Goafest 2026: CMOs from Zepto, Godrej, Visa converge on hybrid in-house-agency model

At Goafest 2026, marketing leaders from Zepto, Godrej Consumer Products, Visa, HDFC Bank and IBM debated in-house vs agency models, measurement accountability and AI's role. Consensus: hybrid structures that balance speed, creativity and business outcomes are winning, with top advertisers running 10-30 campaigns a month.

— Filed Sat, 23 May, 2026, 21:01 IST · Source Financial Express · BrandWagon · Updated

At Goafest 2026, marketing leaders from Zepto, Godrej Consumer Products, Visa, HDFC Bank and IBM debated in-house vs agency models, measurement accountability, and AI's role, agreeing on hybrid structures balancing speed, creativity, and business outcomes.

Why this matters

Goafest 2026 continues to set India's marketing agenda, following calls for India Inc to move beyond 'Brand India' and build global brands. The hybrid model debate reflects rising campaign volumes and pressure on CMOs to prove ROI.

Retail-brand signals steady at 546 in last 90 days, showing sustained CMO and brand-strategy activity.

Also reported by