AI, agency upheaval and the creative future: insights from India's top ad leaders at Goafest 2025

AI, Agency Shake-ups and the Fight for Relevance: What India’s Ad CEOs Are Watching

Goafest 2025, India’s biggest annual marketing gathering, recently wrapped up in Goa, bringing together over 2,000 professionals. The event highlighted major shifts in the advertising industry, with artificial intelligence taking center stage alongside network consolidations and a creative generational change.

Goafest: The Pulse of Indian Advertising

Organized by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC), Goafest remains a key platform for industry discussions. While network consolidations were quietly noted, the dominant conversation focused on how AI is reshaping advertising and marketing.

Rishad Tobaccowala of Publicis Groupe set the tone early: “AI will be like electricity – essential but not a differentiator – and true advantage will come from human ingenuity.” He emphasized the need to upgrade our “mental operating system,” as the future won’t fit into old frameworks.

Agency Leaders Weigh In

• Jitender Dabas, CEO, Cheil X: Technology is causing seismic shifts in advertising economics and structures globally, including India. When knowledge and craft become freely accessible, agencies must rethink their value proposition. Consolidations mainly serve shareholders rather than industry transformation. Agencies that support clients throughout their entire journey, rather than just the top of the funnel, will gain more traction. Expect a very different landscape at the next Goafest.
• Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, South East & North Asia: India’s rise as the fourth-largest economy signals not just growth but leadership in advertising. The coming decade promises to be defining, as Indian agencies build brands that will drive the country forward.
• Raj Kamble, Founder and CCO, Famous Innovations: Network consolidation has created uncertainty, with creatives often waking up to find themselves working for a different agency. AI and consolidation together are reshaping production and ideation. While the full impact hasn’t hit India yet, a younger generation—over 600 million under 35—are gravitating toward creativity, tech, and new media. This upcoming wave will transform the industry.
• Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner, Enormous: Consolidation is clearing space for more agile, entrepreneurial creative teams. AI is becoming a co-creator, prompting a rethink of storytelling without losing the emotional and cultural connection. Success will come from combining technology with genuine human insight and a deep grasp of Indian culture.
• Dheeraj Sinha, Group CEO – India and South Asia, FCB: Goafest 2025 was a reminder of the industry’s spirit and collective energy. Beyond awards, it offered sessions on creativity, strategy, and personal development. AI is now integrated into workflows, handling everything from storyboarding to ad targeting, freeing creatives to focus on strategy and innovation. Future workflows will demand agility, collaboration, and outcome-driven approaches.
• Amitesh Rao, CEO – South Asia, Leo (Publicis Groupe): The festival showed a healthy, evolving Indian ad industry. Agency participation and quality of work have improved. Conversations revolved around transformation in capabilities, talent, technologies, and business models—signs of an industry adapting actively.

What Marketers Should Take Away

India’s advertising industry is at a crossroads. AI is changing how work gets done, demanding new skills and workflows that blend creativity with technology. Meanwhile, consolidation is redefining agency structures and client relationships.

Marketers should focus on building ecosystems that deliver value across the entire customer journey, not just isolated campaigns. Embracing AI tools for efficiency while preserving human insight will be critical. Staying informed on AI advancements and new agency models can ensure relevance and impact.

For those interested in strengthening their AI skills in marketing, resources like Complete AI Training’s AI certification for marketing specialists offer practical learning paths to stay competitive in this shifting landscape.

Ultimately, the future belongs to agencies and marketers who can combine technology with authentic human connection, agility, and deep cultural understanding. India’s advertising decade is just beginning—and the next few years will be decisive for those ready to evolve.