The 18th edition of Goafest opened Wednesday with sessions on artificial intelligence, brand relevance, and changing industry norms, setting the tone for three days of discussions, entertainment and awards.

Hosted by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club, the festival began with a ceremonial lamp lighting and a performance by singer Mika Singh, as part of a segment presented by Amazon MX Player and powered by Mediakart.

Prasanth Kumar, president of AAAI and CEO of GroupM South Asia, opened the festival and highlighted the growing relevance of tech, media, and creativity coming together. This year also marks the fourth year of collaboration between the ABBY Awards and the international One Show platform.

AI as utility, not differentiator

The first keynote session, “Ignite the Human,” presented by SET India and SAB TV, featured Rishad Tobaccowala, author and senior advisor to Publicis Groupe. Speaking on the theme “Staying Relevant in an Age of Machines,” he said AI’s real impact has yet to be fully understood.

“AI will become like electricity—essential but not a differentiator,” he said, arguing that human intuition, inspiration and inventiveness will define future success. Tobaccowala warned that scale could become a liability in fast-changing environments and urged companies to reassign top talent to build future-facing products and models.

He advised agencies to rethink storytelling with AI and marketers to move beyond efficiency toward full business reinvention. On leadership, he said, “Leaders must stop acting like bosses and start behaving like mentors,” and told young professionals to focus on long-term career decisions. He added that India’s growing influence in tech, media, and talent is one of the most underestimated trends globally.

Kareena Kapoor on career and mindset

The next session, “Ignite Conversations,” featured actress Kareena Kapoor Khan in a fireside chat with host Atika Farooqi. Titled “Main Apni Favourite Hoon: Not Just a Line. A Mindset,” Kapoor spoke about career choices, motherhood, and the need for self-acceptance.

“The line became an extension of how I live,” she said, addressing how it shaped both her public image and personal outlook. She said her post-motherhood projects mark some of her strongest work and called out industry stereotypes around women actors.

Gen Z and brand relevance

The closing session of Day 1, “Ignite the Z Factor,” brought together Spotify India MD Amarjit Singh Batra, Nivea India MD Geetika Mehta and Saregama India MD Vikram Mehra. Moderated by journalist Anuradha Sen Gupta, the panel focused on building brands that matter to Gen Z.

Batra said Gen Z makes up over half of Spotify’s users and that the platform’s growth is closely tied to their preferences. “They want authenticity. They see through sugar-coating,” he said, noting wellness and mental health are top priorities for them as employees.

Mehta said Gen Z is not distracted but discerning. “Their radar for inauthenticity is razor-sharp. Sustainability, purpose, and credibility are expected, not optional,” she said. She added that brands must unlearn traditional tactics and engage directly, including visiting college campuses and holding offline conversations.

Mehra said nearly 80% of Saregama’s digital engagement comes from Gen Z. “Legacy thinking doesn’t work. We’ve handed creative control to younger team members,” he said, adding that celebrity endorsements don’t resonate as much as micro-influencers with shared values.

All three agreed that social media and mobile platforms are key to understanding this audience and that experimentation is necessary to stay relevant.

Scale, sessions and entries

Kumar said Goafest 2025 is focused on transformation across creativity, AI, and marketing. “Ignite is more than a theme—it’s a mandate,” he said. The event will feature more than 60 speakers, 35 sessions and 20 masterclasses.

The ABBY Awards, powered by One Show, received 4,076 entries from 233 companies this year, continuing its effort to raise global recognition and standards in the Indian advertising industry.

Girish Prabhu, head of Amazon Ads India, said innovation and reinvention are essential in today’s media landscape.