forward to an exciting Goafest 2025.”
Mohit Joshi, Co-chair of the Goafest 2025 Organising Committee and Chief Executive Officer, Havas Media Network India, said, “Technology and data are reshaping advertising, demanding agility, creativity, and purpose. At Goafest 2025, the industry’s sharpest minds will ‘ignite’ powerful conversations – challenging norms, sparking innovation, and shaping the future. We will curate discussions that don’t just inform but transform, fuelling ideas that drive real impact”
Aruna Daryanani, Director, Amazon MX Player said, “At Amazon MX Player, our mission is to deliver high-quality entertainment for free while offering advertisers unmatched reach, engagement, and innovative advertising solutions. Partnering with Goafest 2025 as the Presenting Sponsor is a testament to this commitment. This year’s theme, ‘Ignite ____,’ perfectly aligns with our vision of pushing the boundaries of content and entertainment. Goafest stands as a beacon of excellence in the advertising and media landscape, and we are thrilled to be part of this dynamic celebration of ideas and talent,” said Aruna Daryanani, Director, Amazon MX Player.”
