We're intrigued by India's ad awards festival, Goafest, because, well... it's India for one thing, a burgeoning advertising industry play land and it also just sounds damn fun. Most of the big guys are making an appearance, except for Lowe and McCann Erickson. No one expected Lowe as they are frequent non-joiners, but McCann Erickson’s was supposed to pony up and play nice, as they have in the past. Not this year. The shop has declined their invitation.

Prasoon Joshi , chairman & regional executive creative director-Asia Pacific, for McCann basically said it was to expensive to get involved and derailed their energy. The entire broke ass McCann team will be present in Goa in spirit however.

Madan Mohan, Senior Vice-President, TBWA\India, said:

"I have now learnt that there won’t be a truce and that the cold war would continue. Again two significant names would be conspicuous by their absence. I only wish that these ‘issues’ were sorted out. It’s about participation of the industry as a whole, and two significant agencies backing off again this year only leads to disappointment."

These heads of agencies are bickering front and center in the press. How we wish that Stateside head honchos had the balls to just get in there and sling some truth about! If you know more about India's ad game than we do, which should be almost everyone, please fill us in? For a second, we feel like Dlisted - all up in the gossip.

We're hoping to get a report from one of the high level, American attendees at Goafest. Some pictures would be nice, too.

[source]