Celebrating Adaptability: Highlights from Day 3 of Goafest 2024
May 31, 2024; National: A fresh wave of inspiration swept through the gathering as the curtains rose on Day 3 of Goafest 2024. From thought-provoking knowledge seminars to captivating presentations, the day unfolded with a tapestry of learnings, experiences, creativity, and innovation, embodying the vibrant essence of adaptability. In keeping with the vibrancy of the fest, the day began with a supercharged performance by Harshdeep Kaur, an Indian playback singer, presented by Spotify and powered by B4U Music.
After the captivating performance, the stage was set for a Knowledge Seminar presented by Femina, titled Indian Women Harnessing the Power Of Identity. This panel discussion, curated by Femina, aimed to deconstruct the evolving concepts of identity and narrative among Indian women. Among the esteemed panellists were Shilpa Rao, a renowned Indian Playback Singer, Alankrita Shrivastava, a Filmmaker, Tamannaah Bhatia, Actor; and Prajakta Koli, also known as MostlySane, a leading Content Creator, Actor, and Climate Activist. Guiding the conversation is Ambika Muttoo, Editor-In-Chief of Femina.
In this intensive and informative session, the panellists delved into the complexities surrounding the changing ideas of identity, portrayal and narrative, particularly as they pertained to Indian women. In this discussion about the burgeoning digital landscape, Prajakta underscored the unparalleled opportunities available today, stating, “There has never been a better time to be a pioneer in the digital space.” Highlighting India’s dominant position, she proudly proclaimed, “We are the biggest digital economy.” She also shed light on the critical role of consistency on digital platforms, underscoring its magical impact on success. Reflecting on this conversation, Ambika Muttoo said, “Cliches come from the truth,” reinforcing the timeless relevance of well-worn phrases in capturing genuine insights.
Tamannaah, known for her versatility across various industries and mediums, shared her unique approach to her career. “I didn’t confine myself to any identity. I didn’t put my thoughts and opinions in the way of myself. I want to be a medium and I find a lot of strength in that surrender,” she explained, showcasing her adaptability and open-mindedness. When Ambika inquired about the path to becoming a brand, Tamannaah offered valuable advice drawn from her extensive experience. “If you want to be a brand, you must learn to give first; this is what I have learned from all the brands that I work with,” she stated, highlighting the importance of generosity and contribution in establishing a strong, personal brand.
Through insightful discussions and personal anecdotes, they explored the multifaceted dimensions of identity, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs women face in navigating societal expectations and embracing their authentic selves. The session served as a platform for dialogue and reflection, inspiring audiences to reevaluate perceptions and celebrate the diverse narratives that shaped the identity of Indian women in today’s world.
A yet another insightful Knowledge Seminar was presented by Britannia, titled Secrets of Longevity: Adapting our lifestyles to increase our ‘Healthspan’ with Dr Marcus RannJey – Founder and CEO, Human Edge alongside moderator – Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Groupe, South Asia. Dr Marcus Ranney, a renowned longevity physician, highlighted the paradox of modern healthcare. “We’re living 19 years longer than what we were in the 1950s owing to many factors; however, even though we’re living longer, the problem with that is that we’re living sicker,” he remarked, underscoring a growing concern in public health. He also delineated the evolution of medical practice from era 1.0 to the current 3.0. “We’re moving from medicine era 1.0, to 2.0 and now we’re entering medicine 3.0 – preventive, proactive, personalised and participatory,” he explained. This new era of medicine focuses on preventing illness before it starts, actively engaging individuals in their health decisions, and tailoring treatments to individual needs.
He also spoke about the emerging field of biohacking, offering practical advice on mitigating the adverse effects of blue light exposure and promoting overall well-being. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of physical activity, suggesting that walking around 8,000 steps daily is ideal for maintaining good health. Dr Ranney’s insights provide a compelling vision for the future of healthcare, one that is preventive, proactive, personalised and participatory. This session delved into the secrets of longevity, exploring ways to adapt lifestyles for a healthier and more fulfilling ‘Healthspan.’ Attendees were treated to insights on wellness practices and lifestyle adjustments from Dr Marcus Ranney, while Anupriya Acharya guided the conversation, facilitating a dialogue on the importance of holistic health and its implications for individuals and society alike.
Following that, attendees were treated to a keynote address by WhatsApp titled Do More With Conversations, delivered by Gaurav Jeet Singh, Head of Agency Business, India, at Meta. “One billion people message with businesses every week,” he noted, illustrating the massive scale of this communication trend. Recognising the potential for more meaningful engagement, he revealed that WhatsApp is actively working to enhance the interactivity of these business exchanges.
Efforts by WhatsApp, including driving value, leads, sales and customer engagement among others aim to transform simple messages into rich, interactive experiences, fostering better customer service and more dynamic business relationships. Mr Singh also reinforced his claim with numerous anecdotes and examples from various brands. As this platform continues to evolve, such advancements are poised to significantly impact how businesses connect with their customers, enhancing both efficiency and user experience.
Day 3 of Goafest 2024 also witnessed the WARC masterclass on The Anatomy of Effectiveness presented by Sujeet Kulkarni, apprising the attendees on the incorporation of effectiveness in work and life. He began by asking the audience about their idea of effectiveness, after which, he defined it as having two components: “Advertising that delivers on its objectives, and advertising that delivers commercial returns,” – the latter point being especially important today. As the global authority on marketing effectiveness, WARC has designed five building blocks of effectiveness. The first block is investing for growth, second is balancing one’s spending, third planning for reach, the fourth, being creative, and the fifth building block is to plan for recognition.
Thereafter, the attendees witnessed an enriching masterclass by WhatsApp on Meta Creative Shop x WhatsApp: Getting Creative with Conversations, presented by Varun Goswami. He emphasised how quality and creative content could create a greater impact in helping brands grow. With over 600 million users, WhatsApp undeniably offers significant potential for brands. He discussed the platform’s exciting creative and branding opportunities, focusing on multidimensional storytelling that extends beyond messaging. He highlighted several tools that WhatsApp and Meta use, such as the AI companion, personalised content, advertisements, reels, feeds, stories, and more. Varun also discussed the importance of making the user experience fun, interactive, and meaningful, ensuring that it feels more human and encourages users to return.
Jo Jackson, CEO of D&AD, delivered a masterclass on Unpacking Brand Iconicity focusing on creating iconic brands and highlighting the rigorous standards of the D&AD awards, which attract 30,000 global entries. She emphasised D&AD’s commitment to nurturing talent through initiatives like D&AD New Blood and D&AD Shift, supporting creatives from underrepresented backgrounds. Jackson noted that 72% of 270 Shifters are now employed in creative roles, underscoring the “Win One, Teach One” mentorship ethos.
Jackson introduced ‘ownable iconicity’, where brands are identified solely through visual elements, demonstrated with a half-image activity featuring brands like McDonald’s and Oreo. Citing the Be Distinctive report, she stressed that only 15% of brand assets are truly distinctive. In 2025, $4.7 trillion will be spent on marketing, with 85% funding non-distinctive brand assets. The jury emphasised clarity in messaging for brand recognition, noting, “Iconicity is the key. To engage the audience, Jackson used QR codes to reveal the essence of brands like Lego and IKEA in three words, highlighting the importance of a brand’s essence in establishing its iconic status.
Read more: Goafest 2024 | “Do More With Conversations” by Gaurav Jeet Singh
Goafest 2024 | Day 2 – Wrap Up Adaptability in Action
May 30, 2024; National: The second half of Day 2 had yet another Knowledge Seminar in store, presented by Rajasthan Patrika, titled A Story Of Adaptability: From the Silver Screen to the Mobile Screen with Zeenat Aman, Indian Film Actress and Moderator, RJ Anmol. The audience was treated to an insightful journey through the evolution of storytelling in the digital age, as Aman shared her experiences of transitioning from the silver screen to the mobile screen. Anmol posed a question to Zeenat Aman, recalling a time when no one was willing to play Dev Anand’s sister. He asked how she adapted from playing Janice to playing Rupa. Zeenat responded by emphasising the importance of believing in what you do and giving it your all.
Zeenat also reflected on her transition from the silver screen to social media. She started her social media journey a year ago, valuing her privacy after being thrust into the limelight during her heyday. “I was quite overwhelmed by the response I received on social media; it was unexpected!” she said. Notably, she achieved an engagement rate of 16.6% last year, surpassing Jennifer Aniston and Kareena Kapoor Khan. Zeenat also stressed the importance of honesty and being forthcoming. She spoke about the relevance of sharing thoughts and experiences that resonate with the times, noting that people appreciate listening to genuine stories. The session offered invaluable insights into the art of adaptability in the ever-changing entertainment landscape.
Following the Fireside Chat, the next Knowledge Seminar was presented by News 18 Network, titled Marketing Adaptability: Blending Traditional And New-Age Marketing For Brand Success, featuring a distinguished panel of industry specialists. Among the esteemed speakers were Chandan Mukherjee, Director & Executive Vice President at Nestle; Shubhranshu Singh, Chief Marketing Officer of Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles; Sukhleen Aneja, Chief Executive Officer of The Good Glamm Group; Sandeep Karwa, Vice President, Monetization at Flipkart; and Zairus Master, Chief Business Officer at Honasa Consumer Ltd. Conducting the discussion was Delshad Irani, Editor of Storyboard 18.
Zairus, through this conversation, addressed the prevalent issue of emerging brands being overly fixated on short-term goals, long-term goals and the apparent divide, stressing the importance of balancing short-term and long-term objectives. He emphasised the overarching goal of building brands and the necessity of acting swiftly to achieve business growth. “There is only one objective and action which is to create business,” he affirmed. Thereafter, Chandan underscored the importance of fundamental principles, such as understanding consumers and the brand and utilising various integrations to achieve objectives. He noted the evolving nature of brands in today’s dynamic landscape, highlighting their ability to redefine and stretch boundaries. Chandan also touched upon the rapid digital penetration and technological advancements, urging against drawing distinctions between traditional and modern approaches. Sukhleen, while addressing the audience said, “Fundamentally, if we have to grow, we have to keep adapting and manage the pace of change, while keeping our humility in check.”
In this informative session, the panel delved into the fusion of traditional and new-age marketing strategies for brand success. With a focus on adaptability in an ever-evolving market landscape, the speakers shared their insights on blending time-tested marketing approaches with innovative techniques to stay ahead of the curve. From leveraging digital platforms to harnessing the power of storytelling, the session provided attendees with actionable strategies to navigate the complexities of modern marketing and drive meaningful impact for their brands.
It was then time to rock and roll with Advertising Rocks!; presented by Mastiii and powered by MIQ. Advertising Rocks is a one-of-a-kind musical contest that provides a platform for numerous members of the advertising, media and marketing fraternity to showcase their talents and rock the stage. Stealing the show in first place in the Solo – Indian and Solo – International category were Nishant Patil from Logicserve Digital Pvt. Ltd., and Bodhisattwa Banerjee from VML India, respectively.
The second half of Day 2 of Goafest 2024 began with an informative masterclass by Flipkart Ads, on the topic Flipkart IRIS: Winning the e-commerce game with deep analytics. Khushagra introduced the “new hero and friend in the market” – Flipkart IRIS (Insights and Research Intelligence System). His colleague Saksham continued the masterclass, stating that Flipkart IRIS essentially elaborates the marketing funnel, and can process petabytes of data weekly. One of its salient features is its homepage, which gives an overview of a brand’s performance, vis-à-vis leaders as well as competitors. This masterclass left the attendees with constructive insights into achieving success in the e-commerce market today with the help of Flipkart IRIS.
Following this, a masterclass by Spotify, presented by Shraddha Shetty, provided attendees with invaluable knowledge on Unlocking Spotify: Innovation Beyond Audio, revealing that Spotify is more than just an audio platform. She highlighted its highly engaging and immersive environment, making it ideal for brand advertising. Shraddha emphasised the importance of compelling storytelling, especially given the short attention spans of audiences. She concluded by stressing the future of Spotify as a blend of sound and sight, encouraging brands to focus on imagination, human-like communication, and contextual relevance.
The day concluded with a D&AD masterclass where Paul Drake, introduced ‘Win One, Teach One’ at the Trend Immersion Workshop, which emphasised on nurturing new talent in the creative industry through initiatives like D&AD New Blood and D&AD Shift. Notably, 270 Shifters have completed the program, with 72% now employed in creative roles across sectors. Drake explored trends like ‘Pay It Forward’, ‘Open Source Casting’, and ‘Ownable Iconicity’, highlighting the ‘Awe Economy’ and extreme responses as key drivers. He quoted Arthur Schopenhauer on stress innovative thinking and discussed distinguishing between trends and fads, showcasing examples like Pokemon Go and Fortnite. Participants engaged in interactive activities and viewed videos like Pharrell Williams’ ‘Cash In Cash Out’ to learn about trend applications. The workshop emphasised humour, awe, and authenticity while prioritising the product. Overall, it emphasised innovative thinking and strategic foresight in navigating trends within the creative industry.
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Read More: Goafest 2024 Day 2 First Half Wrap-Up Delivers Strategies for Adaptation and Innovation