AdAsia 2019 to be held in Dec

KARACHI: The 31st edition of AdAsia 2019 will be organised in Lahore from December 2 to 5. This was announced by AdAsia Organising Committee Chairman Sarmad Ali during the curtain raiser event, held in Karachi on Friday.

Pakistan Advertising Association (PAA) Chairman Ali Mandviwalla was also present on the occasion.

The two industry leaders informed the advertising community, media fraternity, advertisers and marketers about the international stalwarts who have shown their willingness to attend the congress.

AdAsia is the largest and most prestigious advertising congress in Asia, organised biannually since 1958, by the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA).

This is the second time that AdAsia congress is being held in Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan has been invited to inaugurate the event, themed as “Celebrasian: Celebration of Advertising and Creativity in Asia”.

President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi in a special message to the congress delegates and international investors, said, “As Pakistan is now achieving rapid socioeconomic progress, it is the right time to invest and capitalise on the emerging opportunities, while our advertising revenues will increase manifold over the next few years.”

Sarmad Ali said, “It is an honour for Pakistan to host AdAsia 2019 after 30 years. The previous event, held in 1989, was a memorable endeavour that set the course and direction of the advertising industry in Pakistan. This year, we are once again committed to using the congress to carve the way forward for the advertising and marketing communications industry.”

Globally renowned speakers such as UK’s former secretary of state Lord William Hague, CNN’s Chief Business Correspondent Richard Quest, Founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media – Randi Zuckerberg, former marketing director of Manchester United, Peter Draper, Founder of WPP Plc Sir Martin Sorrell, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Burger King Fernando Machado and Head of Innovation at Zenith Media Tom Goodwin, had already confirmed their participation as speakers at AdAsia 2019.