If Goafest were scripted for television or built for the internet, it would probably be impossible to categorise. One part workplace sitcom, one part reality competition, one-part chaotic group chat, the festival continues to inspire young industry talent in ways that go far beyond panel discussions and award nights. For Day 2 of our Young Guns coverage, we asked attendees a simple question: If Goafest was a daily soap or an internet show, what would it be called? Unsurprisingly, the answers came packed with humour, insight, and just the right amount of advertising drama.
Dhairya Varma
Senior Executive, Planning and Strategy, Madison Media
“It would be called Shark Tank: Pitches Meet Pitchers. In a world full of pitches, agencies and clients usually meet across boardrooms, deadlines, and fierce competition. But at Goafest, the decks are down and the pitchers are up. This trailblazing event celebrates that rare moment where seeming rivals party together as friends, conversations replace competition, and the industry comes together to network, unwind, and connect beyond the chaos.”
Shana Anna Richardson
Associate Creative Director, Art, Social Beat
“I’d think of Goafest as a witty, warm miniseries called How I Met Your Next Big Idea. It’s a workplace comedy where a bunch of quirky colleagues travel to Goa hoping for inspiration, but mostly return with sunburn, mild dehydration, and one genuinely brilliant line written at 3:20 am that changes their lives.”
Jilu Tess Jose
Group Creative Partner, Copy, tgthr
“I’d call it What Happens in Goa, Never Stays in Goa. Never have I ever seen anyone attend Goafest and come back with no story to tell. In fact, the stories travel faster than your flight back home. The edifying ones, the inspiring ones, and the can’t-tell-your-manager ones. Goafest may only last three days, but the experience stays with you long after you’ve left.”
Soham Ghosh
Associate Creative Director, Enormous
“Goafest is basically Shark Tank for young creatives. You win a metal, and suddenly senior folks across agencies start noticing you, talking to you, and sometimes even ‘investing’ in you with a great offer.”
- Compiled by Anaum Shaikh
