Goafest 2012 reaches out to advertisers; launches 'Marketing Wizards'

Open to the member companies of the Indian Society of Advertisers, the programme has been introduced to encourage advertiser participation at Goafest.

Goafest 2011 saw the introduction of an initiative targeted at young creative minds in association with Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). This year, too, the summer carnival of Indian advertising has something new up its sleeves.

To encourage increased participation from advertisers, the organising committee for Goafest 2012/02 has announced the launch of a unique programme called 'Marketing Wizards'. This programme will be open for young marketers (under the age of 30 years) from the member companies of the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA).

Arvind Sharma, chairman, Indian sub-continent, Leo Burnett and chairman, Goafest 2012/02, says, "This year, we focus on getting clients to Goafest. We hope to see many more senior marketers and a large contingent of young advertisers at the festival. Marketing Wizards has been created as an initiative to drive young advertisers' participation and ensure that everyone is aware of what is in store for them at Goafest 2012/02.

"The programme will be an ideal platform for marketers to reward their rising stars. Goafest 2012/02 will help them widen their advertising horizons and they will also have a great time at the event."

Under the initiative, each ISA member can nominate up to two rising stars from their marketing teams to experience Goafest. The offer for the marketing professionals from a company will be available at a discounted fee of Rs 6,000, which will cover two nights at a five star hotel, food and beverages, local transportation, access to the seminars and awards shows and more, with no further costs.

Sharma informs that Marketing Wizards is one of the many firsts for this year's edition of Goafest. Other initiatives involve the inclusion of SAARC nations and Grand Prix awards across categories.

"We welcome this initiative from the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Goafest to increase participation of our members and specifically, their rising stars. Successful partnerships between advertisers and their advertising agencies are fundamental to the success of brands. Goafest and the Abbies are a celebration of this success. They are opportunities for our bright young marketers to imbibe and learn," says Bharat Patel, chairman, ISA.

Goafest 2012/02 is being organised by AAAI and Ad Club Bombay and will be held on April 20-21 at the Zuri White Sands in South Goa. The advertising conclave will precede the event on April 19.