MUMBAI: With what started out as direct mailers to the Indian and International ad community has emerged as a win-win promotional stunt for Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) ad festival GoaFest targeting a larger global audience.

Using the viral medium, the creative agency Leo Burnett Mumbai creative team spearheaded by KV Sridhar and KB Vinod generated seven different themes to celebrate the crux of all advertising ‘The idea.’ Working on a shoe string budget of Rs 5, 00,000 the agency has used a rather cliché symbol of ideation – a light bulb, but presented it in a differentiating manner. All ideas including "arty ffarty or great" ideas, the campign invites one and all.

What emerged from this is a global recognition and ushered in more International participation for the event next year (2008). It is currently travelling across the globe and has been featured on International websites like www.youtube.com / group / adsoftheworld and www.bestadsontv.com / blog among others.

Contagious magazine executive editor (premier new age communication magazine in the world) Paul Kemp Robertson wrote in to say, “These are great. We would love to feature them in our site and DVD.”

Given that the viral campaign has cost effectively spurred hype and curiosity for the festival but what will sustain this buzz until April as it will be held on 20 and 21 April? The festival’s organizing committee chairman and Leo Burnett chairman Indian sub-continent Arvind Sharma tells Indiantelevision.com that a print and web campaign will be seen within a week to 10 days and will be followed by a radio campaign. Presently, a television promotion is also underway, however the big boost has come from the viral medium.

Vinod said that the main focus was to take the cliché relationship of equating ideas with a bulb and make to relevant to a younger generation. Apart from this, it is a privilege that we have been recognised by International ad honchos.