The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Advertising Club Bombay are hoping that the scale of Adfest 2009 is comparable with last year’s event, despite the slowing economy and a 16.6 per cent dip in registrations.

The Goa Adfest is a three-day event with a conclave, seminars, awards, knowledge sharing and learning, and entertainment. This year, the event will be hosted from April 2 to 4.

Registrations have dipped 20 per cent, at 2,500, compared with 3,000 in Adfest 2008. However, “the agency participation in nominating their works for creative and media awards is higher by 10 per cent as compared with last year,” said Colvyn Harris, CEO, JWT.

Leading agencies like JWT and Rediffussion Y&R, which are sending close to 250 and 200 participants each, respectively, have the delegates bearing the cost of travel and stay with the company. Besides, agencies like Mudra — which has registered the third-highest number of delegates at 125 — are sponsoring registration, travel and stay costs of delegates.

The 2009 edition, which has a registration fee of Rs 9,000, has added an international flavour, with four global speakers — Sir John Hegarty, chairman & worldwide creative director of Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH); Jean-Marie Dru, chairman, TBWA; Sean Finnegan, chief media officer, Vibrant Media; and Dan Wieden, founder, Wieden+Kennedy.

Airtel, Videocon, Google, Just In Vogue and Nirmal Lifestyle are some of this year’s sponsors. The event will also have a rain dance on the 5th with DJ Ashrafi, along with dholwalas during the day, followed by a live band performance by Jalebi Cartel at night.

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