Sri Adhikari Brothers Networks – Dhamaal presented the first seminar of the day in collaboration with the International Advertising Association (IAA) and UNICEF. The session was called Gender-Sensitive Marketing: Navigating The New Consumer Landscape. The speakers covered the intricacies of gender-sensitive marketing. Chandni Shah (chief operating officer at FCB Kinnect) discussed the portrayal of gender in education and its impact on leadership positions. She emphasises the need for women to support and nurture each other. 

Ram Madhvani (filmmaker, producer, and founder of Equinox Films and Ram Madhvani Films) spoke of the Bechdel-Wallace test. He highlighted its importance in the authentic portrayal of women in fiction. Rajdeepak Das (chief creative officer of Publicis Groupe South Asia and chairman of Leo Burnett South Asia) highlighted the significant increase in the rate of female education over the decades and the transformative power of mentoring in empowering women.

In a keynote address, Pulkit Trivedi, the managing director of Snap Inc India, spoke about how Snapchat emerged as a preferred platform for young India. He highlighted the platform's unique features, illustrating its resonance with the demographic and its role in shaping digital culture. 

After this, Sports18 and JioCinema presented a panel discussion titled Media Agencies Panel — The Changing Expectations from a Media Client Leader, and the Challenges in Getting There. Through dialogue and shared experiences, the panelists delved into the landscape of media agencies, offering perspectives on how leaders navigate industry shifts while striving for excellence. From adapting to emerging technologies and addressing changing consumer behaviour to having a client-centric attitude to display ownership and accountability, the session provided insights into the strategies and approaches required to succeed in today's fast-paced media environment.

Day two of Goafest 2024 also included a masterclass by WhatsApp on Agency Exclusive: Drive growth across the customer journey with WhatsApp, presented by Riddhika Sand. The session spotlighted the WhatsApp Business platform and its features. Riddhika spoke about how Whatsapp Business is designed to supercharge customer journeys. “Today, around one billion people are using messaging businesses and 90.4% of online adults in India message with businesses at least once a week”, said Riddhika Sand.

The second half of the day had another seminar, presented by Rajasthan Patrika, titled A Story Of Adaptability: From the Silver Screen to the Mobile Screen with actress Zeenat Aman and moderator, RJ Anmol. Aman shared her experiences of transitioning to the mobile screen. Another panel was conducted by the News 18 Network — Marketing Adaptability: Blending Traditional And New-Age Marketing For Brand Success, featuring a panel of industry experts. In this session, the panelists discussed the fusion of traditional and new-age marketing strategies for brand success.

Day two wrapped up with the 2024 edition of the Abby Awards. Some notable winners in the design category included AutumnWinter Communication and Design (merit for brochures, catalogues, and annual reports category for Peppermint’s digital detox catalogue), and Fundamental and The Hindu Group in the merit for publications, books, diaries, newspapers, magazines categories (for Prepladder — Cut the noise and The science behind Neeraj Chopra’s skills, respectively). Stark Communications (for Nila Fruit Wines) and The Dallas Company (for Woodside Burger Shop) won merits for packaging design. VML India won a merit for sustainable packaging for their Go Beyond Sameness Packaging for Apollo Tramplr Tyres. 

The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC) are co-hosting Goafest, one of India’s most prominent advertising and marketing festivals. The event is at The Westin Powai Lake from 29 to 31 May 2024.