Between November 20-23, 2005, Singapore plays host to over 1500 delegates from the field of marketing, advertising, media & management at ADASIA - Asia's most significant advertising & marketing communications congress.
Singapore is hosting ADASIA after a gap of 25 years. The last time they hosted the biennial event was in 1980.
Adasia began in 1958 in Japan as 'The First Asian Advertising Conference'.
It was conceived by a prominent group of leaders of the Japanese advertising industry including Mr Hideo Yoshida, President of Dentsu and Mr Domen, President of Ajinomoto, to find a common ground amongst people in the region who desired to sharpen their skills in what was regarded as a largely westernised craft.
The first conference drew 130 Japanese delegates and ten from five other Asian countries for what has since become the most important regular gathering of advertising and marketing professionals in Asia.
At the second event held in 1960, also in Tokyo, it became known as The Asian Advertising Congress. The History of ADASIA provides an interesting insight into the evolution of the Congress and is a reflection of the advertising trends of the time:
-- 1958: Tokyo Japan: To discuss common problems & to pave the way to mutual development
-- 1960: Tokyo, Japan: More advertising, more trade, more prosperity
-- 1962: Manila, The Philippines: More advertising, more trade, more prosperity.
-- 1964: Hong Kong
-- 1966: Taipei, Taiwan: Advertising and Asian Economic Growth
-- 1968: SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA :Towards more effective communication in Asia
-- 1970: NEW DELHI, INDIA: Advertising and the emerging market in Asia
-- 1972: BANGKOK, THAILAND: The constructive role of advertising in Asia
-- 1974: JAKARTA, INDONESIA: Modern advertising and its social responsibilities of change in Asia
-- 1976: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: A10
-- 1978: MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES: Responding to the imperatives of change in Asia
-- 1980: SINGAPORE: Communications towards Asia's 21st century
-- 1982: NEW DELHI, INDIA: Advertising - an essential input for economic growth
-- 1986: SEOUL, KOREA: Advertising - Helping Asia Grow
-- 1986: BANGKOK, THAILAND: Ad-Venture in the Asia Economy
-- 1989: LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Together towards tomorrow
-- 1990: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: ADVERTISING, to power tomorrow's powerhouse: ASIA
-- 1993: TOKYO, JAPAN: A Wind of Change from Asia
-- 1995: BALI, INDONESIA: Uptrend in Asia
-- 1997: MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES: IMAGINASIA
-- 1999: PATTAYA, THAILAND: INNOVASIA
-- 2001: TAIPEI, TAIWAN: From Evolution to Revolution
-- 2003: JAIPUR, INDIA: Break the Rules
-- 2005: Singapore: Winning in Asia
In July 1978, representatives of advertising associations of ten Asian countries including Pakistan in a unanimous decision agreed to set up the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations. This came about as a result of the labours of a working committee which was formed at the 1976 Advertising Congress held in Sydney.
A FEASIBILITY STUDY HAD ESTABLISHED THAT:
-- Advertising and communication practitioners in Asia had indicated their support for an organisation that could promote, protect and develop advertising within the context of conditions and varying cultures prevailing in their regions.
-- The organisation shall function, not for the purpose of governing associations in the various countries that shall constitute the Federation, but for the purpose of planning, co-ordinating and implementing programmes to elevate the standards and viability of advertising in the Asian region.
Mr Antonio Dejoya, Chairman of the Organising Committee, summed up the philosophy as "An Asian Federation must, by its very nature, be a servus populi, a servant of the advertising practitioners in Asia, a planner/doer/co-ordinator of the tasks that must be done rather than as a would-be Asian overlord who might be tempted to infringe upon the prerogatives of individual trade associations or federations in our respective countries".
Held under the auspices of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations, ADASIA has evolved into a symbol of how Asian Advertising has come of age. The days of following western rules for advertising have given way to a new bred of advertising that is purely Asian in its roots. ADASIA also profiles the new breed of creative directors that are sweeping Asia with their brilliance & rewriting Asian Advertising, be it in Thailand, India, Singapore or Pakistan.
SO WHAT DOES ADASIA MEAN TO ADVERTISING PROFESSIONALS?
It firstly provides a global forum where ideas are exchanged, learnings are shared, and new thoughts formulated. It is a forum where relationships are cultivated, boundaries are blurred & differences celebrated. No other moment highlights this more than the deafening applause that greeted the Pakistani delegation from the Indian audience at ADASIA 2003, Jaipur, India. The heart-warming welcome truly reflected the sentiments of the people of both nations.
The bid for ADASIA is a hotly contested affair and reflects the pride each Country takes in being able to host this prestigious event. Adasia2005 is being held in Singapore after a gap of 25 years. India hosted Adasia 2003 in Jaipur after a gap of 21 years. Pakistan is making a bid to host Adasia in Lahore, Pakistan in 2009. The bid will take place at Adasia, Singapore in November 2005.
PAKISTAN TO BID ADASIA 2009:
A large delegation of PAA is proceeding to attend Adasia 2005 in 3rd week of November in Singapore where this bid will take place. Pakistan has also had the privilege of hosting Adasia in 1989 at Lahore, which was a great success.