Post my joining The Advertising Club Bombay in the year 1998 I got a chance to attend my first AdASIA that was held at Pattaya. It was quite hectic as we were bidding for hosting the event in 2003. Elaborate preparations were made and the Ad Club had mobilised a very strong delegation of 68 professionals. We did succeed and got the event to come back to India after 21 years.
Two years hence in 2001 the mega event was at Taipei. As hosts of 2003 we had the pleasure of hosting the India nite.
The India Nite was one of the highlights of the event with the likes of Dina Hayden and Priyanka Chopra lending their presence. Singing sensation Usha Uthup send the audience in raptures by rendering popular numbers in many a languages. In those difficult times the Ad Club mobilised a delegation of 40 professionals from the Advertising, Media and Marketing fraternity.
In 2003, it was our turn to host the biggest advertising event in Asia. The event held at Jaipur according to many was the best of its kind be it in terms of the speakers or the entertainment filled evenings. It has set very high standards which I am sure others will thrive to live up to.
The best part of AdASIA is it offers a wonderful platform to interact with fellow professionals from the neighbouring countries both formally during the morning sessions at the convention centre and also in an informal set up at the social evenings organised at various venues.
AdASIA is a great opportunity to listen to the best known speakers of the world, meet the biggest names from all the world from the field of Advertising, Marketing, Media, Research and P.R. and establish permanent contacts with them. The exhibition constitutes an integral part of the congress.
The format is so designed that while we have the more serious business of enriching oneself by attending the conferences in the morning there is lot of entertainment in store in the evening that helps to unwind and relax.
By having the event held at different countries there is room to go closer to the people and culture prevailing in the country. Exploring the place is another advantage. The exhibition also is an integral part of the congress.
If you have the keenness to listen to the best, know the global trends in advertising with focus on Asia, where do the Asian countries stand in the business, who amongst Asian countries is on a song and on a solid wicket willingness to interact with the best, develop contacts with the right people then AdASIA is an event that no Advertising professional can afford to miss.
(The writer is G.M.. The Advertising Club Bombay.)