The International Advertising Association (IAA)–India Chapter is introducing IAA Debates, to bring back the old style classical debate format back to dwell upon topical serious business issues. The association feels that while the advertising and marketing industry is in the business of hype, amidst the glitz and glamour it (the industry) tend to forget the serious business issues that they face today and will be facing tomorrow.
Srinivasan Swamy, President, IAA India Chapter, said, “IAA members are senior opinion leaders in the industry and with these debates we intend to drive opinion and trends going forward. As an industry, we all take part in seminars, panel discussions etc but do we at all debate face-to- face some serious issues? In my view, the issues are best understood when we debate them with passion.”
IAA is planning to start its first ever series of “IAA Debates” on various contemporary relevant topics that marketing, media and advertising industry face. These will be formatted in a classic debate style, with senior professionals speaking ‘for’ and ‘against’ the motion and attended by our professional colleagues from across the industry.
The first such debate will be held on February 18, on the topic of if traditional print and television media are losing relevance in the face of the indomitable growth of the digital media.
Virginia Sharma of IBM, and Mahesh Murthy of Pinstorm will speak FOR and Sanjay Gupta of Star India and Arunabh Das Sharma of Times of India will speak AGAINST the motion.