Could AdFest be considering a move away from Pattaya to Shanghai?
UPDATE: The seedy side of Pattaya’s “Walking Street” along with the rumour of a proposed change in location for the annual festival has hit the international trade press. AdAge’s Normandy Madden has written about the fact that the Cannes of Asia is held in a Thai city that is filled with “lowlife tourists seeking affection from Thai prostitutes”. Under the heading “Asia’s AdFest wrestles with down economy, prostitutes” Madden points to the popularity of Walking Street with AdFest’s predominantly male delegates and writes that, not unreasonably, that many women delegates are offended with the seedy location around which AdFest is held. Read the full AdAge article here.
(CB Asia’s original March 24th story) How do people who have attended AdFest previously feel about the big rumour that the Festival will be moved to Shanghai?
Although denied by the festival, the rumour was the talk of the three days in Pattaya but in CB Asia’s quick poll of a dozen or so delegates on the last day we couldn’t find one person who responded favourably to the rumoured move. A change to Shanghai as a venue gathered momentum with the Shanghai-based Sino-Adi corporation taking this year’s top Dragon Sponsorship package at AdFest. It was quietly confirmed to CB Asia via a reliable source at AdFest who suggested it was 80% likely to happen next year or 100% likely to happen the year after.
No doubt the motivation for even remotely considering a change is financial. It was a tough year for AdFest with the festival taking a hit both in entries and delegate numbers. Sino-Adi was at AdFest representing the Shanghai Jiading Government. The Jiading Industrial Zone in Shanghai is home to the Sino-ADI Development Base of Advertising & Creative Industry and you can see why attracting an established festival like AdFest to Shanghai would greatly appeal to them.
A major underwriting commitment from them would certainly be hard for AdFest to ignore.
The obvious risks to the Festival organisers would be that Shanghai doesn’t hold the same appeal as a destination to international delegates, although there is no doubt Chinese delegates would compensate in terms of numbers.
241 of this year’s total of 693 delegates came from Japan. Thai delegates numbered 111.
13 Comments
Sleazy Pattaya, or smoggy Shanghai?
My vote goes to Thailand.
That would be a shame. I think AdFest is a distinctive Thai show and should remain in Thailand. Granted, Pattaya and it’s girly bars are not the most ideal location but as a destination Thailand is preferable to Shanghai.
Id say a move to Shanghai is in keeping with the spirit of the times.
Pattaya’s way too sleazy man…its ok for the sleazefreaks who sneak down to the bars when everyones gone to bed (and then pretend they hate it all the next afternoon), but think of the female delegates from all over the world. They deserve better.
Tough decision for AdFest. The sights on Walking Street is the dominant image you take away from Pattaya. It would be a constant battle between the cost effectiveness of these conference facilities versus the fact that Pattaya is the most horrible city in Thailand.
I don’t want to be a prude but as a female delegate last year I did find it a bit nasty.
I think AdFest needs to change location.
Pattya’s unique positioning as Sodom and Gomorrah meets the Beach has always made it a weird choice for an Ad Festival anyway. Rather than linking it to Cannes it makes the whole idea of it as the ‘Cannes of Asia’ a running joke.
There’s probably no one perfect location. Why not rotate it? World Cup style. It would be a great opportunity for industry people to experience new locations and for local agency’s to play host – build some local pride in local work.
Cannes is called Cannes because it held in Cannes. Adfest can be anywhere.
4.39 is on to something with the thought that AdFest could be a World Cup style festival that rotates around cities. My only fear is that it would require way too much organisation. After 10 years it’s almost too much for AdFest as it is (But I did hear that this year was much better run. Maybe that is because there were half as many delegates).
A move to Shanghai may have financial appeal to AdFest organisers but I hope they don’t. Half the appeal of going to AdFest is that it is held in a Thailand – a lot more friendlier and more fun than China. I do concede that Pattaya is a huge brothel but the facilities there are very good.
I think there are a two things AdFest could do to raise the prestige of the show. They could move it to Phuket or Bangkok. Or if they remain, more parties at night to attend and network at in the main hotel would see a slow down of travelers to Walking Street bars.
Nah, I’m being naive – as creatives we love a bit of fun and we will be able to sniff it out in any city that they decide to move AdFest to. Even Shanghai.
They should just move it to Hua Hin which is by the sea, down the road from Bangkok, but in the opposite direction fm Pattaya both geographically and ideologically. The Thai King has palace there so Hua Hin is pretty free from over the top sleaze and the standard of hotels there is probably the best in Asia.
If it moves to Shanghai, I am pulling out.
It doesn’t have to be in Pattaya for me, but it should remain in a resort town. Keeps the mood light.
Hua Hin could be good.
Funny that the author of the Adage article condemns sleazy Pattaya but she has a home in sleazy Phuket.
I agree with 3.41.
Adfest works as it’s held in a resort destination which keeps delegates together. I’m not sticking up for Pattaya which is probably the worst city in Thailand but Adfest should remain close to the beach.
I think Adfest should wait until the Singapore spikes is over before making any decision. Let’s see how many people want to travel to Singapore as a festival destination. Reports say that the Dubai Lynx was dead dull this year and I don’t think Spikes will be much better.
I’ve seen plenty of female delegates enjoy the novelty factor of Walking Street.
Anywhere except Shanghai. Please.
Oh please, Shanghai has her fair share of sleaze. The place is filthy and the Shanghainese are rude! Plus the Shanghai smog makes Pattaya a heaven.
Adfest should stay where it is. It’s cool being the only award show in the world that doesn’t do it in a “proper” location. Its cool how the social fabric of Thailand is weave of tolerance with people from all walks of like intermingling with each other. Just look at how they come together during a meal by the street side, for example. How else to demonstrate this but putting an award show in a location like Pattaya. Can’t we just celebrate it for its uniqueness? Afterall, the integrity and prestige of the show is in the work and its judging of work, right?