Goafest 2025: What ignited the jury room?

Taking the stage with a jury’s-eye view into this year’s most compelling work, Anupama Ramaswamy, Chief Creative Officer and Joint Managing Director of Havas Creative India, delivered a powerful reflection on the state of purposeful creativity. The campaigns that stood out, she noted, were not just socially conscious. they were narratively bold, rooted in craft, and offered new ways of seeing the world. “Purpose without creativity is just information,” she remarked. “What we looked for was boldness, a new lens, and campaigns that sparked uncomfortable conversations. with elegance.”

Ramaswamy spoke about several entries that moved the room and challenged convention. Among them was Lays and UNA’s 'Farm Equal,' which shed light on the under-recognised role of women in farming through a fresh narrative lens. Reliance’s 'Pink Star Rating' introduced a new global benchmark by creating a safety rating system for women travellers, similar to hotel stars but rooted in social utility. Mahindra’s 'Nanhi Kali' initiative used football to empower young girls and disrupt ingrained gender roles, while Navneet’s Colour Blindness Book addressed inclusivity in education for over a crore Indian children with colour vision deficiency.

She also highlighted Sabhyata’s Diwali campaign, which placed corporate-working mothers at the heart of festive storytelling, a stark departure from conventional homemaker tropes. Vaseline’s campaign for the transgender community stood out not just for its inclusivity but for product innovation that addressed real, unmet needs. Even globally, work like Japan’s surname reform campaign made a quiet yet forceful statement on gender equality by advocating for a woman’s right to choose her last name after marriage.

Through it all, Ramaswamy emphasised that while many of these campaigns dealt with meaningful causes, it was the power and originality of the ideas that truly earned recognition. “They were sharp, human, and executed with craft. They weren’t preaching, they were provoking,” she said.

In her closing remarks, she distilled the session’s core insight with clarity: a big cause might open doors, but it’s the big idea that wins hearts, and awards. The industry, she said, must continue to treat creativity not as an add-on to purpose, but as its greatest multiplier. Creativity, done right, isn’t just reflective of change, it is the catalyst.

Senthil Kumar on Rewatchability and original execution: What makes an ad film stand out

Adding further depth to the jury room perspective, Senthil Kumar, Chief Creative Officer at VML India, brought a filmmaker’s lens to the discussion, focusing on what makes an ad film truly memorable. “The simplest test is this, would you watch that film again?” he said, underscoring the enduring value of rewatchability as a metric of success. His session took a closer look at the top advertising films produced in India over the past year, unpacking what made them resonate with both audiences and jurors.

Among the standouts was the Lahori Jeera film, which Kumar praised for its visual consistency and sharp branding. “Every frame had the brand, it wasn’t just present, it was alive,” he noted, highlighting how narrative integration and product visibility worked hand in hand. He also discussed Veeba’s Desi Chinese spot, where the unexpected twist of Chinese characters adopting Indian habits was both culturally cheeky and communicatively effective. “The soundtrack, the hook, the twist, it all just clicked.”

Kumar pointed to the Snickers campaign featuring Rohit Shetty as a masterclass in execution. “The idea itself wasn’t new, but the way it was done made it feel fresh,” he said, stressing that originality in craft can often elevate even familiar formats. Similarly, Dream11’s star-studded ad featuring actors and cricketers worked because of its dialogue-driven storytelling and character interplay. “It’s the kind of ad that keeps you hooked line after line,” he added.

One campaign that captured the spirit of transformation was Adani’s village electrification ad. With the line “Pehle pankha aayega, phir bijli aayegi,” the film conveyed infrastructural impact with poetic realism. For Kumar, it was a reminder that even corporate campaigns can feel human and grounded when rooted in authentic storytelling.

Together, both sessions offered a layered view into the jury process—one that values purpose, but prizes originality, craft, and memorability above all. Whether through social impact or strong storytelling, the common denominator was clear: creative courage is what truly ignites the room.

Youri Guerassimov on what separates contenders from winners

Continuing the sharp insights from Day 3 of Goafest 2025, another key session that peeled back the layers of awards decision-making came from Youri Guerassimov, President of the Cannes Lions Outdoor Jury and Co-President of Marcel. Titled ‘What Ignited the Jury Room?’, the session offered a candid look at how winning work was debated, dissected, and ultimately chosen.

Guerassimov made one thing clear, “Creativity is everything. But creativity needs to live across platforms.” For work to stand out, the jury looked for ideas that extended across at least three media channels, each serving a distinct, purposeful role. It wasn’t just about checking boxes, but about demonstrating how each medium elevated the idea. “Don’t just use media, show us why this medium matters to your message.”

A strong insight alone isn’t enough if the execution falters. Guerassimov emphasised the need for consistency and craft across every channel. If one touchpoint feels like an afterthought, it can weaken the entire entry. And in the chaos of judging dozens of submissions, clarity counts. “Always include a strong written explanation. Videos don’t always say it all,” he advised, noting that jurors often rely on text to fully grasp complex ideas or regional nuances.

Despite the strong quality of entries this year, Guerassimov admitted that the outdoor category remains incredibly competitive. “This is still a very demanding space. The standard is high, but there’s no singular formula,” he said.

Interestingly, Guerassimov noted that no clear trend emerged from the jury’s selections. Instead, the winners stood out for their originality and intelligent use of media. While many came in with strong ideas, only those that demonstrated smart execution across multiple channels—along with a touch of unexpected creativity, truly ignited the jury room.