Goafest 2025 kicks off with focus on creativity, relevance in the age of AI, brand building; Kareena Kapoor Khan attends

The 18th edition of Goafest hosted by Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC) raised its curtains on 21 May 2025 at Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon, Goa. 

The three-day event kickstarted with an energetic performance by iconic singer Mika Singh, followed by the members of the organising committee coming together for the ceremonial lamp lighting. To begin the first day of Goafest 2025, AAAI president and GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar addressed the audience highlighting this year’s theme: Ignite __  which aims to unlock critical conversations that spark change and focus on collaboration and transformation. He explained that they have kept it open ended as they want to decipher the event in their own way whether in terms of creativity, sustainability or adopting with changing times. 

Prasanth Kumar

“Goafest is a space where boundaries dissolve, ideas spark, and the future is exposed. Ignite is more than just a word. It is a mandate. It is about sparking conversations that matter, fueling ideas that transform, and enlightening the way forward in a rapidly evolving landscape,” said Kumar. “This year, we have curated Goafest 2025 to be more immersive, more inclusive, and more transformative than ever before. With 60+ speakers, 35+ sessions, 20+ masterclasses, dynamic panel discussions, we will explore every dimension of creativity and innovation, from brand building and data-driven marketing, to the limitless potential of AI and digital technology.”

 The first session presented by SET India & SAB TV, titled “Staying Relevant in an Age of Machines” was conducted by author and Publicis Groupe senior advisor Rishad Tobaccowala. He emphasised the importance of human intelligence (H.I) even in the times of increased use of artificial intelligence (A.I). He further elaborates HI as human ingenuity, intuition, interaction, inspiration and inventiveness.

“When everybody has the same knowledge, same data, the differentiating factor would be storytelling,” said Tobaccowala.

The next session by festival’s title sponsor Amazon MX Player witnessed Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan engage in a fireside chat titled ‘Main Apni Favourite Brand Hoon:Not Just a Line. A Mindset’. The discussion was helmed by ⁠celebrity host, performer, and producer Atika Farooqi. 

L-R:Kareena Kapoor Khan and Atika Farooqi

Khan feels elated how the one-liner “Main apni favourite hoon” from her film Jab We Met (2007) has become iconic. “That line has changed not just my career, but also my life. It’s a philosophy of self-love and self-care. When you love yourself, you can give love to others—your family, fans, and characters,” Khan shared.

Moving ahead, a panel discussion titled ‘Swipe Right for Relevance: Building Brands Gen Z Cares About’ was powered by Whisper World in Association with Eenadu. The speakers were Spotify India MD Amarjit Singh Batra, Nivea India MD Geetika Mehta and Saregama India MD Vikram Mehra. The session was moderated by independent journalist and producer Anuradha SenGupta.

The session witnessed an engaging conversation around building brand relevance for Gen Z—arguably the most scrutinised, segmented, and digitally native generation yet. The session brought together three industry leaders who shared real-world insights on what Gen Z values, how they interact with brands, and the challenges of winning their loyalty.

As the day came to a close, Abby Awards 2025, Publisher and Media Abby was presented by Amazon MX Player, powered by Mediakart & co powered by ZEE. This year’s event also celebrated the fourth year of collaboration between The ABBY Awards and One Show.

Day one of Goafest 2025 ended with a gala dinner and an after hours party with DJ SLG. Goafest 2025 is being held from 22 to 23 May at the Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon, Goa.

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