For 80 years, AAAI has played a meaningful role in a dynamic industry: Sam Balsara

At the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), Sam Balsara, Chairman of Madison World, reflected on the association’s eight-decade journey, tracing its evolution from its origins in Kolkata to its eventual move to Mumbai, and highlighting the pivotal role it has played in shaping India’s advertising industry. Speaking at the milestone event, Balsara recounted AAAI’s efforts in navigating industry disputes, strengthening broadcaster-agency relations, engaging with the government on policy matters, and launching initiatives such as Goafest, which he described as one of the association’s most successful projects.

Here is his full speech:

Thank you for asking me to speak on this momentous occasion. 80 years of continuous engagement is no small matter for an Association to have survived and played a meaningful role in a dynamic industry that is changing earlier by the decade, and now by the day.

I wonder how many of you know that AAAI started in Kolkata, like the East India Company, which was then the headquarters of advertising or in fact all commerce. And also, all things culturally significant. No wonder even today you have so many creative directors who are Bengalis.

A growing organization always responds to changing circumstances and so did AAAI who in the 1980, after 35 years in Kolkata, moved to Bombay. A wise move no doubt.

Madison born in March 1988 became a member of AAAI in 1989 and thereafter was invited to be on the Executive Committee. After 7 years on the Executive Committee, I became the President in July 2002 for 2 years and during my Presidentship a storm arose. At that time there was only one class of members and the dispute was; Can Agencies handle only the media business of the Client, without also handling Creative. The dispute ultimately got resolved, when Ram Sehgal was the President, and when both Ram and Goutam met me for a drink and told me that I could continue with media alone business. Thereafter in 2009 AAAI introduced 3 types of memberships – Full-Service Agency, Creative Agency and Media Agency, and now a 4^th one added which is Digital.

When IBF, the Broadcasters Association wanted to follow an accreditation process, we opposed it and got our way with IBF agreeing to make all AAAI members automatically accredited. One of the most successful sub-committees in recent times has been the IBF-AAAI sub-committee, who met for almost 20 years non-stop, 235 sessions, every month, to sort out delayed payments until the Competition Commission  happened.

The government much against its stated policy of more governance, less government, has increasingly played a role in advertising matters through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The AAAI as the single body representing the advertising agencies/industry served a useful purpose of dealing with the government. TV News, no doubt plays an important role in a politician’s life, and currently the government has issued several notifications on the issue of how BARC, a body in which AAAI has 20% ownership should operate.  Though I whole heartedly endorse the government’s view on cross media measurement, which is much overdue.

No doubt, Goafest started when Sundar Swamy was President and Arvind  Sharma as Chairman Goafest, is the most successful project of AAAI along with the Advertising Club and its wide success for almost 20 years will be evident tomorrow.

The AAAI at the Secretariat has had the benefit of strong and efficient administrators. I recall during my time it has been Kevin Marshal, Dara Acidwalla and now Sudesh Kapoor, who we must thank for managing all the secretariat work efficiently.

Among wide ranging changes that are taking place in the industry, I hope future Presidents will have the wisdom to build on whatever we have done so far and retain the identity of AAAI for another 80 years atleast.